When you sign into your bank, what do your savings look like? Probably not as impressive as you’d prefer. It often feels like a constant uphill climb to grow (and preserve) a respectable savings balance.
But what happens if your car craps out or an unexpected medical bill shows up?
If your savings total under $5,000, you’ve got work to do. No judgment here — we get it. We just don’t want you to have to hawk those vintage Elvis velvet pants grandma left you just to pay for a plumbing emergency. Those pants are legendary.
Try these practical ideas to get the momentum going and begin bulking up your rainy-day fund so you can relax a bit more.
1. Make Extra Cash Delivering Food
Cities everywhere are packed with two things: remarkable restaurants and busy folks.
You can bridge that gap by delivering meals through Doordash.
As a “Dasher,” you operate as an independent contractor, choose your own schedule and work as much or as little as you want — meaning your earnings depend on how hard you hustle.
You’ll receive about a $6 base fee per delivery, plus you keep 100% of any tips.
To get going you need an insured car or bike and a smartphone. You should be at least 18 and hold a valid driver’s license.
If you want to become a Dasher, you can find more details here.
2. Earn $225 Watching Videos and Previews
If someone told you you could get paid to watch short clips on your laptop, you’d probably scoff.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
But it’s real. By opening a free account with InboxDollars, you could potentially pocket up to $225 a month. They’ll send you short surveys and video tasks you can complete while someone shows how to make brownies or you catch the latest reality-show drama.
No, InboxDollars won’t replace a salaried job, but it’s an easy way to make extra money while you’re already parked on the couch wasting time on your phone.
Unlike many other platforms, InboxDollars pays in actual cash — not points or store credits. They’ve already paid users millions.
Signing up takes just a minute, and you’ll get a $5 welcome bonus right away.
3. Get Paid to Fill Out Surveys
We’ve all been there — Netflix hums in the background while you doomscroll on Instagram. What are you even accomplishing?
There’s a company that will compensate you for that idle screen time.
Yep. Swagbucks is a crowd favorite because it rewards you with gift cards for taking surveys and doing simple tasks on your phone. You’ll even receive a $5 sign-up bonus and can earn 2,500 points within your first 60 days for extra perks.
Online surveys won’t make you wealthy, but if you’re just lounging on the couch anyway, why not click a few things and rake in some money to bolstering your savings account?
4. Turn Grocery Receipts into Reward Dollars
At this point, a slew of grocery rebate apps exists — and that’s a good thing. But the variety can be overwhelming, especially if you consider yourself a low-effort saver.
If that describes you — the person who wants to shop and move on while still earning a little — there’s one app we like. It’s called Fetch Rewards, and all you do to score rewards is snap a photo of your grocery receipt.
No barcode scanning; no hunting for offers; no store restrictions.
Here’s the simple process:
- Download the Fetch Rewards app. (Psst: Enter the code PENNY to unlock 2,000 bonus points!)
- Create an account using your email or via Facebook.
- Take a picture of your grocery receipt (must be from the last 14 days).
Fetch Rewards automatically finds ways for you to earn points on everyday purchases.
Every time you upload a receipt that contains one or more of 250+ participating brands, you’ll collect points — no need to match specific product offers.
If the app does detect a qualifying purchase, you’ll receive bonus points. For instance, we’ve seen offers like 2,000 points for buying a Suave women’s hair product, or 2,000 points for a 12-pack of Blue Moon.
After you accumulate enough points, redeem them for gift cards at many retailers. For example, 10,000 points gets you a $10 Sephora card. Or 3,000 points nets a $3 Panera Bread card.
Start collecting points toward gift cards by downloading Fetch Rewards.
(And yes, we intentionally resisted making a “fetch” joke. You’re welcome.)
Think Small, Then Aim Higher
It’s easy to shrug and say, “I can’t afford to have a savings account.” Sure, you plan to shove that $1,500 tax refund into savings, but big windfalls often come with big temptations.
If you can figure out a way to stash just $5 a day, you’ll add $1,825 to your savings in a year.
Having $5,000 tucked away isn’t some mystical threshold, but it’s a solid milestone. Use these tips and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can reach it. You’ll sleep easier knowing you have that buffer.
Then you’ll start picturing $10,000. Sound familiar?
For more practical steps on saving, check out this guide on how to save 5000 2.
