Inflation remains high and is dampening consumer purchasing power. But if you need extra cash to pay the bills these days, here are some quick ways to get hold of cash:
Redeem credit card rewards. If you have a cash-back credit card, you may be able to redeem the cash as a statement, bank draft, check, or gift card, depending on the issuer’s rules. For credit cards that offer point rewards, review which redemption options offer the best value.
For example, some travel cards offer the strongest value per point when you exchange points for travel purchases. Depending on the card and the redemption option you choose, you may need to collect a certain amount of cashback or a certain number of points before you can redeem.
Exchange your coins. Next time you go to the grocery store, take your coin jar to a Coinstar machine and exchange coins for cash or gift cards. (Coinstar has a 12.5% processing fee to exchange coins for cash, but there’s no fee if you opt for gift cards, including cards for major retailers like Amazon and Lowe’s.) You can also purchase cryptocurrency at a CoinStar machine buy once you have created a “CoinMe” account online at www.coinstar.com/crypto.
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Sell unused gift cards. Use a website such as CardCash.com to sell gift cards that you don’t want to use. They can be paid by check, direct deposit, PayPal, or exchanged for gift cards from various retailers.
Check if you have unclaimed money. Go to MissingMoney.com to see if you have any unclaimed money – old pension deposits, closed bank accounts, insurance policies and the like. Enter your first and last name and the site will list all of the potential claims you can make. If you live or have lived at the address listed with a claim, you are eligible to apply, and MissingMoney.com will link you to the appropriate government website to make a claim.
Get the best deal online. To ensure you get the lowest price for your purchases, use browser extensions that automatically compare stores or find discounts or coupons. Ziftr Alerts (freepricealerts.com) compares prices as you shop and notifies you when it finds an item cheaper. PayPal Honey (www.joinhoney.com) searches the web for coupon and discount codes; Before purchasing, just click on the icon that will install the extension on your toolbar. Capital One Shopping (capitaloneshopping.com) does both — and also offers cash redeemable via gift cards.
Sell your gadgets. Make some money from your used tech gear. For example, Amazon Trade-In allows you to trade in used Kindle e-readers, Ring doorbell systems, and Amazon Echo and other Bluetooth speakers, as well as other Amazon devices. Simply describe the condition of your item in the form provided, ship it and if approved, Amazon will send you one Amazon.com Gift card and up to 25% off a new qualifying device. You can sell old iPhones, Macbooks, and other Apple products through Apple Trade-In, which works similarly to Amazon Trade-In. Apple Trade-In also accepts certain Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models. Or check out Decluttr, which accepts smartphones, tablets, laptops, game consoles, and video games—and even CDs and DVDs.
