6 Lesser-Known Ways To Make Money in an Hour, According To Experts
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Though inflation is finally coming down, prices across many sectors are still high and millions of Americans are having a tough time making ends meet. Often, a full-time job just doesn’t cut it and a side hustle is necessary for folks to get by.
Those cornered into living paycheck to paycheck — or those who just simply want to make a little extra money in their free time — should be aware of some of the lesser-known ways to make money in a very short amount of time. Depending on the gig, you can make a few bucks — or as much as $50 — an hour.
Micro-Tutoring
Surely you’ve heard of tutoring, but have you heard of micro-tutoring? This is essentially tutoring but in short, focused sessions, and by doing it, tutors can make money in an hour or possibly less.
“Tutors can easily fit these sessions into their busy schedules because they last between 30 minutes and an hour,” said Darian Shimy, founder and CEO at FutureFund. “Earning potential ranges from $15 to $50 per hour, depending on how skilled the tutor is, what subject they teach and the platform they use.”
Shimmy added that micro-tutoring is an especially good fit for people who are experts in high-demand subjects like foreign languages, STEM fields and test prep.
Website and App Testing
Another quick and pretty easy way to make money in under an hour that you may not know about? Website and app testing.
“Businesses are always looking for feedback from users to make their digital products better, and they’re ready to pay for it,” Shimy said. “Testers usually look around a website or app for an hour and give detailed feedback on how it works, how it looks and how easy it is to use. A lot of the time, this kind of work pays between $10 and $30 an hour.”
This gig is ideal for people who are tech-savvy, meticulous and good at spotting problems that could impact user experience.
Express Proofreading
Express proofreading requires excellent language and grammar skills, along with a discerning eye for detail. If you excel here, you can make some fast money in an hour.
“For this task, you need to check short documents for spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes,” Shimy said. “A lot of the time, the work is given in small chunks that can be finished in an hour. Proofreaders can make anywhere from $15 to $30 an hour, depending on how fast and well they do their job.”
Writing Honest and In-Depth Reviews
In an age of e-commerce, writing product and service reviews is a potentially lucrative way to earn money in a short time.
“A lot of businesses and websites pay people to write honest, in-depth reviews of their products or services,” Shimy said. “The pay can be from $5 to $30 per review, depending on the platform and how long and in-depth the review needs to be.”
Emphasis on the word “honest.”
“Reviewers should always say if they got a product for free in exchange for a review,” Shimy said. “It’s important to remember that ethical concerns should be taken into account.”
Selling Stock Photos
Are you a passionate and skilled photographer looking to make some quick cash? Look into selling stock photos.
“Using this method, you upload high-quality pictures to websites that sell stock photos,” Shimy said. “People or businesses can then buy these pictures and use them for different things. Even though the pay per photo isn’t always high, a well-organized portfolio of popular subjects can bring in a steady stream of cash over time.”
As of September 2024, the average salary for stock photography in the United States is $30 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
Taking Surveys or Playing Games That Pay
A great lesser-known way to reel in extra money in an hour or less is to take paid surveys or play games that pay for your time and feedback. Best of all, you can do this all from your smartphone.
“If you just want to pick up a little extra spending money while sitting around watching TV or listening to Spotify, plenty of apps will pay you to do things like take surveys on your phone,” said Todd Stearn, founder and CEO of The Money Manual, adding that the pay here isn’t great — but hey, it’s something.
“You may only make a couple of dollars an hour,” Stearn said .”Some of the best apps to check out include Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Inbox Dollars and Mistplay.”
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