Selling Your Poop, Drinking Beer and 19 More of the Weirdest Ways We’ve Seen People Make Bank
What is “normal” anyway? When it comes to making money, we’re not ones to judge. And trust us — we’ve seen it all.
Selling your poop, taking naps, sleeping in someone else’s house — we’ve got some of the wildest ways you can actually make some serious money. Read on to find the best one for you.
1. Be a Professional Sleeper
Get paid to sleep on the job? Yep, it’s a thing. There are research companies that will pay sleep study participants thousands, but these studies require you to sleep in a laboratory setting. If that feels a bit weird, there are some at-home sleep studies, but those opportunities pay less.
2. 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.
3. Crash Weddings Professionally as a Bridesmaid for Hire
It sounds like the plot from the movie “27 Dresses,” but you can become a professional bridesmaid. Hiring a professional creates a drama-free big day for the bride, but be warned, it’s serious work.
Jen Glantz of Bridesmaid for Hire walks down the aisle with complete strangers to the tune of glowing reviews.
“Being a Maid-of-Honor feels like you just adopted a second full-time job, but not when you hire Jen to help,” reads her testimonial section.
4. Invest in Famous Art (Even if You’re Not a Millionaire)
Here’s the deal: If you’re not investing in contemporary art, you might be missing out on an asset whose prices have outpaced the S&P by 164% from 1995 to 2020. (FYI, the S&P tracks 500 of the largest companies in the stock market)
You’re probably thinking you need at least a few more zeros in your checking account before you can even start thinking about investing in Warhols and Monets, right?
But a company called Masterworks lets normal people like us invest in multimillion-dollar works of art — something typically only available to the super rich.
You don’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a masterpiece outright; with Masterworks, you can invest in multimillion dollar paintings with only $1,000.
It takes less than a minute to sign up for a free account.
Investing in contemporary art is a long-term strategy, so patience pays off here — literally. But once your piece of art sells, you get your share of the potential profits.
5. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion
It sounds strange, but brands want to hear your opinion. It helps them make business decisions, so they’re willing to pay you for it — up to $140 a month.
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.
6. Cancel Your Car Insurance — Add $610 to Your Wallet
Totally legal. And 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.
7. Get Paid to Play Bingo (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. 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.
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.
8. Get Up to $100,000 From This Company
Need a little extra cash to pay off credit card debt, remodel your house or to buy a big purchase?
We found a company willing to help.
Here’s how it works: If your credit score is at least 620, AmOne can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 6.40% and terms from 6 to 144 months.
AmOne 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.
9. Add $500 to Your Wallet for Trying Out Apps
Our smartphones are the world’s greatest time-killers. You can browse Facebook; play a game; download a new app.
You’re doing all this anyway — why not get paid for it? With a website called KashKick, you could get paid for things like answering survey questions or downloading and playing a game — up to $500 in your first month.
You can earn money by playing games or trying new products and services, but surveys are the main way to make money.
Once you earn $10 in your account, you can immediately get paid via Paypal. This is an easy way to make a little extra money while you’re killing time on your couch. All you need is your phone or computer.
It takes just a minute to sign up, and you’ll immediately earn $1 just for completing your profile on the site. You’ll be that much closer to cashing out.
10. 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.
11. Get Paid to Drink Beer
The craft beer industry is hoppin’, so take advantage of it by, well, getting paid to visit breweries.
When you sign up as a mystery shopper, it’s your job to go to a grocery store, gas station, restaurant or, in this case, a breweries, and provide anonymous feedback.
Now, you can get paid to mystery shop — and drink — at breweries in your area through Secret Hopper. (Clever, right?)
The company is looking for detail-oriented beer-drinkers to hop around to different breweries and objectively rate and review their experiences. One Penny Hoarder gave the gig a try. He paid $16 on his visit to a local brewery. Secret Hopper paid him $20 via PayPal within a few days.
So, no, you’re not going to get rich, but you will get free beer, and that makes us hoppy.
All you have to do is sign up, then it’ll contact you when you’re needed.
12. Get Cash Back Every Time You Shop at Your Favorite Stores (Get $5 Right Now)
Finding the best grocery deals online is getting more complicated every day.With thousands of coupon sites and referral codes out there, how do you know you’re getting the best deal?
Leave it to Tada to find you the best cash-back opportunities. When you shop at Walmart, Target, Kroger or any of the other thousands of stores Tada partners with, you’ll see all available coupons and get cash back on your purchase.
All you have to do is clip deals from your favorite stores and add them to your app’s virtual grocery list before you shop. You can also scan a receipt after shopping in-store. You’ll see your cash rewards in your account in just a few days, then you can redeem them for gift cards or transfer the balance straight into your PayPal account.
It takes just a few minutes to sign up and get your $5 first shop bonus after your first receipt upload.
13. Become a Competitive Solitaire Player — Make Up to $83 Per Win
Wait, that’s a thing? Yep. An iPhone app called Solitaire Cash lets you play for real cash — up to $83 every time you win.
It’s the classic Solitaire game you know and love, and you’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. 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.
And no, there’s no catch. There are no ads, either. You can play for free or pay to play in higher-stakes tournaments. 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.
14. Get up to $1K in Free Stock Just for Signing Up and Funding Your Account
Inflation is doing a great job of making it really difficult to buy, well… anything. And that includes stocks.
Luckily, when you open a free SoFi Invest account and fund it with at least $10, they’ll give you free stocks in return — worth up to $1,000.
With SoFi, You can buy full or fractional shares of popular stocks, plus you can invest in exchange-traded funds — or collections of stocks.
If you’re new to investing, SoFi has automated investing tools to help simplify things. Plus, they won’t charge you any SoFi management fees.
It only takes a minute to open a free account and get started. Then, once you fund it with at least $10, SoFi will reward you with your free stock — which could be worth up to $1,000.
*See terms
15. Earn Money Delivering Food in Your Free Time
Cities around the country are filled with two things: incredible restaurants and busy people.
You can help connect them by delivering food through Doordash.
As a “Dasher,” you’ll work as an independent contractor, setting your own hours and working as much or little as you want, meaning how much you can make is up to you.
You’ll earn a $6 fee for each delivery, plus keep 100% of your tips.
All you need to get started is an insured vehicle or a bicycle and a smartphone. You should be at least 18 years old and have a minimum two years’ driving experience. If you’re interested in becoming a Dasher, you can learn more here.
16. Get Paid to Lose Weight
Bottom line: HealthyWage will literally pay you for losing weight.
Not only are you getting more healthy, you’re also making some money. How’s that for motivation?
Here’s how it works:
- Read our full HealthyWage review, and sign up.
- Define a goal weight and the amount of time you’ll give yourself to achieve it.
- Place a bet on yourself ranging from $20 to $500 a month.
Depending on how much you have to lose, how long you give yourself to do it and how much money you put on the table, you could win up to $10,000!
Wondering if it can really work? We talked to one woman, Teresa Suarez, who lost 68 pounds — and made over $2,400.
17. Share What’s in Your Fridge
Remember the Nielsen company? The one that’s always tracked TV ratings? Well, now it wants to know what’s in your fridge.
Once you sign up to be on the Nielsen Consumer Panel, you’ll gain access to the NCPMobile app. (If you don’t have a smartphone, Nielsen will send you a scanner.) As you unload your groceries after your next shopping trip, simply use the app to scan items’ barcodes.
Nielsen will reward you with points, which you can redeem for free gift cards, electronics (new TV, anyone?) and household items. The longer you stay on the panel, the more opportunities you have to earn.
Applying to become a panel member is straightforward. You’ll answer some basic questions about you and your household, then Nielsen reviews your application and will contact you when you’re eligible to join.
18. Sell Your Poop
You can sell plasma and breast milk for profit, so why not poop? Medical companies look for donors of healthy stools to treat patients with colon infections. They pay anywhere from $25 to $500 per donation.
19. Get Paid for Your Sperm
In the last 30 years, an estimated 120,000 to 150,000 babies were born by anonymous donor insemination, so this is one weird way to make money that’s especially meaningful.
Most sperm banks, which pay anywhere from $25 to $140 per ejaculation sample, have the following requirements:
- At least 5-foot-7 and up to 6-foot-6
- Between 18 and 40 years old (none accept donations from minors)
- Height and weight proportional
- In good overall health, based on general physical health screenings and fertility tests
- College graduates, enrolled in college or military veterans. Some banks pay more if you have a doctorate or attended an Ivy League school (because recipients pay more for those donor qualities).
- A nonsmoker and non-drug user
- Able to provide a biological family medical history
20. Get Paid to Sleep in Someone Else’s House
Instead of forking over a small fortune every month for rent, what if you could get someone to pay you to live in their house? Housesitting is a gig that could provide you with weeks or even months of free housing.
In some cases, the free housing is the “pay” you receive (think of it as the money you are not paying toward rent). But, there are also paying housesitting gigs where you could earn as much as $100/day. See our breakdown of housesitting jobs here.
21. Cash in on Your Dollar Bills
Specifically, dollar bills with strange serial numbers — ones that aren’t easy to come by. The collectors at CoolSerialNumbers.com have created a list of their most-wanted serial numbers, and you might have a bill with one of these sequences on it in your wallet.
Turns out antique coins aren’t the only currency worth cash to collectors.
Check out the full list to see if you’ve got any of these rare bills, but here’s a rundown of the sort of serial numbers these collectors are looking for:
- 7 repeating digits in a row on $1 Federal Reserve Notes (i.e. 09999999, 77777776)
- 7 of a kind on $1 Federal Reserve Notes (i.e. 00010000, 99999099)
- Super repeaters on $1 Federal Reserve Notes (i.e. 67676767)
- Double quads on $1 Federal Reserve Notes (i.e. 00009999)
- and more!
*Sofi Invest: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $10 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%.
Terms for ‘Claw’ Promotion: https://www.sofi.com/invest/clawpromotion/rules
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