How to Make $500 Fast (15 Ways to Start Today)

The good news?

You don’t need special skills or a full-time job to make it happen. Whether you want to sell something you already own, take on a quick side hustle, or use your skills to earn extra cash, there are plenty of realistic ways to get to $500 fast.

In this guide, I’ll show you the best and most practical ways to earn $500 quickly without relying on scams or gimmicks. Let’s get started!

How to Get $500 Now

If you need to make $500 quickly, here are several methods that can put money in your pocket almost instantly.

1. Sell Valuable Stuff You Own

If you’re looking for a way to get $500 fast without having to pay interest and fees, selling something valuable you own is the best way to go.

You can sell anything you don’t need or want anymore. It can be electronics, furniture, collectible items, or whatever else you have that’s worth $500 used.

For example, if you have an old iPhone, you could sell it for $200 to $700 depending on its model and condition.

Using apps like eBay, Decluttr, and OfferUp makes it easy to list items for sale.

If you need the cash right away, as in this minute, consider selling through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, since you can meet the buyer in person and get paid immediately.

2. Pawn Stuff for Cash

One of the easiest ways to get $500 instantly is to pawn something you own. This can be electronics, jewelry, designer items, or anything else you have that can get you that much cash. If you don’t have one item worth that much, you can always pawn a few items at the same time to reach your $500 goal.

When you pawn something at a pawn shop, you’re essentially getting a loan from the store based on the value of your item. For example, if you pawn a laptop valued at $500, the pawn shop might offer you a loan in the same range.

Like any kind of loan, there will be fees and interest rates. Pawn shop interest rates can range from 12% to 240% or more, depending on the state. And, of course, you need to repay the full balance within a certain period to get your item back. If you don’t repay the loan, they’ll sell the item to recoup their loss.

3. Flip Stuff for Cash

Flipping involves buying something at a low price and selling it at a higher price.

I’ve done this myself many times. The very first time I did this, I made $275! The local Home Depot had a few 5-gallon cans of white wall paint in their “Oops” section (when someone orders a custom paint color and, for whatever reason, doesn’t end up buying it, they sell these at lower prices since they were custom-made for a specific person). This was back in 2007 or 2008 if I remember correctly. I bought 5 five-gallon cans of paint for a total of $125. Then I listed them on Craigslist, and a general contractor ended up buying all five from me for $400.

Now, you can do this by buying undervalued items at yard sales, thrift stores, local stores (especially those going out of business or having really huge sales), or even online marketplaces, then resell them for profit.

You can even pick up free items from the Free section of Craigslist and sell them in the Sale section. Sometimes, all you need to do is clean the item up, or with furniture, you can actually paint them for a fresh new look and sell them at a decent price.

Websites like Poshmark for clothing, or Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for general goods, are great platforms to flip items. While it takes some effort and skill, flipping can be a highly profitable way to make quick money.

4. Do Odd Jobs

Offering services for odd jobs can quickly add up to $500. Small jobs like yard work, moving furniture, dog walking, or house cleaning are always in demand.

Websites like TaskRabbit or local classified ads on Craigslist are great places to find people who need help.

Depending on the job, you could charge anywhere from $20 to $50 per hour. For example, helping someone move or cleaning a house could net you $200 or more in just a few hours, helping you hit your $500 goal quickly.

5. Borrow from Friends and Family

If you need money fast, turning to family or friends might be the quickest option. I usually don’t recommend mixing money and family or friends together, as it can sour relationships.

I know this can be tricky depending on your relationship with your family and friends, but it’s an option.

Now, there are a few things you can do to make this process smoother and put them at ease. For example, you can offer a clear repayment plan and timeline, or even a small “thank you” gift to show them how much their action means to you.

Borrowing money from family and friends may not be the most comfortable way to secure $500 in a day, but it’s a reliable way to do it without involving banks or apps.

6. Take Out a Personal Loan

A personal loan from a bank, credit union, or online lender can get you $500 quickly.

With fast approval processes, you can access the funds really fast, sometimes even on the same day.

What I like about personal loans instead of other ways like Payday loans is that personal loans usually come with fixed interest rates and repayment terms, so you’ll know exactly how much you need to repay and when.

And to top it off, if you have a good credit score, you can get loans with low interest rates so your $500 loan doesn’t become $5000 by the time you pay it off!

That said, always check the APR and fees before signing on the dotted line. This applies to any type of loan or cash advance.

7. Use a No-Credit-Check Cash Advance Apps

Cash advance apps, such as Earnin, Dave, and Brigit, offer a way to access part of your paycheck before it arrives. What sets these apps apart is that they don’t even check your credit. So even if you have bad or no credit, you can get a cash advance from them.

For example, Earnin allows you to borrow up to $100 per day (or $500 per pay period) without any interest, while Dave lets you borrow up to $200 with no interest. ]

These apps typically work by linking to your bank account and tracking your work hours, allowing you to access funds you’ve already earned. Fees are usually small or based on voluntary tips, so you can avoid high-interest rates.

8. Use a Credit Card

I personally don’t like using this option since credit cards usually have very high interest rates. But, if there’s ever a time to use a credit card, it’s when there’s an emergency and you need money fast.

The ideal option would be to use a credit card that offers a 0% APR introductory period, so you can pay it off without incurring any interest. In this case, you borrow $500 and pay back exactly $500 when you have the money.

If you don’t have a credit card with a 0% APR, your next option is to use a credit card (if you have multiple) that has the lowest interest rate.

Keep in mind that taking a cash advance from an ATM can come with hefty fees and high interest rates.

Pro tip

These methods offer realistic ways to earn $500 fast, depending on your circumstances, resources, and available skills.

But you don’t have to just use one of these strategies. You can make that $500 faster or make even more money by using a combination of these strategies.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Payday Loans

I hate payday loans with a passion. Frankly, I think they should be illegal. They often prey on the ignorance of borrowers and their extreme need for fast cash by charging astronomically high interest rates.

Here’s the thing…

While payday loans may seem like an easy way to get quick cash, they come with significant risks.

Payday lenders often charge extremely high interest rates, sometimes exceeding 400% APR or even more (can you believe that?), which can make it difficult to repay the loan on time.

And if you don’t pay back the loan on time, more fees are added, so you end up rolling over the debt and get stuck in a cycle of borrowing that’s harder to escape.

It’s not unusual for a borrower to take out a $500 loan, and by the time they pay it off, they’ve paid more than $5,000! I’ve heard and seen horror stories!

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), nearly 1 in 5 payday loan borrowers end up taking out a second loan to cover the first, leading to long-term debt. For these reasons, it’s best to explore other options, like no-credit-check cash advance apps or personal loans, which often come with lower fees and better terms.

Please, please, stay away from payday loans if you can!

Ways to Get $500 Fast

If you’re looking for ways to earn $500 quickly, gig economy jobs can be a great option.

With the flexibility to work when and where you want, you can easily make money by offering ridesharing services, delivering food, or completing other tasks.

Thankfully, these days there are a lot of apps that make finding paying gigs easy and quick.

Here are some of the best and most popular ones.

9. Deliver Food and Groceries

Apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart allow you to make money by delivering food or groceries.

The best part is that you can start earning immediately, especially during busy hours when demand is high.

Depending on the area, as a delivery driver, you can make $15 to $30 per hour, plus you get tips.

If you’re in a city with high demand, you could easily make $500 in a few days by working a few hours a day.

10. Give Rides

These days, everybody either has used an Uber or Lyft as a customer or as a driver. If you haven’t used it as a driver to make extra money, you should seriously consider it.

Driving for Uber or Lyft can be an excellent way to quickly earn $500.

As a rideshare driver, you can typically earn around $15 to $25 per hour, depending on your location and time of day.

During peak hours, like rush hour or weekends, you can make even more money with surge pricing. Plus, some apps offer incentives for completing a certain number of rides, helping you reach your goal of making $500 even quicker.

11. Pet Sit

If you’re an animal lover, offering pet-sitting or dog-walking services through apps like Rover should be a no brainer.

A lot of pet owners use apps like Rover to pay someone to care for their pets while they’re away.

On average, as a pet sitter, you can make anywhere from $15 to $50 per visit, depending on the service provided.

If you’re able to book multiple clients throughout the week, you could easily earn $500 or more in a short time.

12. Deliver Packages with Amazon Flex

With Amazon Flex, you can deliver packages for Amazon and earn money on your own schedule.

As a driver, you can earn up to $25 per hour, depending on the area and the time you spend delivering packages.

Since Amazon Flex offers flexible hours, you can work as much or as little as you want, making it a great option for quickly earning $500.

Ways to Make $500 If You Don’t Need the Money Instantly

If you’re not in a rush to make $500 and can wait a few days or even a few weeks, there are tons of opportunities to earn money more steadily.

Whether you’re looking for ways to make $500 a week or a month consistently, these options offer more long term earning potential.

From side gigs to passive income streams, you can build a reliable income without having the pressure and stress of needing $500 urgently.

13. Rent Out a Room or Property

If you have a spare room or property, renting it out on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO can be an easy way to earn passive income.

Depending on your location, you could easily make $500 in a week or even in a few days. Hell, there are properties that charge more than $500 a night. But I think most of us don’t have that kind of place to begin with, lol.

High-demand areas or vacation spots often command higher rates, and if you have the right setup, you can generate consistent monthly income by hosting guests.

14. Do Freelance Work (Writing, Design, etc.)

Freelancing is one of the most flexible ways to make money. It is also an easy way to make money online without investment.

Whether it’s writing, graphic design, web development, or social media management, there are many platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer where you can find clients.

As a freelancer, you can charge hourly rates or charge based on the project itself. And if you are good at what you do, your earnings can quickly add up.

If you’re consistent, freelancing can easily become a reliable way to earn $500 a week or month.

15. Take Paid Surveys

Another great way to make some money fast is by taking surveys. Now, I’ll level with you here, most surveys don’t pay a lot. This means that they are more suited for bringing in extra cash along with the other side hustles that I mentioned on the list, like freelance writing or driving for Uber.

The good thing about surveys is that they offer you a way to make money without a job!

And, pretty much anyone can get started with taking surveys. You don’t need any special qualifications or experience to participate.

You can make money taking surveys from your phone or computer, making this a super convenient option.

Websites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and Pinecone Research offer rewards or cash for completing surveys or participating in research studies and are great sits for beginners to start.

You can find a bigger list of online survey sites that pay, here.

A Few More Ways to Make Some Extra Cash Quickly

You already have lots of ways to make $500 fast both online and locally, and a list of apps and sites that are great for making extra money.

In this section, I just wanted to give you a few more ways to make $500 fast!

Check for unclaimed money

You could have money out there that’s just sitting unclaimed.

This can include:

• Unclaimed Tax Refund Checks: Each year, the IRS has millions of dollars in tax refunds that go unclaimed. There are many reasons why tax refunds go unclaimed. This could be because, for example, a person moved and forgot to update their address at the IRS. So their check is mailed to their last known address. If you were expecting to get a tax refund but didn’t receive it, you can go to the Where’s My Refund Page of the IRS website here or you can call the IRS to check the status of your refund. You can find the contact details for the IRS here.
• Unclaimed Back Wages: You could be owed unpaid wages. You can search the Wage and Hour Division’s database, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor, to see if you are owed any cash. Find out if you are owed unclaimed back wages here.
• Money From Bank Failures: Each depositor is insured to at least $250,000 per insured bank under the FDIC. This means that if you had money in a bank that failed, then you could claim it back. You can learn more about failed banks here.
• Money from credit union failures: You may be owed money back from failed credit unions. Through the National Credit Union Administration, (NCUA), you could get money back that you put into a credit union that failed. Learn more about getting money back from failed credit unions here.

You can also conduct a free online search for any unclaimed money at Unclaimed.org here.

FAQ

How can I get $500 in ASAP?

Some of the best ways to make $500 ASAP include:

• Freelance work, such as freelance writing and data entry work.
• Selling stuff
• Driving for Lyft and Uber
• Delivering food with companies like Instacart and DoorDash

How can I make $1000 fast legally?

Try these options:

• Participate in research studies
• Work overtime
• Freelance work and local gigs such as delivery work and cleaning all pay quickly, and you could earn $1,000 in less than a month legally.

How can I make $500 in a few days?

Here are some options for earning $500 in a few days:

• Offering your services as a freelancer on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour.
• Working local gigs through sites like GigSmart, TaskRabbit, and Bellhops.
• Giving people lifts via Uber, especially at the weekend when you can bring in a few $100 extra.

How can I make $500 fast without a job

Here are a few ways to get $500 when you don’t have a job:

• Sell your stuff – you’d be surprised how much unused stuff you have in your home. Declutter and you can make $100s fast. No job required!
• Negotiate your bills
• Check for unclaimed money
• Take surveys
• Pick up a side gig in person.
• Do some freelance work.

How can I make 500 dollars a day for free?

Making $500 a day is a pretty lofty goal. It can be done, but it depends on the type of work you do. Driving for Uber and Lyft can make you $100s, especially on weekends. Instacart and Lyft are good options. All of these offer same-day payments as well. If you want to make $500 daily though, setting up a business like a blog or selling stuff with Amazon FBA are probably better choices. However, these options tend to take a while to build up before they actually become profitable.

Wrapping Up

No matter how urgently you need $500 or how much time you have to earn it, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Whether you’re looking to make money instantly or steadily over a few weeks, the strategies I mentioned in this post offer a mix of flexibility, convenience, and earning potential.

From gig economy jobs like ridesharing and food delivery to freelancing and renting out property, there’s something for everyone. The key is finding the method that best aligns with your skills, resources, and time availability. So, pick an option that works for you and start the process of making $500 fast today!