8 Creative Ways to Pay Rent When the Bank Account Is Near Zero
When you think you’re out of money, you generally assume you can’t spend anymore. Your instinct is to turn super frugal — cut every non-necessity — and maybe even skip a bill or two.
When you think you can’t even make rent, the situation can seem pretty dire.
But it doesn’t have to be. Instead of figuring out what you have to forgo this month when money is tight, find ways to make the money you need.
That doesn’t have to mean a second job or going into debt. There are tons of small, simple ways to put extra cash in your bank account so you don’t feel that panic at the first of the month.
Not all of these tactics will put money in your pocket right away, but we’ll note the ones that will!
1. Let This Organization Pay It for You
If you can’t pay your rent because of unforeseen circumstances, look into applying for a grant. Take, for example, Modest Needs grants, which are designed for workers just above the poverty line who are ineligible for most other forms of social assistance.
It provides small grants to deserving, self-sufficient individuals who are usually capable of paying rent and other expenses, but can’t cover expenses for the month because of surprise costs, such as medical emergencies, a death in the family, loss of a job or a large utility bill.
Modest Needs accepts applications from anyone in need, with a priority for people living alone, public school teachers and first responders.
2. Add $225 to Your Wallet While Watching Movie Previews
If we told you that you could get paid while watching videos on your computer, you’d probably laugh.
It’s too good to be true, right?
But we’re serious. By signing up for a free account with InboxDollars, you could add up to $225 a month to your pocket. They’ll send you short surveys every day, which you can fill out while you watch someone bake brownies or catch up on the latest Kardashian drama.
No, InboxDollars won’t replace your full-time job, but it’s something easy you can do while you’re already on the couch tonight, wasting time on your phone.
Unlike other sites, InboxDollars pays you in cash — no points or gift cards. It’s already paid its users more than $56 million.
Signing up takes about one minute, and you’ll immediately receive a $5 bonus to get you started.
3. Ask This Website to Pay Your Credit Card Bill This Month
If you’re struggling to pay rent, we bet your credit card balance isn’t looking so hot, either. So we found a company that’ll help you take care of it. No, like… the whole bill could be paid by the end of this month.
Your credit card company is ripping you off with insane rates, and it’s getting rich off of you. But there are other, nicer companies that’ll help you out, including a website like Fiona.
Here’s how it works: Fiona will loan you up to $100,000 so that you can cover your credit card tab. Use that loan to pay off your debt, then make monthly payments to repay the loan. It could lower your monthly payments and help you pay off that debt a lot faster.
Plus, no credit card payment this month means money freed up for rent.
Fiona won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars. Totally worth it.
4. Turn Those Crumpled Receipts Into Rent Money
peepo/Getty ImagesWhat do you usually do with your receipts? You check out, they hand you a mile-long piece of paper and you frantically stuff it to the bottom of a grocery bag. Pretty worthless.
But a free app called Fetch Rewards will turn them into gift cards. It partners with tons of brands to give you points for every grocery receipt you share. Then you can exchange them for prepaid Visa gift cards.
And it’s perfect for those of us who don’t want to put a ton of work into this. All you have to do is send Fetch a photo of your receipt, and it does everything for you. No scanning barcodes or searching for offers — and you can use it with any grocery receipt.
When you download the app, use the code PENNY to automatically earn bonus points when you take a picture of your first receipt — you’ll be well on your way to a little rent money.
Not so bad for a useless receipt, right?
5. Copy This Woman’s Strategy to Earn up to $1,200
We talked to a woman in Pennsylvania, 52-year-old Carolinda Hendrickson, who told us about the unique way she earned $1,200 in a year.
And it’s no huge time commitment. Hendrickson takes a few minutes each morning before her full-time job to complete surveys on MyPoints.
Companies want feedback when they’re developing new products and services, so they pay MyPoints to get your opinions. In turn, My Points pays you to answer surveys online.
My Points will pay you in cash via PayPal. Plus, you’ll even earn a $5 bonus when you sign up and take five surveys.
6. Get Paid to Drop off Starbucks This Week
This side gig is a way to get cash in hand this week. So if rent is nearly due, this could be a smart move.
An app called Doordash will pay you to pick up and deliver an extra latte when you’re already out and getting your caffeine fix. And it’s not just coffee. You can deliver from Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Five Guys and hundreds of other restaurants in your area.
With Doordash, you set your own hours and work as much or little as you want, meaning how much you make is up to you.
You’ll earn money for each delivery, plus tips.
If you sign up for Doordash now, it’s possible to get your first paycheck this week, so you could make a huge dent in your rent payment.
7. Get Paid to Play Words With Friends
Get paid to play games on your phone? Yeah, right. We’ve all heard that before.
Here’s what that usually means: Logging dozens of hours on games you’ve never heard of, just for a few cents. Gee, thanks.
But a free Android app called Mistplay actually pays you for playing popular games like Words With Friends 2, Yahtzee, Clash Royale, Star Wars and more. As you play, Mistplay rewards you in points, which you can exchange for gift cards for brands like Visa, Amazon and more.
You’ll even get bonus points when you sign up and enter the code “penny50.” It takes just a few minutes to sign up and start getting paid to play games.
8. Ask for Help
If you’ve really exhausted all your options, try calling a local resource line for help. Seriously, there’s no shame in it.
Start with 2-1-1, a confidential service offered through United Way that’ll help you find the resources you need to find affordable housing, make rent or pay utilities. It’s there for people like you.
To use the service, head to 211.org, and enter your location. It’ll show you services in your community and give you a number to call. It’s a clearinghouse for help with food, housing, utilities and employment. If you’ve never asked for help before, that means you don’t know what kind of help is out there.
