$500 is real money. It can cover rent, a car repair, or get you out of a tight spot. The good news? There are legitimate ways to make $500 fast—some in a few days, others in a week or two.
I’m Brian Meiggs, and I’ve been testing side hustles and money-making apps for years. This isn’t some generic list—these are methods I’ve actually used or watched friends use to hit $500 quickly.
Let’s get into it.
Fastest Ways to Make $500
$15-25/hr delivering food. $500 in about 20-25 hours of work.
Shop groceries, earn $15-25/hr + tips. Weekly or instant payouts.
Invest in real estate starting at $10. Earn 8-12% annually.
$10 signup bonus. Surveys, offers, videos. $832M+ paid out.
Handyman work, moving, assembly. $40-80/hr for skilled tasks.
How to Make $500 Fast (The Full Breakdown)
I’ve organized this by category. Pick what works for your situation—whether you have a car, a spare room, or just a phone and some free time.
Delivery and Gig Apps (Fastest Path to $500)
If you have a car and need $500 this week, delivery apps are your best bet. Most people can hit $500 in 20-30 hours of work.
1. DoorDash
DoorDash is how I’d make $500 fast if I needed it this week. It’s the largest food delivery platform, which means more orders and less downtime.
Here’s the math:
- Average earnings: $15-25/hour (depending on your market)
- $500 = roughly 20-25 hours of dashing
- That’s about 4-5 days working during dinner rush
The key is working peak hours (11am-1pm and 5pm-9pm). Tips are better, orders are more frequent, and you’ll hit $500 way faster than working random hours.
Pro tips I’ve learned:
- Only accept orders paying at least $2/mile
- Decline anything under $6—not worth your time and gas
- Learn which restaurants prep fast vs. which make you wait
- Use Fast Pay to cash out same day ($1.99 fee)
Time to $500: 4-7 days
2. Instacart
Instacart pays you to shop for groceries and deliver them. I actually prefer this to food delivery sometimes because you see the full payout before accepting.
What you can expect:
- $15-25/hour average
- Tips often add $10-20+ per batch
- Batch bonuses pop up regularly (“Complete 5 orders, get $50 extra”)
If you know your way around grocery stores, you can shop fast and boost your hourly rate significantly. I know shoppers who consistently hit $25-30/hour because they’ve memorized store layouts.
Time to $500: 4-7 days
3. Uber Eats (Stack with DoorDash)
Here’s a pro move: run Uber Eats and DoorDash simultaneously. When one app is slow, you’ll have orders coming through the other. This is how experienced drivers hit $25-30/hour consistently.
Just accept whichever order pays better per mile at any given moment. Multi-apping cuts your downtime in half.
4. Lyft (If You Don’t Mind Passengers)
Lyft can be more profitable than food delivery if you’re comfortable driving people. The earnings are solid—$500-1,000/month is realistic driving part-time on weekends.
The trick is driving during surge pricing (weekend nights, events, bad weather). That’s when the real money is.
Local Gigs and Services
These require more hustle but often pay better per hour than delivery apps. If you’re handy or don’t mind physical work, this is where the real money is.
5. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit connects you with people who need help with everyday tasks. If you can assemble IKEA furniture, help someone move, or do basic handyman work, you can make serious money here.
What tasks pay:
- Furniture assembly: $50-150 per piece
- Moving help: $25-45/hour
- General handyman: $40-80/hour
- Cleaning: $25-50/hour
- Yard work: $25-45/hour
One busy weekend on TaskRabbit can net you $300-500. I’ve seen guys who do this full-time make $2,000-4,000/month.
Time to $500: 1-2 weekends
6. Start a Cleaning Side Hustle
My mom does this on her days off and makes about $100 per house. That’s $400/month cleaning just one home per week.
How to get started:
- Post on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace
- Put up fliers in apartment complexes
- Ask friends if they know anyone who needs cleaning help
- Sign up for TaskRabbit or Handy
Clean 5 houses at $100 each = $500. Could take a week or two to build up clients, but once you have regulars, it’s steady money.
7. Lawn Care and Landscaping
I have a friend who makes $2,000-5,000/month doing lawn care. He started with just a push mower and some fliers.
What he charges:
- Basic lawn mowing: $30-50 per yard
- Full landscaping: $50-150+
- Snow shoveling (winter): $25-75 per driveway
Mow 10-15 lawns and you’ve got your $500. In suburbs with bigger yards, this is even more lucrative.
8. Pet Sitting with Rover
Rover connects pet owners with sitters and dog walkers. If you love animals, this is easy money.
Typical rates:
- Dog walking: $15-25 per walk
- Drop-in visits: $15-25 per visit
- Overnight boarding: $35-75 per night
Board a dog for a week = $250-500 right there. Two dogs at the same time and you’ve hit your goal.
9. Babysitting
Babysitting pays $15-25/hour depending on your area and how many kids. Use Care.com to find families, or just ask friends with kids if they need a reliable sitter.
20-30 hours of babysitting = $500. Parents are always looking for reliable help, especially for date nights and weekends.
Rent What You Have
Got a spare room, car, or parking spot? Put it to work.
10. Airbnb Your Spare Room
Airbnb lets you rent out spare rooms, guest houses, or even your whole place when you’re away. My friend rents his spare room a few nights per month and makes $1,400+.
You control everything—pricing, availability, house rules. Check what similar spaces in your area charge to price competitively.
Time to $500: Depends on your market, but could be just a few weekend bookings
11. Rent Your Car on Turo
If your car sits in the driveway most days, Turo lets you rent it out to others. Rates depend on your car, but $30-100/day is typical.
Rent it out for 5-10 days and you’ve hit $500. Turo provides insurance coverage during rentals.
Online Side Hustles
These won’t make you $500 overnight, but they’re perfect for building up over time or stacking on top of other methods.
12. Survey Sites (Stack the Bonuses)
Surveys alone won’t get you $500 fast—they pay $3-5/hour on average. But the signup bonuses add up quickly, and they’re good for earning while watching TV.
Here’s my survey stacking strategy:
Swagbucks – $10 signup bonus, $832M+ paid to members. The “Discover” section has offers that pay $50-100 for signing up for free trials.
Survey Junkie – 4/5 Trustpilot rating (highest of any survey site). Clean interface, $5 minimum cashout, and they pay you even if you don’t qualify for a survey.
InboxDollars – $5 instant signup bonus. BBB accredited, $80M+ paid out. Shows earnings in dollars, not confusing points.
Freecash – Often pays more than the big sites for the same offers. Some offers pay $20-50 each. Same-day payouts available.
13. Nielsen Panel (Passive $50/Year)
Nielsen pays you $50/year per device just to have their app installed. It runs in the background collecting anonymous usage data.
I have it on my phone, tablet, and laptop. That’s $150/year for doing absolutely nothing. Not fast money, but it adds up over time.
Requirements: US resident, 18-45 years old
Sell What You Already Have
The fastest path to $500 might be sitting in your closet right now. Most people have $500-2,000+ worth of stuff they don’t use.
14. Facebook Marketplace
This is the fastest way to sell locally. No shipping hassle, instant cash, huge audience. I’ve sold furniture, electronics, and random stuff within hours of posting.
What sells fast:
- Furniture (especially if you can deliver)
- Electronics (phones, tablets, gaming consoles)
- Baby gear and kids’ items
- Exercise equipment
- Tools and outdoor equipment
Pricing tip: Check what similar items actually sold for, not just what people are listing. Price 10-20% below competition for quick sales.
15. eBay
Better for collectibles, vintage items, and anything with national demand. You’ll reach buyers across the country instead of just locally.
16. Poshmark / Mercari
If you have designer clothes, shoes, or accessories you don’t wear, these platforms have ready buyers. Some people make thousands selling their old wardrobe.
Investing (Build Wealth Over Time)
These won’t make you $500 this week, but they’re worth mentioning because this is how you build real wealth long-term.
17. Fundrise
Fundrise lets you invest in real estate with as little as $10. You’re buying into actual properties—apartments, commercial buildings, single-family homes—and earning from rent and appreciation.
I’ve had money in Fundrise for years. Historical returns have been 8-12% annually, which consistently beats my stock market investments.
500,000+ investors use the platform. It’s legit.
18. Acorns ($20 Bonus)
Acorns rounds up your purchases and invests the spare change. Buy a $3.50 coffee, Acorns invests $0.50 for you.
New users get $20 free when they sign up. It sounds small, but micro-investments compound over time.
Gaming Apps That Pay
I’ll be straight with you—gaming apps aren’t a reliable way to make $500. But if you’re good at them and enjoy playing, they can contribute to your goal.
19. Solitaire Cash
Solitaire Cash lets you compete in tournaments for real cash. Everyone gets the same deck, so it’s skill-based—fastest completion wins.
Practice extensively in free mode before entering cash games. Only play with money you can afford to lose.
20. Bingo Cash
Bingo Cash is skill-based Bingo where speed and accuracy determine the winner. Games take 2-3 minutes.
Cash games not available in AZ, AR, CT, DE, LA, MT, SC, SD, and TN.
Other Ways to Hit $500
21. Upside (Gas Cashback)
Upside gives you cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurants. If you’re doing delivery driving, this is essential for offsetting fuel costs.
Typical savings: 10-25 cents per gallon on gas. Won’t get you to $500 alone, but every dollar helps when you’re hustling.
22. Serve Tables
My brother used to come home with pockets full of cash from serving. $100+ per night in tips isn’t unusual at busy restaurants.
If you’re personable and can handle a fast-paced environment, this is quick money. Most restaurants are always hiring.
23. Donate Plasma
Plasma donation centers like BioLife and CSL Plasma pay $50-75 per visit. You can donate twice per week, so that’s $400-600/month.
Not glamorous, but it’s legitimate money for about an hour of your time.
The $500 Fast-Track Plan
Here’s exactly what I’d do if I needed $500 in the next week:
Day 1:
- Sign up for DoorDash (approval takes 1-7 days)
- Claim bonuses: Swagbucks ($10) + InboxDollars ($5) + Acorns ($20) = $35
- List 5-10 items on Facebook Marketplace
- Download Upside for gas savings
Days 2-5:
- Dash during dinner rush (5-9pm) = $100-150/day
- Complete high-paying offers on Freecash/Swagbucks = $30-50
- Sell 3-5 items = $100-200
Total: $400-600+ in less than a week
No car? Focus on TaskRabbit, selling items, and pet sitting. Have a spare room? One Airbnb weekend could cover most of it.
FAQs
What’s the fastest way to make $500?
Delivery driving (DoorDash/Instacart) or TaskRabbit. You can hit $500 in about 20-25 hours of work, spread over 4-7 days.
Can I make $500 in a day?
Realistically, no—unless you sell something valuable or already have a high-paying gig lined up. But you can make $500 in a week with consistent effort.
How long does it take to make $500 with surveys?
A long time. Surveys pay $3-5/hour on average. You’d need 100-150 hours of survey work for $500. Use surveys as supplemental income, not your main strategy.
Do I need any money to start?
Most methods are free to start. Delivery driving requires gas money upfront (Upside helps offset that). Survey sites are 100% free. Selling items costs nothing.
Bottom Line
Making $500 fast comes down to action. The people who hit their goals are the ones who sign up for DoorDash today, list their stuff for sale tonight, and start hustling this weekend.
Pick 2-3 methods from this list that fit your situation and get started. Stack them together and you’ll hit $500 faster than you think.
Now go get that $500.
— Brian
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