How to Make $1000 Fast [2025] 1000 Dollars Legit
By Maddy Scheckel According to a recent poll, 50% of Americans say their financial situation is getting worse. If you’re part of that group, it’s time to set things right.
One of your first steps should be to boost your income.
In this article, I’ll explain how to make 1000 fast.
Between online opportunities and gig work in the “real world,” there’s money out there to be made. Keep reading to learn how!
How to Make $1000 Fast
Below, I’ll give you some legit ideas for how to make $1000 fast. Will you get to $1,000 with just one of these methods? Not necessarily – you might have to mix and match.
But you can absolutely earn $1K or more if you employ the right combination of strategies.
So, here’s how to make 1000 fast.
Become a Virtual Assistant
Earnings Potential: $25 per hour
Are you organized? Efficient? Good with computers? If so, then consider working as a virtual assistant!
Your specific job description will depend on the business you work for, but common tasks for a virtual assistant include:
- Managing schedules
- Bookkeeping
- Sending emails
- Answering phone calls
- Data entry
- Customer support
- Travel management
- Social media management
- Research
And since this is a remote job, you can 100% find work through the internet. This means you can start making some legit money without even having to leave your home! That’s what makes becoming a virtual assistant such a great solution for how to make 1000 fast.
I’d recommend starting your job search with Lensa. It’s an online job board with millions of listings and a user-friendly search function. Just type “virtual assistant” into the search bar and hit “Search Jobs.” You can also upload a copy of your resume to Lensa.
One great thing about working as a virtual assistant is that you can often choose your own hours. That makes it a fantastic way for night owls to boost their incomes.
Looking for more nighttime work? Read this list of ways to answer, “How can I make extra money from home in the evenings?”
As a virtual assistant, you need plenty of skills – but you don’t need a college degree. Check out this article with other highest paying work from home jobs that don’t require a degree.
Search Jobs
Become a Delivery Driver
Earnings Potential: $15 per hour
When wondering how to make 1000 fast, consider your personality. Are you a homebody, or do you prefer to be out and about?
If sitting at a computer sounds like torture, then hit the open road and work as a delivery driver!
You could try working for a local restaurant – but I’d recommend driving for a delivery app instead. That way, you can maintain your freedom and choose your own hours.
Here’s how driving for an app typically works:
- You sign up for the platform and download the app.
- Once you’re approved, you can check the app for orders.
- You accept an order within the app.
- You pick up food at the restaurant and then drop it off with the customer.
- You earn base pay, tips, and (sometimes) promotions.
DoorDash is one of the most popular delivery apps – and for a good reason. You can get approved in just a few days, and once you’re working, there are all sorts of ways to maximize your earnings with DoorDash.
Check out this article on how to maximize your earnings with DoorDash.
And if you’d like to earn money driving for DoorDash but find yourself on their waitlist, learn how you may be able to get off the DoorDash waitlist.
And learn here how to get a free DoorDash gift card and a free Sephora gift card.
Grubhub is another legit option. For help choosing between platforms, read this detailed Grubhub vs DoorDash comparison.
Take Online Surveys
Earnings Potential: $3 per hour
Imagine turning your opinions into profit. Sounds unrealistic, right? But it’s not – thanks to online survey sites like Survey Junkie and Swagbucks.
These sites will pay you to complete short, simple surveys. You can get started just by creating a free account and providing some basic information. From there, you’ll choose between available surveys, most of which take just a few minutes to complete.
Source: Apple App Store
Check out our Survey Junkie review to learn more about this platform.
Both Swagbucks and Survey Junkie have mobile apps, making it easy to earn money on the go. The pay might not be fantastic (you probably won’t make $1,000 doing this one job alone), but it’s a great way to beef up your existing income. And if you’re open to earning gift cards too, check out this article on surveys for gift cards.
Got gift cards you don’t want? Learn how to get instant cash for gift cards.
These platforms also offer additional earning opportunities beyond just surveys. For example, Survey Junkie has an optional feature called “Survey Junkie Pulse” that will pay you just for sharing your online browsing activity. And for opportunities to earn with surveys, focus groups, and clinical trials, check out “Is Apex Focus Group Legit?”
With Swagbucks, you can get paid to:
- Take surveys
- Play games
- Scan receipts
- Go shopping
There are even more exciting survey platforms out there! To see more options, check out this article on the best survey sites like Swagbucks.
Play Games for Cash
Earnings Potential: $50 per month
Here’s how to make $1000 fast while having a whole lot of fun: By playing games!
Becoming a “professional gamer” is easier than you might think. All you have to do is sign up for an online gaming platform that pays users to play.
I know, I know – it sounds like a scam. But it really isn’t! Developers need to attract players to their games, and that’s why the model works.
Mistplay is probably the most famous paid gaming platform. It gets 4.1 stars from users on the Google Play Store, and it’s sent gamers over $60 million in rewards. That’s how you know it’s legit!
Then there’s Cashyy, an app-based platform with 4.3 stars on the Google Play Store. Some gaming platforms only pay out in gift cards, but Cashyy stays true to its name by offering cash payouts as well. Read this full Cashyy app review to learn more.
If you like playing bubble-shooter games to win money, check out “Is Bubble Buzz Legit?”
And here are a few more games and gaming platforms to check out:
- Bingo Tour (read “Is Bingo Tour Legit?”)
- Bingo King (read “Is Bingo King Legit?”)
- Bubble Cash (read “Is Bubble Cash Legit?”)
- Solitaire Clash (read “Is Solitaire Clash Legit?”)
- Solitaire Smash (read “Is Solitaire Smash Legit?”)
- FreeCash (read “Is Freecash Legit?”)
Looking for even more app-based earning opportunities? Check out this list of apps that pay cash, and learn about more ways to win real money online instantly. And if you’d like to make money taking pictures, check out our ClickaSnap review.
And if you’d lik to play games to win gift cards, check out this article, and learn here how to get a free DoorDash gift card, a Subway gift card free, and a free Target gift card.
Take Advantage of Bank Promotions
Earnings Potential: Up to $2,000
Here’s how to make $1000 fast without even working: Open a new bank account to earn the welcome bonus!
Lots of banks will give you free money as a reward for opening an account. The size of the bonus depends on the bank. Most are around $200, but then there’s the Citi Priority Checking Account – which can bring a whopping $2,000 bonus!
To earn a bank bonus, you’ll probably have to meet a few requirements.
Common requirements include:
- Making a minimum initial deposit
- Maintaining a minimum balance for a set period (often around 3 months)
- Setting up direct deposits
The exact requirements depend on the promotion.
Is this your ideal answer to the question of how to make 1000 fast? Then, your first step is to find a bank promotion that works for you. Look for a bank with features you value, and make sure you’ll be able to meet the requirements to earn the bonus.
Here’s a list of especially lucrative bank promotions.
And here are some reputable banks with immediate sign-up bonus.
Invest
Earnings Potential: $1,000+ (depends on the size of your investment)
Got money? Then why not use it to make even more?
Investing is a super legit way to boost your earnings. And best of all, it can create passive income. You know what that means: No work required!
Well, there is a little bit of work to do – or a bit of strategizing, at least. You should start by deciding what type of investments you’d like to make based on how much of a risk you’re willing to take.
Here are some classic types of investments, in order from safest to riskiest:
- High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) and certificates of deposit (CDs)
- Bonds
- Real estate (get started with Fundrise)
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
- Individual stocks
- Cryptocurrency
Generally, the riskier investments give you a chance of earning higher rewards. But be careful. If you try to hit the jackpot with a single stock or cryptocurrency, you could end up with nothing. That’s why most experts suggest developing a “diverse” portfolio – meaning you invest in several areas at once.
For more information on investment strategies, read about the best way to invest money, and check out our guide to investing for beginners.
And if you’d like to learn about wine and whisky as alternative investments, check out our Vint vs Vinovest comparison.
Of course, deciding on an investment strategy is only half the battle. You also need a way to actually conduct the transactions.
These days, you can easily manage your investments with an app. For example, Acorns lets you make all sorts of investments while suggesting the ideal portfolio for your needs. Public has a similar model, with AI-powered investment advice, hoping you make the most of your money.
Read this complete Public review to learn more.
Source: Acorns
Become a Babysitter or Petsitter
Earnings Potential: $20 per hour
What do kids, dogs, and cats have in common? They can all be little bundles of joy while also causing serious trouble.
Do you think the good outweighs the bad? Then here’s how to make $1000 fast: By watching kids or pets.
Both babysitting and pet sitting are easier than ever, thanks to the internet. You can create a profile with an online platform and then find clients in your area.
Care.com is a terrific option for watching both pets and kids. Plus, the platform will handle payment – which makes the job even easier.
If you’d rather focus exclusively on pets, then Rover is the way to go.
You can use Rover to find various pet-related gigs, including:
- Dog walking
- Boarding (pets stay overnight at your place)
- Sitting (you stay at the owner’s place)
- Doggy daycare (dogs get dropped off for the day)
Babysitting and pet sitting are great options if you’d rather be “out in the world” than sitting at your desk. Check out this list with some more of the best jobs for extroverts.
Of course, babysitting also provides some downtime – those precious moments when the little ones are asleep! That’s why the job makes this list of ways you can get paid to watch Netflix.
Earn Cash Back
Earnings Potential: $500 per year
Whether you love shopping or simply buy what you need, you can earn cash back on your purchases. In fact, that might be the answer to the question of how to make $1000 fast – or one of the answers, anyway.
Plenty of credit cards have a cash-back feature, but that’s not the only way to receive money from your purchases. You can also download a user-friendly app to earn cash back.
Are you big into online shopping? Then, Rakuten is the cash-back platform for you. Rakuten partners with over 3,500 stores, and you can earn cash back from all of them just by shopping through the Rakuten mobile app or browser extension.
Do you prefer in-person shopping? Then, downloading Fetch is a total no-brainer. You can use Fetch to upload pictures of physical receipts in exchange for cash. Fetch allows you to earn cash back on some online purchases, as well.
If you sign up for both of these platforms, you can then use them to make purchases you were going to make anyway. That way, you’ll earn as you spend.
Combine this strategy with others listed in this article, and you could end up with even more than $1,000. Feeling ambitious? Read this article on how to save $10,000 in a year. Trust me – it’s doable!
Pawn Stuff
Earnings Potential: $1,000+ (depends on what you pawn)
If you’re asking how to make 1000 fast, you might have considered the possibility of pawning something. And yes, pawn shops really do provide a last resort.
The key words here are “last resort.” This isn’t the ideal way to access funds. But when an emergency strikes, you might have no other options – and that’s why I’ve included pawning stuff on this list.
There are two ways to receive money from a pawn shop
- Selling personal items
- “Pawning” personal items – meaning you use an item as collateral for a “pawn shop loan.”
Pawn shop loans are notoriously expensive. In some cases, you even have to pay upwards of 20% interest each month. And if you don’t repay the loan, you’ll lose the item that you left as collateral.
The benefits of pawning are that you get money immediately, regardless of your credit score. You won’t find many traditional lenders willing to make that kind of deal.
Interested? You can learn more with this in-depth article explaining how does a pawn shop work.
Commonly Asked Questions About How to Make 1000 Fast
How Can I Get $1,000 Right Now?
Here’s how to make 1000 fast:
- Become a virtual assistant (find work with Lensa)
- Become a delivery driver (get started with DoorDash)
- Take online surveys (with Survey Junkie)
- Play games for cash (with Cashyy and Mistplay)
- Take advantage of bank promotions (read banks with immediate sign-up bonus)
- Invest (try Acorns today)
- Become a babysitter or pet sitter (get started with Care.com)
- Earn cash back (with Fetch or Rakuten)
- Pawn stuff (see: how does a pawn shop work?)
How to Make $1,000 Dollars Fast in a Day?
Making $1,000 in a day is extremely difficult. Your best option is probably to sell something to a pawn shop. You could also set a more realistic goal, like earning $1,000 in a week, and then find work as a babysitter (get started with Care.com, virtual assistant, or delivery driver (check out DoorDash).
How Can I Make $1,000 in a Week?
You can definitely make $1,000 in a week, but it won’t be easy if you’re starting from scratch. I’d recommend getting several side hustles at once, like delivery driving for DoorDash and pet sitting through the Rover app.
Here’s how to make an extra $100 a week. And learn how you could make money as a mystery shopper in this Field Agent review.
How to Make a $1,000 in 24 Hours?
Making $1,000 in 24 hours is pretty much impossible without doing something drastic like selling your belongings to a pawn shop. But you can definitely make $1,000 in a matter of days or weeks. Try becoming a virtual assistant or DoorDash driver.
And if you’d like to get money from your paycheck early without paying any interest or fees, check out our Earnin review.
How to Make a $1,000 Fast Online?
Here’s how to make $1000 fast online:
- Become a virtual assistant (use Lensa to find job openings)
- Take online surveys (try Swagbucks)
- Play games for cash (with Mistplay or Cashyy)
- Take advantage of bank promotions (see banks with immediate sign-up bonus and Chime referral bonus)
- Invest (get started with Public)
- Earn cash back (use Rakuten or Fetch)
Also check out these games that pay real money instantly, and if you like competing in Solitaire tournaments to win extra cash, check out Is Solitaire King Legit?
Want to play a unique take on a classic game just for fun? Check out our Monopoly Go review.
For more opportunities to play games, take surveys, and test new apps to earn money, check out these reviews:
- Is Ispsos iSay Legit?
- Is Earn Haus Legit?
- Is Scrambly Legit?
- Is Inbox Dollars Legit?
- Rewardia Review
- Pawns App Review
- Is Surveys On The Go Legit?
- Is Survey Spin Legit?
- Is Eureka Legit?
- Survey Pop Review
Be sure to also check out these simple ways to get free money now. And for more opportunities to earn money in your free time for activities like playing games, taking surveys, and testing apps, learn about these sites like Scrambly.
Legit Ways to Make a $1,000?
When asking how to make 1000 fast, be sure not to fall for scams. Instead, try these legit ways to earn money quickly:
- Invest (with Acorns and Public)
- Become a delivery driver (get started with DoorDash)
- Become a babysitter or pet sitter (try Rover or Care.com)
- Become a virtual assistant (find clients on Lensa)
- Teach English to speakers of other languages (check out our Preply review to learn more)
- Earn cash back (with Rakuten and Fetch)
- Complete online surveys (on Swagbucks and Survey Junkie)
- Take advantage of bank promotions (read banks with immediate sign-up bonus)
- Play games for cash (try Cashyy and Mistplay)
- Pawn your belongings (read: how does a pawn shop work?)
Too young to qualify for some of these offers? Learn how to make money as a teenager without a job.
And to learn which budgeting app could best help you manage your finances and boost your savings, check out these comparisons of Rocket Money vs the competition:
If you’re looking for a low-tech, hands-on budgeting method, learn about cash envelope categories. And if you need to boost your savings fast, the 60/30/10 rule budget can help.
Then use a net worth tracker to see how your new financial strategies are paying off.
How to Make $1,000 Fast Reddit?
I found an interesting Reddit thread where someone asked how to make 1000 fast.
One person suggested “flipping” items for a profit.
Source: Reddit
Someone else said you can make decent money selling products and services at fairs and events.
Source: Reddit
Another Redditor offered four recommendations:
- Manual labor
- Buying and selling items (flipping)
- Working in service industries with lots of turnover (look into Care.com)
- Cutting out expenses (check out Rocket Money)
Source: Reddit
