10 Ways to Get Paid Without Working Hard

   

Perhaps you misread the title? No, I am dead serious. You can earn money without having to raise a finger!

I understand that this seems too good to be true and that there is no such thing as free money, but there are several "loopholes" that allow you to make a few cash by doing things you already do, such as shopping, giving reviews, or even sleeping! However, there are a few ways to receive income without lifting a finger.

To be honest, it feels like a cheat code for life. But I'm not limiting these chances because I feel we all need a break from working virtually nonstop while still earning money.

If you're one of the 54% of Americans who work a side hustle, check out these "hacks" to make money doing nothing. Don't worry, they're all completely legal, simple to execute, and accessible to nearly everyone. Even I've tried a few of these suggestions, and they work wonderfully!

1. Share your opinions

If you enjoy sharing your product reviews with friends and family on social media, why not make money from it? Many survey sites, including Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, and MyPoints, offer rewards and PayPal cash for answering questions or sharing personal product and service reviews.

The best part is that you can do it in your spare time, and most surveys take only a few minutes to complete. Instead of doom scrolling (who else is guilty?) on your phone while in bed or on a lunch break, you can earn a little cash without feeling like you're working at all!

Furthermore, if this is your first time attempting to earn money by doing surveys, you can receive a $5-10 welcome bonus when you join up for an account with Swagbucks, InboxDollars, Honeygain, and other sites! Now that's making money with only a few phone touches!

Still skeptical about earning money from surveys? I was apprehensive at first, but I tried Swagbucks and was able to earn $2-5 each day by taking a lot of surveys; you can earn even more by trying high-paying offers, but this takes more time. Sure, $5 per day may not sound like much, but it's equivalent to a cup of coffee at Starbucks, so it's an excellent way to feed your guilty pleasures! Check out my Swagbucks review to discover more about how I profited from the platform.

2. Get paid to shop

Excuse me, but did you just say get paid to shop? You would believe you were losing money while shopping!

You can get some money back after purchasing for necessities (or non-essentials, shopaholics unite) by using cash-back websites! I sometimes think of cashback as a discount on my purchases, but when it comes to necessities like groceries, it's like free money!

Some popular cashback websites are Rakuten, Fetch Rewards, and Ibotta. I can vouch to Rakuten, which I have used to get cashback on my online purchases. If you're new, you can get a welcome gift and an extra 10% cashback on purchases during the first 7 days of joining up!

It may not seem like much, but if you plan to spend more than $1,000 at specific online retailers like Expedia, Macy's, Target, or Walmart, you will receive a staggering $100! It's a terrific method to save money, but I also use my rewards to purchase for more products!

3. Invest your money

Stocks are often recommended as a way to generate passive income. Analysts predict a 10.8% increase in S&P 500 earnings this year, making now an ideal opportunity to start investing.

I strongly encourage investing in dividend-paying equities, which pay you money every few months. In layman's terms, you are purchasing a small percentage of the company. Because all you have to do is invest and wait for the money to arrive, you'll do nothing but make a high income, depending on how much you invested and the company's performance!

You may also want to consider investing in a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which is essentially buying a little piece of real estate without having to manage it. Just make careful to examine the recommended REITs before investing, and choose companies with a decent track record.

4. Register for a Rewards Credit Card

Your credit card can make you money, just like cashback sites do! People can earn points or cashback on purchases they already make, which is essentially free money or points to spend on additional shopping!

If you don't already have a credit card, now is the time to apply for one and take advantage of the great signup incentives! Some credit cards offer extra cashback for a limited time, while others offer rewards points as a welcome present! For example, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card provides a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 within 3 months, while the Citi Custom Cash Card rewards you with 20,000 ThankYou Points after spending $1,500 during the first 6 months of account setup.

I have a few rewards credit cards that have helped me earn extra points to spend on groceries, bills, and even travel. That's right, you can get free trips using your credit cards! Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card gives 75,000 bonus points that can be redeemed for travel.

Just don't take the path to Confessions of a Shopaholic. I don't want anyone to have a frozen block of ice and an emergency credit card in their freezers only to buy more than they need!

5. Open a new bank account

If you haven't considered a high-yield savings account yet, now is the time, especially if you have some money to keep in the bank! I like to think of it as an investment that can yield far more than a traditional bank account.

Consider this: regular savings accounts typically offer an APY of 0.01-0.35%, however high-yield savings accounts like Laurel Road, M1, and BaskBank can have an APY of up to 5%. You can also sign up for banks that provide welcome or referral bonuses to earn even more!

So, suppose you opened a high-yield savings account at a bank with a 6% APY and deposited $10,000. That's $600 a year without paying anything! Sure, $50 per month may not seem like much, but it is effectively free money, which is more than enough in my opinion.

The only slight difficulty is that these types of accounts are usually only available through internet banks. It's not a big deal if you're just searching for a location to "park" your money and earn some extra cash without doing anything.

6. Get paid to sleep

"Wait, did I read that right?" "Get Paid to Sleep?"

Yes, you did. There's no need to work all night to get extra money when you can make money while getting some much-needed sleep. That sounds like a dream come true!

How does it work, and where can you get paid to sleep?

However, certain jobs would pay you well only to sleep. For example, you could work as a travel blogger or hotel mystery shopper, earning free hotel accommodations in exchange for a review. I can just image blogging about hotels and focusing on how comfortable the mattresses are!

You might also consider participating in sleep research, which can pay up to $4,000. Higher-paying studies may include clinical procedures and need you to stay in their laboratory for a few days to weeks. If that doesn't sound enjoyable, you can also participate in at-home sleep studies, which pay anything from $150 to $500 and allow you to stay in the comfort of your own bed!

Sign up for sleep studies on websites such as Harvard Medical School and NASA. Not only will you be able to sleep, but it will also benefit science!

7. Get paid to walk

Get your 5,000 steps every day while earning money! It's a win-win situation as you are paid to walk and stay active.

I mean, it's something we all do every day, so it's effectively doing nothing to earn money!

You'd think that dog-walking was the only job that allowed you to earn money while walking, but that's not true! There are at least a dozen ways to accomplish this, and some apps will even pay you to simply walk around!

One such example is Evidation, an app that pays you to simply walk. You get points based on the amount of steps you take, and after you reach 10,000 points, you will receive $10. Not only that, but you may get points for additional actions such as food logging, reading health articles, and self-weighing. It meets two of my needs: cash and wellbeing!

Aside from that, another unique option to get money while walking is to work as a tour guide and offer your services online, which is the ideal employment for someone who is passionate about their city and its history! So here's your chance to get your steps in and cash in while making new friends from all around the world.

8. Rent out Extra Storage Space

Renting storage can be expensive for some people, but it is essential for many! So, if you have an empty garage, parking lot, barn, or shed that no one is using, you can use it to make money. A woman earned $26,000 per year by renting out her excess yard space without working or spending any money!

One of the most popular methods to make money renting out extra storage space is through your garage or shed, which some of you may already possess. If you intend to rent out your garage, it is better to have an unattached one that is completely reserved for tenants who need to park their vehicles or store belongings. You may earn between $100 and $600 every month for this!

You can also rent out your empty shed or barn to those who need to store tools, equipment, or sports gear. This option pays between $80-140 per month and is essentially free money from unused space in your home!

If this sounds like a good idea, offer your space by advertising it on social media or distributing fliers in your local community. You can even ask your neighbors if they know someone who wants to rent storage space. Consider offering your storage rental on platforms like Neighbor, STOW IT, and Stache, which operate similarly to AirBnB.

9. Rent out your home

If you have a separate unit on your property or an empty room collecting dust, try renting out a portion of your home for a fair price! Many people are looking for economical places to stay, especially if they reside in a city near schools, offices, and other amenities.

I really get money from this as well, having rented out a separate apartment in my home, and I honestly don't feel like I have a lot of work! Sure, there are occasional setbacks, such as tenants complaining about malfunctioning appliances and other small difficulties. But, in the long run, it feels like I'm making passive money.

You can advertise your room or unit for rent on websites like Apartments.com, Zillow, and even Craigslist. Just make sure you thoroughly screen your possible tenants and that all agreements are in written, as you don't want any problems with rent payments or having to recompense for any damage done to your property.

When it comes to rent pricing, you'll want to be fair to both yourself and the renter, so conduct some market research on rental costs in your area and take into account the room or unit you're renting out, such as its size, furniture, facilities provided, and so on.

After the initial effort to rent out your home, you will not have to bother about anything else in the future!

10. Get Paid for Reading

I still can't believe we are paid to do things as banal as sleeping and strolling. You may now get paid to read books! This employment is ideal for bookworms as it allows them to work from home and read their favorite books.

There are numerous methods to earn money while reading, but my favorite is to work full-time as a book review blogger! As a full-time blogger, I can attest to the potential revenues if you learn how to strategize well and market your content! This allows you to choose whichever book you want to read in exchange for a review.

If blogging isn't for you, consider becoming a micro-influencer and joining "BookTok," TikTok's literary community. For those who are comfortable in front of the camera, you can discuss your book reviews for fun! Once you've built a following, publishers can offer you free books or pay for publicity!

Another wonderful method to get paid to read is to proofread books if you have excellent editing abilities, or to work as an audiobook narrator if you have voiceover experience. You can work as a freelancer and find these jobs through networks such as Upwork or Freelancer!