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Unconventional Ways to Make Money [2024] Crazy but Proven Ideas 

Maddy Scheckel By Maddy Scheckel
June 18, 2024
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About 5% of the U.S. working population has a second job. But I’d estimate 100% of us want another source of income without working!

Below, I’ve put together a list of unconventional ways to make money, ranging from playing online games with Freecash to an app that will pay you for the photos already on your phone!

I’m sure you’ll find something on this list of crazy ways to make money that’s worth trying out.

Unconventional Ways to Make Money 

Surf The Internet 

Here’s a passive income stream you might not have known about – allow Survey Junkie’s “Surf to Earn” program to follow you around the internet. 

You simply sign up for Survey Junkie for free. Then install the Survey Junkie Surf to Earn program on your computer or opt in with the Survey Junkie app.

The catch is that Survey Junkie is collecting information about the sites you visit and so on. But they don’t look at private information such as credit card numbers.

Swagbucks has a similar money-making program.

Whether you surf the web using Survey Junkie or Swagbucks, these are truly unconventional ways to make money!

See our full Survey Junkie review, and learn more about survey sites like Swagbucks.

Complete Online Surveys 

Taking surveys online is a proven way to make money. It’s very straightforward: Brands need feedback to improve their offerings, and they’re willing to pay you for your honest opinions.

Get started for free by trying these trusted online survey platforms:

  • Branded Surveys: Branded Surveys is offering a 100-point sign-up bonus, equal to $1. 
  • MyPoints: MyPoints is offering a $5 welcome bonus. In addition to surveys, you can also earn rewards with MyPoints for activities like playing games and completing puzzles. 
  • KashKick: On the KashKick platform, you’ll see how much each available survey pays and how long it should take. 

Want to learn more about how surveys work? See our complete Branded Surveys review and our KashKick review.

Lose Weight 

Getting paid to get fit is one of the crazier ways to make money. There are apps that pay you to walk!

For example, HealthyWage is an app where you can set your weight-loss goal and put money on it. If you reach your goal of losing weight, you win the prize amount. 

What’s the catch? You do need to spend money upfront to create the challenge. The idea is this holds you accountable to yourself and rewards you with extra money when you reach your goal.

We’ve listed even more unconventional ways to make money here in our rundown of legit get-paid-to, or GPT sites.

Play Games 

Of all the crazy ways to make money, this one might be the most fun.

Some of these apps like Blackout Bingo have familiar games for you to play, while others like Freecash and Scrambly pay you to try out new games.

Some of the games available to play for rewards on the Freecash website along with the levels you need to reach for payout and the reward amount for each.
Make money with Freecash by trying out new games like Dungeon Hunter and Dice Dreams.
Source: Freecash

Not sure these unconventional ways to make money are right for you? Then see our reviews answering these questions: 

Sell Stock Photos 

You might be sitting on cash and not even know it! You know all those great photos you have on your phone? Well, corporate websites and everyday bloggers need licensed images for their articles.

They go to sites like Shutterstock to buy these images and videos. Shutterstock relies on people like you to upload photos to their platform. You make money every time your content is downloaded by their customers.

The Shutterstock app in the Apple App store offering money for every downloaded image and easy submission of photos from your phone.
Shutterstock has excellent ratings in both the Google Play store and Apple App Store.
Source: Apple App Store

Not sure if photography is your thing? Here are even more apps that pay cash and secret websites to make money online.

Find Free Money 

It can be hard to track every subscription you’re paying for. You might be throwing hundreds of dollars a month right out the window! As you might have expected, there’s an app for that.

Rocket Money is helping its 5 million+ members easily track all of all of their subscriptions. This way you can quickly see which you want to keep and which you forgot to cancel. 

Or you can even have the Rocket Money concierge cancel services for you. Learn more in our informative Rocket Money review. 

And here are more ways to find free money.

Sell Plasma 

You’ve heard of donating blood. But one of the more unconventional ways to make money is to actually sell your blood plasma to a private company.

Why would they pay you for it? Because these companies need plasma as part of their process to create new life-saving medicines.

You can expect to earn anywhere from $50 to $100 per visit selling your plasma, and you can do this multiple times per year.

Learn more to decide if you’d like to donate plasma for money. Donating blood plasma is a proven method for how to make money without a job.

Befriend a Stranger 

This one is definitely among the crazy ways to make money. 

There are apps that connect you with people who want to talk and are willing to pay you for it. Other apps match you with people who need a companion to spend time with them, prepare meals, run errands, and so on.

It’s really true: You can get paid to talk to lonely people. So if you’re wondering, “How can I make extra money from home in the evenings?” this is another way to do that. 

Join a Mock Jury 

Jury duty isn’t fun. But getting paid to pretend to be on a jury from the comfort of your home can be really fun. That’s why it’s made our list of unconventional ways to make money.

Sites like OnlineVerdict pay you anywhere from $30 to $350 to participate in a mock jury online or in person. Your feedback helps attorneys, and they’re willing to pay you for it! 

If you’re wondering how to make money with no car, OnlineVerdict is another convenient solution. 

Interested in courtroom dramas and litigation? Check out the average class action lawsuit payout per person and learn how you can make money this way, too.

Commonly Asked Questions About Unconventional Ways to Make Money 

How Can I Make Money When I Have Nothing To Do? 

Bored? Try these free apps and sites that millions of people are using to earn extra income. Make money playing games, taking surveys, and more.

And here are some more ideas on what to do in free time.

What Is The Fastest Way To Make Money Without Working? 

The fastest way to make money without working is to complete online surveys. It’s free, it’s fast, and you can do it on your phone with these legit apps: 

Unique Ways To Make Money At Home? 

Crazy ways to make money at home are by downloading apps that pay cash or gift cards for answering simple survey questions or by playing new online games. Our favorite free apps are:

Unconventional Ways To Make Money Online?

Unconventional ways to make money online include using these free apps on your phone that pay you to do easy online tasks, play games, or answer survey questions:

Weird (But Legal) Ways To Make Money? 

Weird ways to make money include:

Ways For Females To Make Money Online? 

Women can make money online by

READ MORE ABOUT Make Money

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