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5 Ways You Could Make Real Money Without Quitting Your Job

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Last updated July 26, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

If your paycheck covers the basics but never quite gets you ahead, you're not alone. Whether you have a few hours a week or a full weekend to spare, a side hustle could help you build a cushion.

According to a recent survey, the average side hustler brings in around $885 a month on top of their regular income.1That's enough to cover a car payment, chip away at debt, or build savings.

If you're looking for legit ways to add to your monthly income, skip the noise and check out these offers from our partners below:

Set up direct deposit - pocket $400

Set up an eligible direct deposit with SoFi Checking and Savings and you could pocket a bonus of up to $400. Make the switch, set up direct deposit, earn the bonus. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following these steps. 

Why people are switching: This account earns up to an insane 3.80% APY2on savings (3.10% APY standard + 0.70% APY boost for six months) on top of that $50 or $400 bonus.3 That's way better than the measly 0.38% APY (as of 06/15/26)4 national average savings accounts offer. 

No monthly fees and no surprises. Open your account and earn up to a $400 bonus

Try a simple side hustle in your free time

If you have a few free hours on evenings or weekends, you could drive for Uber or Lyft, deliver for DoorDash or Instacart, sell handmade or digital products on Etsy, rent out a spare room on Airbnb, or freelance your existing skills on Fiverr or Upwork — all low-commitment options that can fit around a full-time job and start generating extra income quickly.

Pay no interest into 2027 with this no annual fee card

If you're struggling to pay down high interest debt (or you're planning a major purchase this year), this might be the exact thing you need. There's a card that allows you to pause credit card interest into 2027 ... and the best part is that it could be easier than you think.  

Discover it® Cash Back (Rates and fees) is an extremely powerful card that gives you 0% intro APR for an astounding 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. (Then APR is 17.49% - 26.49% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies.) That's right — you can now finance large purchases you've been sitting on without paying massive interest. Or, transfer crippling high interest debt to this card and let your payments go directly to paying down your balance, without piling on additional interest charges — all with no annual fee.

But it doesn't end there. The Discover it® Cash Back card also lets you earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 

Apply now for the Discover it® Cash Back card

Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

In addition to this welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0. 

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

If you're booking a trip to Disney, get a $100 gift card to use today upon approval (no strings attached!) 

If you're booking a trip to Disney, apply for the Disney®Visa® Card (Rates and fees) credit card here and you can get a $100 gift card eGift to use today upon approval! 

There is no extra work beyond being approved for the card to receive the gift card, and no annual fee! 

Plus, you can earn an additional $50 statement credit after spending $500 in the first 3 months and earn 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on all purchases. And you can pay 0% intro APR on select Disney vacation packages for 6 months from the date of purchase (then 18.24% - 27.74% Variable). That means you can book your next Disney trip now, and pay it off over time. 

If you're planning a Disney trip or visit the parks regularly, this card is a no-brainer. Don't delay — apply today! 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to apply for the Disney®Visa® Card and get a $100 gift card to use today upon approval

Access up to $500K of your home equity with no additional monthly payments

If you want to access your home equity — but don’t qualify for a traditional HELOC — Splitero could be perfect.

How it works: Splitero is a Home Equity Investment product that bets on your home's future value going up. You get cash now, and when you cash settle, sell, or refinance, you give Splitero a small portion based on how much your home is worth then.

(By the way, if your home value decreases, the value of the percentage Splitero is entitled to also decreases. That could be a lot safer for you.)

Splitero is rated “A” by the BBB and you can use the money however you like. Pay off debt, renovate your home, or invest, all without worrying about additional monthly payments.

You may qualify if you:

  1. Have some equity in your home — 30% or more.
  2. Have a credit score of 500+.
  3. It’s your residence, and you live there.
Enter your home address here to pre-qualify in less than 2 minutes

Save $28,000 over the life of your mortgage

Too many buyers overpay on their mortgage without even knowing it. Rates and fees vary wildly from lender to lender, but nobody has time to call around and compare, so they might just accept the first offer and hope for the best. Now there's a free service that does the hard part for you.

It's called Own Up, and it compares mortgage offers from a network of top-rated lenders so they compete for your business and you can pick a great deal.5You fill out a quick 5-minute profile (no hard credit pull),6get matched with top-rated lenders, and see the comparison side by side.7

Thnk about it this way: On a $400,000 mortgage at 7.00%, you'd pay over $558,000 in interest over 30 years. Drop that rate just half a percent to 6.50% and you'd pay around $510,000. That's $48,000 back in your pocket, just from shopping around for a better rate.8

Own Up customers save on average $28,000 over the life of their loan,9and it costs you absoloutely nothing to find out what you'd save.

Own Up is 100% free — there’s no direct consumer fee for Own Up’s service. Own Up is compensated by lenders, not consumers. See what you could qualify for at the link below before you lock in a rate you might regret.

Check your rate in 5 minutes (free)

Diversify your hard-earned retirement savings with gold

You’ve spent your whole life building up your retirement savings, but market volatility and inflation could be threatening everything you’ve worked so hard for.

U.S. Gold Bureau is actively helping Americans like you find greater retirement security with precious metal investments. They offer everything from physical ownership to IRAs in gold and silver that have a proven track record during unstable markets.

In fact, from 2005 to 2020, the price of gold increased by 330%. And during the stock market crash of 2008, the value of gold actually increased by 25%.10

Take control of your legacy today in 3 easy steps:

  1. Request your FREE IRA investor's guide and receive up to $20,000 in free gold.11
  2. Speak to a dedicated specialist about the best option for you.
  3. Transfer or invest to better diversify your portfolio.

You're in good hands, as they boast an A+ rating with the BBB, are the U.S. Mint’s largest bulk purchaser, and share a facility with the nation's only state-administered precious metals depository. If you have at least $30,000 to invest,take control of your savings now.

How Ohio homeowners are preventing roof rot, mold, and foundation damage for good

Most homeowners think of gutters as just a cleaning chore. The bigger risk is what happens when they clog. Overflowing gutters can lead to water damage, roof rot, mold, even foundation problems, the kind of repairs that run into the thousands.

If you own a home in Ohio, HomeBuddy offers a powerful, one-of-a-kind gutter guard built to prevent exactly that. Their micromesh filter keeps common debris out, so your gutters stay clear and your home stays protected. And because it actually works, you may be able to stop hiring gutter cleaners altogether. The company will even clean out and realign your gutters before they install.

Don't waste money on cheap, ineffective guards that claim to be clog-free. This one's built to last.

See if you qualify today: Click the link below, enter your ZIP code and home info, and a representative will reach out to schedule a free estimate.

See if you qualify

Alert: American adults lost $47 billion to scams and fraud in 2025

That's right. According to a new report, American adults lost $47 billion to scams and identity fraud in 2025.

But you can safeguard your data with all-in-one scam and fraud protection services from OmniWatch, which comes with up to $2,000,000.00 in identity theft insurance,12to cover eligible losses and fees should you experience them.

Plans start at $11.99 per month and can include comprehensive protection like 24/7 monitoring and alerts, dark web scanning to identify breached personal data (like your SSN and banking info), antivirus and VPN apps for device security, and expert restoration services at no extra cost.

Right now Omniwatch is offering a free dark web scan to check for vulnerabilities. Before you make your next online purchase, protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised. 

Start your free dark web scan here here

Set up direct deposit and complete qualifying activities - pocket $500

If you aren't banking with Truist, you're missing out on a boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

Earn a bonus of $500 after you open a new Truist One Checking account online, in a branch, or by phone between July 14, 2026 and February 2, 2027 using a valid promo code.13To earn the $500 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more and complete 20 qualifying debit card purchase transactions within 120 days of account opening. The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 10 business days after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Terms apply.

This is a great way to supercharge your earnings. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following the steps above. Plus, your new account offers benefits like no overdraft fee and options to avoid a monthly maintenance fee on top of the bonus.

Open your account and earn a $500 bonus

Take advantage of massive discounts on travel and restaurants

Think AARP is only for retirees? It’s not — anyone can join! And there’s a good chance you’ve been missing out on huge perks. An AARP membership gets you massive discounts on:

  • Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
  • Airfare, hotels, cruises and rental cars
  • Meal deliveries
  • UPS shipping
  • Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren't covered by insurance

Plus you'll also get insider info on health and wellness and you can add a partner for free. That’s twice the perks for just $15 for the first year (only $1.25 per month!). It basically pays for itself.

How to become a member today:

  • Click the link below, select your free gift, and click "Join Today"
  • Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
  • Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

Get 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal

Turn your home’s value into extra cash

If you want to pay a large expense now, like a home improvement project or credit card debt, you may have considered using your home equity as leverage to borrow a large sum of money.

But with interest rates rising in recent years, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan may not make financial sense.

Here’s a potential solution: Get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.

Using LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool14 (yes, the company from the commercials), you can compare rates and see what works for you.

How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card, where you can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for minimum monthly payments for what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. After this borrowing period ends, you pay off the rest of your balance during an extended repayment period, which is usually 20 years.

Plus, as a revolving line of credit, rates are usually variable, so you won’t be locked into a fixed rate if they ever go lower.

To get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Be matched with personalized offers for you.

Visit LendingTree

See if your credit card debt is eligible for this debt relief program

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it may get to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $30,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their certified debt specialists may be able to help you settle your debt for less than you owe — with one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero upfront fees, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions and get connected with a caring debt specialist. The consultation is completely free and only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!15

See if your $30k+ in credit card debt is eligible for National Debt Relief

Did You Know?

On average, debt settlement saves clients around 32% of their enrolled debt after fees, according to a 2023 study by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief. The consultation costs nothing. People who enroll and complete the program could be debt-free in 24 to 48 months.

Sources: Association for Consumer Debt Relief (2023)

Pay no interest on balance transfers into 2027

Imagine getting 15 months with 0% intro APR on balance transfers (APR then 18.24% - 27.74% Variable). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with this industry-leading low-interest card - the Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees).

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months. Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest! After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. 

The best part? The annual fee is $0.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

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$200 Bonus + Up to 5% Cash Back
Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in your first 3 months from account opening.
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