If your smartphone feels permanently attached to your hand, you’re not alone. Why not make money on your phone? Yes, it’s a thing and you should absolutely be doing it.
Depending on who you ask, we might spend more than five hours a day on our phones. We say if you’re already on your phone, might as well put that time to good use and turn a profit. You’ll be surprised at all of the different ways you can turn your trusty device into a moneymaker with very little effort.
To learn more, keep scrolling for 20 ways to turn your screen time into extra cash. Hey, maybe you’ll even earn enough to pay that phone bill.
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20 Ways You Can Make Money on Your Phone
While these strategies probably won’t make you rich, they’re fairly easy, low-maintenance, and can turn a quick profit. There are at least a few here that should fit your lifestyle and phone usage.
1. Invest small amounts of money.
Typically, investing requires putting up large sums of money. Not with the Acorns app. Invest your spare change and let it grow over time. What they do is round up your purchases to the next dollar and invest the difference. It’s a great way to let your money passively grow with little to no effort.
2. Sell the stuff you don’t need or want.
Do you have stuff laying around the house doing nothing but taking up space? List it within seconds on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Letgo, or Poshmark. Be sure to factor in the cost of shipping, if that’s applicable. Or, you can choose to sell items locally.
3. Go for a walk.
If you enjoy going for a stroll, this is a good way to make money on your phone while exercising. Sweatcoin will pay you in digital currency that you can spend on thousands of branded goods and services, donate, or exchange. It will take you 1,000 steps to earn one “sweatcoin.”
4. Test out upcoming apps.
Before new apps launch, the creators like to gauge what people will think of them. So, they conduct user testing, which they pay for! Check out the aptly named User Testing to learn more.
5. Get paid to play games.
There are tons of apps that offer this, like Solitaire Cash, Cash’em All, and Blackout Bingo. The prize money amounts are usually pretty small, but if you already like playing games on your phone, this is a no-brainer way to make a few extra bucks on the side.
Related: We’ve got the best side hustles for earning extra cash.
6. Predict the outcomes of sporting events.
With an app like NBC Sports Predictor, you can win major cash prizes by correctly guessing the outcomes of sporting and pop culture events. If you aren’t a sports enthusiast but regularly watch games because, ahem, other members of your household are fanatics, this is also a way to pass the time.
7. Start an eCommerce store on Shopify.
Yes, you can run a business from your phone. This approach is especially effective if you plan on starting a drop shipping business. Drop shipping is when a retailer (in this case, you) fulfills customer orders but doesn’t have inventory on hand. Note that you will have to invest some money upfront for your Shopify store, but if you can get sales moving, it’s well worth the investment.
8. Sell your pictures.
People and brands will pay for all sorts of pictures to use on their websites, blogs, social media, and other marketing material. Upload and sell your pictures on sites like Foap, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, and 500px.
9. Fill out surveys.
If you want a more mindless way to make money from your phone, this one is for you. There are many apps that make this easy, like InboxDollars and Swagbucks, which pay out in cash and gift cards.
10. Sell your data.
Nielsen is already tracking our behavior; you might as well get paid for it. Sign up for the Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel. You can earn points (which you can redeem for gift cards) for using your devices.
11. Get cash back.
Use Ibotta to get cash back every time you shop. They offer up to 30% cash back, available from thousands of top retailers.
12. Scan your receipts.
Have you ever heard of Fetch Rewards? Simply scan your receipts, earn points, and redeem them for gift cards and other rewards. You can also save on top brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, and Kotex.
13. Teach a language.
Did you know that you can teach English from your smartphone? Sites like Skooli connect ESL tutors with non-native speakers, and you can earn an hourly rate. Set your own schedule and work with students one on one. All you need is an internet connection.
14. Sell your old textbooks.
Use BookScouter’s mobile app to sell your books to competing vendors for the highest price. Textbooks aren’t cheap, making this a potentially lucrative way to make money from your phone.
15. Watch TV and movies on your phone.
Swagbucks and InboxDollars both offer this, among many other apps. As long as the program is running on your unlocked screen, you’ll earn cash/rewards/points.
16. Invest in real estate.
You don’t have to put up a ton of money to become a real estate investor. Fundrise has low minimums, and they’ve simplified the whole process. Invest even $10 to start and let your money grow over time.
17. Sell Your freelancing services.
While not everything can be done over the phone, you can use your computer to make money as a freelancer. Create graphics using Canva’s mobile app, or you could schedule social media posts using an app like Buffer. Fiverr is a great place to offer your services, or you can reach out to brands directly.
18. Answer questions and share your knowledge.
JustAnswer, HelpOwl, and 6ya will all pay you to answer questions. If you’re an expert (or close to one) in a specific subject matter, you can expect to earn even more.
19. Join the Rideshare Movement
If you spend a lot of time on the phone and on the road, monetize it! Use Uber’s slider to see how much you can earn based on the number of hours you drive. They say that 10 hours of driving equates to approximately $275 a week.
20. Work as a Mystery Shopper
As a mystery shopper, you can get paid to shop in-store or per phone call. Start with a company like Call Center QA. You’ll make $5 per call and can expect to be paid out within seven business days.
While these work-from-phone opportunities won’t have you swimming in Benjamins, they are low-maintenance ways to earn extra money from your phone. Check out legit mystery jobs here.
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