If you'd love a few extra dollars in your pocket but you're sick of babysitting your neighbor's young hellions, the solution may already be resting in your pocket. The next time you have a spare moment, there are several mobile applications that can help you pad your wallet by performing simple tasks that range from doing odd jobs at local businesses to scanning items at the grocery store. You may even be able to make some money by keeping up with healthy habits. Here are the best apps to help you earn a few extra bucks.
GymPact will help keep you in shape while also putting a few extra dollars in your pocket. Every week users set a workout schedule for the next seven days and make a pledge of between $5 to $50 per missed workout. At the end of the week, everyone who skips workouts has to pay, and this money is split between the users who kept their pact to hit the gym. GymPact verifies workouts using check-ins and geolocation and it can also connect to the popular RunKeeper app.
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CheckPoint users earn points by completing tasks such as checking into stores and scanning specific products. Points can be redeemed for items and prizes, including gift cards and airline miles. It will definitely take a few outings before you can start earning items, but if you’re looking for a way to get some goodies on the side without changing your daily routine, CheckPoints is worth checking out.
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There's a good chance that there are paying gigs around you at this very moment. Gigwalk users can sign up for a free account and start making money performing odd jobs around town. Currently, most of these gigs involve taking a series of panoramic pictures of local businesses for Microsoft, which pay $5 each, but anyone can post or complete gigs.
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EasyShift lists odd jobs that can help you put a few extra dollars in your pocket. While there are a few online tasks, such as surveys that can be completed for points, the real money is in location-based tasks. Unfortunately, there is not an endless stream of these higher-paying physical tasks. The closest gig to Laptopmag.com's New York office was at a Walmart in Pennsylvania, paying $4 for checking the condition of the shaving care aisle. But if there’s a gig close-by, EasyShift is an easy way to make a few extra dollars.
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FieldAgent allows anyone to become an “agent” and earn money by performing local tasks. These can include checking prices at local businesses, performing neighborhood surveys or verifying property conditions at local real estate listings. While there weren’t any listings in New York City, we could venture out to a Home Depot on Long Island for an audit of their bathtub displays and earn $4. There were also “scavenger hunt” listings that challenged us to find specific products in nearby stores, earning as much at $6.50 each.
