Seriously?
I know, I know—you’re rolling your eyes. Fine, that was a clickbait title. But you know what? It’s also true.
Let’s talk about all the random “dead time” in your life:
- Sitting in the car during school pick-up.
- Waiting in line for the latest iPhone drop.
- Bored out of your mind at the DMV, airport, or doctor’s office.
- Standing in line at a theme park.
What if you turned that down time into money?
✅ By setting up a few accounts with survey, cashback, and research apps, your “waiting around” time can start earning you $80 to $600 per month. That’s a car payment. A vacation fund. A dent in your debt.
🎯 Start Here: Mobile-Friendly Earning Apps
These apps are especially great for your phone—so you can earn money while waiting, watching TV, or doing literally nothing productive.
📝 Survey Apps
💸 Earn: $1–$5 per day | $20–$150 per month
Pro Tip: Sign up for multiple survey platforms to maximize your earnings. Each one offers a limited number of surveys.
Surveys aren’t high-dollar gigs, but they’re perfect for the “empty spaces” in your life. Don’t expect to get rich—but that $20–$150 each month feels like bonus money when you’re just killing time.
💬 Survey Junkie
💰 $4/hr | 🧾 $5 minimum cash-out
📱 Great mobile interface + optional browser extension
- Reputable, easy to use, and you still earn points even when screened out.
- Install the Pulse browser extension for passive income.
- The more surveys you take, the better they get.
Pro Tip: Download the SJ app to grab quick surveys while in line at Starbucks.
🟢 Survey Junkie scores 4.2/5 on both Trustpilot and BBB.
🎮 FreeCash
💰 Up to $17/day reported by users
🧠 Do tasks like install apps, take surveys, play games, complete free trials
- Payout options include PayPal, crypto, gift cards (as low as $0.10).
- Prioritize their most-completed tasks in your country.
- Watch out for app downloads and activity tracking.
Pro Tip: Use prepaid gift cards for free trials to avoid surprise charges. (Pick up a few $25/$50 Visas just in case.)
⚠️ FreeCash charges a 5% fee for PayPal cashouts. Consider gift cards instead.
🛒 Cashback Apps
💸 Earn: $30–$200/month
These are all about uploading receipts while you wait. Use them for gas, groceries, restaurants—anything you’re already buying.
Pro Tip: Double (or triple) dip by stacking rewards across apps and loyalty programs.
⛽ Upside
💰 $30–$100 per month (or more!)
💸 Up to $0.25/gallon cashback
- Use promo code 9DPXH for an extra $0.15/gallon.
- Stack rewards: Upside + credit card points + store loyalty + other apps such as Fetch.
Pro Tip: Submit receipts within 4 hours to qualify for rewards.
⚡ Author’s Note: I earned $320 in 3 months—well over their $200/year estimate.
📸 Fetch
💰 $0.25 per receipt
- Scan any receipt (digital or printed).
- Earn points redeemable for gift cards.
- You have 14 days to upload a receipt.
Pro Tip: Use the same receipts from Upside and other apps here for extra rewards.
💵 Dosh
💰 Earn up to 10% cash back
- Connect your credit/debit cards, then shop like you normally would.
- Cash out to PayPal, Venmo, or your bank account.
Pro Tip: Shop through Rakuten, pay with your linked card, and stack Dosh + Rakuten rewards.
🧾 Receipt Hog
💰 Small cash + sweepstakes entries
- Accepts receipts most apps don’t (even small shops and thrift stores).
- No card linking required.
- Upload up to 20 receipts/month.
Pro Tip: Connect your email or Amazon account for bonus coins.
🟢 A low-stress way to earn pocket money—and it adds up over time.
🎤 Online Focus Groups
💸 Earn: $30–$450 per hour
These are more time-intensive (60–90 mins), sometimes requiring a video submission—but the pay is real.
While you can’t participate in a focus group while waiting in line, you can apply to focus groups during your down time.
Pro Tip: Start searching for new studies early—most post M–F mornings.
🧪 UserTesting
🎯 Micro Tasks: $10 for 10–15 mins
🎯 1-on-1 Interviews: $30 for 30 mins, $60 for 1 hour
- Start by passing a short test.
- Get graded after each task—better scores = more invites.
Pro Tip: Focus on tasks labeled “30” or “60”—they pay the best.
🧠 Final Thoughts
These aren’t get-rich-quick schemes. But when you stack a few smart apps and use your “dead time” wisely, it does add up.
Whether it’s $80 or $600/month, you’re making money doing what you were already doing: waiting around.
✅ Setup a few accounts
📱 Open them when you’re idle
💸 Stack the cash
Now go turn your downtime into dollars!