7 Creative Ways to Pay Rent When the Bank Account Is Near Zero

When you think you’re out of money, you generally assume you can’t spend anymore. Your instinct is to turn super frugal — cut every non-necessity — and maybe even skip a bill or two.

When you think you can’t even make rent, the situation can seem pretty dire.

But it doesn’t have to be. Instead of figuring out what you have to forgo this month when money is tight, find ways to make the money you need.

That doesn’t have to mean a second job or going into debt. There are tons of small, simple ways to put extra cash in your bank account so you don’t feel that panic at the first of the month.

Not all of these tactics will put money in your pocket right away, but we’ll note the ones that will!

1. Get up to $50,000 From This Company

Need a little extra cash to pay off credit card debt, remodel your house or to buy a big purchase?

We found a company willing to help.

Here’s how it works: If your credit score is at least 620, AmOne can help you borrow up to $50,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 5.99% and terms from 6 to 144 months.

AmOne won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars.

Totally worth it.

2. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

It sounds strange, but brands want to hear your opinion. It helps them make business decisions, so they’re willing to pay you for it — up to $140 a month.

A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.

It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time. 

And you don’t need to build up tons of money to cash out, either — once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.

They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.

3. Slash your homeowners or renters insurance by 20%

Did you know that a monitored home security system is your golden ticket to massive savings? 

Brace yourself for the thrill of discounts, with some insurance companies offering a jaw-dropping 20% off your premium when a top-notch security system guards your fortress. 

Insurance companies know that homes without security systems are three times more likely to be burglarized—an event that carries an average price tag of $2,600 before you consider any property damage. They don't want to deal with that extra expense, and neither do you. 

Plus, because home or renters insurance is usually rolled into other things (like your mortgage), most people don't even know how much they're actually spending. Don't let homeowner's insurance sneakily eat your budget. Check your mortgage bill today to see what you're really paying. And then get set up with Simplisafe home security to protect your home and wallet.

4. Get Paid $225/Month While Watching Movie Previews

We’ve all been there. You sit down at the end of the day to unwind on your phone, and suddenly it’s two hours later and you’re in the weird part of YouTube again. How did I even get here? 

But you don’t need to feel guilty about it anymore. Research companies will actually pay you to go down these video rabbit holes. 

You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with InboxDollars. They’ll present you with short video clips to choose from every day, then ask you a few questions about them.

You just have to answer honestly, and InboxDollars will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $60 million.

It takes about one minute to sign up and start getting paid for your nightly zone-out.

5. Ask This Company to Reduce a Big Chunk of Your Credit Card Debt 

Not trying to be dramatic, but card debt is like a dark, suffocating abyss that swallows your finances and leaves you feeling trapped and helpless. 

So, what if you could just… get rid of credit card debt that’s weighing you down? 

A company called Freedom Debt Relief could help you do just that. Its negotiators could work directly with your credit card companies to reduce your overall credit card debt.

It’s free to talk with a Freedom Debt Relief debt consultant to determine the best strategy for your situation. You’ll need to show why you’re struggling to make your payments and tell them a little bit about your finances. 

Then, Freedom Debt Relief will work out just how much of your debt they could reduce — they’ve already helped over 850,000 people settle over $15 billion in debt. 

Once enrolled in the program, Freedom Debt Relief will negotiate a settlement with your creditor, and if you approve the offer they come back with, you’ll pay off that reduced balance through a monthly program deposit. It’s free to see just how much of your debt you can get rid of.

6. Get Paid to Play Bingo

We all have our go-to time-killers on our phone. But this one actually gives you the chance to win up to $83 every time you play.

It’s a free app called Bingo Cash, and right now you could octuple your money — as in 8x — when you play. Right now, when you add $10 to your account, Bingo Cash will give you a $5 bonus to use toward tournaments, where you could win up to $83. 

You’ll compete against other players at your skill level, all using the same board, and the top three players can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

And no, this isn’t one of those spammy apps. There aren’t even any annoying ads. Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

Want to see if you could turn your $10 deposit into $83 in winnings? Just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

7. Earn $300+/Month in Passive Income with Your Extra Space

If you’re like us, your garage probably isn’t doing much of anything at the moment. Maybe you have some tools in there, or maybe it’s home to your boxes of odds and ends, collecting dust. 

But with a website called Neighbor, your extra space — whether it’s a spare room, an empty garage or a parking space — could be earning you an extra $300 a month in totally passive income. 

Neighbor works by connecting people who need storage space with hosts who have the room to spare. The average host makes about $300 a month, but some people have earned up to $50,000 a year just by letting people park on their property. 

It takes less than 10 minutes to get started. Just answer a few questions about your space, take some pictures and set your asking price. Neighbor will recommend a dollar amount based on your location and type of rental, but the final listing is up to you. 

Neighbor even gives you up to $1 million in free protection as a host and offers protection plans for your renters, giving you both peace of mind. 

Neighbor is an easy source of passive income, and it’s easier than most side hustles. It’s free to list your space, and you’ll only be charged a 4.9% processing fee from the profit you make each month, so there’s no risk to you. Sign up here and see how much you could earn.