15 Best Quick Cash Gigs Near Me To Make Money Locally
So, you're wondering how to find quick cash jobs in your area so you can make some fast money.
Maybe you need a quick $150 to get groceries, or perhaps you're looking to make an extra $1,000 or so to help cover rent. Whatever the case, there are plenty of side hustles and ways to make quick money if you're in a pinch.
I've personally tested out dozens of hustles and quick cash gigs over the years to make money during college and even when I got my first full-time job. That's why this post is covering some of the best quick jobs for cash you can use to help make ends meet.
The Best Cash Gigs Near Me
Table of Contents
1. Craigslist Cash Jobs
Craigslist is one of the most popular local classifieds website out there, and it's a great way to flip stuff for profit and explore different community events.
But Craigslist also has a jobs for quick cash section you can use to make money by helping people in your area.
I did a quick search for fast money gigs on Craigslist in my area, and there were hundreds of results. And I've made money with cash jobs on Craigslist in the past when I was in college.
Some common quick cash jobs you find on Craigslist include:
- Cleaning gigs
- Delivery driver work
- Landscaping
- Handyman work
- Painting
- Pet grooming
- Junk removal
- Moving help
- Snow removal
Some jobs pay an hourly rate whereas others pay a flat fee. But for jobs like moving, it's not unreasonable to make $200 or $300 in a day depending on how much work you end up doing.
Of course, you need to feel comfortable with the gig, and you should chat with the person who's hiring you first to get an idea of what the job really entails. But the bottom line is Craigslist is one of the best ways to find gigs for fast cash in your area.
2. Deliver Food For Money
If you have a bike, scooter, or car, another job for quick cash you can try is to use food delivery services.
There are so many gigs that pay you to deliver food and groceries to people in your city. This is how my friends made money in the past while studying, and some of the top gigs include:
Between these gigs, you can easily make $10 to $20 an hour or even more in the right market. And you also keep all of your tips, which can include cash tips, which I love.
Most of these apps also have daily pay features that let you get paid the same day. So, they're useful apps to have if money is tight.
3. Babysitting & Pet Sitting
If you like working with kids or animals, you can always offer babysitting or pet sitting services for your next quick cash job.
Babysitting is the perfect example; you normally earn $10 to $20 per hour or so, and it's the perfect weekend side hustle or college side hustle.
Pet sitting is similar, and you can make a lot of money if you look after someone's dog or cat for an extended period of time. And with gig apps like Rover, you can find local pet owners in your city who are willing to pay for pet sitters and dog walkers.
Rover lets you list the services you offer, your rate, and the types of animals you work with. A single dog walking client or two can mean steady weekly cash, and earning $15 per hour or more with Rover isn't uncommon.
I have a few friends who have made great money with Rover during school and afterwards. And if you get a few steady clients, it's one of the best gigs for cash due to the high hourly rate.
Again, you have to like kids or animals for these two fast cash jobs to make sense. But if this is you, definitely consider this option!
4. Flip Stuff For Profit
If you're feeling entrepreneurial, you can always flip stuff for profit. And there are also lots of ways you can start this type of side hustle.
But one common method is to buy popular discount products from stores like Walmart and Target and to then resell them online and in-person for cash. For example, people buy and flip stuff on local selling sites like the Facebook Marketplace all the time, including items like:
- Apparel
- Cosmetic products
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Home goods
- Shoes
- Toys
- Watches
- Video games
If you snag popular products at a low enough price, this retail arbitrage business can make serious money. I've actually done this before by reselling furniture on Facebook Marketplace during school. And the best part is that you get paid with cash, and you can sometimes find local buyers for your stuff in a day or two.
You can also use online selling options like eBay or Mercari, but for jobs that pay quick cash, selling in-person with options like the Facebook Marketplace makes the most sense.
5. Answer Cash Surveys
Making money from the comfort of your own home is as local as a cash gig can get. And this is one reason I've always used instant cash survey sites since my time in college.
These sites provide an easy way to get paid for your opinion. And the best part is the top sites let you cash out with PayPal or gift cards to popular retailers.
Some of my all-time favorite sites include:
Personally, my favorite sites at the moment are Branded Surveys and Toluna. But again, there are so many easy ways you can earn cash locally without even having to leave your home!
6. Start A Service-Based Business
Some of the best quick cash gigs involve offering specific services to people in your city. So, why not start your own service-based business so you can get paid in cash?
People go door-to-door selling these types of services all the time, and if you're a good salesperson and have the skills to do some type of labor work, you can make very good money with this idea.
Examples of common service-based businesses you can start include:
- A cleaning business
- Driveway resealing
- Gutter cleaning
- Landscaping
- Moving help
- Painting
- Pet grooming
- Pressure washing or car washing
- Tech support
You get the idea; learn how to complete a valuable service or buy the equipment that let you start this sort of business and then sell it to people in your area!
7. Complete TaskRabbit Gigs
Another option to find quick cash jobs near you is to offer your own services with websites like TaskRabbit.
TaskRabbit is a popular gig marketplace where you can offer a variety of services to people in your area. Popular gigs on this marketplace include:
- Errand running
- Furniture assembly
- Handyman work
- Painting
- Tech help
- Yard work
Taskers get to set their availability and hourly rate, and even though you're competing with other Taskers, you can find high-paying work in busy markets.
The downside is that TaskRabbit takes a week or more to pay you after completing a gig, so it's the slowest option on our list of jobs for quick cash. But if you like the idea of making money with a service-based business but need help finding clients, options like TaskRabbit are worth using.
8. Find Gigs With Steady
Steady is a popular gig app that helps its users find local income opportunities. In this sense, Steady is basically an app that's meant for finding fast cash jobs in your area.
All you have to do is download the free Steady app, sign up, and answer a short survey about the type of work you're looking for and your income goals.
From there, Steady matches you to the best side hustles for you, letting you find quick money jobs for free.
According to Steady, its top users make an additional $5,500 per year on average, although how much you earn depends on how much you work.
Steady also includes options for earning money online and finding sign up bonuses. But at its core, this app is all about finding local cash jobs.
9. Try Busking
Do you have any musical talent? Or can you put on a show that captivates crowds? If so, one creative and fun fast cash gig is to busk on the street for money.
I've never tried this, but I had a friend in university who would play guitar and sing in Toronto. It always seemed like a fun way to spend an afternoon, plus you can make some quick cash!
This requires a lot of hours, but hey, if you love playing or performing, this could be one of the best quick cash gigs you can try.
10. Use Mystery Shopping Apps
These days, there are plenty of popular reward apps you can use the pay you for shopping or exploring your city.
For example, apps like Premise pay you for completing short micro tasks in your city like:
- Taking photos of certain buildings
- Confirming the price of something in a store
- Taking photos of store displays
- Purchasing a product and rating your experience
What's cool about Premise is that many of these short tasks can pay $5 to $10, and sometimes, a task is available in an area you're already in.
Premise lets you cash out for free PayPal money or Bitcoin as well, so it's pretty versatile. You can also use mystery shopping apps like Gigwalk and Field Agent to find more local cash gigs that don't take much time.
These apps are really a source of beermoney and won't make you rich. But if you want to make a quick $20 in your spare time or some similar amount, these apps are the perfect choice.
11. Deliver Pizza
If you're still wondering: “how can I find quick cash gigs near me,” it might be best to keep things simple.
One of the most classic fast cash jobs is to work as a delivery driver for your local pizza joint.
You can find these jobs online, and many restaurants and small businesses still hire their own delivery drivers and don't just use companies like DoorDash or Uber Eats.
12. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is another popular way to deliver packages for money. And if you don't mind driving, it's one of the highest-paying apps on the market.
With Amazon Flex, you earn $18 to $25 per hour for delivering Amazon packages and groceries to people. And it's free to sign up for and is available if you're 21 or older.
You claim shifts by claiming Amazon Flex blocks, which are generally about 3 to 5 hours each. And blocks say the minimum amount they pay, so you know what to expect.
Plus, you can stack on other jobs like Amazon Flex, like DoorDash or Instacart, to make sure you have plenty of deliveries in a day to keep the cash coming in.
13. Junk Removal
I've seen people do this all the time in my city, and the idea is simple. Just post your junk removal services online on marketplaces like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace and offer to haul people's junk to the landfill for them.
These sorts of quick cash jobs are best if you have a truck or cargo van or truck that's large enough to haul junk like old appliances or construction material.
A single gig could easily be a fast $50 to $100 depending on how much you're hauling, and this is a very simple type of local cash gig anyone can start.
Extra Reading – How To Make $1,000 In 3 Days.
14. Collect & Sell Scrap Metal
Like junk removal, you can always collect scrap metal and then resell it for an easy profit. People in my town do this on junk days and collect old appliances and other metal from the side of the road to resell.
The same premise applies for collecting cans and bottles and returning them to the store.
15. Try Out Wonolo
One final option for finding side jobs for quick cash is to use Wonolo. This app connects job seekers with companies that need same-day, temporary labor help.
Once you download the Wonolo app and upload your resume, you can apply to temp jobs with just a few taps.
Some common jobs you find on Wonolo include:
- Construction gigs
- Driving jobs
- Event staffing
- Factory work
- Kitchen work
Many jobs pay $12 to $20+ per hour, and while it's hard work, apps like Wonolo are a great way to make some decent money in your spare time.
Extra Reading – How To Make $2,000 A Week.
How To Find Quick Cash Gigs In Your Area
There are several ways to find quick cash jobs near you if you need to make money immediately.
Some of the best ways to find local cash jobs include:
- Using various side gig apps to find work
- Asking your network for gig opportunities
- Looking for temporary work on job boards
- Using local classifieds to find fast cash gigs
Using a combination of these sources is ultimately the best way to find jobs for cash in your area, and the more options you have, the more selective you can be as well!
In my experience, websites like Craigslist have yielded the best results. But don't be afraid to try out a few options to find as many gigs as possible.
Tips For Getting Started
Now that you know some of the best jobs for quick cash you can find in your area, here are a few tips to make the job search more successful!
- Set An Income Goal: How much money do you want to make in a day or week? Set a realistic, trackable goal so you can monitor your progress and have a finish line in mind.
- Try Several Cash Gigs: Trying multiple cash jobs helps you learn what pays the most in your area. So, don't be afraid to try out Uber Eats or DoorDash, a reselling side hustle, or some other type of gig!
- Don't Burn Out: One final tip is to ensure you're getting enough rest and are pacing yourself. Making money fast is great, but you also need to ensure you take time to decompress and recover.
Extra Reading – The Best Jobs That Pay $3,000 A Month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Apps Pay The Same Day?
Jobs like DoorDash, Instacart, and other food delivery apps all let you cash out the same day. Apps like Steady also help connect you with fast income opportunities in your area.
How Do I Find A Side Gig?
Various gig economy apps help you start a side hustle, so all you need is your smartphone and a WiFi connection. You can also look on job boards or remote job sites to find different side jobs.
Final Thoughts
I hope our list of the best cash gigs near you helps you find a local, high-paying gig to make money when you need it most.
Just remember that there are so many other options out there to explore as well. For example, you can use different get-paid-to websites to earn fast rewards online, or even get paid to play games with different apps.
Between online and in-person quick cash jobs, there's plenty of ways to boost your income if you're in a pinch.
Looking for other fast money-making ideas? Checkout:
- The Best Ways To Make $3,000 Fast.
- How To Double Money In A Day.
- The Best Free Online Jobs That Pay Daily.
