6 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money and Cut Bills in a One-Income Household

Living in a one-income household is like walking a tightrope. You have absolutely no margin for error, and the slightest misstep can spell disaster.

Tens of millions of people lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of families to survive on one income for the first time.

That’s a really hard thing to do these days, especially if you’re not used to it. If you’re in this position, we’ve got a list of ways you can start making extra money and cutting bills today:

1. Let This App Pay You up to $83 When You Win Solitaire Games

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

There’s a free iPhone app called Solitaire Cash that lets you play for real money. You could get paid up to $83 per win.

You might be thinking: There’s got to be a catch. This is definitely one of those spammy apps, right?

Wrong. There really isn’t a catch. Sure, you can pay to play in some higher-stakes tournaments, but there’s no pressure. And, in fact, there aren’t even any annoying ads.

With each game, you’ll battle it out against at least five other players. Everyone gets the same deck, so winning is totally a matter of skill. The top three players who solve the deck fastest can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

2. 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.

3. Stop Overpaying for Stuff Online

On a single income, you have to watch every penny. Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert any time you’re shopping on Amazon or Walmart.com and you’re about to get ripped off?

That’s exactly what this free service does.

Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact pair of shoes is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.*

In the last year, this has saved people $160 million.

You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.

4. Let This Free App Save You $40/Month on Gas

How far out of your way should you drive to find a great price on gas? At what point are the savings no longer worth it?

An app called Upside makes saving on gas straightforward with cashback offers that don’t involve any mental math. It maps out participating local gas stations where you can beat the pump price by as much as 25 cents per gallon.

People who use the app regularly save as much as $40 a month. That’s cash money deposited straight into your PayPal or bank account. Or redeem it for a gift card from popular brands like Amazon and Starbucks. 

Here’s how to pay less for gas: Just download the Upside app, set up a free account and check the map to find participating stores near you. When you’re ready to fill up, claim an offer, tap “Check In” when you’re at the pump and pay with your linked card — easy money for a few seconds of your time.

You can cash out any time, and you’ll get your money within two days of initiating a transfer. 

How many free tanks of gas can you get with an average of $148 in annual earnings? Download the Upside app and use code PENNY25 to get an extra 25 cents per gallon off your first purchase.

5. Cancel Your Car Insurance

Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

6. Ask This Website to Help Pay Your Credit Card Bill This Month

No, like… the whole bill. All of it.

While you’re stressing out over your debt, your credit card company is getting rich off those insane interest rates. But a website called Fiona could help you pay off that bill as soon as tomorrow.

Here’s how it works: Fiona can match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every credit card balance you have. The benefit? You’re left with just one bill to pay every month, and because the interest rate is so much lower, you can get out of debt so much faster. Plus, no credit card payment this month.

If your credit score is at least 620, Fiona can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 5.20% and terms from 4 to 144 months.

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.

All that credit card debt — and the anxiety that comes with it — could be gone by tomorrow.

Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He knows what it’s like to survive as a one-income household.

*Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the extension using the links provided.

*For a $500K policy, subject to eligibility.