Short on cash as well as time? When you need money in a hurry, you don’t necessarily need to apply for a loan. There are plenty of legit ways to make fast cash, including online and offline options. Some methods are more lucrative than others, though, so keep reading to find out how to make money in an hour in Canada.
1. Use get-paid-to (GPT) apps
How much you can earn in one hour: Typically $0.50 to $5 per hour, up to $35 depending on tasks and engagement
How it works: GPT apps like Freecash and Swagbucks let you earn money by doing things like completing surveys, playing online and mobile games, and signing up for special offers. They won’t make you rich, but they do provide a simple way for anyone to earn a little extra spending money online.
Use multiple apps. Sign up for multiple GPT apps so you can scan each app regularly to find the most lucrative offers.
Look for tips online. Check Reddit and other forums for suggestions from other users about the highest-paying games and offers.
Check the fine print. Many games advertise high maximum payouts, but they often require a significant investment of time and effort to get there. Check exactly what you need to do to get rewarded before you start playing.
When you become a Finder Member and open a Freecash account through Finder and withdraw at least $20 USD in earnings from Freecash within 30 days of account activation.
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Make an average of $300 per offer
Get a $5 CAD sign-up bonus when you start your first offer
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2. Sell your stuff
How much you can earn in one hour: It depends on what you have to sell. You could potentially make tens or hundreds of dollars.
How it works: Offload your unused possessions for cash. If you’ve got stuff you no longer need or use cluttering up your home, head to your nearest pawn shop or consider listing items for sale on platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
Head to a pawn shop. If quick and convenient access to cash is your top priority, you’re better off heading to a pawn shop than going through the online selling process. You’ll be charged high rates and fees though.
Do your research. Research recent “sold” prices for similar items on online marketplaces to work out how much each item is worth. This will give you more bargaining power when you negotiate the sale.
Pick your shop carefully. Some pawn shops specialize in specific items, such as jewellery or sporting equipment, so choose a suitable location for the items you want to sell.
3. Microtask
How much you can earn in one hour: Approximately $0.50 - $15 per hour.
How it works: Clickworker, JumpTask and Amazon Mechanical Turk pay ordinary people like you to complete basic online tasks. Common jobs include audio transcription, data entry, tagging images and moderating content. In return for each completed task, you receive a small payment.
Check task instructions carefully. This will ensure that you complete each job as required and make money faster.
Use multiple sites. Sign up for multiple microtasking platforms so you can shop around for the highest-paying jobs.
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How much you can earn in one hour: Approximately $20 – $25.
How it works: Sign up to deliver food with an app like DoorDash, Uber Eats and SkipTheDishes. If you’ve got a car, it’s a quick and relatively easy way to make some extra money straight away.
Choose high-traffic areas. Base yourself in areas with a high proportion of restaurants and fast food eateries to get more work.
Work during peak hours. It won’t surprise you to learn that Friday and Saturday evenings, especially when the weather is poor, are the busiest times. Work during these periods to maximize your earning potential.
Check for promos. Monitor food delivery apps to find out which restaurants in your area are offering discounts that might encourage more people to order.
5. Do odd jobs
How much you can earn in one hour: $10 – $100
How it works: Gig apps and websites like TaskRabbit and UrbanTasker are the perfect place to find work doing all sorts of odd jobs. There are plenty of people out there who are willing to pay you to do things like assemble flatpack furniture, wait in a queue for them, mount a TV, move a heavy piece of furniture, run errands or just do basic maintenance tasks around the house. If you’re happy to work as a handyman or a sort of personal assistant, there are plenty of ways you can make money fast.
Focus on high-demand tasks. Furniture assembly, mounting shelves and TVs and cleaning are some of the most common tasks listed on gig apps. Specialize in these areas to get more jobs in a short space of time.
Set lower rates. Set your pay rate a little lower than the competition to attract fast bookings.
Make yourself available. Check your calendar on apps like TaskRabbit to make sure you’re always available for same-day and last-minute jobs.
6. Walk dogs
How much you can earn in one hour: Approximately $20 – $60 per hour.
How it works: Whether you use an app like Rover or just offer pet care services independently, dog walking is a simple but effective way to make cash fast. It’s a service that’s in high demand in major cities, and it also provides the potential to generate ongoing income from repeat bookings.
Walk multiple dogs. Whether you take two separate 30-minute bookings or walk two or more dogs at once, walk multiple dogs to earn money faster.
Offer more services. Offer to provide dog poo pickup services to help owners tidy their yards, or charge a little extra to take energetic dogs for a run.
Offer discounts. Offer discounts on future walks for customers who refer you to other dog owners.
7. Do yard work
How much you can earn in one hour: Approximately $20 – $50.
How it works: Go door-to-door in your neighbourhood offering to take care of basic yard work tasks for homeowners. You can mow lawns, trim edges, weed gardens, rake leaves, shovel snow and clear gutters, all for a decent hourly rate or price per job.
Choose clients carefully. For the best chance of making money fast, focus on approaching homes that have an obvious need for some yard work to be done.
Look local. Try to find customers close to home and in a concentrated area to minimize your travel time and costs.
Offer extra services. Be sure to mention to homeowners that you’re happy to take on any other odd jobs they have around the home, like mounting shelves, fixing hinges or repairing leaky faucets. This will boost your earning potential.
8. Recycle containers
How much you can earn in one hour: You might only earn a couple of bucks if you’re scrounging around for containers at home, but you could make $10 or more if you’re willing to go dumpster diving.
How it works: Take advantage of the container recycling scheme or deposit-return system for beverage containers where you live. Recycle eligible containers to get paid for each item you recycle. While it won’t make you rich, it’s a legit way to earn a little extra cash.
Get your hands dirty. Head to local shopping malls, sporting grounds and other public places where people are likely to dispose of lots of eligible beverage containers. If you’re willing to get your hands dirty sifting through trash, you’ll greatly increase your earning potential.
Ask friends and family. Check in with your social network to find out if any friends or family members would be happy to let you take recyclables off their hands.
9. Find unclaimed money
How much you can earn in one hour: Varies. You might get nothing, you might find some spare change, or you could make hundreds of dollars.
How it works: Maybe you have some money sitting untouched in a bank account you’ve forgotten about? The Bank of Canada’s Unclaimed Property Office is responsible for holding unclaimed bank balances of less than $1,000 for 30 years, and unclaimed balances of $1,000 or more for 100 years. You can search for your unclaimed bank balances online. Alternatively, you might have been sent cheques from the CRA that you never got around to cashing. These cheques never expire, so see if there are any listed in the “Uncashed cheques” section of your CRA account.
Check everywhere. Check with your provincial or territorial unclaimed property database to find out whether there is any other unclaimed money you’re entitled to.
Search carefully. Remember to use any previous variations of your name and former addresses when searching unclaimed property databases.
10. Sell unused gift cards
How much you can earn in one hour: From $10 to a few-hundred dollars.
How it works: If you’ve been given gift cards you don’t want to use, sell them for cash on sites like CardSwap.ca. Instead of buying something you don’t need from a retailer you don’t shop at, get the money you need quickly.
Shop around. Sale prices vary between platforms, so compare multiple sites to find the best price for the card(s) you want to sell.
Avoid scam sites. Do your research to make sure you only ever sell your unused cards through legit and reputable platforms.
What are the best ways to make money in one hour?
It depends on whether your definition of “best” means the easiest, the most lucrative, or the one most likely to succeed.
In theory, selling unwanted possessions can potentially net you hundreds of dollars. But if you can’t find a buyer, or if you simply don’t have anything to sell, you might not make a cent.
In terms of simplicity, it’s hard to go past GPT apps. You can get paid just to sit on your couch at home playing games and answering surveys. But the payouts are small, so it’s not going to make you rich.
In terms of getting money fast—and potentially finding an ongoing source of income—odd jobs, yard work and dog walking may offer the best way to make money in one hour.
What to watch out for
Any offer that sounds too good to be true. Be wary of “job ads” on social media that claim to offer ways for you to get rich quick by working from home. There are plenty of scams out there that will require you to make an upfront payment or hand over your personal information, but then won’t provide you with any employment when you do.
Microtask scams. Scammers target innocent people through WhatsApp and other social media platforms. They typically offer small payouts when you perform simple microtasks, but then require you to deposit money to access higher-paying jobs.
Payday loans. A payday loan is a short-term loan of up to $1,500 that is typically designed to be paid back by your next payday. They’re also very expensive, and their short repayment terms put you at risk of being trapped in a cycle of debt. Payday loans should only ever be considered as a last resort.
Loan scams. Predatory lenders target people who are experiencing financial hardship. If you’re thinking about borrowing money, make sure you know how to spot the red flags that could indicate a personal loan scam.
If you’re strapped for cash as well as time, there are plenty of ways you can make extra money in a hurry. Some might net you a few extra bucks, while others could potentially turn into a decent source of ongoing income. So if you need to make money in one hour, compare your earning options and get to work.
Frequently asked questions
Unless you have specialist skills that allow you to work as a highly-paid freelancer, it's difficult to make $100 in just one hour. Some possible options include performing emergency yard work or cleaning jobs for people in your neighbourhood, or selling expensive possessions you no longer want or need at a pawn shop.
There are lots of ways you can make money straight away. For example, you could use a gig website or app like TaskRabbit to make money doing odd jobs for people. You could also offer yard work services in your neighbourhood, sign up for a dog-walking app or work as a food delivery driver. If you want to work from home, consider signing up for a microtasking service or use a get-paid-to app to make money doing things like playing games and answering surveys.
Yes, there are several ways you could potentially use ChatGPT to help you make money. For example, you could use it to help you plan, draft and edit blog posts, or to create content for social media. Alternatively, ChatGPT could be a useful assistant to help you outline and develop your own e-book, or to create and sell an online course. For more ideas, check out our guide to making money with AI.
Yes, there are lots of ways to get "free" money in Canada. Some of them are simple, like getting freebies on your birthday from certain restaurants and retailers or signing up for a new bank account to get a cash welcome bonus. Other options include government benefits, tax credits, earning interest in a savings account, and receiving cashback shopping rewards.
Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 20-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors.
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