9 Ways to Make Money While Waiting for Disability (Without Losing Benefits)

How do you pay your bills while waiting for your disability check?

If you need money while waiting for SSDI or you’re just trying to survive financially during this time, you’re not alone.

That’s why I put together this post to share a few real, simple ways to make money while waiting for disability benefits.

Whether it’s picking up a small gig from home, selling some things you already have, or using apps that pay you for simple stuff, there are options.

But before we get to the list, let’s answer an important question.

Can You Work While Waiting for Disability?

One of the biggest questions people have is, “Can I work while waiting for disability?”

The short answer? Yes, but there are limits.

While you’re waiting for SSDI or SSI approval, the Social Security Administration (SSA) does let you earn some income. But it can’t be too much, or they might think you’re still capable of what’s called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which could hurt your chances of getting approved. SGA basically means you are well enough to work and earn a living so you can’t qualify for disability assistance.

So what counts as SGA?

In 2025, the SSA considers you to be engaging in SGA if you’re making more than $1,550 a month (or $2,590 if you’re blind) source. If you earn more than that, they may assume you’re not disabled enough to need benefits.

That said, you can do limited, part-time work or gig jobs as long as you stay under the income threshold and your work doesn’t conflict with the limitations you’ve listed in your application.

The key is to be honest about your situation and not take on work that contradicts your claimed disability.

I highly recommend you to check out the SSA’s official work guidelines while applying and their page on SGA limits.

Legit Ways to Make Money While Waiting for Disability

Ok, now that we have covered that important question, here are some of the best side gigs for disabled individuals you can use to earn cash without putting your application at risk.

1. Freelance Online (Writing, Graphic Design, etc.)

Depending on the kind of disability you have, you may be able to make some quick cash by doing some freelance work.

If you’ve got skills like writing, graphic design, data entry, or even voiceover work, freelancing can be a great way to earn a little cash from home.

Things like:

• freelance writing
• building website
• coding
• virtual assistance
• etc.

And there are tons of places where you can find such opportunities.

We have published a few posts on such opportunities and places to find them.

For example, our Get Paid to Write post includes a list of over 100 sites that pay you to write for them.

You can also use freelancing websites such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Textbroker to find propjets to work on.

2. Sell your used stuff

If you’ve got stuff collecting dust around the house, you can turn it into fast cash.

You may think you don’t have anything valuable to sell, but these days you can even sell your trash for cash.

I’m sure you can find a few things that can be sold for some quick cash.

You can sell clothes, electronics, tools, or even old collectibles on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Craigslist.

Things like smartphones, gaming consoles, name-brand shoes, and small furniture tend to sell fast for quick cash.

 3. Take online surveys

This isn’t get-rich-quick stuff, but sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars pay you for easy tasks like surveys, watching videos, playing games and more.

It’s a realistic way to make money online while waiting for disability, especially if you’re stuck at home with limited energy or mobility. Just don’t expect to make more than a few extra bucks a day.

4. Donate plasma

If you’re healthy enough, donating blood plasma can bring in around $30 to $70 per donation, sometimes more depending on promotions. Some places even pay new donors a few hundred dollars in the first month.

For example, Biolife pays you up to $260 a month for donating your blood plasma.

And you can do it more than once.

Of course, you have to meet certain health and weight requirements.

Overall its’s reliable way to earn cash for anyone including people who are waiting for their disability benefits to kick in.

5. Pet sitting or dog walking

Love animals?

You can use sites like Rover and Wag to find gigs near you where you get paid to watch pets, go on short dog walks, or even do house drop-ins.

It’s one of the more easy side hustles for disabled people, especially if you can handle light activity and enjoy furry company.

You set your schedule, and some people make decent part-time money just watching dogs from home.

Obviously this depends on what kind of disability you have, so it may not work for every disable person.

6. Offer services in your neighborhood

Sometimes the best gigs are right next door.

Babysitting, tutoring, light yard work, or organizing closets can all be done locally.

You can spread the word using flyers, community bulletin boards, or apps like Nextdoor.

This is a great way to make money locally while on disability, especially if you enjoy helping others and want to keep things casual and flexible.

7. Use Passive Income apps

Yes, there really are apps that pay you for things you already do, like walking, shopping, or even sharing anonymous data.

Some good options include:

• Pogo: You can earn you points for sharing location data.
• Nielsen Mobile: Yes, it is the same company behind the Nielsen TV rating thing. But with this app, you get paid to have the app run in the background so it can collect data (anonymously) about user behavior online.

These are great passive income apps while on disability because they don’t require much effort and won’t interfere with your ability to qualify for benefits.

If you like this idea, check out my post on how to get paid for your data where I share similar apps that pay you to gather data anonymously in the background.

8. Buy & sell used books

Selling used books is a great way to supplement your income.

You ain’t gonna get rich, but you can make a little extra cash in your free time.

Your local thrift stores and garage sales are the best sources for finding and buying books for pennies on the dollar.

Install the free BookScouter app so you can enter the ISBN of any book to get a quick estimate of how much you can sell it for.

BookScouter searches on over 40 book buy back sites and find the ones that pay the most for any given book. By using it, you can make sure a book can make you money before you even buy it at the second-hand store or yard sale.

9. Get a temporary job

American Disabilities Act publishes temporary jobs for the disabled at ADA.gov.

Head to ADA.gov and check if there’s anything in the local branch you can take up on a short-term basis.

National Telecommuting Institute, Inc. specializes in matching home-based jobs for disabled people. You can consider registering with them for any feasible work.

There are also many part-time jobs that you can manage comfortably in spite of your condition.

How to Save Money While on Disability

For a great resource that will help you save a ton of money, be sure to check out Coupon Chief’s “Retail Savings Guide for People with Disabilities.”

It’s packed with a list of available programs and help for people with disabilities.

It includes things like:

• Organizations that help people with a disability get discounts and special pricing
• Financial assistance
• Educational assistance
• Legal help
• Tax assistance
• Transportation discounts and services
• Utilities discounts
• And much more.

FAQs About Working or Earning While Waiting for Disability

Can I work a part-time job while waiting for disability?

Yes, but your earnings has to stay under SSA’s SGA limit which currently is $1,550/month ($2,590 if blind). So if you go over that your claim might be denied.

How much money can I earn and still qualify for SSDI?

As of 2025, you can earn up to $1,550/month from work without it affecting SSDI eligibility. Stay under that to avoid issues.

What happens if I start making money during the application process?

If you earn too much, SSA might think you’re not disabled. Keep earnings low, track everything, and if you can, talk to a disability lawyer just to make sure.

Final Thoughts

Waiting for disability approval can feel like it takes forever, and when you’re short on cash, it’s even harder.

Whether you need money while waiting for SSDI or you’re just trying to stay afloat without risking your benefits, there are legit ways to earn a little on the side.

From online freelancing to selling your old stuff, or using passive income apps like Pogo, even small wins can help make the wait a little less stressful.

The important thing to remember here is that if you do decide to work, make sure you stay under SSA’s income limits.

Also keep good records of any money you make while waiting for your disability benefits to start. You never know when you may need them!