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15 Best Ways to Make $20000 Fast (Ultimate 2024 Guide)

Don't Work Another Day is reader-supported. We may receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own.
  By Forrest McCall | Last Updated:  July 20, 2022

There's no doubt $20,000 is a LOT of money.

It'll certainly be a challenge to make this amount of money overnight.

But there are a few proven ways to make $20000 fast when you need it.

Whether you're saving for a down payment on a home, or want to pay cash for a vehicle, I'll explore how to make $20k fast, some tips to reach your financial goals, and much more. Let's get started!

Best Ways to Make $20k Fast

Below are some of the best ways to make $20,000 fast. Try a few ideas and see which work best for you! Some methods can even make $20,000 a month!

Work as a Freelancer

Become a Freelancer

If you need to make $20k quickly, freelancing is one of the best ways to grow your income using the skills you already have.

There are several ways to find freelancing gigs, but some of the most popular ways include:

Depending on your skills and experience, the amount of money you can make can be extraordinary.

For example, if you're a skilled software engineer, it's possible to charge over $150 per hour for your skills.

But you don't need to be an engineer or have an extensive skill set to start freelancing and make good money.

For example, if you're a strong writer, there are many opportunities to get paid for your work.

Freelance writers can make upwards of $.50 per word written in some cases, meaning a 1,000-word article could make you $500.

If you want to make $20k freelancing, you're going to need to hustle and find as many clients as possible that are willing to pay you what you're worth.

The best way to get started is by signing up for one of the platforms mentioned above, and then creating a strong profile that showcases your skills and experience.

The more clients you have, the more money you can make, and the faster you'll reach your goal of $20,000.

Virtual Assistant Accelerator

Work as a Virtual Assistant

Another great way to make money online for beginners is by working as a virtual assistant.

While you're not going to make $20k in a few days with this remote side hustle, you can make good money and possibly replace your full time job from your work.

Virtual assistants can make anywhere from $15 to over $25 per hour for their work depending on the skills they offer.

Virtual assistants can complete a variety of tasks ranging from posting on social media, to updating website content, and much more.

If you're ready to become a virtual assistant but you aren't sure where to start – I recommend checking out Carrie's Virtual Assistant Accelerator program to learn the ins and outs of making money as a virtual assistant.

Benefits of Blogging

Blogging

Blogging won't be the fastest way to make $20k, but it can be one of the most rewarding and long-term ways to make money online.

As a new blogger, it can be tough to make any significant income from your blog – but as it grows, your blog can become a full time business that makes tremendous money.

It often takes new bloggers several months (or even a year) to start seeing any real money come in from their blog, so be sure to keep that in mind when you begin.

The costs to start a blog are very low, which makes it one of the best side hustles you can start with no money.

To get started, you'll just need to purchase a domain name and hosting. I recommend using Namecheap for your domain and SiteGround for hosting. These platforms are affordable and will allow you to set up your blog in no time.

Once you have your domain and hosting, you'll need to install WordPress and choose a theme for your blog. I recommend finding a free theme to get started, but there are plenty of premium options if you want a specific design.

Finally, you can start creating content and promoting your blog to the world.

To start making money from your blog, there are several different options.

For example, using display ads to make money is an easy way to start generating revenue.

Other ways to make money blogging include:

  • Affiliate marketing
  • Selling products or courses
  • Coaching or consulting

The amount of money you can make from a blog or website can be extraordinary.

Some bloggers are capable of making $50k and even $100k a month from their sites.

What I love most about blogging is that over time, your blog will become more of a passive income source.

By hiring a freelance writer – you can outsource some of the work that is needed to grow your sites, which will free up your time to work on other aspects of your blog.

Additionally, you can start a blog from anywhere in the world and you don't need a ton of blogging equipment to get your site off the ground.

While starting a money making blog or online business can be challenging, it can be well worth the investment and it can become an amazing income stream for your finances.

Ready to start blogging? Check out the video below for more help!

Sell Your Car

Sell Your Car

If you need $20k fast – selling your vehicle is one of the easiest ways to make money in one hour.

You can use online platforms such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to list your car for sale.

Depending on your vehicle, this can be one of the fastest ways to make $20000.

Sell Your Home

Sell Your Home

Similar to selling your car or vehicle, if you have a home and need to make $20k fast – consider selling it.

Obviously, you'll need to find another place to live so you can consider an apartment or these cheap housing alternatives.

If you need money fast – selling your home is a simple way to get it.

Sell Stuff Around Your Home

There's a good chance you have some valuables laying around your home that you don't necessarily need.

By selling things like clothes, furniture, or other household items – you can make quick and easy money without having to leave your house.

Online platforms such as eBay and Craigslist make it very easy to list and sell items from your home.

You can also have a garage sale or yard sale to get rid of your things quickly.

Depending on the things you have, this can be an easy way to make $20k and declutter your home at the same time.

Rent Your Things

Renting things out is a great way to make some extra money without having to put in much effort.

There are a number of things you can rent out such as:

  • Your car
  • Extra rooms in your house
  • Furniture
  • Tools

Renting out your things is a great way to make passive income and reach your goal of making $20,000 fast.

Unless you have some extremely valuable things, you'll likely need to rent out multiple things to reach your goal.

Some of the best options include renting out your spare space with Neighbor.com.

This platform allows you to rent anything from storage space to parking space to locals so you can earn extra income without doing anything.

Depending on the space and your city, you can make a few hundred dollars a month or more.

Another option is renting your car with a platform like Turo or Getaround.

With these platforms you can earn anywhere from $50 a day to over $100 a day for your vehicle depending on your city.

Renting things out is an easy way to make passive income and earn money without much work.

Land a New Job

Finding a new job can be a great way to increase your income overnight.

In addition to higher pay – some positions might offer a sign on bonus that can be worth $20k or more.

There are many high paying jobs that don't require a college degree such as:

  • Commercial truck driver
  • Electrician
  • Flight attendants

Invest in Real Estate

Investing in real estate isn't the fastest way to make $20k, but it is one of the most proven.

There are plenty of people who have become millionaires by investing in real estate.

If you're looking to invest in real estate – one of the best options is to start with a platform like LEX Markets.

This platform makes it easy to start investing in real estate with as little as $250 and as a bonus, you'll can earn up to $500 free when you make your first deposit.

Real estate investments will take time to grow, but if you're patient – it can be a great way to make a lot of money.

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Invest in Stocks

Invest in Stocks

Another way to make $20k is by investing in the stock market.

Similar to investing in real estate, it'll take some time to reach your goal, but it's a proven method that can help you get rich from nothing.

You can use a platform like Acorns or M1 Finance to start investing with as little as $5.

With Acorns, you'll get $10 completely free when you open a new account – so why not give it a try?

Investing in the stock market is an excellent way to increase your monthly income if you're willing to be patient and give your money time to grow.

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Take Out a Loan

If you need $20k fast – taking out a loan is another option to get money instantly.

While I don't necessarily recommend that you borrow money or take out a loan to make $20k – it's the easiest way to get money in a short period of time.

You can use a platform like ZippyLoans to get up to $15,000 in minutes.

When taking out a personal loan, it's critical to shop around and compare rates from multiple lenders.

You should also read the terms of the loan so you know exactly what you're getting into.

Some personal loans can have high interest rates so it's important to know what you're signing up for.

Always be sure to have a plan in place to pay back the loan as quickly as possible.

Pick Up a Side Hustle

Starting a side hustle is a great way to make more money in addition to your full time job.

There are many different side hustles you can consider from a delivery side hustle like Doordash or Instacart to a digital side hustle like taking surveys with Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.

Side hustles are great options to help you earn money almost instantly and can often be done in your spare time.

No matter what your goals are – there are plenty of side hustles you can consider to make an extra $100 a day or more.

Start a Part Time Job

Picking up a part time job is another way to make quick cash by trading your time for money.

While nobody wants to work additional hours, this can be a relatively straightforward way to make $20k fast.

There are plenty of part time jobs you can do to make extra money ranging from customer service jobs to manual labor jobs.

The best part about part time jobs is that they often offer flexible hours so you can work around your current job or other commitments.

Become an Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing is an awesome way to make passive income without needing any money to get started.

With affiliate marketing, you'll earn a commission for every product or service you sell.

For example, if you sign up for a platform like Amazon Associates – you can start earning a commission for every product someone buys after clicking your affiliate link.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money in your spare time and can often be done from the comfort of your own home.

However, there is one thing you need to consider – in order to make money with affiliate marketing, you'll need to have an audience of some sort to promote your links to.

For many creators, this will be through a blog, YouTube channel, social media accounts, or an email list.

To get started, you'll first want to build an audience. This can be anything from a blog to a YouTube channel to social media accounts.

Once you have an audience, you can sign up for an affiliate program like Amazon Associates and start promoting products to your audience.

You can also check out affiliate programs like Impact or Shareasale to find more options.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make passive income if you're willing to put in the work to grow your audience and develop your relationship with them.

Start a Business

Starting your own business is an excellent way to make $20k fast and become your own boss.

There are many different types of businesses you can start depending on your interests and skills.

For example, if you're good at design – you can start a graphic design business.

If you're good at writing – you can start a content marketing agency.

The options are endless.

I recommend service based businesses because they can often be started with little to no money and can be scaled quickly.

For example, pressure washing businesses only require a few thousand dollars to get started and can be scaled to six figures quickly with the right growth strategies.

The best part about starting a business is that you have complete control over how much money you make.

If you're willing to hustle and put in the work – there's no limit to how much you can earn by starting a profitable business.

Sell an Online Course to Make Money

Sell Online Courses

Online courses can be extremely profitable with margins upwards of 90% or more.

If you want to make money quickly, selling online courses can be a great option.

To get started, you'll need to create a course on a platform like Udemy or Teachable.

Once your online course is created, you can start promoting it to your audience through social media, email marketing, or paid ads.

Once people start buying your course, you'll start making money.

It's important to note that you'll need to put in a fair amount of work upfront to create a quality course that people will want to buy.

However, once your course is created – it can be a great way to generate passive income and start making money online on autopilot.

Tips to Make $20k Fast

Making $20k fast won't be easy and in some cases it can be risky.

Here are a few tips to help you reach your goal and make $20,000 quickly:

  • Set smaller goals. It can be easy to get overwhelmed when trying to make $20k fast. By breaking up your goal into smaller goals, it'll be easy to stay motivated and on track. For example, break your goal down into $5,000 increments. Once you hit the first $5,000 mark, you'll be one step closer to your goal.
  • Avoid risky methods. Taking out loans, gambling, or investing in penny stocks are all risky methods that could result in you losing money instead of making it. If you're looking to make $20k fast, it's important to avoid any methods that could result in you losing money.
  • Have a plan. Making $20000 likely won't happen overnight. You need to have a plan if you want to make $20k fast. This means setting a timeline and taking actionable steps to reach your goal.
  • Be prepared for disappointment. Making $20k is a lofty goal and there's a chance you won't reach it as quickly as you'd like. It's important to be prepared for disappointment and have a plan B in case things don't go as planned.

How to Make $20k in a Day

If you need to make $20k in a day, some of the best options include:

  • Selling your vehicle
  • Selling things around your home
  • Taking out a loan

How to Make $25k Fast

If you want to make $25k fast, I recommend

  • Starting a business
  • Selling your car or home
  • Taking out a personal loan

Final Thoughts on How to Get $20000 Fast

If you need to make $20k quickly, there are a number of ways to do it.

You can start freelance writing, work as a virtual assistant, or blog to make money online in your spare time.

You can also sell your car, sell your home, rent out your things, or get a new job.

You'll likely need to combine a few methods on the list to reach your goal, but it is possible. What're you waiting for?

Forrest is a personal finance, entrepreneurship, and investing expert dedicated to helping others obtain life long wealth. He has a Bachelor's degree in business and has been featured in many popular publications including Forbes, Business Insider, Bankrate, CNET Money, and many others. To learn more about Forrest, visit the About Us Page for more info.
Download My FREE Income Ideas Cheat Sheet!
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