How to make money even on work breaks
We all need a mental break during long work days. But what if you could make some extra cash during your breaks? With the rise of side hustles and mobile apps, there are more ways than ever to earn money in your spare minutes between meetings or while waiting for your code to compile.
Here are 10 clever ideas to make money on your work breaks, from playing mobile games to taking paid surveys. Many can even be done right from your desk!
Play mobile games or trivia apps
Bored during a break? Why not spend 10 minutes playing a game – and get paid for it? Mobile apps like:
- HQ Trivia: Live trivia game with cash prizes
- Mistplay: Get paid to play new games
- Solitairica: Battle monsters while playing solitaire
- Blackout Bingo: Classic bingo cash app
Most games don’t pay out much per session, but they add up, especially if you play for 5-10 minutes a few times a day. Treat it as a bonus over your usual social media scrolling!
Take paid online surveys
Companies want consumer opinions. And they’re willing to pay for them! Survey sites like:
- Survey Junkie
- Opinion Outpost
- MyPoints
let you take 5-15 minute surveys for cash and gift cards. Just share your thoughts on products, ads, politics – whatever they ask! Do a survey or two during each break for potential earnings of $10-$20/hour. Sweet!
Sign up for Microtasks
Microtask sites let you do quick online tasks that take just seconds at a time, like:
- Image tagging
- Data entry
- Audio transcription
- Ad testing
It’s mindless work you can chip away at during spare minutes. Sites to check out include:
- Amazon Mechanical Turk
- Clickworker
- Fiverr
Most microtasks pay just $0.01-0.50 each. But they add up with volume, and it’s effortless money!
Rent out your computer power
When you’re not using your computer, let it make money for you! Sites like PacketStream will pay to “rent” your unused computing resources. It’s called passive income.
The PacketStream app runs quietly in the background using spare bandwidth and CPU/GPU power while you work. You probably won’t even notice it’s there. But you’ll earn $5-40+/month in crypto payments!
Lend your opinions on UserTesting
UserTesting pays everyday people $10 per test to visit websites and apps and then share their thoughts through video recordings. Tests take about 20 minutes each.
You’ll give your honest opinions on site designs, shopping experiences, flows, and more. It’s an easy way to make quick cash from any device during your breaks!
Develop apps or websites
Have coding skills? Then, put your expertise to work! Many devs offer freelance services like building websites or mobile apps on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
You can sneak in some coding or design work during slower points of your day. Services pay $100+ per hour for quality work. So even 30 minutes daily can mean a nice side income.
Flip items online
Use your breaks to list unwanted items for sale on apps like Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, and OfferUp. Old clothes, electronics, furniture – if you don’t want it, odds are someone does!
Sneak photos of items during your lunch break or downtime. Purge your closets and make some “free money” in the process. Listings are free, and payouts are all profit.
Consult on your area of expertise
Got professional skills? Share your specialized knowledge by consulting online! Sites like Clarity.fm let you offer paid consultation calls in your industry.
You set your rate and then provide insights during 30 to 60-minute phone or video calls with people seeking your expertise. Calls can pay $25-$100+ each – not bad for tapping your career knowledge!
Promote brands on social media
Build a social media following on TikTok, Instagram, etc. Once you hit 1000+ followers, companies may pay $10-$100 per post for you to showcase or review their products.
Spend break time creating videos featuring brands you love. Over time, sponsored posts add up to nice side income. (Just follow FTC rules requiring sponsor disclosures.)
Invest in stocks or cryptocurrencies
Finally, put your money to work! Download a trading app like Robinhood or Webull to invest spare cash in stocks or crypto.
Spend break time checking markets, adjusting positions, or making new trades. Even adding $10-$20 at a time helps build your portfolio. And there’s the thrill of real-time gains (or losses)!
Wrap-up
Who says you can’t make extra cash while on the clock for your day job? With these clever ideas, your work breaks become opportunities to fatten your wallet through side hustles ranging from gig work to passive income.
A few minutes here and there plays out to $10-$50+ per day fairly easily. And it beats zoning out on social media! Give some of these ideas a try during your next break – your bank account will thank you.