If you are in a cash crunch, take a breath before applying for a personal loan. There may be a side hustle out there that can help you earn money easily—and even get paid the same day you work.
Whether you’re tapping into the wonders of the gig economy or the resources of your hometown, same-day pay may be closer than you think. And with many employers adding payday options as an employee benefit, you can say goodbye to Payday Friday and hooray for payday EVERY day.
7 side hustles that pay up to $200 per day
Biweekly or bimonthly payments are now the standard. But daily wages have both financial and mental health benefits, says Safwan Shah, CEO of Payactiv, a financial services company. He noted that daily access to income helps workers avoid heavy fines on overdraft fees and predatory lending options such as payday loans. Additionally, it reduces stress by giving workers access to their wages on their schedule, not their employer’s.
So a side hustle would be neat if you envision a cash flow closer to daily than once every two weeks. If daily pay is important to your finances, you can compare gigs and find one that matches your talents, hours, and expected payment schedule.
1. Deliver for DoorDash
If you want to connect neighbors with everything from hot meals to pet supplies, delivering for DoorDash could be the cash injection you need. And with this app, there is no shopping involved. However, if you accept delivery, you simply pick it up and drop it off at the designated address.
DoorDash offers two options for daily pay: Fast Pay and Dasher Direct. With Fast Pay, you can cash out earnings once per day directly to your debit card for a $1.99 fee. DasherDirect is a no-fee program that pays you after every delivery. To use DasherDirect, you must sign up for a Visa debit card with DoorDash. But by doing this, you will also get 2% cash back on gas purchases.
Average salary: $15–$25 per hour / $120–$200 per 8-hour day
2. Drive for Uber
Uber gives you two different side hustle options: rideshare driver and delivery driver. And don’t worry—you don’t have to choose. If you’ve signed up for Uber and been approved, you’re eligible to do one or both.
Whichever path you choose, you won’t have to wait long for your earnings. Uber’s Instant Pay feature costs $0.85 per transaction and allows you to cash out up to five times per day. You can receive funds in your bank account through your debit card.
To be eligible, you need a debit card with a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover logo and must successfully complete a trip. From there, you’re good to go with Instant Pay and see your hard-earned money in a flash.
Average rideshare fee: $15–$25 per hour (varies by market) / $120–$200 per 8-hour day
Average shipping fee: $8–$20 per hour (varies by market) / $64–$160 per 8-hour day
2. Share your opinion on Swagbucks
You’ve heard that saying about opinions: Everyone has one. Now, you can get paid for yours (and more) with Swagbucks. From the comfort of your home or on the go with their app, you can watch videos, shop online, answer surveys, and play games—all of which earn points. Then you can redeem your points for gift cards or cash back through Paypal.
Once you sign up and verify your account, you can start earning Swagbucks that you can redeem for cash. You can cash out when you have enough points to redeem for a $5 Paypal Reward, which can be daily if you earn enough Swagbucks.
Average salary: $1 to $5 per day
3. Responding to Drumo surveys
If you love online surveys and games, Drumo can be an app to add to your daily payroll routine. When you download and sign up for the platform, you will complete a short profile survey that Drumo uses to match you with survey opportunities.
Here’s the best part: You can cash from Drumo to Paypal and receive funds within 24 hours if you earn as little as $0.50. Drumo said those with long-standing accounts can move up to instant payments. Drumo gives each user a quality score based on their responses to the app. The higher your score, the better your chances of accessing higher paying income opportunities and that “instant” payment.
Average salary: Depending on the survey and opportunity to earn
4. Shop with Shipt
Can pay for shopping? This is not a myth. With Shipt, you shop for customers and then deliver their orders. And it’s not just groceries, either. One day, you may find yourself at Target and Sephora. The next, at the liquor store or Petsmart. But no matter where you go, you can get paid every day with Shipt’s Instant Pay, with no additional fees required.
To qualify for Instant Pay, which sends money directly to your bank account, you need a successful weekly payment via direct deposit. Once you hit that threshold, you can choose to Instant Pay once every 24 hours within the Shipt app instead of waiting for the usual weekly payment.
Average salary: $11–$20 per hour / $88–$160 per 8-hour day
5. Serve at a local restaurant
If you want to keep things local, consider getting some shifts at a local bar or restaurant. Although you need to pass a food management class to be eligible to apply, daily tips can keep money in your pocket every day you work.
To maximize your chance for tips, don’t be shy about telling current servers where you hope to work. You can ask about the most useful transfers and, perhaps, general tips for a new server. If you provide table service, you may find that tips are higher than in a cafe where customers pick up their orders at the register.
Average salary: $14–$16 per hour / $112–$128 per 8-hour day
6. Work for a company that offers daily wage benefits
Some employers may now offer a daily paycheck benefit thanks to a new wave of apps that allow employees to access their paychecks daily instead of on a bi-weekly basis.
First, your employer must partner with one of the many paid payroll apps like DailyPay, EarnIn, or Instant. If they still don’t have an agreement, you can file a lawsuit and see if your employer is game. And if you need fodder for your case, Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, an income-earning app, has plenty of data to bolster your argument.
“Having access to payment immediately after a shift has been proven to improve employee engagement, with employees more likely to feel a sense of connection and loyalty to their employer,” said Clark. According to Instant’s 2022 Study of Wages and Benefitsthe daily wage figures speak for themselves.
- 79% of respondents would be more interested in applying for a job that pays them the same day they work.
- 62% of respondents feel more valued as an employee if their employer provides immediate access to their earned salary after each day’s work.
- 58% of respondents who left a job in the last two years said that they would have stayed longer if they had been offered immediate access to a portion of their salary after each day’s work for free .
If your employer is on board, it depends on the app how you receive the funds. Typically, you’ll link a bank account, payroll card, or debit card during the signup process. Some apps issue their own debit card that you use to access your money. The amount you can advance differs between companies and the fees for daily wages may be zero, fixed, or variable. For example, Instant has no fees and DailyPay charges $2.99 per instant transfer, while EarnIn operates on a tipping model where you name your own fees.
Average salary: Depends on the employer
7. Donate plasma
If you want to earn more money and save lives, donating plasma can be a service to your community and your wallet. Your community probably has at least one donation center, and all you have to do to get paid the same day is relax and let the money flow.
The process of donating plasma is similar to donating blood, so yes, there is a needle involved. It is also less time consuming at 1-2 hours per appointment. However, you will be well compensated for your time. While rates vary by geography, you’re paid the same day via a debit card issued by the donation center, with some donation centers offering bonuses for new donors.
You can also donate up to twice per week, giving you multiple earning opportunities each month until you reach the annual 24-donation maximum set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Average salary: $50–75 per day / donation up to twice per week and 24 times per year
The takeaway
These options are a great place to start your search for a side hustle that offers daily pay. Now you can turn the dials and find the gig and pay that makes sense for your situation.
But before you jump in, it’s important to do your research. Do some digging on Reddit forums and gig economy sites that offer honest reviews of what it’s like to work for certain companies and in your area.
And if you’re in a pinch for cash between the time you read this article and your daily paying gig-in-the-making, you might want to check out a payday advance app to help you finish.