7 (Legal) Ways to Get a Second Income Without Getting a Second Job

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Quick money is a real thing, people — even though it may not seem like it sometimes.

The above-board opportunities often get buried by wastes of time, rip-offs and outright scams.

The good news is, there are legit ways to make a second income without getting a second job. To prove it, we’re highlighting some of the best quick money opportunities that will pay you fairly  — and promptly.

How to Make More Money Without a Second Job

Most of these ideas probably won’t pay your rent, especially with how crazy things have gotten now. These are quick ways to add a few hundred dollars to your income this month without getting a second job — and you can do them at your convenience.

1. Get Paid Up to $83 Every Time You Win Playing Bingo

We all have our go-to time-killers on our phones. But this one actually gives you the chance to win up to $83 every time you play.

It’s a free app called Bingo Cash, and right now, you could octuple your money — as in 8x — when you play. When you add $10 to your account, Bingo Cash will give you a $5 bonus to use toward tournaments, where you could win up to $83.

You’ll compete against other players at your skill level, all using the same board, and the top three players can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

And no, this isn’t one of those spammy apps. There aren’t even any annoying ads. Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and over 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

Want to see if you could turn your $10 deposit into $83 in winnings? Just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

2. Add $225 to Your Wallet While Watching Movie Previews

A woman checks her computer while holding a kitten.
Aileen Perilla/The Penny Hoarder

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. Earn up to $83 Every Time You Win This Viral Game

Lots of us already play Solitaire on our phones for fun. Want to see if you can win money at it?

A free app called Solitaire Cash lets you play for real money — up to $83 per win.

For each game of Solitaire, you’ll compete against at least five other players. Everyone gets the same deck, so it’s all about skill. The top three players can win real money.

You can play free practice games or enter tournaments for as little as $1. Right now, Solitaire Cash will give you a $5 bonus to use toward tournaments when you add $10 to your account. 

And no, this isn’t one of those spammy apps. There aren’t even any annoying ads. Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

Want to see how much you could win? You can start playing right now to find out. Download the free app and get your $5 bonus when you add $10.

4. Earn $12/Hour Doing Random Google Searches

You know how you ask Google all the random questions that pop into your head? You could get paid for that.

Search engines use complicated algorithms to determine the results you see — and they don’t always get it right.

They’re vulnerable to errors, so they need real humans to look at the results and judge them for quality, relevance and usefulness. And those humans can get paid around $12 an hour for the work.

If you want to get paid to clean up Google’s mess (or Bing’s or Yahoo!’s) apply for a job with a company like Lionbridge. The company is often hiring, so if you don’t see any openings now, keep an eye on The Penny Hoarder work-from-home jobs page for the next one.

If you did this for one hour every week day, that’s an easy $60 in a week. If you’re feeling money hungry, add an hour on Friday and Saturday to bump your earnings up to $84. Cha-ching.

5. Earn Up to $360 a Year* With This No Fuss Cash Back Debit Card

Let’s cut to the chase: If you don’t get cash back on every purchase, you’re overpaying. And who doesn’t like cash back?

We do. The Discover® Cashback Debit account will pay you 1% cash back on up to $3,000 monthly (that’s potentially an extra $360 annually).* There’s no impact on your credit score for signing up and no minimum balance requirements ever.

Need groceries? Tap your card for cash back. This card has no fees, access to over 60,000 ATMs, and the Early Pay direct deposit feature allows you to get paid up to 2 days earlier. The app lets you handle your banking needs and connect a virtual wallet like Apple Pay to amplify your rewards. Checking account deposits are FDIC-insured up to the maximum amount allowed by law.

Does your bank do all that? If not, open a free Discover checking account to get special treatment from a bank that will actually put money back into your account.

*See Deposit Account Agreement for details on transaction eligibility, limitations, and terms.

6. Earn up to $69/Hour Working From Home

We get it. There are kids to drop off at school, errands to run and dinner to cook, so the idea of getting a full-time job without any flexibility just doesn’t work for a lot of people.

Truth be told, life would be a lot easier if you could just make money without leaving the house. But that’s not something most employers offer. But have you considered bookkeeping? It’s the No. 1 most profitable business, according to an article in Inc Magazine.

And you could earn up to $69 an hour by starting your own bookkeeping business, according to Intuit, the creator of QuickBooks.

You don’t have to be an accountant or good at calculus to be successful at bookkeeping. As long as you’re motivated, a company called Bookkeepers.com will teach you everything you need to know. It’s one of the leading training courses in the field, and it even gives you the first three classes for free.

It’s helped thousands of people launch their own businesses, including Daniel Honan, a military veteran and former painter. He never considered starting his own company, but he signed up for Bookkeepers.com, and now he’s making $50,000 a year.

It only took him three months to get started, taking one class a week. Oh, and he makes his own schedule, earns up to $69 an hour and is able to spend more time with his wife than ever.

If you’re just a little curious, you just have to submit your email address here to take the first free class. If you stick with it, you could be running your own business in just a few months.

7. Get Paid to Skip Going to the Store

Matt Roth for The Penny Hoarder

Picture this: You finish paying for your groceries, only to look down at your overflowing cart, dreading having to lug all that to your car. And then into your pantry. Isn’t it so much easier to do this online?

It is easier online, and it can be rewarding too. A free website called Rakuten gives you a kickback of 3%, 5%, 15% or more when you shop online at thousands of your favorite stores.

Between your Target and Instacart orders, Disney+ subscription and Ulta splurges, that cashback really adds up. Plus, it can be directly deposited into your bank account or they’ll send you a check.

It takes less than 60 seconds to create a Rakuten account and start getting cashback. All you need is an email address, then you can immediately start shopping your go-to stores through the site.

Earning money for nothing? Not having to carry 80 lbs. of groceries? Sounds like a win/win.