So, you want to know how to make money in one hour, right?

Well, let’s face it: sometimes life throws you a curveball and pushes you to look for fast money.

It could be a sudden, unexpected bill or just a hankering to make the most of some free short time you have.

Whatever your reasons, a quick way to make money can be useful.

Here’s the good news:

There are easy and quick ways to make money in just one hour.

And that’s exactly what I’m about to show you in today’s post.

How to Make Money In One Hour

Years ago when all I had was a poor teaching job with a poignant salary, I was always looking for ways I could generate income after my teaching hours.

In fact, this is what led me to start a new career as a freelance writer back in the day.

The quick money-making ideas I’m about to show you have either been tested by me or successfully implemented by people I know.

Let’s get to them:

1. Sell Valuable Belongings for Immediate Cash

Chances are that we all have some nicely-used clothes, electronics, shoes, or other items lying around.

What you can do is to find such items in good condition and sell them.

Selling these kinds of items is easier than you think. I’ll give you two effective approaches to help you get started:

• Selling Online: You can take pictures of the items you want to sell and list them on online marketplaces or classifieds like eBay, Craigslist, etc. There’s a good chance someone is looking for exactly what you have and will be willing to pay for it.
• Local Thrift Store: The other option is to sell in thrift stores. This is a much faster option. While you may not get top dollar for your item, you’ll surely walk away with cash in hand. Why/ Because local thrift stores often pay on the spot, making it a fast and efficient way to declutter and earn money.

When I was a student, there was a time when I needed money to take care of a certain need. I had a laptop lying around. All I had to do was snap it and post on one local online marketplace. It sold within an hour.

What personal valuables can you sell within one hour? Let’s see:

• Apparel and fashion items
• Old furniture
• Shoes
• Watches and pieces of jewelry
• Electronics and computers
• Kitchen appliances
• Tools and instruments
• Toys
• Artwork
• Collectibles such as sports cards or specialized items like Pokemon cards
• Unused gift cards

2. Rent Out Your Assets

If you’re feeling reluctant about selling your stuff, I have another option for you: renting out.

Renting out assets allows you to earn money quickly without selling them outright.

There are many platforms that facilitate the rental process and often handle transactions.

Renting out your items can be especially beneficial for assets that are in demand for short-term use, such as event spaces or specialized tools.

I’ll now show you items that are great for renting out:

1. Real Estate: Rent out your spare rooms on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com.
2. Vehicles: Cars, trucks, scooters, e-bikes, RVs, or motorcycles can be rented out for fast money through services like Turo or Getaround.
3. Equipment: This is a popular category. You can list your cameras, lenses, drones, audio equipment, or tools on platforms such as Fat Llama or ShareGrid.
4. Storage Space: Unused garage space, attic, or basement can be put out for rent through storage rental platforms like Neighbor.com or SpareFoot.
5. Event Spaces: This is usually hot on the weekends. Whether it’s venues for parties, meetings, workshops, or weddings, you can make quick money on websites like Peerspace or Splacer.
6. Clothing and Accessories: Rent out designer clothing, shoes, costumes, or accessories through rental services like Rent the Runway or Style Lend.
7. Parking Spaces: Did you know you can rent out driveways, garages, or parking spots in busy areas through platforms like JustPark or ParkWhiz?
8. Tools and DIY Equipment: I wrote a post about where to sell your used tools for cash. But you can also rent them out if selling isn’t an option.
9. Garden Plots: If you have unused garden space for planting or farming, invite other people in your neighborhood to make use of it through community garden rental programs.

3. Offer Manual Labor in Your Locality

If the above two options are not for you because you do not want to sell or rent out your items, then another option to make money in one hour is to look for people in your neighborhood who need help with odd jobs.

You can find gigs by asking around, posting on local social media groups, or simply by hopping on tasking platforms.

Websites like TaskRabbit.com and Handy.com connects people who need help with odd jobs and errands with independent workers who can do those tasks for them.

Simple tasks like mowing lawns, clearing snow, trimming hedges, or washing cars can be completed in one hour for instant cash.

4. Do a Quick Delivery

Services like DoorDash, Instacart, Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates, and other delivery apps offer opportunities to earn cash by delivering items such as food and groceries.

This can be an effective way to make money within an hour.

For easy transportation, you’ll need a vehicle such as a car, motorcycle, bicycle, or scooter. The good thing is that you don’t need to own this vehicle; you can simply rent it for the specific delivery shift.

5. Transport Passengers via Rideshare Apps

If you have a car, you can drive for Uber, Bolt, Lyft, or any other ride-hailing app. This is a fast and surefire way to make money within one hour.

The average ride-hailing driver completes between 10 to 25 rides a day, driving for 8 to 12 hours.

So, in one hour, you may be able to complete a decent number of short trips for quick bucks.

Here are some tips for making money quickly as a rideshare driver:

• Target Peak Hours: Ridesharing platforms often offer surge pricing or prime-time rates during peak hours like rush mornings and evenings, or weekends with nightlife. Focus your driving efforts on these times to maximize your earnings per trip.
• Serve Busy Areas: Research areas known for high traffic or events where people might rely on rideshares, like airports, concert venues, or sporting arenas.
• Be Selective with Rides: If you’re in a busy area, consider rides with shorter distances to avoid getting stuck in traffic and wasting valuable time you could spend accepting new fares.

6. Offer Personal Care and Assistance Services

Offering personal care and assistance services, such as pet sitting, house sitting, dog walking, tutoring, elder care, house cleaning, errand running, and personal shopping can be a lucrative way to make money in just one hour.

These gigs provide flexibility and the opportunity to earn quickly by addressing immediate needs in your community.

They require minimal preparation and can be completed within a short timeframe, allowing you to maximize your hourly earnings efficiently.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the places where you can offer these services:

• Care.com: Connects caregivers with families seeking help with childcare, elder care, pet sitting, and housekeeping.
• Rover.com: This platform caters specifically to pet owners seeking dog walking, pet sitting, and boarding services.
• Thumbtack: Connects local service providers with potential clients. You can create a profile listing your services like house cleaning, handyman work, or errand running.
• Nextdoor.com: This neighborhood-based social network allows you to post your services directly to your local community. This can be a great way to find clients for pet sitting, house sitting, dog walking, or errand running.

7. Flip Items for Cash

Engage in flipping items by buying low and selling high. Look for undervalued or discounted items in thrift stores, garage sales, or online marketplaces.

This method requires a keen eye for valuable items or market trends, and can apply to various markets, including online marketplaces, currency exchanges, and even ticket resales.

Online platforms like eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace can be valuable tools for finding and selling flipped items.

Another strategy involves bidding on and flipping abandoned storage units.

Storage auctions occur when tenants fail to pay rent, leading to the auction of the unit’s contents.

By attending these auctions and bidding strategically, you can uncover hidden treasures or valuable items that can be sold for profit.

This method requires some initial investment and a willingness to assess and resell the contents efficiently.

Platforms like StorageTreasures.com or local storage facilities can provide information about upcoming auctions in your area.

8. Take the Risk of Trading

Trading involves engaging in short-term trading to capitalize on small price movements in financial markets. This can include stocks, cryptocurrencies, or forex trading.

The caveat is that you need to have a good understanding of the market and a keen eye for spotting profitable opportunities.

While it involves higher risks, successful trades can yield significant returns within a short period.

To make money in one hour, I recommend you use a shorter timeframe such as 1-15 minutes.

9. Leverage the Power of Livestreaming

Platforms like TikTok LIVE, YouTube, Kick.com, and Twitch allow you to engage with audiences directly and receive instant donations, tips, or gifts from viewers.

By hosting entertaining, informative, or engaging live sessions, you can quickly generate income.

To give you an idea, on TikTok, gifts translate to Diamonds, which is part of the platform’s virtual currency.  This can be converted into real money and transferred to your preferred external account.

10. Turn to Freelancing

If you have specific skills, you can find freelance gigs on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.

However, keep in mind that setting up a profile and finding your first project might take longer than an hour.

Once established, these platforms can provide a steady stream of quick tasks that you can complete in your spare time.

Some of my all-time favorite freelancing opportunities include:

• Freelance writing
• Editing and proofreading
• Graphic design
• Web design
• Video editing
• Voice over work
• Programming
• Digital marketing
• SEO
• Paid advertising
• Social media marketing
• Virtual assistant services

11. Explore Online Microtasks

Numerous websites offer short tasks that can be completed for a quick reward. You can find these sites on my list of secret websites to make money.

While the earnings per task might be low, you can accumulate a small amount within an hour.

These tasks can include things like data entry, surveys, and small administrative duties.

Here are a few useful tips to help you make money in one hour on microtask websites:

• Focus on High-Paying Tasks: Not all microtasks are created equal. Look for tasks that offer a higher payout per minute compared to others. Some platforms allow you to filter tasks by reward amount.
• Be Efficient: Time is money on these platforms. Familiarize yourself with the task interface and avoid wasting time on complex instructions. Practice makes perfect!
• Work During Bonus Periods: Some microtask platforms offer bonus incentives for completing tasks during specific times or reaching a certain quota within a timeframe.
• Choose Tasks with Short Completion Times: Prioritize tasks you can finish quickly to maximize your earnings per hour. Look for tasks with clear instructions and avoid those that require specialized knowledge.
• Don’t Get Stuck on One Site: Explore multiple microtasking platforms to find a variety of tasks and potentially better-paying opportunities.
• Beware of Time-Consuming Tasks: Some microtasks may appear lucrative but take much longer to complete than advertised. Be wary of tasks with vague instructions or excessive requirements.

Here’s a list of some popular microtasking platforms:

• Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk): A well-known platform offering a wide variety of tasks.
• Clickworker: Offers tasks in various categories, including data entry, web research, and transcription.
• Microworkers: Another platform with a diverse range of microtasks.
• Swagbucks: While not strictly microtasks, Swagbucks offers rewards for activities like surveys, watching videos, and online shopping. Points can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.
• Appen: Connects freelancers with companies for data annotation, search engine evaluation, and other tasks requiring human intelligence.
• Respondent: Focuses on online surveys and market research studies, which can sometimes be completed within an hour.
• Prolific: Another platform specializing in online surveys and studies that might offer quick rewards.

Beyond the Hour: Building on Your Skills for Long-Term Income

While making money within a tight one-hour window can solve immediate financial needs, let’s not forget the bigger picture: building long-term income streams.

Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Skill Development: Invest time in developing skills that have long-term earning potential. This could be through online courses, workshops, or certifications related to your interests or profession.
2. Build a Clientele: Build a freelance website, grow your LinkedIn account, or expand your presence on freelancing platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to build a strong portfolio and client base. This can lead to more consistent projects and higher earnings over time.
3. Create Passive Income: Explore opportunities such as creating digital products (e-books, courses, templates) or investing in dividend-paying stocks. These methods can generate income even when you’re not actively working.
4. Build a Personal Brand: Establishing a strong online presence through a blog, social media, or YouTube channel can attract followers and money-making opportunities. Consistency and quality content are key to growing your audience and income potential.

Wrapping Up: How to Make Money In One Hour

While one hour is quite a tight timeframe, there are still plenty of opportunities to make quick cash.

This post has given you 11 tested and proven ideas on how to make money in one hour.

The next step? Pick whichever idea works for you and take action.

With the right mindset and dedication, you’ll be able to hit your goal.