How to earn $100—fast & less fast options

24 side hustles, life hacks and part-time jobs you can do to make $100.

Laptop with $100 bills on screen

Need some extra cash and want to know how to make 100 dollars fast? The good news is that there are plenty of side hustles and part-time gigs you can do to make $100. The bad news is that while some of them are lucrative, others will take a little longer to reach your $100 goal.

But if you want to boost your bank balance, here are 24 ways to make $100 in Canada.

1. Fill out surveys

Happy, neutral, sad faces

How long it takes to earn $100: Most surveys pay between $1 and $5, so you may be able to make $100 in as little as a month.

How it works: Companies conducting market research want to get feedback from everyday consumers like you, and they’re willing to pay for it. Make $100 on your phone by completing online surveys. Most surveys range from 5 to 20 minutes in length.

Is it online? Yes.

Go to site

Earn income completing surveys & playing games

  • Join over 30 million users making money online
  • Earn an average of $300 per task
  • Cash-outs start at $2
  • Get a $5 sign-up bonus when you start your first offer

2. Play games online

Picture not described

How long it takes to earn $100: Varies depending on the game(s) you play, but expect it to take at least a month.

How it works: Some game developers pay rewards to encourage users to play their online or mobile games. You will typically be rewarded for downloading an app and then for reaching specific levels within the game.

Is it online? Yes.

3. Take advantage of banking offers

Hands Holding Gift

How long it takes to earn $100: Less than an hour’s work on your part, but you’ll need to wait for your application to be processed and your bonus to be paid. You will typically receive your welcome bonus simply by opening an account and meeting any transaction requirements, such as setting up a direct deposit.

How it works: Banks offer cash welcome bonuses to entice new customers to sign up for an account. Once you’ve opened your account, you may also need to perform one or more specific transactions to qualify for the full bonus.

Is it online? Yes.

    4. User testing

    Woman Wearing Headphones Using Computer

    How long it takes to earn $100: You could potentially make $100 in as little as a couple of hours, but you should generally expect a longer time frame. You can commonly earn around $10 from a 20-25 minute test.

    How it works: Developers and companies pay everyday people to interact with their apps, websites and physical products. It’s your job to test how user-friendly or effective those products are and report on your experiences.

    Is it online? Yes.

    5. Freelancing

    Picture not described

    How long it takes to earn $100: You can potentially make $100 in as little as an hour, but it depends on the type of work you offer and how much you charge.

    How it works: If you’ve got any skills or qualifications that allow you to work online, you can offer your services to clients in Canada and around the world. You can either get paid an hourly rate or receive a fixed rate per project. You could work as a freelancer in the following roles:

    • Accountant
    • Business consultant
    • Copywriter
    • Data analyst
    • Data entry clerk
    • Digital marketing specialist
    • Editor
    • Graphic designer
    • IT support specialist
    • Mobile app developer
    • Programmer
    • Project manager
    • Public relations consultant
    • SEO specialist
    • Social media manager
    • Technical writer
    • Transcriber
    • Translator
    • Tutor
    • User experience designer
    • Virtual assistant
    • Web developer
    • Writer

    Is it online? Yes.

    6. Affiliate marketing

    Social Media Account

    How long it takes to earn $100: Can you make $100 a day affiliate marketing? It’s difficult to give an exact time frame, as it takes time to build an audience and generate clicks. At the very least, it’ll take a few days to make $100—but it will take much longer in most cases.

    How it works: Affiliate marketing involves using your website to promote another company’s products or services. When a customer clicks through to the company’s product listing and makes a purchase, you get a commission.

    Is it online? Yes.

    7. Sell goods online


    Picture not described

    How long it takes to earn $100: It’s difficult to put an exact time frame on how long it takes. It’s definitely possible to make more than $100 a day, but it might take weeks or months to reach that point.

    How it works: Dropshipping is when you sell products online but you don’t actually hold any items in stock or ship them to the customer. You take care of marketing the product and the sale, but storing and shipping items is handled by the manufacturer. An alternative approach is to use a print-on-demand platform to add your own designs to t-shirts, mugs and more and sell them online.

    Is it online? Yes.

    8. Deliver food

    Picture not described

    How long it takes to earn $100: Approximately 4-5 hours.

    How it works: Apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash make it easy to get paid to deliver food. Customers order food through the app, and you pick the meal up from the restaurant and deliver it to their door.

    Is it online? No.

    9. Grocery shopping

    Bananas Grocery Store

    How long it takes to earn $100: It could take as little as 3 hours.

    How it works: Shopping apps and online platforms connect you with people who want to have groceries delivered to their door. You get paid to do their shopping for them and deliver it in person.

    Is it online? No.

    Need $100 to pay for an urgent bill?

    Check out 0% cash advances

    10. Drive passengers

    Driving Sunset Side Mirror

    How long it takes to earn $100: A minimum of approximately 4 hours.

    How it works: Rideshare services allow you to turn your car into a taxi and drive paying customers from A to B. Passengers use an app to request a ride, and if you accept the request, you can then proceed to the nominated pick-up address and drive them to where they want to go. You’ll then be paid through the app.

    Is it online? No.

    11. Outdoor seasonal work

    Garden Tools

    How long it takes to earn $100: You should generally be able to make $100 after 4-5 hours’ work.

    How it works: If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, there are plenty of physical jobs you could do in your local area at different times of year. You could rake leaves, clean gutters, shovel snow, mow lawns, hang holiday lights, clean trash cans and a whole lot more.

    Is it online? No.

    12. Handyman services

    How long it takes to earn $100: Approximately 2-3 hours.

    How it works: From plumbing and painting to repairs, moving heavy items, mounting TVs and assembling furniture, if you’re good with your hands and know your way around a toolkit, you can make money as a handyman. If you’ve got the necessary tools and skills, advertise your services in your local area to get started.

    Is it online? No.

    13. Mystery shopping

    How long it takes to earn $100: The pay for mystery shopping tasks can range anywhere from $15 to $100, so you could potentially make $100 in a day.

    How it works: Companies and market research firms employ mystery shoppers to visit businesses and pretend to be real-life customers. You’ll be tasked with assessing factors like the customer service you receive, the condition of the store and the quality of the shopping experience.

    Is it online? No.

    14. Dog walking and pet sitting

    How long it takes to earn $100: A 30-minute dog walk generally starts at around $20, so you could make $100 with two-and-a-half hours of walking. Overnight sitting rates start at approximately $40 per night.

    How it works: Turn your love of animals into a side hustle by listing your services as a dog walker or pet sitter on a pet care website. Pet owners book you through the website, and the platform then takes a share of the money you’re paid.

    Is it online? No.

    15. Babysitting

    Boy Toddler Climbing Ladder

    How long it takes to earn $100: With an average rate of $15 to $20 per hour, it will take around 5 to 7 hours to make $100.

    How it works: A long-time favorite side hustle of high schoolers, babysitting remains an effective way to make $100 fast in Canada. You could just offer your services to friends and family, or consider setting yourself up as a fully-fledged babysitter.

    Is it online? No.

    16. House sitting

    How long it takes to earn $100: It depends on your rate, but it will generally take 1-2 days.

    How it works: You get paid to stay in someone else’s home and look after their property while they’re away. You’ll need to take care of tasks like checking the mail, watering plants, and caring for pets, and you’ll get paid a daily rate while also getting free accommodation.

    Is it online? No.

    17. House cleaning

    How long it takes to earn $100: The average hourly rate starts at around $20, so it will take at least 5 hours to make $100.

    How it works: There are plenty of people out there who are time-poor and don’t have time to clean their house, or who simply hate the idea of picking up a vacuum. But if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work, there’s money to be made.

    Is it online? No.

    18. Tutor online

    How long it takes to earn $100: It depends on your hourly rate, but you could potentially make $100 in 2-3 hours of tutoring.

    How it works: You can register yourself on online tutoring platforms to find work. Whether you’re a math tutor for high school students, a Spanish teacher for people wanting to learn a second language or you have some other specialty subject, there are plenty of money-making opportunities available if you have skills or knowledge to share.

    Is it online? Yes.

    19. Sell items you no longer need

    How long it takes to earn $100: It depends on what you’re selling, for how much and the level of demand. It could take as little as a couple of hours or it could take weeks.

    How it works: You list furniture, sporting goods, musical instruments, jewellery, clothes or anything else you no longer need for sale online. Buyers then contact you with offers and you negotiate a price.

    Is it online? Yes.

    20. Become an influencer

    How long it takes to earn $100: According to Shopify, influencers with 500–10,000 followers can earn $10 to $100 per Instagram post. Of course, it may take months or years to generate a large enough following first.

    How it works: Use your social media skills to become an influencer. Once you build a large following on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, especially if you focus on a specific niche, brands will pay you to promote their products.

    Is it online? Yes.

    21. Sell photos

    How long it takes to earn $100: Don’t expect to make $100 fast selling photos online. It could potentially happen in a matter of weeks, but there’s also a possibility that you will never make $100.

    How it works: If you’re an amateur or professional photographer, you can try creating images to sell to stock photo services.

    Is it online? Yes (but you’ll need to take photos offline).

    22. Rent out your parking space

    How long it takes to earn $100: As little as a couple of weeks. In Toronto, parking spaces commonly rent for around $100 to $300 per month.

    How it works: If you have an unused parking space in a convenient location, you can rent it out to someone looking for affordable parking. There are several platforms that specialize in parking space rentals, or you might like to put up flyers in your neighbourhood or post on your local Facebook community group.

    Is it online? Yes.

    23. Invest

    How long it takes to earn $100: It depends on how much you invest and what you invest in.

    How it works: Online stock trading platforms and apps make it easy to buy and sell stocks and ETFs in Canada, the US and on markets around the world. You can buy stocks and sell them for a profit once they’ve increased in value, plus earn passive income through dividends. Other options, such as trading forex or buying cryptocurrency, are also available.

    Is it online? Yes.

    24. Analyze your budget in depth

    How long it takes to earn $100: You could save $100 in as little as a week.

    How it works: You can save money by looking at your bank and credit card statements and working out where every last dollar of your salary goes. This allows you to identify areas where you can cut back and makes it easy to put together a savings plan.

    Is it online? Yes.

    Leanne Escobal's headshot
    To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Leanne Escobal as part of our fact-checking process.
    Tim Falk's headshot
    Written by

    Writer

    Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

    More guides on Finder

    Go to site