How To Make $400 Dollars Fast – 21 Proven Methods To Try
At WebMonkey, we cover a lot of ways people can increase their income with various side gigs. In fact, we even have posts like how to make $400 a day, or guides on how to start a new side hustle to make more money.
But sometimes, you need money in a pinch. In this scenario, you can't always spend time developing long-term income streams or starting a side business.
This is why I'm covering 18 ways to earn 400 dollars fast so you can get money when you need it most.
I've also personally tested out plenty of these side hustles, or know other bloggers and gig workers who have. Hopefully, one of the ideas in this list works for you.
How To Make 400 Dollars Fast
Table of Contents
1. Use Food Delivery Apps
One of the most straightforward ways to make $400 fast is to make money with food delivery apps.
These types of driving gigs pay you to deliver fast food and restaurant meals to people in your city. And you can usually make $12 to $20 per hour, plus tips, letting you reach $400 quickly.
Several leading gig apps I suggest trying include:
- Uber Eats: A global food delivery app that's available in 6,000+ cities.
- DoorDash: The leading food delivery app in North America.
- Grubhub: A popular gig like Uber Eats you can make money in your spare time.
- Shipt: This gig pays you to deliver groceries in your spare time.
- Instacart: Another grocery delivery gig that can easily pay $15 to $20+ per hour.
This video from gig economy expert Nuggs shares how to make money with DoorDash and Uber Eats if you're curious about how these types of gig apps work.
In my experience, making $400 with delivery apps is possible within a few days if you put in enough hours. And this type of income is certainly possible per month for most schedules.
2. Make Money Online With Freelancing
Another way to earn $400 fast is to sell your skills online as a freelancer. And this is also one of the main ways I've made $400 or more in a single day.
For example, freelance writing is how I make the bulk of my income, and it's enabled me to work remotely and travel the world over the past few years. It's also a high-paying gig, and I can easily make $400 in a day of writing with my current roster of clients.
And, there are so many other industries where you can offer your freelance skills, including:
- Business development
- Coding
- Graphic design
- Digital marketing
- Private tutoring
- SEO
- Social media management
- Website design
- Video editing
- Virtual assistant work
I know a lot of full-time freelancers, many of whom make $50 to $100+ per hour, so clearing $400 in a day is very feasible. I've seen similar progress with freelance writing, and I can make $400 if I write about two articles per day.
You can always find beginner jobs on Upwork or Fiverr to begin building your freelancer portfolio. You can also find high-paying, flexible gigs with remote job boards like FlexJobs.
3. Sell Stuff You Don't Need
This method of making money is very simple but it works, especially if it's been a long time since you've done some Spring cleaning to get rid of your unused goods.
I've also personally done this when I was in college to make fast cash, selling guitars, furniture, clothing, and an old TV.
Hosting your own garage sale is one common way to make some quick money, but you have other options as well. You can also try selling stuff on the Facebook Marketplace if you want to find local buyers who can pay cash.
There are also numerous online marketplaces and local selling sites you can sell your unused stuff on:
- Poshmark: The go-to marketplace to sell clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories.
- Worthy: My favorite way to sell watches, jewelry, and diamonds online.
- Depop: A social-selling platform that's excellent for selling thrifted and more unique outfits.
- Mercari: A popular selling app that's great for selling apparel, cosmetics, electronics, home goods, and toys.
- Sideline Swap: One of the best ways to sell new or used sports equipment and apparel.
- OfferUp: Another great selling marketplace that lets you sell in-person or online.
Making a lot of money by selling stuff might be difficult if you don't have much to sell, although categories like electronics and jewelry can fetch this amount of money.
4. Use Get-Paid-To Websites
Get-paid-to websites, or gpt sites, are another viable method to make 400 dollars fast. And it's probably the best option if you want to earn money online as a beginner.
GPT sites pay you for completing short online tasks like answering paid surveys, downloading apps, shopping online, and watching ads. I've made money with these sorts of sites since college, and they're super easy to use.
Some of my personal favorite options include:
- Branded Surveys: A popular survey platform that pays you with free PayPal cash and gift cards.
- Swagbucks: Lets you make money with paid surveys, trivia games, shopping offers, watching videos, and by scanning barcodes.
- InboxDollars: Another survey site that also has a $5 sign up bonus.
- Kashkick: Another survey platform that pays you with PayPal money.
- Pinecone Research (U.S.): This survey site pays you $3 for every survey that you complete.
- Prime Opinion: A new survey site I've been testing that has some very high rates.
These sites can be a bit of a grind. But you can earn some quick money with them in your spare time while watching TV. And some options have money making apps so you can earn while on the go.
5. Make Money With Sign Up Bonuses
These days, numerous companies are willing to pay you to become a customer. And I've used sign up bonuses for years to snag a bit of extra money.
Some popular bonuses you can take advantage of now include:
- Current: A fee-free digital bank that has a 4% APY and a $50 sign-up bonus.
- Rakuten: This rewards platform pays you to shop at thousands of retailers and has a nice $30 sign up bonus.
- Credit Card Bonuses: Plenty of banks and credit cards have lucrative sign up bonuses for funding new accounts or reaching spending goals.
- Stash: A commission-free investing app in the United States with a nice $5 bonus in free stock.
- Fundrise: A leading real estate investment platform that often has a $10 sign up bonus.
- Ibotta: A popular rewards app that sometimes has bonuses ranging from $5 to $20.
Some of my friends churn through these types of offers and make a few hundred dollars each year without much effort. So, don't be afraid to do some exploring for new offers!
6. Find Gigs With Steady
Another realistic way for making money in a pinch is to use the free Steady app to find high-paying gigs in your area.
With Steady, you can find local gig economy jobs, part-time work, and other money-making opportunities. All you have to do is download the app, answer a questionnaire, and then the app matches you with side hustles that are a good fit.
I like using Steady since it has a pretty wide variety of gigs you can get matched with. Some of them are popular gig economy jobs like Uber Eats or Instacart. But it also has an excellent database of local jobs, part-time work, high paying apps, and even lucrative sign up bonuses.
According to its website, Steady members earn an extra $5,000 to $5,500 per year in additional income. This is over $400 extra dollars per month in income, and the app is completely free.
7. Use Game Apps
One niche side hustle idea you might not know about involves using apps that pay you for playing games. And if you're a fan of mobile gaming, this is the hustle for you.
I've tested out dozens of these cash game apps over the years. Some of my absolute favorites include:
- Cash Giraffe (Android)
- Pool Payday (iOS)
- Solitaire Cash (iOS)
- Mistplay (Android)
- Scrambly (PC & Android)
None of these apps are going to let you quit your day job. But they're a fun and easy side hustle that let you turn a hobby into an income source.
You can also read our posts on the best Android and iOS money games for even more options!
8. Real Estate
There are so many ways to make money in real estate, even without a lot of starting cash.
For example, you can rent out a spare room or your home with platforms like Airbnb. This is an easy way to boost your monthly income, and a few nights per month could equal $400.
You can also consider investing to generate income. Companies like Arrived let you invest in income-generating rental homes and vacation properties. And the best part is you only need $100 to get started, so it's super beginner friendly.
9. Start An Online Business
I've been testing out different online business ideas for years. And while many of them take months or years to ramp up, you can still earn quick money with certain business models.
Some popular online side hustles you can consider include:
- Selling online courses and eBooks
- Selling print on demand products on Etsy
- Amazon FBA
- Starting a dropshipping business
- Starting an online services business or agency
I've made money running ads for Shopify stores in the past as well. And there are so many ecommerce hustles out there with a lot of quick cash potential.
10. Rent Out Your Spare Storage Space
If you have some extra storage space or even a vacant parking spot, you can boost your monthly income by renting it out on Neighbor!
Neighbor is a peer-to-peer rental marketplace like Airbnb that lets you make money renting out things like your:
- Attic
- Basement
- Carport
- Driveway
- Garage
- Parking spot
- Shed
- Spare room
As a Neighbor host, you set your own rates and also set rules for when renters can come by to access their stuff, so you don't get random drop-in visits in the middle of the night.
Neighbor renters pay upfront for renting, and Neighbor pays hosts monthly and only charges a 4.9% plus $0.30 transaction fee.
Depending on what you rent out, you can likely make $30 to $150 per month with Neighbor, and this is basically passive income since managing your listing isn't very intensive.
Overall, you can use Neighbor and other methods to rent stuff out for profit to reach your goal of making 400 dollars quickly.
11. Complete Odd Jobs For Cash
There are a lot of odd job apps out there where you can make some extra cash by helping people in your city with various tasks.
The most basic way to find odd jobs for cash is to just look on local classifieds like Craigslist to see what people need help with. Alternatively, you can use apps like TaskRabbit to help people with tasks like:
- Babysitting
- Cleaning
- Errand running
- Furniture assembly
- Handyman work
- Landscaping
- Painting
- Personal training
- Photography
- Moving help
- Tech help and installation
Taskers, which is what TaskRabbit helpers are called, set their own rates and availability, so you only work when it's convenient and worth it to you.
TaskRabbit is just one example, and you can also try out Handy and make money by offering cleaning and handyman services to people in your city. Finally, apps like Wonolo and Instawork also help you find same-day jobs that pay in a variety of industries.
12. Walk Dogs With Rover
Rover is a leading dog walking and sitting platform that connects pet owners with people who can help look after their pets.
As a Rover dog walker or sitter, you can make extra money walking dogs, providing drop-in visits, or by offering complete pet sitting services where pet owners leave their dogs with you.
According to Rover, their top workers make an additional $1,000 per month or more, so you can get 400 dollars quickly if you find enough clients.
Just note you have to be 18 or older to apply to Rover, and the company also runs a background check.
You set your own rates and availability however, and you can also list the size and types of dogs you work with. Just make sure you create a eye-catching Rover headline to get more clients!
13. Become A Pinterest Manager
If you have a knack for managing social media accounts and are particularly skilled at growing a Pinterest following, you can try making money on Pinterest as an account manager.
Pinterest managers are social media managers who specialize in Pinterest. As a Pinterest manager, your responsibilities typically include:
- Creating new eye-catching pins for clients
- Optimizing boards and pins with SEO-rich titles and descriptions
- Growing overall follower counts and monthly views
- Helping clients drive traffic from Pinterest back to their website
Some retainers are very expensive: here's one that ranges from $399 to $599 per month, and this is still on the cheaper side!
The trickiest part about this money-making method is to find enough clients and to keep them happy.
But, if you want to learn more about this side hustle, checkout our ultimate guide on how to become a Pinterest manager!
14. Borrow The Money
If you're running out of options and need 400 dollars now, another option is to borrow the money.
You can turn to friends and family for this amount of cash, but think this route over first since this isn't something everyone is comfortable with. Turning to your credit card is also an option, but you have to be careful to avoid late payments and interest fees accumulating.
Finally, you can also try out companies like Zippyloan, which offers loans between $100 and $15,000 in as short as one business day.
Options like cash advance apps like Dave can also work. But make sure you explore your options so you pick what's best for you.
Personally, I prefer picking up a side job or finding ways to make money quickly rather than resorting to borrowing. But, you should do what's right for your situation. Just think things through and always do your due diligence if you're borrowing!
Extra Reading – What To Do When You Need $500 Tomorrow.
15. Use Microtask Sites
Another way to boost your income quickly is to use microtask websites that pay you for completing short online jobs.
There are numerous websites where you can complete simple online tasks, answer paid surveys, or even help with jobs like data entry or transcription to make money.
Sites like Appen are one place you can begin your search, and Appen hires part-time online workers from around the world for various jobs. Similarly, you can try making money with Amazon by working for sites like Amazon MTurk, the microworker platform Amazon started to crowdsource tasks.
Finally, sites like Clickworker also pay you for completing short online gigs. You won't get rich, but it's easy money and you can cash out with PayPal.
This strategy might take longer than gig economy jobs to make $400, but if you prefer working online, it's a viable option to consider.
16. Reduce Your Monthly Bills
If you're looking for an easy way to make 400 dollars fast, the simplest solution might actually be to find ways to save more money.
Saving more money every month means you have more money in your pocket, which can help lower how much extra cash you need to make.
Examples of ways to trim monthly spending include:
- Cutting your cable subscription or under-used streaming services
- Eating out less
- Eliminating a vice
- Switching to a cheaper phone plan
- Downsizing your home or becoming a one-car family if money is very tight
- Biking to work if possible
- Trying a no-spend challenge
These ideas are just a few ways to cut costs, but you can truly go down the rabbit hole and find ways to save if you get creative.
Granted, if you're already quite frugal, this idea won't be too helpful. But if it's been a while since you've reviewed your monthly budget, there's probably an area or two of spending you can trim.
There's really nothing groundbreaking here; you just become a rideshare driver, hustle for a while, and you can make the 400 dollars you need. Similarly, you can also consider gigs like becoming an Amazon Flex driver.
As an Amazon Flex driver, you deliver packages from Amazon warehouses to people's doors. Drivers earn $18 to $25 per scheduled hour, so this is another way to make money quickly with your car.
Just note, there's an Amazon Flex waiting list, so this gig isn't available in every city.
18. Find A Part-Time Job
Sometimes, the main earning limitation is how many hours you can get at your day job. And, even if you're working 40 hours a week somewhere, you might be looking for some additional hours somewhere to make that extra bit of cash.
In either case, picking up a second job is a strategy you can try.
The gig economy is more flexible than this path, but if you can find other employment that doesn't conflict with your main job, a second job isn't always a bad idea.
19. Pawn Stuff You Own
You can always try pawning stuff you own to make up the extra cash you need.
The advantage of pawning is that you get quick cash. However, the downside is the amount of cash you get is always less than the value of what you're pawning.
That said, some popular items people pawn include:
- Antiques
- Coins
- Collectibles like sports cards or even rare collectibles like Pokemon cards or things like Beanie Babies
- Expensive apparel
- Electronics
- Gold and silver
- Jewelry (websites like Worthy.com are also great for selling jewelry)
- Tools
- Wedding rings
- Watches
You can try selling these assets instead if you don't care about getting them back, but know that pawning is an option.
Extra Reading – How To Make $1,000 In 24 Hours.
20. Become A Personal Trainer
Want to get paid to workout? If so, you can consider becoming a personal trainer.
My friends have done this during summer break and made decent money by working at local gyms. You can also offer private coaching, at-home coaching, or run group classes to try and make money in this space.
21. Take Part In Focus Groups
One final idea you can try is to take part in online or in-person focus groups. This is basically a way to share your opinion with market research groups and panels in exchange for some fast cash.
Many people use sites like Apex Focus Group, which is a focus group aggregator, to find opportunities. However, this can be a bit spammy, and it can also take a while to find groups that actually accept you.
Alternatively, you can join platforms like Focus Group By Schleinger if you live in the United States. This site pays you for a variety of jobs like:
- Answering surveys
- Participating in webcam focus groups
- Participating in in-person focus groups
- Taking phone calls with researchers
- Completing product review gigs
Many tasks only pay a few dollars, but some of the focus groups can pay $50 or more. So, with a few of those a month, you're looking at 400 bucks.
Sites like Respondent and User Interviews are also a great way to find online and in-person research studies to take part in, and these can pay even more. Plus, you might find that this is a fun side hustle since you get to share your unique perspective and help researchers with their studies.
Tips For Getting Started
Now that you know some methods you can use to make some fast cash, I wanted to cover a few tips that will help you along the way!
- Set Realistic Goals: Making $400 fast is possible, but it's also important to set realistic goals. For example, if you find a side hustle that pays $20 per hour, don't be discouraged if it takes a few days or weeks to reach your income goal.
- Keep Things Simple: It might be tempting to try very lucrative business ideas like making money on YouTube or starting a blog. But while these are great long-term businesses, they aren't useful for making money quickly.
- Reduce Your Spending: As mentioned, playing some financial defense is sometimes the best route you can take to keep more money in your wallet.
- Watch For Red Flags: If anyone promises you can make $400 instantly or something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for scams, MLMs, or anything that seems like it's paying you without requiring any work.
Extra Reading – The Best Ways To Make Money On Autopilot.
Final Thoughts
I hope our guide on how to make 400 dollars fast helps you accomplish this financial goal.
Thanks to the Internet and gig economy, there are plenty of ways you can create new income streams if you're willing to hustle. I've tested out dozens of these methods over the years, and a lot of them work, so there's so much opportunity out there.
Just remember to set realistic goals and to still stick to a budget. Making money fast is great, but you still need the basics of budgeting and saving to grow your wealth.
Want to try other methods to make more money? Checkout:
