7 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

Between rising costs of living, stagnant wages and the lingering effects of inflation, our money just doesn’t seem to go as far as it used to. Rent is skyrocketing, grocery runs nearly break the bank, and going out for dinner is starting to feel like a distant memory…
We could all use some extra cash. But it’s not exactly easy to just go out and snag a higher-paying job — and who has time for a second job?
Luckily, there are some pretty clever ways you probably didn’t realize you can make extra money without getting a new job — and they actually work.
1. Grow Your Savings More Than 8x Faster Every Month
Now that you’ve built substantial savings, you’ll want to make sure that money is working for you. And if you keep it in a traditional savings account, you could be missing out on serious growth.
When you keep your savings with Cash App, you could earn up to 3.25% interest* — that’s more than eight times faster than the average savings account (which pays just 0.40%**).
Cash App pays a base 1.5% interest rate, but when you set up a direct deposit of just $300 per month, you’ll boost that rate to 3.25% interest. Even better? There’s no minimum balance or monthly/hidden fees, and Cash App monitors your money 24/7 to look out for any fraud.
Want to boost your savings to 3.52% interest every month with Cash App’s partner bank? It’s easy to get started here with as little as $1 and watch your money grow more than eight times faster than average.**
2. Start Earning Passive Real-Estate Income — With Just $100
Investing in real estate has always been a way the wealthy earn passive income. There’s just one problem. We can’t all afford to just go out and buy a rental property.
But with the Arrived Private Credit Fund, you can invest in a portfolio of real-estate loans that pay dividends monthly — with a historic yield of 8.10% annualized dividends. And you can get started with a minimum investment of just $100.
Arrived is a platform backed by Jeff Bezos, Marc Benioff, and other top-tier investors, with more than 800,000 registered users and nearly $300 million invested.
Here’s how it works: You’ll invest in a diversified portfolio of loans across the U.S. that help fund renovations, rehabs, and new home construction. As borrowers pay the loan back, the interest is distributed among investors like you on a monthly basis. Historically, this has yielded investors 8.10% annualized dividends.
Want to start earning passive income like the ultra-wealthy do? It’s simple to get started here and see how much you could earn.
3. Diversify Your Portfolio With Precious Metals — And Get Up to $20K in Free Metals
If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that disruptions to the market can come out of nowhere. Between the pandemic, supply-chain issues and bear markets, a lot of people’s retirement savings felt the impact.
That’s why it can be a smart idea to look for ways to protect your retirement savings from the unpredictable. For a lot of people, investing in precious metals is a way to diversify and protect their investments.
One way to do this is with a precious metals IRA through a company like Thor Metals Group. Precious metals often outperform other investments in a volatile market, and their value tends to rise with inflation, making them an effective hedge during uncertain economic times.
Opening a gold or silver IRA is easy, and you can roll over funds from existing retirement accounts without any taxes or penalty fees. Or you can buy gold and silver directly from Thor Metals Group’s extensive collection.
Worried you may need to sell your precious metals in the future? Thor Metals Group offers a no-fee buy-back program. Plus, Thor Metals Group has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Want to diversify and safeguard your investments by adding gold and silver to your portfolio? It’s easy to get started here and get your free report. Right now, Thor Metals Group is offering up to $20,000 in free metals on qualifying purchases — plus, you’ll pay no account fees for 2025.
4. Grow Your Money More Than 13x Faster
This one’s almost too easy. If you’re keeping your savings in a traditional savings account, it’s probably not doing much for you. In fact, the latest numbers from the FDIC show that the average savings account only pays 0.40% APY.*
If you want to grow your money faster — 13 times faster* — one option you might consider is the Gainbridge® FastBreak™ annuity. You’ll earn up to 5.20% APY** on this annuity, which comes with a self-managed platform and the ability to withdraw your money without a tax penalty before age 59 1/2.
An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company that promises you a future payout in regular installments, usually monthly and often for life. The Gainbridge® FastBreak™ annuity comes in three to 10 year terms, in premiums of $1,000 to $1 million, and you’re able to withdraw up to 10% of the account value each year.**
The FastBreak™ annuity is self-directed, easy to set up and comes with 30 days to cancel your contract if you change your mind.
Want to start growing your money 13 times faster than if you kept it in a savings account? Get started here to start earning up to 5.20% APY**.
5. Get Paid $17 a Day to Play Free Games on Your Phone
We all have a game or two we like to play on our phone during our free time. Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid real cash for it? That’s exactly what a free site called Scrambly does — the average person earns $17 per day.
Scrambly works with developers who want to get their games and apps in front of new people, and they’re willing to pay you to try them. When you sign up, you can browse more than 150 free games and apps. Just find one you like and start getting paid.
You don’t need to play long, either — you can earn by playing just a few minutes at a time. And it’s all completely free. In fact, if you make an in-app purchase on a Scrambly-discovered app, they’ll give you cash back.
Once you earn $1, you can cash out instantly via PayPal, Visa, Amazon Google Play and Apple. More than 2 million people already use Scrambly, and the average person cashes out in just six minutes.
Ready to start pocketing up to $500 a month in extra cash just for playing free games on your phone? Get started here and see how much you can earn. Right now, you’ll even get a 500 coin signup bonus.
6. Stop Wasting $1,025 a Year on Car Insurance
Sometimes, the easiest way to put money in your pocket is to find out where you’re wasting it. And most people are seriously overpaying for car insurance — by as much as $1,025 a year.
Fortunately, Insurify lets you compare all your car insurance options at once — and it can put an extra $1,025 a year back in your wallet.
Just enter some basic details about your car and background, you’ll get customized quotes you can review on your own time and from the comfort of home.
Want to add up to $1,025 back to your wallet this year? It’s easy to get started here and see how much you can save.
7. Get Up to $1,000 in Free Stock Just For Investing
While your cash sits in a basic account doing absolutely nothing, smart investors are growing their wealth effortlessly – and getting up to $1,000 in free stock just for opening and funding a new SoFi Active Invest account.
Whether you’re new to investing or a seasoned pro, SoFi® makes it easy to start, manage and grow your portfolio by investing in stocks, ETFs and even fractional shares, meaning you can own a slice of your favorite company without having to buy a full share.
Traditional investing platforms charge fees that eat away at your gains. But with SoFi Active Invest, you keep more of what you earn: There are no commissions on stocks and ETFs, no account minimums and no hidden fees.
It takes just a few minutes to open an account. Get started here and fund your account within 45 days to earn up to $1,000.
Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Direct Deposit provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand.
*Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn the highest interest rate on your Cash App savings balance, you need to (a) have a Cash App Card or sponsor one or more sponsored accounts and receive at least $300 in paycheck direct deposits each month; or (b) have a sponsored account with sponsor approval to earn interest. Exceptions may also apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change.**The national average savings account interest rate is 0.40% APY, according to the FDIC, as of Sept. 15, 2025.
*Source: FDIC, national average of savings, week of 11/17/25. Rates subject to change.
**Gainbridge®: Annuity rates are subject to change at any time, and the rate mentioned may no longer be current. Please visit Gainbridge.io for current rates, full product disclosures and disclaimer. Withdrawals above the 10% free withdrawal amount are subject to a withdrawal charge and market-value adjustment. FastBreak™ is issued by Gainbridge Life Insurance Company in Zionsville, Indiana. FastBreak™ is not a tax-deferred annuity; instead, it is taxed annually.
*Moneylion: Instacash® is subject to terms and eligibility requirements.
* Fees apply for optional Turbo delivery within minutes
*SoFi: Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease.
Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view SoFi’s fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees
There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
GOBankingRates maintains editorial independence. While we may receive compensation from actions taken after clicking on links within our content, no content has been supplied by any advertiser prior to publication.