9 Ways for Android Users to Bank Extra Cash This Week
Do you have an Android phone? Do you scoff at iPhones?
Well, good for you! Android phones are easier to customize, have expandable storage and generally cost less than iPhones.
A whopping 99% of smartphones these days run on one of two operating systems — Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS. In this tug-of-war between tech giants, I’m here to stick up for Android.
With an Android phone, you have nearly 3 million apps to choose from. (That’s more than Apple has, NOT THAT WE’RE COUNTING OR ANYTHING.)
That’s, um, a lot of choices. To help you out, here’s our list of the best Android apps that will put more money in your wallet.
1. Get Paid $225/Month 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.
2. Get Paid to Take a Picture of Your Receipts
Before heading to the grocery store, search for items on your shopping list within Ibotta.
Then shop. When you get home, snap a photo of your receipt and scan the items’ barcodes to get paid.
Some deals we’ve seen include:
25 cents cash back for any item
25 cents back on strawberries
$5 back on a case of Shiner Bock beer
Notice a lot of those aren’t tied to a brand — just shop for the staples on your list, and earn money!
Ibotta is free to download. Plus, you’ll get a $5 sign-up bonus after uploading your first receipt.
3. Invest Your Digital Change (and Get a $5 Bonus)
If you’re like most of us and wish your money would just take care of itself, consider starting an investment account through Acorns.
You can start small and stack up change over time with its “round-up” feature. That means if you spend $10.23 at the grocery store, 77 cents gets dropped into your Acorns account.
Then, the app does the whole investing thing for you.
The idea is you won’t miss the digital pocket change, and the automatic savings stack up faster than you’d think. For example, Penny Hoarder Dana Sitar was able to save at a rate of $420 a year!
At that rate, you could set aside $1,000 in about two and a half years — without trying.
The app is $1 a month for balances under $1 million, and you’ll get a $5 bonus when you sign up.
4. Find Hidden Money in Your Inbox
It turns out deleting your emails could be costing you money. Intrigued?
One of our secret weapons is called Capital One Shopping Price Protection — a tool that gets you money back for your online purchases. It’s free to sign up, and once you do, it will scan your email for any receipts. If it discovers you’ve purchased something from one of its monitored retailers, it will track the item’s price and help you get a refund when there’s a price drop.
Plus, if your guaranteed shipment shows up late, Capital One Shopping Price Protection will help you get compensated.
Disclosure: Capital One Shopping Price Protection compensates us when you sign up using the links we provide.
5. Get Paid to Share What’s in Your Fridge
Remember the Nielsen company? The one that’s always tracked TV ratings? Well, now it wants to know what’s in your fridge.
Once you sign up to be on the Nielsen Consumer Panel, you can either use your smartphone, or the company will send you a free barcode scanner. Every time you go shopping, you simply scan the UPC codes on the back of each product and send your data to Nielsen.
Nielsen will reward you with gift points, which you can redeem for free electronics, jewelry, household items or even toys for the kids.
The longer you stay on the panel, the more opportunity you have to earn points toward prizes. You’ll also receive entries for the panel’s many sweepstakes. Prizes include vacations and brand new vehicles.
6. Cash in on Your Old Stuff
Are your closets and shelves packed to the brim with stuff you never use — or even look at?
You can sell virtually anything on Letgo. This intuitive app lets you snap a photo and upload your item in less than 30 seconds. It removes a lot of the hassle of selling things online, and it’s 100% free to use.
7. Snap Photos of Help Wanted Signs
If you walk around your town, Indeed’s Job Spotter app could be a great way to make some extra money. When you spot a “help wanted” sign, take a photo, and upload it to the app to earn points.
You can earn up to 150 points per submission. Then, exchange these points for Amazon gift cards.
Pro tip: You’ll earn even more points if the sign is for a small business and mentions a specific job title, if the business accepts in-person applications and if the photo is in focus.
8. Earn up to $1,000 Hanging out With Dogs
If you’re looking for a flexible, independent way to earn money — and you love hanging out with dogs — Rover might be your perfect gig.
The online network connects dog walkers and sitters to local dog owners through its 4.9-star-rated app, so you don’t have to staple flyers on every utility pole across town.
Rover says sitters can earn as much as $1,000 a month.
Rover dog-sitter requirements vary by location. In general, you must:
Be 18 years or older.
Pass a background check.
Have access to the Rover app (iOS or Android).
Here’s how it works: You’ll create an online sitter profile where you’ll answer questions about your experience with puppers and your schedule availability.
You can choose to offer a variety of services, including dog walking, overnight boarding at your home or theirs, and daycare. Boarding is the app’s most popular service, so offering it can get you more gigs. You set your own rates. (Rover keeps a small percentage as a service fee.)
Dog owners will reach out to you. Accept which gigs you want, then start snugglin’ pups. As soon as you complete a service, you’ll be paid within two days.
9. Earn up to $90 Watching Videos
Yup, Swagbucks pays you to watch videos.
You won’t earn a lot (up to 150 rewards points per day), but the videos are in all sorts of categories — entertainment, home, travel — so you’re likely to find something that appeals to you.
Or, try this trick: Just turn off the sound on your computer, open a new tab, and keep the videos going in the background while you work.
You can also download the Swagbucks TV app, which plays videos back-to-back on your phone. Again, just plug in your phone, make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and set it aside to play videos — and earn rewards — while you do something else.
You could earn up to $90 a month watching videos through Swagbucks.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He has owned both Android and Apple phones.
