How to Add $1,098 to Your Bank Account Before Christmas

A man wearing a Santa hat waves $100 bills in front of his face.
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There are all sorts of things people hope to give and receive during Christmas. But one of the best gifts you can give yourself is some extra room in your budget. The holidays are expensive, after all.

How does an extra $1,098 in your savings account sound? Here’s how:

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. 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.

3. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

While honest opinions can plot a can of worms right in the middle of your family gatherings this holiday season, there’s another, safer outlet for sharing your thoughts —- and you can make up to $140 a month doing it.

A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.

It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time.

And you don’t need to build up tons of money to cash out, either — once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.

They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.

4. Killing Time on Your Phone? Play Bingo for up to $83 Per Win

Our smartphones are the world’s greatest time-killers. Browse Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or Instagram. Watch a video on YouTube. Play some Minecraft or Roblox.

Oh, and there’s bingo. We found a free iPhone app called Bingo 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?

But there really isn’t a catch. Most of the games are free, but cash players can join higher-stakes tournaments for bigger cash prizes. But there’s no pressure — there aren’t even any annoying ads.

The game is based on a classic Bingo format. You’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls. The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

Over on the App Store, it has a 4.7-star rating (out of 5).

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

5. Get a Refund on Your Christmas Shopping

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And also the most expensive.

But here’s a way to actually make money this year.

A website called Rakuten will give you a refund from just about every store you shop at online. Which means it can give you up to a 15% kickback every time you buy Christmas presents this year.

We talked to Denver resident Colleen Rice, who’s earned more than $526.44 in refunds since she started using Rakuten. For doing nothing.

Enter your email address here to get started with Rakuten. They’ll deposit your cash directly into your bank account or pay you with a check in the mail every few months.

Plus, if you use Rakuten to earn money back within the first 90 days of signing up, it’ll give you an extra $10 or more on the first check it sends you.

6. Add $225 to Your Wallet While Watching the News

It’s been a historic year in the news, and we’re all constantly refreshing for the latest updates. You probably know more than one news-junkie who fancies themselves a constitutional scholar or a foreign policy expert.

That might not be the best news for your dinner conversations — but it’s great news for your wallet. You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with Swagbucks. They’ll present you with short surveys to choose from every day, which you can fill out while you watch tonight’s broadcast.

You just have to answer honestly, and Swagbucks will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $429 million. We talked to one user in Pennsylvania, 52-year-old Carolinda Hendrickson, who earned $1,200 in a year.

It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid while you watch the news.

7. Get a Higher Yield than a High-Yield Savings Account with a Treasury Account

Want to do more with your savings? Yeah, us too.

Well, a company called Public could help you earn a 5.40% yield* on your money — that’s 13 times faster than a regular savings account!**

Instead of stashing your money in a savings account, Public offers a Treasury account that allows you to invest in treasury bills. Treasuries basically work like a loan that you give the government, which pays you back later, plus interest. And being backed by the U.S. government makes them one of the safest*** ways to invest your money.

Unlike traditional savings or high-yield savings accounts, you don’t have to pay state or local taxes*** on income you earn from Treasury bills. So, depending on where you live, more of your savings may go back into your pocket.

Once you’ve signed up and created your account, you can easily transfer money by linking a bank account. From there, you can enroll in a Treasury account and start investing for as little as $100. After your Treasury bills mature, Public will automatically reinvest to create a compounding effect. You can also sell your Treasury bills at any time*.

It only takes a few minutes to enroll in a Treasury account with Public to start earning more on your savings.

This is a paid endorsement for Public.com.

* Yield is an annualized 26-week T-bill rate (as of 11/21/2023) when held to maturity. Rate assumes holding T-bill until maturity (26-weeks). T-bills liquidated prior to maturity may result in a loss of interest or principal. Rate is gross of fees and is annualized. Fee schedule at public.com/disclosures/fee-schedule.T-bills are purchased in increments of $100 par value at a discount; any remaining balance after purchase is held in cash. All investing involves risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Risks. US members only.

** Traditional savings rate sourced from Bankrate as of 10/3/23. “Best” high-yield savings accounts are compared to the average APY (annual percentage yield) as compiled by NerdWallet.com as of 10/11/23. Public is not responsible for the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of information on third-party websites. Nor Public Holdings or its affiliates are a bank and Public does not offer savings accounts. Securities on Public.com are not FDIC insured. You should contact your bank for current and complete information about available account types, including applicable interest rates. Risks.

*** T-bills are subject to price change and availability – yield is subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investments in T-bills involve a variety of risks, including credit risk, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk. As a general rule, the price of a T- bills moves inversely to changes in interest rates. Although T-bills are considered safer than many other financial instruments, you could lose all or a part of your investment.Investment income on T-bills is taxed federally by the Internal Revenue Service. Income earned from T-bills is not subject to state tax, and is not subject to local income taxes. Jiko U.S. Treasuries Risk Disclosures for further details.

Investment services and the Brokerage Accounts for treasury securities are offered by Jiko Securities, Inc. (“JSI”) member FINRA and SIPC.

Securities investments: Not FDIC Insured; No Bank Guarantee; May Lose Value. Banking services and the Bank Account are provided by Jiko Bank, a division of Mid-Central National Bank. Available to US members only. Full disclosures at public.com/#disclosures- treasuries