It is not easy to make $2000 fast. However, with a smart plan, determination, and time in hand – you may find it is possible to come up with that much money within a few weeks.
Here are some realistic ways to come up $2000 fairly quick:
Making $2000 through job and cutting expenses
You most likely have to combine a few different methods to make the $2000 fast, for instance, you can list the stuff that you want to sell in the night and work as a freelancer in the day.
Go through your credit card bill/bank statement and look for “fee” 📝
In your credit card and bank statement, search for:
– Credit card (such as annual fee) and bank fees
– Late payment fees (such as rent, cable)
If you find a recent change, you have a pretty good chance to get those fees waived. This script is a good starting point. The key is being polite and justifying your reason to get your fee waived.
Sample script:
“Hello – I’ve been a customer for X years. I found that I was charged a draft fee. Things are tough for me right now. I’d like to get its fee waived. “
They might provide you some BS excuses, but you shall insist and say:
“Look, this is a rare event and I’ve been a customer for [x] amount of years. Is there anything else you can do for me?” (with an accommodating tone).
If you still can’t get your issue resolved, ask them to transfer you to the supervisor and repeat the same complaints. 9 times out of 10, you will be able to get these pesky fees waived.
In my case, I was able to get my $25 back in a 10-15 minutes phone call. It was a long wait call – but it is worth it. 😊
Find ways to cut your expenses 🛍️
You probably have monthly expenses – and don’t realize that you can cut some “fats” and make your expenses a bit“leaner”.
For instance, you may not realize that you have an unused subscription bill 📰 due in the next three days and you don’t even use this subscription.
Two quick ways to cut expenses are by switching to a cheaper phone plan and finding an alternative on TV cable. This will save you so much money in the long run.
For instance, my mom and I used T-mobile (post-paid plan), and the monthly bill was $~$90 (before taxes). After switching to Tello (a pre-paid plan), My mom and I both got a $10 and $20 plan respectively – so we have saved over $60 per month ($720 annually).
In addition, I cut my TV cable and watch Youtube instead – so this has saved me over ~$75 per month ($900 annually). In total, by doing just these two things – we have saved $1,620 annually.
Check out theses post to find ways to reduce your expenses and save more money.
Sell your stuff 💵
Do you have old electronics you can sell? You may have some vintage games or baseball cards in your attic, or maybe you just upgraded your new phone/laptop, and are not sure what to do with the old ones.
Things such as laptop, phone, camera, speakers, iPod, keyboard, vintage games, anything that seem worth a value – try to list them on the below platforms:
– Nextdoor
– eBay
– Letgo
The more your market your stuff, the more eyeball it gets, thus the more likely it gets sold.
If you can find a local buyer, that might be preferable since you don’t have to pack it and pay the shipping cost.
Some suggestions to create your listing:
- Find out how much people are selling on those platforms. You don’t want to sell your item too cheap.
- Make sure you take pictures in good lighting because it increases your goods to get sold.
- Create a detailed description and post as many quality pictures as you can.
The following items are selling well:
- Video game console
- Vintage cookbook such as Betty Crocker cookbooks
- Harry Potter hardcover books
- Baseball and Pokémon cards
- Handmade Christmas ornaments
- Complete set of silver flatware
- Vinyl records
- Vintage comic books
If you have clothes, shoe bags, and fashion items, Poshmark would be a place to sell. You probably have stuff that you only wear once or a few times. And, for craft – Etsy is a popular platform for that.
Another idea is to hold a garage sale and announce it on Facebook marketplace and Nextdoor. Look for items you don’t use (or you forgot they existed).
If you are lucky, selling your old stuff allows you to kill two birds in one stone – decluttering your home and make some money.
Rent your extra spaces 🏠
If you have a spare room in your house and don’t mind being a landlord, consider start listing them on craigslist, next door, and Facebook market.
Becoming a landlord might sound like too much obligation for some people. There is another option – renting your room on Airbnb. If you live in a large city and strategic location, you may be able to rent your spare room pretty quickly.
Check out how much your expected rate on Airbnb.com. At least in my city – I can rent it between $30-$80 a day, which a pretty good amount considering the amount of effort put into it.
Other side gigs
If you have a car 🚗:
– Become an uber driver – The median of Uber’s salary in the US is $17.2 an hour. To get a better picture of the compensation, Google “uber driver” + [your_city] + “salary”.
– Become a DoorDash driver. Base pay ranges from $2 – $10 per delivery and you’ll also earn from customer tips. Learn more about the compensation here.
A quick tip: To learn more about a specific city – google “doordash” + your_city + “Reddit” – you may be able to learn about the best zone/time.
If you love animal 🐶 :
– Become a dog walker/sitter. Dog walking seems like a great side hustle for animal lovers because you get to exercise and spend time with them. There are many different dog walker platforms and I heard positive things about Rover.com. The best part is you can build a profitable client base after developing trust and a relationship with them. Depending on where you are located, you could make $800 a month part-time or $2640 full-time.
If you are handy 🔨 :
– The best place to start is in your neighbors. Ask your neighbor (or your landlord) directly. Some people may not have the time (or too lazy) to cut their grass. This is a good opportunity to make money. A friend of mine was able to cut $100 off of their rent by cutting his apartment grass. To get seen by more people – post your service on Facebook, craigslist, and nextdoor.com.
Crowdfunding:
Crowdfunding is a way to collect fund from a community who are willing to contribute some money and support a project or a cause.
- GoFundMe
- If you have a personal cause such as medical, disaster relief, or education – GoFundMe is a super welcoming platform. There will be 2.9 percent payment processing fees and 30 cents on every donation.
- Kickstarter
- If you have a creative project such as music, film, tech devices, or art – Kickstarter is a great platform to showcase your idea and reach out to a large number of people. However – it is all or nothing in Kickstarter – meaning that you’ll have to reach the goal of the target campaign within a specific time frame. If you don’t, the donation will be returned to the donors.
Borrow options (if you need the money right now 🕒)
Borrow from friends/family
Generally, borrowing from friends and family is a better option than borrowing from an entity (such as a bank and credit card company). You’ll generally will no need to pay interest, or fill paperwork. But keep in mind that you’ll have to return the money or you may hurt your relationship with your friends/family. Let them know when you can return the money and maybe offer to pay a small interest to make the conversation a little bit smother.
Borrow from your Roth IRA
If you have a Roth IRA, you are free to withdraw your contribution (not the gains) at any time without paying any interest. If you withdraw the gains, you may have to pay a 10% penalty.
However, there are exceptions to withdraw it without taxes and penalty before the age of 59½ and before the account is five years old. Read more about the rules here.
Keep in mind that you’ll potentially lose investment earnings because there will be less money to invest in your Roth IRA.
Overdraw your checking account
The next option is to overdraft your account. You won’t have to pay interest; however, you’ll have to pay a fee (anywhere between $10-$40). But If it is a rare occurrence, it is quite likely you can get this fee waived with a simple phone call.
Borrow from 0% APR credit card
Borrowing from a credit card can be a good option if:
- You can charge it directly (instead of using cash advance)
- The transaction fee is low
- You have a low-interest rate (some credit cards have 0% APR during the introductory period – this can range from 6-18 months).
I’d not recommend using a cash advance because the most likely 0% APR won’t apply to a cash advance. You may also have to pay fees (often it is $5-$10, or 3%-5% of the transaction amount, whichever it is greater). Doing this can hurt your credit card score if you don’t make the payment on time.
But for direct payment, 0% APR is a good option. To find out some options, you can google “0% APR credit card”.
Get a personal loan from a bank or credit union
A credit union is preferable if you meet the eligibility because it typically offers a lower interest rate and lower fees. However, it usually has requirements such as you live in a particular area, go to a particular school, or work for a certain employer. Check out this tool to find out a nearest credit union.
If you are not eligible, Try to contact your current bank and find out their rates. They may offer special rates for their existing customers. It’s also a great idea to shop around and find the best rates you can get. A good to high credit score is most likely required to get a low rate. Learn also about a secured loan that may offer you lower rates.
Alternative borrow/financial assistance options
- Check your employer if they offer payroll in advance.
- Call your utility companies/creditors if they can give you a grace period.
- Check for local financial assistance. You can find assistance from emergency food, financial aid to a pet charity.
Things that I don’t recommend to make $2000 fast
Start a YouTube channel/Blog
Building a consistent viewer takes a long time. It can take a year or two (or even longer) – depending on how much demand in the market, how competitive the market is, and how driven you are. Forcing it to make money for you will only make you feel frustrated and more likely to give up in the middle of the process.
Medical trial
A medical trial can be a cumbersome and lengthy process. Often, your body will be used for experimentation and there could a side-effect that may not be reversible. Borrowing from banks and paying interest is most likely a better option. I’d be cautious and careful.
If you find this post helpful, please share this on social media to help others! 😊
Vi, a software engineer with a keen interest in personal finance, had planned to retire once she reached her lean FI/RE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) goal. However, after achieving the goal, she took few months of a mini-retirement filled with travel and adventure and decided to continue her career.
For the past five years, Vi has been using Personal Capital (Empower), a free financial tool. Her favorite features include the dashboard for net worth, allocation, and planning, which help track her FI/RE goal and keep those investment fees in check.