How to Make $10,000 Fast: 21 Proven Ways That Work

Only a few lucky ones have never been in a situation where they need extra money fast. The looming threat of bills, debt repayment, or even a simple emergency, such as a toothache, can create an urgent need to earn money quickly.

Even if you don’t have high-demand skills and capital available, there are still over twenty ways to make money fast without breaking any laws. The strategies range from selling your things to a variety of freelancing gigs and businesses that can be scaled.

How Fast Can You Actually Make $10,000?

The urgency of your needs is a big part of deciding which strategy to choose, but “fast” can mean different things. Some might have the skills to make $10,000 in 24 hours, but it’s rather unrealistic for most people.

In many cases, you can only make money that quickly by selling high-value assets you already own, such as cars, jewelry, stocks, and others. Even if you own that much capital, you are unlikely to be happy about selling your belongings. That’s why, if possible, it’s almost always better to use slower ways to make money.

Two to four weeks is relatively fast when it comes to amounts like $10,000, but it is also enough to start different side hustles and even scale a small service. In the end, it all depends on your skills, assets, time resources, and luck.

21 Proven Ways to Make $10,000 Fast

1. Sell High-Value Personal Items

One of the fastest and most straightforward ways to make money quickly is by selling your high-value personal items. Things like tech gadgets, jewelry, designer clothing, collectibles, books, or cars are great options. Less valuable items might prove to be more of a hassle to sell than they’re worth.

Valuable items can be sold using online platforms. Facebook Marketplace is one of the most popular options, but if you want the option to buy them back later, consider using local pawn shops.

2. Flip Furniture or Electronics Locally

Flipping refers to the practice of purchasing items, such as furniture, electronics, vehicles, or others, and selling them for a higher price. The profit often comes from your own efforts in refurbishing or upgrading the said items.

Platforms like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace are best for such a side hustle, since they connect you directly with buyers without additional fees. Facebook Marketplace is especially great since you can use its social media features to promote the value you add to buyers.

3. Offer Freelance Services

Good freelancers have always been in demand. Even if you don’t have marketable skills like writing, graphic design, or coding, you can still find some decently paying gigs. Look into transcribing, translating, tutoring, or various virtual assistant postings.

Upwork and Fiverr are generally the best for making money fast from such gigs. In some niches, especially virtual assistant roles, you might also need to directly reach out to clients via email or LinkedIn.

4. Do High-Demand Local Gigs

Some local physical labor is always in demand, no matter where you live. Gigs like cleaning, painting, yard work, pet sitting, and similar tasks are needed by most households. The trick to making money quickly with them is to streamline your operations and build a steady client base.

This might mean investing in better gear or improving your skills to justify higher prices. It will also require some networking, both online and offline, to get clients who will recommend you to others.

5. Drive for Uber, Lyft, or Deliveries

Delivering goods or becoming a rideshare driver are some of the most popular side gigs available right now. All you need is a decent car, a driver’s license, and an account on a platform that pays money for driving. The best part is that you can set your own conditions.

It’s up to you to find strategies for reaching the goal of $10,000 at your own pace, although it may take a bit with driving. Common strategies for making money quickly with Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, and others include finding the most profitable hours and using multiple apps at once.

6. Rent Out a Room or Property on Airbnb

Airbnb is a great source of income if you have a spare property or even a room, at least for a little while. Even less popular areas can get you close to $100 per night, which might add up to your financial goals quite quickly.

In some cases, it might make sense to rent a cheaper apartment yourself and rent your own home to get money quickly. The income you get from Airbnb or traditional rent can be almost instantaneous, while you get the opportunity to reach $10,000 or at least cover your current financial commitments.

7. Offer Online Tutoring or Coaching

Everyone has something to teach others and make money online from it. From video games to math, there are paid online courses for almost everything. If you want to make money fast, however, you will need to teach subjects that pay best – exam preparation, languages, fitness, and life coaching are often cited as such.

Platforms like Preply, iTutor, Skool, and others allow you to find students by taking a cut from your earnings. Another option is to record your lectures and use platforms like Udemy to monetize them.

8. Sell Unused Gift Cards, Bonus Points, or Miles

An often overlooked way to earn extra cash is by participating in various activities on apps. Cashback, paid surveys, bandwidth sharing, paid games, referral programs, and other options exist online. It won’t earn you $10,000 in a week, but it can give a solid start for building more profitable hustles.

Pawns.app, for example, offers some of the most straightforward ways to earn money with your phone from such activities. All you need is an app on your phone, and for every $5 you earn, you can cash out a gift card.

9. Resell Trending Items Online

While similar to flipping, reselling trending items requires a slightly different skill set to execute successfully. Items like sneakers, luxury clothing, medals, coins, or other collectibles are often released in special limited-edition drops. Over time, their value can increase exponentially for the right audience.

With proper research, you can purchase these items for less, hold onto them, and later sell them for a profit. The biggest challenge is identifying trends early and finding the right market to buy and sell. Platforms like eBay and Depop are great places to start.

10. Start a Quick Pop-Up Service

A pop-up service is a temporary shop that can quickly adapt to a seasonal demand or trend. Mobile car washes, laundry services, Christmas market stores, ice cream booths, and many other businesses fit this category. While it might not be a long-term business idea, it can help you earn money fast for your goals.

Creating a successful pop-up service will require moderate investment and thorough research of the local market. If implemented well, some ideas can even lead to a long-term business project.

11. Take Advantage of Referral Bonuses & Signups

Many banks and investment platforms offer cash bonuses for signing up or referring friends to their services. If done correctly, these programs can earn you substantial income in a short time. While you’re unlikely to reach $10,000 with this method alone, it can be a good starting point.

The best strategy is to identify the services you already use and make money by following their referral or signup requirements. The opportunity might already be there—you just need to take advantage of it.

12. Host a Garage Sale or Virtual Yard Sale

Hosting a garage sale at your home is traditionally known as a great way to earn some extra cash while decluttering your home from unwanted items. Nowadays, this can be done more efficiently by using social media, such as Facebook Marketplace or others, to sell your stuff.

Dedicate some time to going through the items you have lying in your home, take clear pictures, write descriptions, research their market price, and be patient. In time, your unwanted items will help you earn some money quickly. Be sure to use only trusted platforms and avoid scammers who might want items before paying you.

13. Day Labor or Temp Work

Construction sites, warehouses, retail stores, food chains, events, and other businesses constantly need additional workforce. They can be an effective way to earn extra money fast, even in larger sums like $10,000. However, you will need a lot of free time and dedication to work difficult, often physical jobs.

Labor centers and staffing agencies are common places where such work is assigned. Wages depend on the location, but you can expect to earn at least $15 per hour, with rates getting better as you work more. In many cases, temporary work is paid daily or weekly.

14. Find and Flip Free Stuff

Often, people do not want to go through the hassle of waiting days or weeks for someone to offer a price on their items. If you have transportation, you can offer to pick up their valuables and then sell them to make money.

Start by filtering platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for free listings constantly, and try to be the first one to contact the seller. Communicate well, be quick to pick up the items, and you can acquire some valuable goods to sell for decent earnings.

15. Offer Resume Writing or Job Prep Services

Resume writing and job prep services are a viable way to make money on the side. This is especially true if you are already successful in some specific niche and can help others to get their foot in the door with your advice. Rewriting CVs, preparing for interviews, and giving insights to the industry are what you’ll be paid for.

With enough clients, this side hustle can be an efficient way to earn $10,000 in a rather short time. If you have the reputation for it, offer such services on social media or on freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr.

16. Leverage Existing Investments or Crypto for Quick Cash

Just like selling more traditional valuables, selling stocks, crypto, or other investments can be a source of earning cash fast. The specifics might be a bit different, since you must approach such sales with more caution and have a plan for when to sell your assets.

It’s also important to understand potential tax burdens, as profits may be subject to capital gains or other taxes depending on where you live. Prices can fluctuate quickly, so be sure to put in some research to gain enough market awareness.

17. Sell Digital Products or Templates

If you already have at least some coding, graphical design, or copywriting skills, you can try to sell digital products or templates for businesses. Unlike physical goods, you don’t need to hold inventory or take care of shipping. Each digital product has different strategies for earning.

Canva templates, eBooks, spreadsheets, course materials, web designs, and many other digital products can be sold only with a laptop. Platforms like Creative Market, Etsy, Gumroad, and others are a good start.

18. Rent Out Gear or Equipment

Renting out useful equipment you already own is a great way to earn extra dollars in an emergency. Cameras, power tools, bicycles, cars, musical instruments, party equipment, electronics, and other valuable items can be rented for profit. While you won’t earn $10,000 in the short term, a renting side hustle is highly profitable.

Once you find items that are in demand, you can use your profits from renting to purchase more equipment and rent it as well. With some planning, the challenges of maintenance, marketing, logistics, and insurance can be overcome.

19. Sell Stock Photos or Videos

Platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock, Alamy, and others offer anyone a chance to sell their photos and videos. You can simply upload your creations, and once someone uses them, you will get a share of the revenue depending on the platform’s policies.

While the rise of AI-generated images has moved the market quite significantly, creative human input is still valued most above all else. Many online stores need specific images and designs, so your earnings will grow once you find your style and niche.

20. Offer Event Help or Catering

Large events, such as weddings, birthdays, or concerts, constantly need staff to maintain everything. You can make money through low-skill jobs like cleaning, but the pay improves significantly if you have skills in event organizing, bartending, photography, or similar fields.

Many professionals in such areas, especially in Catering, work as freelancers or small business owners. This gives them more flexibility and the possibility to scale operations to earn large sums like $10,000 fast.

21. Stack Multiple Methods for Faster Results

Lastly, it must be mentioned that our methods can be combined to boost your earnings. Some of them, such as renting equipment and flipping it in online marketplaces, synergize with one another. Others may differ entirely, but can still provide a financial head start.

Combining multiple side hustles will help you generate income more quickly. A common approach is to begin with simpler side hustles, such as paid surveys, before investing in a course to learn new skills or purchasing necessary equipment to increase your earnings.

Final Tips for Making Money Fast

When you need money quickly, efficiency matters more than effort alone. The best strategies are those that fit your particular situation and skill set, but we can highlight at least three general rules to make money quickly.

• Focus on high-value skills. Not all skills pay equally. Writing, coding, or repair work can earn far more per hour than unqualified work. If you lack in-demand skills, make money with what you know or what doesn’t require skills, and dedicate time to learning.
• Maximize your time. Time is your most valued resource. Common advice is to group similar tasks even if they are from different gigs, and put conscious effort into avoiding distractions. Turn off notifications, set strict work blocks, and treat every hour like it’s worth the money you need.
• Use urgency to fuel focus. Instead of panicking, direct your stress into action that leads to extra cash. Set a daily money goal, break it into tasks, and attack them one by one. Use urgency to sharpen priorities.

Conclusion

The fastest method to make $10,000 is by selling or renting the assets you already have. If that’s not an option, you’ll have to make do with slower means of earning money – freelance services, flipping items online, or local side hustles are your best bet to make money quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions