11 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)
Between rising costs of living, stagnant wages and the lingering effects of inflation, our money just doesn't seem to go as far as it used to. Rent is skyrocketing, grocery runs nearly break the bank, and going out for dinner is starting to feel like a distant memory...
We could all use some extra cash. But it's not exactly easy to just go out and snag a higher-paying job — and who has time for a second job?
Luckily, there are some pretty clever ways you probably didn't realize you can make extra money without getting a new job — and they actually work.
1. Grow Your Money More Than 10x Faster
If you’re keeping your money in a traditional savings account, you’re missing out on some serious growth. You need an account that lets you earn competitive interest on your everyday balance.
With a Langley High Yield Savings Account, you’ll earn 3.60% — that’s more than 10 times the national average interest on a savings account, which pays just 0.33% APY, according to the NCUA*.
The Langley High Yield Savings Account has no fees, no minimums, and your money is insured up to $250,000.
Want to start growing your money more than 10 times faster? It only takes a few minutes to open an account.
2. Teach Your Kids to Be Financially Savvy — And to Grow Their Money More Than 8x Faster Every Month
Now that you’ve built healthy savings of your own, you’ll want to make sure your children are headed down the same path. Teaching kids to manage money isn’t always simple — but Cash App Families makes it easier.
Plus, they’ll earn 3.25% interest* — that’s more than eight times faster than the average savings account (which pays just 0.38%1).
Cash App Families is a feature within Cash App that allows teens ages 13 to 17 to use the app with approval from an eligible parent or guardian.** Your teen gets access to a fast, secure way to send and receive money, and you get a detailed, real-time view of their transactions, balances, and spending habits.
Parents can also help teens build financial skills like investing*** — starting with as little as $1. You control investing permissions and Cash App Card spending, allowing you to set limits and help ensure responsible use.
Ready to help your teen explore spending, saving, and investing — all while earning 3.25% interest?* Download the app here to get started.
3. Grow Your Money More Than 10x Faster
Most people have a savings account. But here’s the problem: As of June 15, the average savings account pays just 0.38% APY. Savvy people know you can easily earn more than 10 times that amount — you just have to choose the right account.
That’s where a certificate can be so useful. The 11-Month Promotional Certificate from Langley, for example, pays 3.90% APY, which is more than 10 times the national average for a savings account.
This is a great way to steadily grow your money over a fixed term — and without the risk of other investments. Once the term is over, you’ll get your deposit back, plus your earned interest.
Plus, you can get started with just a $500 minimum deposit.
Want to earn a guaranteed 3.90% APY on your money? It's easy to apply here for a Langley 11-Month Promotional Certificate and start saving.
4. Get the Funds to Start Investing in Real Estate
Owning investment property has long been one of the most popular ways to build wealth and generate passive income. But there’s one major obstacle: getting the money to actually buy and renovate a property.
That’s where Kiavi comes in. Kiavi offers hard money loans designed for real-estate investors looking to fund fix-and-flip projects or rental properties — with fewer requirements and faster closings than traditional banks. You could fund your next project in as little as one or two weeks.
Everything is handled online — from applying and getting quotes to tracking your loan approval. You can even get pre-approved with no impact to your credit score and no application fee.
Kiavi offers fix-and-flip and bridge loans from $100,000 to $5 million, with rates as low as 7.75%. Investors may qualify for up to 100% of the purchase price and renovation costs, and 80% of a property’s after-repair value.
For investors focused on long-term rental income, Kiavi also offers rental property loans with rates as low as 6%, up to 80% loan-to-value and flexible term lengths.
Kiavi has already funded more than $30 billion in loans and is trusted by professional real estate investors across the country. Whether you’re planning your first fix-and-flip or expanding your rental portfolio, Kiavi could help you move faster on your next investment opportunity.
Want to see how much you could qualify for? Get started here to explore loan options and get pre-approved online.
5. Get $125 When You Open This Checking Account (Even if You Have Poor Banking History)
If you've struggled with poor credit or past banking issues, you know how difficult it can be to get a fresh start. In some cases, you may even have trouble qualifying for a traditional bank account.
That’s where a Wells Fargo Clear Access Banking account can help. Designed for people looking to rebuild their financial footing, this account comes with no overdraft fees, no minimum balance requirements, and the opportunity to waive the monthly service fee. Plus, eligible new customers can earn a $125 bonus after opening an account and completing qualifying transactions.
Clear Access Banking also includes everyday tools that make managing your money easier, including mobile check deposit, online bill pay, and Zelle® for fast money transfers. You'll also get 24/7 fraud monitoring, zero-liability protection, and access to more than 10,000 ATMs nationwide.
If you're looking for a simple, low-risk way to rebuild your banking relationship and manage your money with confidence, Clear Access Banking is a solid place to start. Opening an account only takes a few minutes, and you can earn a $125 bonus when you meet the qualifying requirements.
6. Diversify Your Portfolio With Precious Metals — And Get Up to $20K in Free Metals
If the past few years have shown us anything, it's that market disruptions can come out of nowhere and impact your retirement savings.
That's why many people invest in precious metals to diversify and protect their wealth: Precious metals often rise in value during uncertain economic times.
One option is a precious metals IRA through a company called Priority Gold — right now, you can even get up to $20,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.
Opening a gold or silver IRA is easy, and you can roll over funds from existing retirement accounts without any taxes or penalty fees. Or you can buy gold and silver directly from Priority Gold's extensive collection.
If you decide to sell your precious metals in the future, Priority Gold offers a no-fee buy-back program. Plus, Priority Gold has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Right now, Priority Gold is offering up to $20,000 in free silver with qualifying purchases, and you'll get free account setup, free insured shipping and free storage for up to five years.
Want to diversify and safeguard your investments by adding gold and silver to your portfolio? It's easy to get started here and get your free guide. Plus, you could get up to $20,000 in free metals on qualifying purchases.
7. Grow Your Savings More Than 8x Faster Every Month
If you keep your money in a traditional savings account, you could be missing out on serious growth.
When you keep your savings with Cash App, you could earn up to 3.25% interest* — that’s more than eight times faster than the average savings account (which pays just 0.40%**).
Cash App pays a base 1.5% interest rate, but when you set up a direct deposit of just $300 per month, you’ll boost that rate to 3.25% interest. Even better? There’s no minimum balance or monthly/hidden fees, and Cash App monitors your money 24/7 to look out for any fraud.
Want to boost your savings to 3.25% interest every month with Cash App’s partner bank? It’s easy to get started here with as little as $1 and watch your money grow more than eight times faster than average.**
8. Pocket an Extra $325 When You Open This Checking Account
Keeping your cash in the right place is one of the easiest ways to boost your balance.
When you open a new Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account, you can earn a $325 bonus. All you have to do is make $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days of opening the account. After the 90-day qualification period, Wells Fargo will deposit your bonus within 30 days, as long as you’ve met the requirements.
You’ll also get FDIC insurance, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and access to an app with a 4.9-star rating.
Want to add an extra $325 to your wallet? It takes just minutes to open an account.
9. Stop Wasting $1,100 a Year on Car Insurance
Sometimes, the easiest way to put money in your pocket is to find out where you're wasting it. And most people are seriously overpaying for car insurance — by as much as $1,100 a year.
Fortunately, Insurify lets you compare all your car insurance options at once — and it can put an extra $1,025 a year back in your wallet.
Just enter some basic details about your car and background, you'll get customized quotes you can review on your own time and from the comfort of home.
Want to add up to $1,100 back to your wallet this year? It's easy to get started here and see how much you can save.
10. Get Up to $1,000 in Free Stock Just For Investing
While your cash sits in a basic account doing absolutely nothing, smart investors are growing their wealth effortlessly - and getting up to $1,000 in free stock just for opening and funding a new SoFi Active Invest account.
Whether you're new to investing or a seasoned pro, SoFi® makes it easy to start, manage and grow your portfolio by investing in stocks, ETFs and even fractional shares, meaning you can own a slice of your favorite company without having to buy a full share.
Traditional investing platforms charge fees that eat away at your gains. But with SoFi Active Invest, you keep more of what you earn: There are no commissions on stocks and ETFs, no account minimums and no hidden fees.
It takes just a few minutes to open an account. Get started here and fund your account within 45 days to earn up to $1,000.
11. Bundled Checking and Savings Accounts With Competitive APYs
Most people have a separate checking and savings account. But if you bundle them, you could earn a much higher APY — more than 11 times the national average.
This lets you steadily grow your savings while still having easy access to your money — and without the risk of other investments. High-yield savings accounts offer competitive APYs — usually much higher than the national average, allowing your money to earn more interest and compound over time.
It's a great balance between security and growth. You can access your money whenever you need to without penalties, and many savings accounts are FDIC-insured****, which means your deposits are protected up to $250,000 in case of bank failure.
It's easy to compare accounts here and start maximizing your savings potential.
**The national average savings account interest rate is 0.39% APY, according to the FDIC, as of March 16, 2026.
*NCUA Credit Union and Bank Rates.
*Source: FDIC, national average of savings, week of 4/20/26. Rates subject to change.
Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See Terms & Conditions.
*Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn the highest interest rate on your Cash App savings balance, you need to (a) have a Cash App Card or sponsor one or more sponsored accounts and receive at least $300 in paycheck direct deposits each month; or (b) have a sponsored account with sponsor approval to earn interest. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change.
1The national average savings account interest rate is 0.40% APY, according to the FDIC, as of Sept. 15, 2025.
**To view the eligibility requirements for sponsoring a teen, please visit the Sponsored Accounts section of the Cash App Terms of Service.
***Brokerage services provided by Cash App Investing LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, subsidiary of Block, Inc. Investing is a non-deposit, non-bank product that is not FDIC insured and involves risk, including monetary loss. Block, Inc. is not a member of FINRA or SIPC. For additional information, see the Cash App Investing disclosures. Fractional shares investing may involve additional risks such as non-transferability. For additional information regarding the unique risks and limitations of fractional shares, please see your Investing Customer Account Agreement.
*SoFi: Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don't make a selection in 45 days, you'll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease.
Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view SoFi's fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees
There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. SeeTerms & Conditions.
*Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn the highest interest rate on your Cash App savings balance, you need to (a) have a Cash App Card or sponsor one or more sponsored accounts and receive at least $300 in paycheck direct deposits each month; or (b) have a sponsored account with sponsor approval to earn interest. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change.
1The national average savings account interest rate is 0.38% APY, according to the FDIC, as of May 18, 2026.
**To view the eligibility requirements for sponsoring a teen, please visit the Sponsored Accounts section of theCash App Terms of Service.
***Brokerage services provided by Cash App Investing LLC, memberFINRA/SIPC, subsidiary of Block, Inc. Investing is a non-deposit, non-bank product that is not FDIC insured and involves risk, including monetary loss. Block, Inc. is not a member ofFINRA orSIPC. For additional information, see theCash App Investing disclosures. Fractional shares investing may involve additional risks such as non-transferability. For additional information regarding the unique risks and limitations of fractional shares, please see yourInvesting Customer Account Agreement.