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Work Today and Get Paid Today! (20+ Companies)

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The only reason most people work, well, is probably for the cash, right?

Sure, I know there are some people who love their work and would even work for free, but that’s the high minority.  I’m willing to bet on that one.

While work can be a drag to most, one of the biggest bummers is waiting for one, two or even three weeks for your first paycheck.  This can be quite long, especially if you have bills that are due next week.

If you’re shaking your head in agreement, then let it be known that there are companies out there that will actually pay you at the end of the day.  You just need to know where to look.

So, in today’s post, I want to talk about the many companies and strategies you can use if you want to get paid in less than 24 hours.  And yes, all of these options are legitimate, and no, it won’t require any payment to see the information, I promise.

Let’s begin…

How to Work Today and Get Paid Today

Uber, DoorDash, Postmates or Lyft

I’m sure you have heard of these apps before, but if you haven’t, I’ll explain quickly.

Basically, with these apps, you will work on your own, either delivering food or transporting people just like a taxi.  If you like the idea of dealing with no people, then food is the way to go, and I would recommend checking out Uber, DoorDash, and Postmates.  If you don’t mind driving around people, then Lyft and Uber would be your best options.

You just turn on the app and work whenever you want and how much you make really depends on when you work and where you live.   Plan on making anywhere from $10 to $25+  per hour gross.  Like anything, however, once you get good at it and know your area, you can work when you know when it’s busy to capitalize on the highest earnings.

Now, you’re probably wondering what the heck this has to do with getting paid today?

I’ll explain. 

The great thing about the apps I mentioned is that they allow you to cash out at any time, allowing you instant access to your funds.  As long as you’re working, you get credited immediately after you complete a job.  Inside your app, you will see a button, similar to this…

Just click on it when you have a balance and you will see your money show up on your issued debit card almost immediately.

NOTE:  You will have to apply to all of these apps, but in some cases, you can be approved in as little as 48 hours.  For instance, I was approved in less than 48 hours with Uber. So while you won’t get paid today, essentially, you can get paid whenever you want once you get accepted.  This is better than getting paid today as you get paid instantly.



Consider a Research Company

I wrote about 30+ research companies that have very low payouts in the past, making for a great way to cash out almost immediately after completing a task, much like the apps mentioned prior.

In short, these companies only require that you make a few dollars before they send you cash via Paypal and/or a gift card.  It really depends on who you sign up with.

And, if you’re unfamiliar with these research companies, they basically ask you questions, usually based on your demographics and will reward you for your time when you answer the questions they ask.  It’s very simple.

While you won’t get rich answering questions for companies, it could be a fantastic opportunity if you’re looking to make $10~ or so for the day and you need it in less than 24 hours.  I usually make about $3 to $10~ a day and invest a few minutes of my time.  It’s not much but $10 a day does add up to more than $300 for the month.

Again, I do recommend you check out that list to see which companies have a low payout to get your money as fast as possible, but I will link to some of my favorites below as well.

Craigslist

Every day, millions go to Craiglist to either post something for sale or even a job that’s available.

And while Craigslist often gets a bad rap, you have to remember millions of transactions go smoothly, so your chances of something bad happening is quite slim.

Out of all the tips I mention, Craigslist is one of my favorites because you can search locally and often find a bunch of options in the jobs and gigs section.  For example, here’s what I found when I searched in the “gigs” section on my local Craigslist.

Of course, there are scams, so make sure you ask a lot of questions in regards to the work that needs to be done, the company name and who’s going to pay you.  If at all possible, try to research the company ahead of time online to see if you can find anything of interest.

You can find quite a few jobs on here, so I recommend you at least check it out to see what you can find.  Some jobs are temporary while others can become a full/part-time gig.

Check out Indeed

As I mention in so many of my job guides, Indeed is a wonderful free tool that searches thousands of companies looking to hire in your neighborhood.

The thing I like about Indeed is that you can use quite a few filters, finding exactly what kind of job you want.  Not only that, but you can also look at the reviews from people who have worked there in the past.  This kind of gives you a good idea if it’s a great place to work for.

Now, if you’re looking to get paid today, this is where Indeed can come into play, and all you need to do is search for “get paid today,” followed by your zip code to see what kind of results pop up.

You’re going to have to weed through a lot of junk, but I can promise you that there are usually quite a few that you may be interested in.  Of course, it will depend on where you live, but your larger cities often have hundreds of options.

SimplyHired is Another Option

SimplyHired works just like Indeed, only that it’s a pinch smaller.

Regardless, it’s another free option that you can check out as it does offer hundreds of options, some of which may not show up on the Indeed search portal.

Again, to use, I would recommend searching for “work today get paid today” or “get paid today” to see what kind of jobs you can find.

Staffing Agencies

If you feel you’re getting nowhere with your online search, that’s fine as there are even more options if you’re looking for a job of sorts.

A staffing agency could be a great option for a variety of reasons.

For one, you can work with someone face to face, and secondly, they can work with the skills you already have.  Most will even recommend jobs that may fit your profile.

While a lot of the jobs don’t pay every day, they may have some options.  It really depends on where you live.

But, no matter where you are, there’s a good chance there is a staffing agency nearby.  To find one, I just recommend you search for “staffing agency + your zip code” to see who can help in your town.

Sell Things Online

This really isn’t a job per se, but if you have a lot of junk, particularly books and electronics, laying around the house, then you may be able to cash in almost immediately as long as the companies want what you have.

Sure, you can sell things on your own, but in some cases, you may not have the time or you simply don’t want to deal with the public.  That’s fine as I can agree in some circumstances.

Thankfully, there are some awesome companies, out there, such as Decluttr and even Amazon, to name a few, that are willing to pay you almost instantly for what you have.

All you need to do is enter a UPC or description, and if they want it, you will receive an instant quote, all of which you can accept or decline.  If you do decide to ship, they pay the post, so all you need to do is throw it in a box and ship it off for your cash!

I wrote about the many ways to sell your baby clothes, shoes, laptops, used CDs, and DVDs, to name a few.  I really recommend you check them out to find out the many companies that are willing to pay you almost instantly for what you don’t want.



Hold a Garage Sale

Almost like selling online, only that you will get your money extremely fast if you sell in person.

Take everything out of the home that you no longer want, throw it in the driveway and advertise on both Craigslist, your local Facebook Groups and even with signs nearby.  It doesn’t take that much work.

You don’t have to spend weeks to prepare, either.

As long as you advertise properly and live in a somewhat popular area, you could hold a garage sale the next day if you really wanted to.  Of course, it also helps to have great things for sale as well.

If you can wait, your weekend mornings are always the best time to sell, but in the past, we did quite well on some weekday mornings.  Again, it really depends on where you live.

Rent out a Room

As long as you have a spare room or even couch in your house, you could earn money as early as tonight as long as you don’t mind allowing guests inside your home for the night.

Depending on where you live, you could earn anywhere from $10 to more than $50+ a night simply by letting travelers rent out an area of your home.

If it’s of interest, consider listing your home on Airbnb and see if your listing garners any interest.  It works just like a hotel booking website.  People search for a destination, and if they like your price, then they can book directly with you through the Airbnb platform.

Gain enough interest and this could make you hundreds of dollars for the week.

Try out the Gigwalk App

If you can download an app and don’t mind walking out and about, then you may want to consider the free Gigwalk app.

In short, the Gigwalk app will ask you to perform very simple jobs at local stores, all of which are prominently displayed on the app’s map.

Click on a job of interest and complete the job for the amount specified, usually anywhere from $3 to more than $100.  Jobs can range from taking pictures to even filling out surveys.

If you do decide to download, you can work whenever you want and choose any jobs you choose.  The sky is the limit.

The payments aren’t always instant and will depend on your job.

Field Agent

Like Gigwalk, Field Agent works in the same way, but as a user for a few years now, I kind of like this one better, simply due to its simplicity.

To use it, you simply open it up and the app will automatically load the jobs in your area.  Open one up of interest, follow the directions, and if you want to do it, click accept and complete it for the amount noted.

This app won’t make you a ton, but you can get paid in less than 48 hours in a lot of cases.  Expect to make about $7~ per job completed, but there are usually a ton of them to chose from depending on where you live.  You can read more about this app in my detailed Field Agent review.

Download Earnin If You Already Have a Job

Do you already have a job and hate getting paid weekly or maybe twice a month?

Regardless of when you get paid, did you know you can download the Earnin app and get paid today, no matter where you work?

All you need to do is connect your bank account and let them know where you work.  Once they confirm your hours, you can then cash out on those hours instantly and Earnin will withdraw that cash on your payday.

The fees are 100% free, but they do ask you tip for the service, so it’s really up to you as to how much you want to spend.

Earnin is the biggest app in this space, but I found others that work in a similar way, such as Branch, Brigit and Dave.

Final Thoughts

If you want to work and get paid today, it can be possible using one of the many tips I already mentioned.  Of course, some may take more effort than others.

If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, I’d look on either Craigslist or even refer to a local staffing agency to see what they can do for you.   This is a fantastic way to find a temporary or even part-/full-time gig that pays quite well.  The apps can work great as well, especially if you want to work at your own pace.

But, if you’re already working and receive a steady paycheck, you may want to look to the Earnin app if you need the money right now.  This could be your next best bet.

No matter how much money you need, it is possible to make cash ASAP.  You just need to know what you want, how much you want to make and what kind of work you want to do.  As long as you’re proactive, there’s no reason you can’t find something.

As always, I’d love to add to this list, so if you have any tips or tricks, be sure to let me know about them in the comments below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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