How to Make 30 Dollars Fast: 13 Ways to Get $30 Instantly

Whether it’s selling something you already own or using an app that pays instantly, you can make money in minutes. Below are some of the fastest ways to get $30 with little to no effort.

One of the fastest ways to make $30 is by selling things you no longer use. You might be surprised at how quickly everyday items can turn into cash.

For example, a used pair of Nike sneakers in good condition can sell for $30 or more on Facebook Marketplace within hours.

For selling electronics, gadgets, old video games, headphones, or small kitchen appliances quickly, apps like OfferUp or Mercari are great.

To sell quickly:

• Take clear photos in good lighting.
• Write a short but detailed description (brand, condition, and price).
• Price items competitively. Check similar listings to see what they’re selling for.
• Offer local pickup or meet at a public place for instant cash.

If you need money today, focus on high-demand items like electronics, name-brand clothing, or household goods. It’s really not that hard to make $30 or more just by decluttering!

2. Pawn Stuff for Quick Cash

If you need $30 instantly, pawning an item is one of the fastest ways to get cash in hand.

Pawn shops offer short-term loans in exchange for valuable items like jewelry, electronics, musical instruments, and power tools.

Remember though, if you don’t repay the loan, they keep the item. But you can also sell it outright for a higher payout.

For example, a gold necklace or a used PlayStation controller can easily fetch $30 at a pawn shop. High-demand items like smartwatches, gaming consoles, and quality tools often get you even more.

To get the most money:

• Bring high-value, working items like gold, brand-name electronics, or tools.
• Negotiate. Pawn shops expect haggling, so don’t accept the first offer.
• Compare offers by checking multiple pawn shops if possible.

If you don’t want to part with your item permanently, a pawn loan lets you get the cash now and buy it back later. Just be sure to read the terms carefully!

3. Return Unused Purchases

A simple way to make $30 fast is by returning unused items you’ve already bought. Check your closet, drawers, or storage areas for something you have bought recently that still has tags on it.

These days, most stores, including big retailers like Target or Walmart, offer 30-90 day return policies as long as you have the original receipt or proof of purchase.

Bought a pair of shoes that don’t fit or a gadget you never used? Return it and get cash or store credit within minutes.

By the way, if you don’t have the original receipt, don’t just assume you are out of luck. Some stores will still offer store credit with a purchase history or the credit card you used.

This is an easy, risk-free way to recover money from purchases you no longer need. Plus, it can help clear up space at home!

4. Get $30 Right Now at ZippyLoan

If you need $30 immediately, ZippyLoan is an option to consider. It’s an online lending network that connects you with lenders offering small personal loans, including amounts as low as $30 to $100.

The process is quick:

• Apply online in minutes with no lengthy paperwork.
• Get approved instantly (depending on your credit and lender).
• Receive funds as soon as the next business day.

ZippyLoan doesn’t lend money directly but helps match you with lenders, some of which don’t require a credit check. Just keep in mind that interest rates vary, so it’s best for emergencies when you know you can repay quickly.

Ways to Make $30 in a Few Hours

The above options can get you $30 pretty much instantly.

But if you need the money in a few hours, you have many more options.

Here are a few great ways to take action now and have $30 in a few hours or so.

5. Flip Something Free on Craigslist

Another quick way to make $30 is by flipping free items from Craigslist.

I use this often.

Check the “Free” section of Craigslist and you’ll find hundreds of items being given away for free.

People give away furniture, electronics, or household items for free. And in many cases, these are items that are still in working and good condition. Some may need to be cleaned up or repainted. Some don’t need any repair or even cleaning.

For example, you might find a free couch or coffee table being given away in your area. If it’s in decent condition, you can pick it up for free, clean it up, and resell it for $30 or more on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or OfferUp.

To maximize your earnings:

• Search the “Free” section on Craigslist daily for new listings.
• Act fast. Popular items go quickly.
• Look for items that just need minor repairs or a good cleaning to resell.

Flipping free items is a great way to make money with little investment, and with a bit of creativity, you can actually make way more than $30.

6. Make Money on Reddit

Believe it or not, you can actually make money on Reddit.

Reddit has niche communities within the site known as Subreddits. There are Subreddits for pretty much anything you can imagine, including Subreddits for side gigs, selling items, or even paying for specific tasks.

For example, on subreddits like r/forhire and r/slavelabour, you can find people who are willing to pay for small jobs, such as writing a review, doing research, or helping with data entry.

Alternatively, r/beermoney is a great place to find apps and websites that pay you for simple online tasks.

Making money on Reddit requires some hustle, but with the right approach, you can earn $30 (or more) quickly, all while helping others and building your reputation on the platform. Just make sure to be active and respond quickly to posts, as opportunities on Reddit can disappear fast.

7. Donate Plasma

Donating plasma is another great way to earn $30 fast.

Plasma donation centers, such as CSL Plasma and BioLife, pay donors for plasma.

You can make anywhere from $50 or more per donation.

And if you are a first-time donor, most centers also give you first-time donor bonuses or additional incentives for repeat donations, making it possible to earn $30 or more with just one visit.

For example, CSL Plasma often offers up to $50 or more for your first donation, depending on promotions in your area, and BioLife might offer similar compensation for first-time or regular donors.

The whole process takes around 1-2 hours. So you can easily make more than $30 in under 2 hours or so.

8. Do Odd Jobs

Doing odd jobs is the original way of making extra money without getting another full- or part-time job.

In the old days, you had to go door to door and ask homeowners if they needed anything done. Or you had to post an ad on Craigslist and wait for potential customers to contact you.

These days, though, thanks to apps like TaskRabbit and Thumbtack, you can find odd jobs easily and quickly with a few clicks.

For example, TaskRabbit connects people who need help with everyday tasks to those willing to assist for a fee. You could offer services like grocery shopping, assembling furniture, or even organizing garages.

Since these odd jobs are normally small and can be done in a matter of hours (sometimes even 30 minutes or less), you get paid very quickly.

And if you do a good job, not only may you get repeat jobs from the same customer, but you also get tips. Sometimes, depending on the actual job, the tip could be $30 or more!

9. Deliver Food or Groceries

Delivering food or groceries is a quick way to make $30, especially if you live in a busy area.

Apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Instacart allow you to start delivering in your spare time and earn money for each delivery.

For example, with DoorDash, you can earn $10-$20 per hour, depending on the location, tips, and delivery volume.

If you’re delivering groceries with Instacart, you can earn a similar amount. Plus you can also get  bonuses for completing multiple deliveries in a short period.

10. Become a Rideshare Driver

Becoming a rideshare driver with apps like Uber or Lyft is another great way to make $30 quickly, especially during busy hours.

Whether you’re driving people to and from the airport, to dinner, or around town, you’ll earn money based on the distance and time of each trip.

For example, Uber and Lyft typically pay drivers per mile and per minute, and you can also earn tips from passengers.

And if you drive during peak times like rush hour or weekends, you can make even more money, thanks to surge pricing.

What I personally like about driving for Uber or Lyft is that it is flexible, and you can make way more than $30 in just a couple of hours.

Ways to Make $30 in a Day or Two

If you’re not in a rush and can afford to wait a day or two, there are a lot of ways to make $30 without too much effort.

With these methods, you may have to spend a bit more time and effort, but they can be great sources of extra income beyond that initial $30 you are trying to earn.

11. Take Online Surveys

If you have been a MoneyPantry fan for a while (thank you so much!), you know how much we like paid surveys. Taking surveys is the easiest way to earn extra cash without any investment or experience.

Now, since most individual surveys only pay $1-$5, the trick to making more (so you can reach your goal of making $30 a day, week, month, or whatever time frame you have in mind) is to sign up for multiple survey panels and be active on them.

Sites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and PineCone Research are great for beginners. Not only do they offer a lot of surveys and other ways to earn, but they often have some of the higher paying surveys.

Taking online surveys won’t make you a fortune, but it’s a simple way to make a bit of extra cash when you’ve got a little free time. If you commit to filling out a few surveys each day, you’ll have $30 in no time!

12. Rent Out Unused Space

If you have extra space at home, like an unused parking spot, spare room, or even storage space, renting it out can be an easy way to make $30 in a day or two.

There are a few apps that make listing your unused space for rent easy and quick.

For example, Airbnb allows you to rent out a room or even a couch, while Neighbor helps you rent out storage space for people who need to store their belongings.

And if you have a parking space you are willing to rent out, apps like Parkopedia or JustPark can connect you with people looking for a spot to park.

13. Use Cash Back Apps

Using cashback apps is one of my favorite ways of making extra money. Mainly because it’s like getting free money!

All you need to do is go through the app whenever you want to buy something so you can get cashback from the app. Everything else is the same.

For example, apps like Rakuten, Ibotta, and Dosh allow you to earn cashback for shopping at popular retailers or even grocery stores. Some apps, like Rakuten, give you cash back for online purchases, while others provide in-store rebates after scanning receipts.

Not to mention, some apps also give you sign-up bonuses, referral rewards, or promotional offers that help you reach your $30 goal even faster.

And depending on your spending habits, you can earn $30 in cashback in no time, especially if you are purchasing big-ticket items.

How to Use InboxDollars to Make $30 Quickly

I love InboxDollars!

It’s a great reward site for making extra cash online.

If you have a few minutes free time on your hands, using InboxDollars is an easy way to make 30 dollars quickly online without any investment or jumping through hoops.

It’s pretty easy and in some cases, even kids can do this.

By the way, if you are looking for a mix of offline and online methods, read my “How to make $20 right now” post where I list over 50 ways to make twenty bucks fast!

What is InboxDollars?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, InboxDollars is an online rewards program that thousands of companies use to promote their business to the site’s members.

Inbox Dollars pays its members for visiting these advertisers’ websites and signing up for offers, most of which are free.

Once you have earned your $30, you can request to be paid. You get paid via PayPal, gift cards for popular retailers like Amazon and Walmart or Visa gift cards that you can spend anywhere.

Note: InboxDollars used to pay once a month via check but they have since introduced more payment options. I usually go for PayPal since you get the money in your account instantly and it’s like cash. You can use it anywhere you want.

Earn $5 Instantly

If you don’t have an account with InboxDollars already, you can actually get $5 just for signing up!

Yes, you’ll have $5 in your account before you even start doing any offer.

Simply use our exclusive sign up link to join and get your first $5.

Once you join and confirm your email that $5 will be credited to your account. From there, do a few offers worth a combined $25 and you are on your way to cashing out your $30.

So, go sign up first, then come back to read the rest.

To get your $5, click this link to sign up!

How to Make $30 Dollars in an Hour Online

Ok, now that you’ve signed up and got your $5 bonus, it’s time to make the other $25 so you can get to your thirty dollars and cash out.

There are two ways I go about making a quick $30 with this site.

Earning Through Free Offers

We are going to take advantage of easy and free offers that have quick signup processes so you can get $30 worth of offers done fast.

For example, right now you can sign up for PinchMe and earn $1.00 instantly. It’s totally free. Not only that, PinchMe is actually a freebies site that sends you a box of free stuff few times a year!

So not only do you get $1 from InboxDoillars, but you also get tons of free stuff from PinchMe.

Here are a few example offers (available at the time of this writing. By the time you read this, these offers may have been replaced by other offers which is fine. You just take the same steps to make your fast 30 dollars.) that are totally free to join:

• Tide Laundry Detergent samples: Earn $1.50
• CoolSavings (get coupons and dals): Earn $1.25
• Lifepoints (survey site): Earn $2.00.
• Install Dave (an spending tracker app) on your phone: Earn $3.00
• Mr. Clean sample: Earn $2
• Visit the Wheel of Reward: Earn $0.25

There are tons of offers like that available. All you have to do is look in the “EARN” section in your dashboard and complete the ones you like.

All you have to do is sign up for these offers. You don’t have to buy anything from them or do anything else. Just sign up and if required, confirm your email address. That’s it!

To make your 30 bucks all you need to do is spend 20-30 minutes or so.

To find and complete offers:

1. Login to your account and find the “Offers” tab and choose “100% Free Offers” in the drop-down menu.
2. On the next page, you will see a list of free offers. To make this as quick as possible, change the setting to show offers by payout from highest to lowest.
3. From there simply click on offers that interest you one by one and complete them until you reach $30.

The first time I did this, it took me about 45 minutes. Earning $30 in 45 minutes is not bad all!

The only problem is that once you complete an offer, you can not do it again. So, you can’t go in and make 30 dollars every day. But thankfully they have lots of free offers (I would think their free offers alone would total around $1000 or so but I m not sure). So you can do this a few times.

Plus, they add new offers all the time. So every few months I check back. The last time I did this was a year or so ago which made me $45.53.

A Quicker Way to Earn $30

If you don’t have an extra 45 minutes or so, or just want a faster way to get that 30 bucks, you can use the free trial offers.

But these are usually risky, so you have to find one that is from a reputable company and be sure to read the fine print before you agree to the terms.

I did a few offers with no problem. The best ones are the club offers, like American Cellars Wine Club which pays $20, or the Cooking Essentials which pays $6.

As you can see, with these offers you only have to do a few to reach 30 bucks.

You can do more to make $100, $200 or more.

Here is how it works:

You do have to pay to sign up with book clubs.

Some charge a $0.99 fee, some a few dollars, but usually the higher the registration fee the higher your payout from InboxDollars.

For example, with the Disney Movie Club offer you can get 4 movies for $1.99 each, plus free shipping.

Once your transaction is complete InboxDollars will give you $20.

So, you get twenty bucks, plus 4 movies for around 8 bucks. Now, imagine if you were going to buy those 4 movies anyway, how sweet that would be.

Now, the best part of such offers is that if you change your mind and no longer want to be a part of the club, you just write “Cancel – Return to Sender” on the package you receive from them and send it back to them.

You are assured of a full refund, and you still get to keep the $20 they gave you for signing up.

Pro Tip

Since the main focus of this post is about earning 30 dollars quickly, I didn’t touch on other ways of earning money with the site.

But, once you join the site, take advantage of other offers as well. You can easily make an extra $50 to $100 or so each month by doing a few small things.

For example, sites like InboxDollars are especially great for online shopping. They act as a cashback portal. So before you shop online, login to your InboxDollars account, go to the “SHOP” section, find the store you want to shop from, see how much cashback you can get and if you like it, click the link, visit the store and do your shopping as you’d normally. Your cashback will get credited to your account once they confirm it.

I do this all the time. And why not! I mean, I don’t pay anything extra. I get the same product/service. The only difference is I get money back from something I was going to buy anyway!

So if you are a big online shopper like me and buy almost everything online, the amount of money you can get as cashback can quickly add up. So don’t miss out on essentially free money!

They also have many other types of offers that earn you money. From clipping coupons and shopping to playing games and even watching videos. So do take advantage of those.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, making $30 fast is possible through a variety of methods, whether you’re looking for instant cash or can wait a day or two.

From using cash advance apps and selling unused items to completing gigs or taking online surveys, you have a lot of options.

If you’re in a pinch, rideshare driving, pet sitting, or freelance gigs can provide quick cash, while cashback apps and renting out unused space offer longer-term, passive income options.

Please keep in mind that while payday loans might seem like an easy solution, they come with high fees and interest rates, so if you can, rely on other options first. Use payday loans as a last resort.

And, don’t forget that you don’t have to just use one of these options. You can combine a few of these methods to earn $30 faster!