Sometimes, it’s nice to have some extra cash in your pocket. Not enough to get a second job or start a side hustle, just a few extra dollars to buy that fancy cup of coffee or treat at the store. Just some additional money so you won’t feel guilty indulging yourself from time to time.

Well, great news! There are quite a few ways out there to earn some extra money that are pretty simple and require little to no effort on your part! The money you earn probably won’t pay for your heating bill or groceries, but it can let you splurge from time to time and treat yourself.
 

Facebook Viewpoints

Facebook wants to learn more about how people are using their phones and are willing to pay you to help them. If you have a smartphone and a PayPal account, you can join their Viewpoints program and start earning some passive cash.

There are two main tasks in Viewpoints to earn money: taking surveys and allowing Facebook’s Study app to work on your phone. By completing tasks, you earn points that when reaching a certain amount, turns into cash that is deposited into your account. In many users' experiences, simply taking two surveys that each take about five minutes can earn you enough points to get five dollars. 

The main money maker is the Facebook Study app program. This one can generate enough points to earn five dollars every two weeks, is always running, and you don’t have to do anything. You just have to download the app to your smartphone and move on. The Study app analyzes your phone’s usage data, like what apps you are using and how long you use them, and sends the data to Facebook. If you don’t like giving up that information, you don’t have to participate in the Study app program and just do the surveys to earn money less regularly.
 

Take Online Surveys

There are tons of online survey sites that pay for your time. Some can pay out as little as five cents a survey to as much as five dollars a survey, just depending on the circumstances.

If you are good at multitasking, taking surveys while watching TV at night is a decent way to earn some extra cash. You won’t get rich, but you could earn some gift cards or extra cash to spend.

Just be sure to pursue surveys that are worth the time. Many sites give estimates on how long a survey will take and the payout. Do some simple math and figure out how much you’ll get paid per minute. A survey worth five dollars might seem appealing, but could take an hour to complete, while a 20 cent survey that is only two minutes is a better deal for your time.
 

Microsoft Rewards

Are you ok with using Bing for your internet searches rather than Google? If so, you can start earning money everytime you look something up online! 

Microsoft has a program that pays out for using Bing regularly, along with completing “Quests” on Xbox, typically checking out certain games, and gives points when making purchases through the Microsoft store.

The general breakdown is about 1,000 points per dollar, and many activities don’t give too many points, but if you incorporate using Bing to make web searches, and have some people in your home playing Xbox games and completing their daily quests, you can start earning pretty quickly. 

You can redeem points for digital items like extra items or digital currency for video games or chances to enter sweepstakes, but also gift cards to Amazon, Taco Bell, and Walmart. 
 

Credit Card Reward Programs

If you already need to spend money on items like groceries, eating out, or a cell phone bill, you should look at using a credit card rather than a debit card. When using a credit card, you can earn reward points that you can redeem for gift cards, cash back, or flights for vacations. 

For expenses you have regularly and will pay off, using a credit card is a great way to earn those points and get some money back in your pocket. Just be careful to not overspend on your credit card and go into debt. Keep your monthly credit card usage to an amount you can easily pay off when the bill comes due.

Pioneer has a unique rewards program where using both our VISA credit and debit cards earns you Rewards! When using our credit card, you earn one point for every dollar spent, and when using a debit card, it’s one point for every four dollars spent when running it as debt, and one point for every three dollars spent when running it as debit.

You can redeem these points for gift cards, experiences, merchandise, or even VISA gift cards. 
 

Have the Right Checking Account

Your checking account doesn’t need to be just a place you keep your money before you spend it. Many offer great perks that can match up your lifestyle, including putting a few extra dollars in your pocket. This could include a percentage back with every purchase, or a higher interest rate on your standing balance. When picking where to bank and what checking account to go with, investigate all of your options.

If you buy things on Amazon, iTunes, or Google Play regularly, we have the perfect checking account for you! Pioneer’s “WOW” Checking account gives you ten dollars if you spend ten dollars or more on one of these online shops every month. So, if you have a recurring purchase on Amazon or just buy a few things through it every month, you can get an extra ten dollars in your pocket!

Open a "WOW" Checking Account