How to Make Money in One Hour [2024] Legit Ways 

So, you need money. Not next week, but now. Welcome to the club.

Prices have been rising lately, with inflation at 3% in recent months. That’s left a lot of people short on cash.

But don’t panic just yet. There are ways to earn money, and quickly!

In this article, I’ll explain how to make money in one hour. It’s not always easy, and you probably won’t get rich. 

But at least you’ll get an immediate influx of cash. And sometimes, that’s all you need.  

How to Make Money in One Hour

Do you want to work from home, or would you rather be out in the world? Are you a tech-loving computer whiz, or do screens make you dizzy? Whatever your preferences, you can find a way to bring in some extra cash.

Here are some of the best ideas on how to make money in one hour. 

Deliver Food and Groceries

Earnings Potential: $16 per hour

If you’re wondering how to make money in one hour and you have a car, then the obvious answer is to become a delivery driver.

Plenty of people appreciate the convenience of getting food and groceries delivered to their front doors. That creates opportunities for people who want the flexibility to work on their own schedules – people like you!

As a delivery driver, you won’t have to schedule an 8-hour shift. You can decide to work an hour here, an hour there, and you’ll make some serious money along the way. 

There are lots of apps that you can use to deliver food and groceries, but DoorDash is probably the best. Why? Because you can start working in just a few days!

And with DoorDash, you can even make deliveries on your bike. 

There are three ways to earn with DoorDash:

• Base pay. This is the money you earn automatically for completing an order.
• Tips. Customers can choose to give you a tip, and you’ll get to keep 100% of it!
• Promotions. Sometimes, DoorDash gives drivers extra money for completing orders during busy times of the day.

And if you’d like to earn money driving for DoorDash fast, learn how you may be able to get off the DoorDash waitlist. 

Here’s how to get a free DoorDash gift card and a free Sephora gift card.

Got gift cards you don’t want? Learn how to get instant cash for gift cards.

Want even more ways to earn money? Then check out this list of secret websites to make money online. 

Complete Surveys Online

Earnings Potential: $1 – $2 per hour

Imagine sitting in your comfiest chair, using your device to answer simple questions about your preferences and opinions. Sounds pretty relaxing, right? Now, imagine getting paid for it. That’s what it’s like to complete online surveys for money!

Here’s how to make money in one hour by taking surveys:

1. Sign up for a survey site. You’ll have to provide some basic information like your name and email address.
2. Complete your profile. By answering some questions about yourself, you’ll make it easier for the survey platform to decide which surveys you can take.
3. Choose a survey. With most platforms, you’ll have multiple surveys to pick from.
4. Take the survey. The time this takes will depend on the survey – but it will almost always be less than an hour!
5. Get paid! Some survey sites pay out in cash, while others will send you gift cards. You might have to reach a cashout threshold before you can receive your pay. This threshold varies by platform.

You’re not going to make millions taking online surveys, but you can absolutely pad your income. Just make sure you use a reputable platform.

Swagbucks is one of the biggest names in the industry, and you’ll get a $10 bonus just for signing up.  Be sure to also check out other survey sites like Swagbucks and check out our answer to the question, “Is Apex Focus Group legit?”

Survey Junkie is another option that lets you earn money by sharing your browsing activity. To learn how to maximize your earnings on the site, check out this list of Survey Junkie hacks and this full Survey Junkie review to learn more. 

Then there’s InboxDollars, which pays users to take surveys, accept promotional offers, and even play games. To learn more, read Is Inbox Dollars Legit?

To learn more about these and other options, read this guide to surveys for gift cards.  

And if you’d like to play games to win gift cards, check out this article.

Get Cashback

Earnings Potential: $500 per year

Thinking about how to make money in one hour? Here’s a surprise: You can do it by shopping! Well, not just by shopping – but by earning cash back on money you’re spending anyway.

How? 

One option is Rakuten, where you can earn cash back for online purchases. You’ll start by making a Rakuten account, which is completely free and takes just a few minutes. From there, you’ll shop online at over 3,500 partnering retailers, taking advantage of coupons and earning cashback as you go. 

There are four cashout dates throughout the year, and Rakuten will pay you via check or PayPal. Read this complete Rakuten review to learn more. 

Option number two is Fetch. Fetch is a cashback platform where you submit receipts to earn rewards. All you have to do is save your receipts after a shopping trip, then upload them to the Fetch app by taking pictures with your phone. 

Earning cash back can be a great way to kickstart your savings. For more ideas, check out this guide on how to save $10,000 in a year. 

Play Online Games

Earnings Potential: $50 per month

When wondering how to make money in one hour, you were probably imagining having to do something hard or unpleasant. But guess what? You can get paid simply for playing online games! 

You just have to pick a game or online platform that actually pays out as promised.

One option is Mistplay. It’s probably the most famous platform for paid online gaming. It’s 100% legit, having given away over $60 million to date. It’s a great choice if you want to play a variety of games, since there are so many to choose from. Mistplay will also create a personalized catalog of games designed to match your preferences. 

Rewarded Play is another gaming platform with a strong reputation. There’s a variety of games that will give you points as you play, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards.

Bubble Buzz is a fun bubble-shooter game that you can win real cash prizes playing. Learn more in “Is Bubble Buzz Legit?”

Want to play a unique take on a classic game just for fun? Check out our Monopoly Go review.

You can also play individual app-based games that give out real cash prizes. I’d recommend Blackout Bingo. It’s a skills-based game that you can practice for free before playing for money. Read this article to find out is Blackout Bingo legit and more. 

Here are a few more games 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?”) 

Keep in mind that some games and platforms only pay out in gift cards. But if it’s actual money you’re after, check out this full list of apps that pay cash. 

Watch Other People’s Pets

Earnings Potential: $12 per hour

Are you a cat person or a dog lover? Either way, you can make money by watching people’s pets.

Pet owners are often totally obsessed, but they can’t spend every hour with their furry friends. That’s why they’ll pay someone like you to take care of Buddy, Fido, or Simba. 

There are a few ways to make money from pet care:

• Dog walking
• Pet sitting (you go to the owner’s house)
• Doggie daycare (dogs are dropped off at your house for the day)
• Pet boarding (the pet comes and stays with you overnight)

Sure, you could land these types of gigs on your own – but why bother when a digital platform can find clients for you? 

Rover is an all-in-one pet care app that provides all the services mentioned above. And working for Rover is an easy, 3-step process:

1. Create your Rover profile.
2. Accept the requests that fit your schedule.
3. Spend time with adorable animals – and get paid two days later!

Working for Rover is flexible, fun, and surprisingly lucrative. What more could you want from a side hustle? 

Looking for more tips on how to make money in one hour? Check out this guide on how to make $20 fast. 

Participate in a Focus Group

Earnings Potential: $40 per month

A focus group allows normal people like you to share their opinions. The conversations are led by researchers who want to learn more about what people think about a product or service.

Now, being the researcher would be hard. But being a focus group participant? That sounds pretty easy – and you’ll get paid to do it! 

Here’s how to make money in one hour by participating in a focus group:

1. Find a platform or market research company that offers paid focus groups. Ipsos iSay is one great option that also pays people to take online surveys.
2. Register for the platform. With Ipsos iSay, registration is a total breeze. You just have to share your name, email, birthday, and gender identity.
3. Sign up for focus groups. On Ipsos iSay, you can even get paid just to post to online discussion boards. Could it be any easier?

For more money-making ideas, check out this guide on how to make 10k fast. 

For more ways to complete tasks like playing games, taking surveys, and signing up for subscriptions to make money, check out these reviews:

• Is Flash Rewards Legit?
• Is Rewards Giant USA Legit?
• YouGov review
• Earnably review

And for more ways to make some extra cash in your spare time, check out these side hustles from your phone 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.

Become a Sitter

Earnings Potential: $20 per hour

Babysitting has been a profitable side gig for generations. And guess what? It still is!

While the actual caretaking is the same as always, finding jobs has taken a modern turn. Now, you can use Care.com to link up with babysitting clients in your area.

Here’s how it works:

1. Create a Care.com account. Just go to the official Care.com website, click “Apply to jobs,” and answer the questions that appear.
2. Accept jobs in your area. You’ll have the freedom and flexibility to create your own schedule. 
3. Watch the kids – and get paid! The amount you earn will depend on where you’re located, your years of experience, and the level of care you provide. 

Care.com takes safety seriously, so you’ll have to pass some basic background checks. But once those are over, you can start taking jobs immediately. That’s why Care.com is the answer for anyone wondering how to make money in one hour by babysitting!

Here’s a secret tip: If the kiddos are asleep, you could double up and tap another source of income while you’re babysitting. Online games, submitting receipts, taking surveys – the options are endless. 

You could even get paid to watch TV.

Here’s an in-depth look at how you can get paid to watch Netflix.  

Work as a Virtual Assistant

Earnings Potential: $25 per hour

A virtual assistant is someone who helps a business with administrative tasks while working remotely. So, if you’re wondering how to make money in one hour from anywhere, this could be the perfect solution! 

As a virtual assistant, you could be in charge of:

• Sending emails
• Answering phone calls
• Managing schedules
• Bookkeeping
• Data entry
• Research
• Customer support
• Travel management
• Social media management

And if you have any experience with administrative work, you could have an easier time landing a gig. 

So, where can you find a virtual assistant position? On the internet, of course! 

Lensa is an online platform that compiles millions of online job listings. And it works! That’s why over 20 million people have found a job on the platform. 

To get started, take these simple steps:

1. Head to the official Lensa website.
2. Type “Virtual Assistant” into the search bar.
3. Set the search location to “Remote” and click “Search Jobs.”

Being a virtual assistant can pay pretty well, especially if you find the right gig. For more high-wage opportunities, check out this list of highest-paying work-from-home jobs that don’t require a degree. 

Commonly Asked Questions About How to Make Money in One Hour

How to Make Money in One Hour Online?

Here are some ideas for how to make money in one hour online:

• Complete surveys with Swagbucks and Survey Junkie
• Get cash back while online shopping with Rakuten and Fetch
• Play games like Mistplay or Rewarded Play
• Participate in focus groups with Ipsos iSay
• Work as a virtual assistant (find available positions with Lensa)

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?

For more opportunities to play games, take surveys, and test new apps to earn money, check out these reviews:

• Is Ipsos iSay Legit?
• Is Earn Haus Legit?
• Is Scrambly Legit? 

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:

• Rocket Money vs YNAB
• Rocket Money vs Simplifi
• Rocket Money vs Copilot

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, and so can learning how to save $3000 in 3 months.

Do you get paid twice a month and find yourself struggling to account for that in your budgeting? Learn how to budget biweekly paycheck.

How to Make Money in One Hour Legit?

One legit way to make money in an hour is by joining a platform that will pay you to play games like Mistplay, take surveys on Swagbucks, or participate in focus groups with Ipsos iSay. If you want to earn more serious money, you could try babysitting with Care.com, pet sitting with Rover, or working as a virtual assistant (check out Lensa for job openings). 

How to Make Money in One Hour at Home?

Here are some ways to make money in one hour without leaving your home:

• Complete online surveys with InboxDollars
• Participate in focus groups on Ipsos iSay
• Play online games like Mistplay or Blackout Bingo
• Get cash back through rewards platforms like Rakuten and Fetch
• Watch other people’s pets in your home with Rover
• Work as a virtual assistant (find open positions with Lensa)

Too young to qualify for some of these offers? Learn how to make money as a teenager without a job.

How Can I Make Money in 1 Hour?

If you want to make money in an hour, here are some jobs to consider:

• Dog walking or pet sitting with Rover
• Babysitting with Care.com
• Delivery driving with DoorDash
• Taking online surveys with Swagbucks
• Playing online games like Mistplay and Rewarded Play
• Participating in focus groups on Ipsos iSay
• Getting cash back with Rakuten 
• Working as a virtual assistant (find available jobs with Lensa)

How Can I Make $100 a Day ASAP?

If you want to make $100 a day (and soon!) I’d recommend joining the gig economy. You could work as a virtual assistant, become a delivery driver with DoorDash, or take care of pets or children with Care.com. And for all these gigs, you can use an app or digital platform (like Lensa) to find work.

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.

Once you have some regular cash coming in, check out these banks that pay 2 days early to access your money fast.

And if you’d like to boost your balance fast, check out these banks with immediate sign-up bonus, and learn about the Chime referral bonus.

How Can I Get Cash Today?

To get cash today, you could find some kind of gig work that pays immediately. I’d recommend babysitting, pet sitting, or dog walking. You could even use a platform like Rover or Care.com to find clients, but that could take a few days. 

How Can I Get a Lump Sum of Money Fast?

To make money quickly, you’ll need to engage in a few side hustles at once. I’d recommend dog walking with Rover, pet setting, delivery driving with DoorDash, and babysitting with Care.com. You could also try to borrow a lump sum, but be careful. You’ll be in debt, and you’ll likely have to pay interest. Here’s a guide on how to get a personal loan.