How To Flip Money – 15 Best Ideas To Put Your Money To Work
Flipping money, or spending money on some sort of asset and then reselling it for profit, is one of the oldest side hustles in the books.
People have been flipping stuff since barter economies existed. And it doesn't matter if you're flipping $500 or barely have any money to start; everyone can try to flip cash.
So, if you're wondering how to flip money to grow your starting capital, this is the post for you! I'm covering over a dozen ways to flip money, and many of these ideas don't need much starting capital at all.
What Does Flipping Money Mean?
Flipping means buying an asset that you think will appreciate and reselling it at a later date for profit.
So, when people say “flip your money,” this basically means investing your money into an asset you think you can resell down the line to make more than you spent on it.
When flipping, it's important to deal with asset classes you understand because you need to identify undervalued assets, buy them, and then flip them. Identifying these undervalued assets takes experience, so that's why it's best to stick with what you know best.
You can flip $1,000, much less, or much more; how much capital you start with largely depends on the asset class, your risk tolerance, and goals.
The Best Ways To Flip Money
I've been testing out different flipping methods over the years. And it can be an effective way to get quick money if you can buy the right asset and find buyers quickly.
This is also the type of side hustle that can scale quickly if you reinvest your earnings into additional flipping opportunities. So, let's dive into some of the best ways you can get started.
1. Start A Retail Arbitrage Business
Retail arbitrage is undeniably one of the most common ways to flip money, and it's also a business model with immense potential.
In a nutshell, retail arbitrage involves buying popular everyday products on discount and then reselling them online for a profit.
Popular retail arbitrage products include:
- Apparel
- Books
- Cosmetics
- Electronics
- Home goods
- Sports equipment
- Toys
- Video games
Usually, retail arbitrage sellers buy inventory from stores with clearance sections, like Kohl's, Target, and Walmart. Many retail arbitrage sellers then flip their inventory by selling merchandise with Amazon FBA.
This video from Amazon FBA expert Nate shares exactly how to start selling on Amazon FBA and to begin flipping things for a nice profit.
With Amazon FBA, you send your inventory to Amazon warehouses for a fee. When you make a sale, Amazon handles shipping and fulfillment for you, making it easier for you to focus on growing your sales.
Amazon FBA is ideal for retail arbitrage because it lets you focus on sourcing more inventory, and your listings are also Prime-eligible which is pretty much a must-have these days.
2. Invest In Real Estate
Another way to flip money is to invest using real estate investing platforms.
Unlike traditional real estate investing which requires immense capital, real estate crowdfunding is more beginner-friendly.
With these investing platforms, you can buy shares of income-generating real estate since investors pool their money together to buy properties.
Once you buy shares, you can generate income through rental income and potential property appreciation. There are also lots of platforms out there you can use to flip your money.
For example, with Arrived, you can invest in income-generating real estate rentals starting with just $100.
I like Arrived since it helps you diversify your portfolio with individual rentals. If you want to invest for income but don't have a lot of starting capital, crowdfunding is one of the best ways to flip money.
And Arrived is just one example of investing companies you can use. Other leaders in this space include:
- Fundrise: A leading real estate investing platform with a $10 minimum. Note: This is an endorsement in partnership with Fundrise and we receive compensation if you sign up with our links.
- RealtyMogul: This platform lets you invest in exclusive real estate deals starting with $5,000.
- EquityMultiple: Another popular real estate crowdfunding platform.
The bottom line is that real estate doesn't have to be exclusive to millionaires; you can flip your money through it even with small amounts of starting cash.
Learn more about investing with Arrived!
3. Resell Stuff You Own
Flipping stuff you already own is a very common way to get into flipping. Like retail arbitrage, you can focus on reselling popular products to people in your city.
Popular marketplaces to resell stuff includes:
- Mercari: One of the best selling apps if you want to sell a variety of products and manage things from your smartphone.
- Poshmark: The go-to marketplace for flipping clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- Sideline Swap: The best place to sell sports equipment and apparel.
- Facebook Marketplace: Ideal if you prefer in-person cash sales when flipping stuff for profit.
- OfferUp: Another popular selling app like Facebook Marketplace that's great for in-person cash sales.
- Depop: A social selling marketplace that's best for thrifted clothing and more creative outfits.
- Worthy: One of the most secure places to sell watches, jewelry, and diamonds online.
I also made a video on some of the best local selling sites and online apps you can use to find buyers quickly. With this flipping strategy, it's a good idea to do some competitive research first to see what prices other sellers are listing similar goods at so you stay competitive.
Of course, you can also try other popular websites and methods to sell stuff you own. Pawn shops and flea markets are one route, and you can also sell online with marketplaces like eBay.
Extra Reading – eBay vs Mercari – What's Best For Sellers?
4. Try Website Flipping
If you want to make money online and have a knack for building websites, buying and selling websites is another way to flip money.
Website flipping involves starting or buying a website, growing it, and then flipping it for more money than you spent on it. Some people do this for a full-time career, and the income potential from flipping blogs is very high.
I mean, blogs usually sell for a 30 to 40 times multiple on monthly profit on marketplaces like Flippa.
So, if you buy a starter blog for $10,000 that's making a bit of money and then grow the monthly profit to $1,000, you can flip that website for up to $40,000 (assuming the website is high-quality.)
Again, if you know how to run a blog and make money with it, I think this is the perfect way to try flipping your money online. And you could even branch into similar ideas like domain name flipping.
WebMonkey made $22,000 in 2020 and $272,000 in 2022, but this is another type of hustle I'm keen to try.
5. Flip Free Stuff For Cash
You'd be amazed what sort of stuff people throw or give away for free because they don't want to take something to the junkyard.
People do this all the time, and if you drive around your neighborhood on junk day, you find stuff like:
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Small and large appliances
- Office furniture and stationary
Granted, a lot of this stuff is junk, but I remember people driving through our neighborhood in pickup trucks every year to haul off the best stuff they could find.
You can also browse the “free” section on classifieds like Craigslist or The Facebook Marketplace.
Now, if you want to flip money with this method and invest a bit, you can always try refurbishing free furniture and then selling it for a profit.
Oftentimes, stuff is junk until it gets some TLC or repair work, so there's actually a lot of potential here!
Extra Reading – The Best Things To Flip.
6. Flip Skills
In my experience, one of the best ways to flip money is to invest in starting a new side hustle that lets you sell your skills for money.
For example, I started freelance writing about 3 years ago. I spent about $75 and a couple of hours building a portfolio website on WordPress and then began pitching clients to write for them. Within a month, I had some writing clients paying me about $50 an article and paid off my starting investment easily.
Fast forward to later that year, and I had quit my job, become a full-time freelance writer, and was traveling the world while making money with my laptop and having complete freedom.
But freelance writing is only one example of how you can start a new side hustle to flip money. Some other popular examples include:
- Digital marketing
- Editing and proofreading
- Photographer and selling photos
- Online tutor
- SEO expert
- Social media manager
- Website designer
- Video editing
- Voice over actor
Most of these hustles can be started with small investments into some type of software, equipment, or a website. So, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and to start some type of online business or side job.
You can look for beginner jobs on Upwork or Fiverr to find your first gigs. Using remote job sites like FlexJobs is also a perfect way to find high-paying freelance work.
7. Use Money App Bonuses
These days, there are so many banks, credit card companies, reward apps, and programs that pay you to sign up. And many of the best ones have lucrative, instant sign up bonuses if you make a deposit.
Some of my favorite bonus opportunities include:
- Acorns: A popular micro-investing app with a nice $20 sign up bonus.
- Current: A no-fee online banking option that pays 4% APY and has a $50 sign up bonus.
- Albert: A popular cash advance app that also helps you invest and has a whopping $150 bonus for new members.
- M1: One of my favorite brokerages and high-yield savings accounts that often has $100+ bonuses.
- Ibotta: A leading cash back app with a $10 sign up bonus right now.
- Rakuten: This shopping extension pays you with cash back and also has a nice $30 bonus for new members.
Between these sign up bonus apps, you can easily earn a few hundred dollars. And many of my friends flip money by moving their idle cash to new banks or brokerages every few months to take advantage of promotions.
Some people I know also churn credit card rewards and bank accounts to flip money. But the bottom line is that you can move your money around and basically get paid for doing nothing.
8. House Flipping
If you're the kind of person who is handy and knows how to renovate, flipping houses is another popular idea you can try.
The downside to this flipping method is it requires more capital to get started since you have to buy a property. But, with the right renovations and market, flipping properties can be incredibly lucrative.
This video from Marko at WhiteBoard Finance shares the step-by-step guide to flipping houses if you're curious about this idea.
Personally, this isn't a flipping idea I'm going to try anytime soon because of the capital requirements and the handyman skills you need. But hey, this is one of the most popular ways to flip money for a reason.
9. Buy & Flip Collectibles
Another asset class you can try flipping are collectibles.
I mean, people have been making thousands of dollars selling Pokemon cards and Yugioh cards, so there's lots of room to get creative here.
Collectibles are also interesting in that prices can fluctuate a lot between sellers since it's not always easy to assign a value to something; after all, how do you value a limited-edition Funko Pop, ancient Roman coin, sports cards, or rare Beanie Babies?
As mentioned, you should probably stick to flipping collectibles you understand so you don't get burned on a bad trade, but this is a viable option.
10. Artwork Flipping
If you're looking to diversify your portfolio with an alternative asset class, you can always try investing in shares of fine art.
With companies like Masterworks, you can invest in shares of fine art starting with only $20.
From there, you can benefit from potential appreciation in the artwork or eventually resell your shares to other art investors on Masterworks.
This is definitely a more long-term way to flip your money, and many Masterworks projects have time frames of 10 to 20 years. However, if you like fine art and want an alternative investment class, you can consider this flipping idea!
11. Flip A Vehicle
If you're still looking for ways to flip money and are pretty handy, you can always try flipping vehicles!
People do this all the time by buying beat-up vehicles at a low price, fixing them up, and then reselling them. Some people also restore old classic cars and then flip them for a higher price.
You need to be very handy and have mechanical skills for this idea to work. This is because doing most repairs yourself helps save money overall, leaving a wider flipping margin.
This YouTube video from Auto Flipping Academy provides an excellent overview of how to flip vehicles, including how to source your inventory and what to look for.
Also note there are more “niche” types of vehicle flipping. For example, some people convert cargo vans into vans for van-lifers, while others specialize in motorcycles.
Ultimately, your mechanic skills and interests will determine if this is an option or not, but keep it in mind if you love cars!
12. Print On Demand Selling
Print on demand, or POD, is a business model where you partner with a manufacturer to sell products to consumers.
Here's how it works:
- You upload your artwork and designs to a POD provider's product catalog
- You promote those products online
- When you make a sale, the POD provide manufacturer and ships the product to your consumer
This is similar to dropshipping and Amazon FBA except the key difference is you're uploading your designs to otherwise generic products.
I actually tried selling POD designs on Etsy as one of my college side hustles, and there's a lot of potential with POD if you get a viral design.
Plus, starting your own print on demand store is very easy. The POD provider I use and recommend is Printify, and you can upload your designs to Printify and then sell on places like Etsy or Shopify.
You need a bit of starting capital for print on demand since you have to pay for manufacturing and shipping costs when you make a sale, but you honestly don't need more than $50 to $100 to start out.
Again, this isn't the most conventional way to flip money, but if you have a knack for graphic design, I'd definitely try POD.
Extra Reading – How To Start An Etsy Sticker Business.
13. Stock & ETF Investing
If you're mostly interested in earning passive income and don't want to be very active when flipping money, you can always stick with regular investing.
Dividend-paying stocks are one option, and you can also explore ETFs, mutual funds, or even things like bonds and CDs if you want something that's more stable.
There are also plenty of popular online brokers and investing apps and websites you can use to invest. And the top ones don't charge commissions or hidden fees.
Several popular options you can use include:
You can often get free money for signing up with many brokers as well, so you can churn through accounts like you would with bank account bonuses.
Personally, I stick with dividend stocks and growth stocks since I'm younger and have a long investment timeframe, but again, do your due diligence and research!
Pro Tip: If you need a hand with investment research, you can try out The Motley Fool to get custom stock picks and research delivered right to your inbox each month.
14. Invest In A Side Gig
Sometimes, it's possible to start a new side hustle with just a bit of starting cash. And this can be one of the more consistent and lucrative ideas on this list.
For example, some low-cost side hustles you can consider trying include:
- Buying a bike to deliver for gig apps like Uber Eats, Instacart, or DoorDash
- Buying some used tools to offer handyman gigs in your area
- Starting a cleaning business
- Starting a pet-sitting business (you can use Rover to get started)
- Investing in a blog or YouTube channel
- Buying a laptop to begin freelancing or using side hustles like survey sites
A single starting investment of a few hundred dollars could turn into a serious income source with any of these hustles. And the only real downside is that none of these methods are passive.
15. Flip Land
A final method to flip your money is to buy land and then resell it for a profit. Of course, this likely takes a large amount of starting capital as well as time since you have to wait for the land to appreciate in value.
But, people have been buying and selling land since money was invented, so this isn't anything revolutionary.
Typically, people buy land they think will develop in the near future; so think growing suburbs or mid-sized cities. However, you can also try investing platforms that let you add land to your portfolio.
For example, with AcreTrader, you can actually invest in income-generating farmland, and many projects require $5,000 to $10,000 to start investing.
AcreTrader is definitely a longer-term investment, but you can also sell your shares of farmland to other investors if you want to exit.
Extra Reading – How To Make Money On Autopilot.
Common Scams To Watch Out For
Now that you know some of the best ways to flip money, I want to cover a few red flags you should keep in mind when pursuing this money-making idea.
Several money-flipping scams you might encounter include:
- Phishing scams that ask for your personal information like passwords and credit card details
- MLM and pyramid schemes
- Free Cash app and PayPal money scams that try to steal funds from your online accounts
- Bounced-check scams
- Wire transfer, direct deposit, and gift card money scams
- Webinars or coaching calls that require spending money to learn flipping money secrets
In short, if someone tries to buy goods from you with anything but cash, be extremely cautious. This is because scammers can often reverse online transactions so they end up stealing your inventory.
And if you have to pay to join a business idea or money-flipping hustle, it's likely a scam as well.
Is It Legal To Flip Money?
Yes, flipping money is legal, and you're allowed to put your money to work for you. Just be careful of scams and anything that seems too good to be true.
Tips For Getting Started
Here are some tips I've found useful over the years when trying to flip money:
- Stick With What You Know: As mentioned, flipping money takes experience and knowing the asset class you're dealing with!
- Watch For “Too Good To Be True” Deals: The golden rule is that if something is too good to be true, it is, so watch for red flags!
- Start Out Small: When you're new to flipping money, you can start with small flips to gain experience and slowly increase how much capital you invest.
- Consider Your Timeframe: One small downside of flipping money is that you often tie-up your capital in the asset you're flipping for months or years, so keep this timeframe in mind.
What Are Some Quick Ways To Flip Money?
Some of the quickest ways to flip money include buying and reselling goods with retail arbitrage. Traditional investing and real estate crowdfunding platforms also let you put your money to work quickly, although it might take longer to actually see returns.
I've also made money quickly by flipping my skills as a freelancer.
Extra Reading – How To Double Money In 24 Hours.
Final Thoughts
I hope our guide on how to flip money helps you put your capital to work and create a new income source for yourself!
Maybe you start out with a company like Arrived, or perhaps you try Amazon FBA. Whatever the case, there are plenty of ways to flip money that you can explore.
Personally, I think this entire space is very interesting, and I plan on experimenting with website flipping and retail arbitrage moving forwards.
Ultimately, you know what asset class is best for you, so pick a way to flip money and go for it!
Best of luck!
Looking for other ways to make extra cash? Checkout:
- How To Make 10K A Month.
- How To Resell Concert Tickets.
- How To Make $2,000 Fast – 18 Methods To Try.
