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Easy Ways To Get Free Money Fast in Canada: Start With $1,750!

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Fact Checked

If your *BS* antenna goes up whenever you come across an opportunity to get “free money fast,” you are not alone.

The idea that you can get free money right now should definitely always cause you to pause and check…especially if it’s being offered on the internet.

There are numerous side hustles I have used to make extra money over the years. And making money often requires putting in work!

That being said, the reality is that there are ways to get ‘free money’ online that require minimal effort on your part.

You won’t get rich, but you can rack up some free cash and collect your money using PayPal or have them mail you a check.

How To Get Free Money: 25 Options

In this post, I cover 25 ways to get free money fast in Canada and the United States.

Some strategies involve signing up for services with free sign-up bonuses, cash back shopping apps, investment apps, and market research apps.

You will also learn about how to find unclaimed free money from the government, maximize your existing assets, and get automatic refunds.

Generally, these tips offer you ways to get free cash without needing to make a payment or while spending money you would otherwise spend anyway on shopping or investing.

How To Get Free Money

Get Free Money With Cash Back Shopping Apps

I use the best cash back apps to put money back in my wallet whenever I shop. Not only that, but these apps also give you money when you sign up.

Cash back offers available through these apps can approach 50% on some offers, so it adds up over time.

1. Swagbucks ($5 to $10 Sign-Up Bonus)

Available in Canada and the United States.

Swagbucks is the ultimate rewards site with opportunities to earn cash when you shop online, surf the internet, provide your opinion, and more. The site has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and has paid its members over $920 million.

You can cash out your bonus using PayPal or redeem it for a free gift card.

Join here and get $5 to $10 just for signing up.

Read our complete Swagbucks review for more information about the site.

swagbucks referral bonus

2. Rakuten (Up to $30 sign-up bonus)

Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten is one of my go-to cash back sites when I’m shopping online.

To make the most of Rakuten, visit their site (Canada and the U.S.) and click on your favourite retailer’s store and shop as you would normally do. Cash back is automatically credited to your account, and you can redeem it via check or PayPal money.

New users get a $30 bonus after completing their first online purchase of $30 or more, depending on the current offer. You can check out my Rakuten review.

Rakuten $30 referral code bonus

3. Neo Money App ($20 welcome bonus)

Available in Canada.

This free cash back app and prepaid card offers up to 5% cash back on purchases and pays interest on your entire balance.

New users get a $20 bonus when they sign up with our referral link and fund their account with at least $50.

Neo Money Account

neo logo

Unlimited 5% average cash back

No monthly fees + $20 bonus

2.25% non-promo interest rate paid on balance

Unlimited free transactions

Get a Mastercard for payments online and ATMs

Access to a no-annual-fee credit card

4. Caddle ($1 sign-up bonus)

Available in Canada.

Caddle is somewhat similar to Checkout 51 but is only available in Canada.

The app makes it easy to earn cash back when you purchase groceries and other household items at multiple stores, including Walmart, Costco, Loblaws, Sobeys, and several others.

You also get paid to watch video ads and take surveys from retailers.

After redeeming your first offer, you receive a $1 bonus.

Caddle Promo Code

Get Free Money With Opinion Sites and Apps

Online survey sites are notorious for paying very little for time spent. However, considering that most of the tasks you need to complete to earn cash are mindless, it may or may not be worth your time.

Already mentioned in this post is one of the top sites for paid surveys – Swagbucks. You can use them to earn cash by taking surveys and doing more than ten different activities.

Here are other survey sites that reward you with cash.

5. Pinecone Research ($3 to $5 per survey)

Bonus – Available in Canada and the United States.

Pinecone Research does not offer a sign-up bonus; however, they pay more than the average market research panel with a flat earn rate of at least $3 per survey you complete.

Their minimum payout threshold is pretty low at $3. You can choose to cash out via PayPal, check, gift cards, or prepaid virtual Visa.

The one downside is that membership is by invitation-only, and you can use the links below to sign up.

Pinecone Research sign up

Get Free Money With Investment Apps

We know that the best investment apps can help you build wealth and become rich. It’s, therefore, an extra perk when they also offer free money in sign-up bonuses at the same time.

6. Wealthsimple ($25 bonus)

Available in Canada and the United States.

Wealthsimple is one of the most popular online wealth management services (also known as robo-advisors) in North America.

Their low-cost investment service makes it easy for average investors to invest in globally diversified ETFs without the hassle of needing to re-balance their portfolios.

The Wealthsimple app has a roundup function that automatically saves or invests your spare change based on your preferences.

When you sign up for a new Wealthsimple account, you get a $25 cash bonus after depositing at least $500 in your account.

Read our detailed Wealthsimple review.

wealthsimple

7. Moka ($5 sign-up bonus)

Available in Canada.

Similar to Acorns in the U.S., Moka (formerly Mylo) is a spare change investing app that makes it easy to invest for your future even when you are unable to set aside large sums of money.

Using Moka, you can round up your purchases to the nearest $1 and invest the difference in low-cost ETFs at a fee of $3 per month. You can also invest more money on a schedule or as a one-time deal.

When you sign up for Moka, you get a $5 bonus after linking your account.

Mylo App - How To Automate Your Savings

Install an App For Free Money

Install market research apps on your phone that gather data and earn free money.

While this data is supposedly aggregated anonymously, you should probably read their T&C and privacy policy pages to be sure you are comfortable with the collected data.

8. Mobilexpression ($5+)

Available in Canada and the United States.

Mobilexpression pays you to install their app on your phone for a week to qualify for a free $5 Amazon gift card.

If you keep the app installed for longer than a week, you continue to score rewards.

9. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel ($50)

Available in the United States.

This app is managed by one of the world’s leading market research companies, Nielsen. Simply install the app on your devices and get rewarded for using it ($50/year).

You can uninstall the app at any time.

If you are a Canadian resident, check out the Nielsen Homescan app, which is also managed by The Nielsen Company.

This app rewards you for scanning the barcodes on your grocery purchases, and you can get up to $180 in Visa Prepaid cards. My wife received $15 every month ($180 for one year) for scanning once every week.

This was in addition to other points and rewards.

Ways To Get Free Money Fast

You can get ‘free’ money by leveraging your existing assets, ensuring that you are not paying more than necessary for services, staying fit, and more.

10. Open a High-Interest Savings Account ($400+)

The big banks are not paying a lot of interest on savings accounts, and they have not been paying for the better part of a decade.

Find an online bank with a high-interest savings rate and earn more money.

Some of these online banks with better rates may also offer a sign-up bonus (such as $400), e.g. Simplii Financial, Tangerine and EQ Bank  – both in Canada.

Simplii No-Fee Chequing Account

simpliifinancialnewlogo3-img

$400 cash bonus offer

No monthly account fees

Unlimited transactions & Interac e-Transfers

Free personalized cheques

11. Use a Cash Back Card ($500+)

The best cash back cards offer rewards for everyday spending, and many do not even have an annual fee. Every year, I score anywhere from $800 to $1,000 in free cash from using my credit cards.

Of course, remember that you need to pay off your monthly balance for this strategy to make sense.

12. Get Paid To Lose Weight

If you are already working on reducing your waist size or need the incentive to do so, try HealthyWage.

HealthyWage allows you to set personal weight loss bets or participate in a team weight loss challenge. Winners can win up to $10,000 in addition to the benefit of improving their health.

You can also check out the top-rated free app, Sweatcoins, to earn rewards while you walk.

13. Rake In The Birthday Freebies

Why spend on your birthday when you can get tons of freebies?

Check out my list of over 30 birthday freebies you can score in Canada (worth $100+). Here are some freebies specific to Vancouver and Toronto.

14. Cash-in On Baby Freebies

If you are an expecting mom, you can save money by scoring free baby stuff, samples, gift boxes, and coupons available online.

Check out this list of over 15 baby freebies!

15. Rent Out Your Car

Available in Canada and the United States.

If there are times when your car sits idle on your driveway or in your garage, you may be missing out. List your car on Turo and easily earn $500 per month.

Turo does the vetting and provides up to $2 million in liability insurance. You earn up to 90% of all trip prices. They also provide 24/7 roadside assistance.

Listing your car is free, so why not get started?

You can also drive for DoorDash and deliver groceries and food in your area for cash!

Get Free Money From The Government

Canadians and Americans alike can access opportunities to get free money from the government.

With all the taxes we pay, this one is a no-brainer. Get what you can, when you can.

16. Get Free Money For Your Kids Using The RESP ($500/year)

When you open a Registered Education Savings Plan (Canada) for your kid’s future education, the government matches 20% of your contributions up to $500 every year.

This grant money (aka Canada Education Savings Grant) amounts to a free $7,200 that your child can put towards their tuition and college expenses later on.

U.S. citizens can use similar tax-advantaged 529 plans.

17. Maximize Your TFSA Account

The only things that are certain in life are…taxes and death.

But, at least, with the Tax-Free Savings Account (Canada), you can avoid paying taxes twice, first on your salary and then on your investment returns.

Starting at age 18, you accumulate the TFSA contribution room and can invest in various assets within your TFSA account. Income earned on the account is free from taxation for life.

In the U.S., an account that works similarly is the Roth IRA.

18. Use The Benefits Finder Tool

Available in Canada.

From housing programs to employment insurance, free health programs, and worker’s compensation, the Canadian government’s Benefits Finder tool can help you find what’s available federally and provincially that you qualify for.

19. Claim All Your Tax Deductions

Pay only the taxes you are required to by claiming all the tax deductions relevant to your situation.

Use effective tax software like TurboTax that guarantees you will get the maximum tax refund possible.

20. Claim Your Uncashed CRA Cheques

Approximately $1 billion in unclaimed cheques are being held by the Canada Revenue Agency. You can easily check to see if you have cheques from previous years that have been sent to the wrong addresses and have not yet been cashed.

I have covered in detail how to claim your uncashed cheques via CRA MyAccount.

21. Claim Forgotten Money

Available in the United States.

There is around $42 billion in unclaimed funds, CDs, trust funds, wages, and uncashed checks sitting around in the U.S., as per the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administration.

Check out Unclaimed Money Search, unclaimed.org, and missingmoney.com to see if you are owed money.

Other Apps For Free Money

22. Daily Rewards ($5 sign-up bonus)

Available in Canada.

This get-paid-to site pays you to answer surveys, play games, watch videos, read emails and refer friends.

Payments are sent through PayPal when your earnings reach $30. Read the full Daily Rewards review.

23. Inbox Dollars ($5 sign-up bonus)

Available in the United States. Inbox Dollars is a sister site to Daily Rewards and is only available to U.S. residents.

New members get a $5 bonus for signing up.

24. Trim

Available in the United States.

Trim automatically scans your bills and finds ways to negotiate them lower. Cable, internet, car insurance…Trim negotiates a better lower deal so you can keep more money in your wallet.

Check out Trim here.

25. Acorns ($5 sign-up bonus)

Available in the United States.

Easily invest your spare change with Acorns and also save for retirement. Depending on the service you opt for, Acorns costs $1, $2, or $3 per month.

Related: How To Get Free Money From The Government.

Do you need extra cash? Here are 25+ tips and hacks on how to get FREE money today! I love saving money and making extra cash whenever I can...and I definitely LOVE free money and free stuff! Find out where you can take advantage of free cash opportunities in this post. Did I say $2,500 in real money! Yes, and most of it is in sign-up bonuses for services you need anyway. PIN THIS! #freestuff #savemoney #moneytips #savingmoney #makemoneyonline #waystomakemoney #earnextramoney #makemoneyfromhome #makemoneyfast

Top Make Money Offers this month

Start with a free $5 on the most popular get paid to site

Get paid to answer surveys and complete other simple tasks.

Redeem earnings for gift cards and cash rewards.

$5 bonus when you complete the initial short profile questionnaires.

Get a $30 bonus on the best cash back website for online shopping

$30 cash bonus after your initial online purchase of $30+.

Get access to 750+ popular retailers and up to 35% discounts.

Cash back is automatically tracked and credited to your account.

Make money on the side by delivering food orders in your area

Easily deliver restaurant and grocery orders using your car, scooter, or bike.

Work on your own schedule - day, evening, or weekends.

Get paid weekly and also keep 100% of the tips earned.

Get rewarded for testing products and services in your spare time

Reputable global market research company.

Earn points for completed surveys and redeem them for cash and prizes.

Influence which products make it to the market.

Author

Gravatar for Enoch Omololu, MSc (Econ)
Enoch Omololu, MSc (Econ)

Enoch Omololu, personal finance expert, author, and founder of Savvy New Canadians, has written about money matters for over 10 years. Enoch has an MSc (Econ) degree in Finance and Investment Management from the University of Aberdeen Business School and has completed the Canadian Securities Course. His expertise has been highlighted in major publications like Forbes, Globe and Mail, Business Insider, CBC News, Toronto Star, Financial Post, CTV News, TD Direct Investing, Canadian Securities Exchange, and many others. Enoch is passionate about helping others win with their finances and recently created a practical investing course for beginners. You can read his full author bio.

About Savvy New Canadians

Savvy New Canadians is one of Canada's top personal finance platforms. Millions of Canadians use our site each year to learn how to save for retirement, invest smartly, maximize rewards, and earn extra cash. We have been featured in prominent finance media, including Forbes, Globe and Mail, Business Insider, CBC, MSN, Wealthsimple, and TD Direct Investing. Learn more about Savvy New Canadians.

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