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If you currently don’t have a job, finding ways to make money is likely at the top of your to-do list. The good news is that there are numerous ways to earn income when you aren’t working a steady gig. Some opportunities require Wifi and a laptop or smartphone; others require little more than your physical presence — and some require that you have a little money that you’d like to multiply into more.

Keep reading even if you have a job, because starting a side hustle can be a great option for making money from home.

How to “Make Money With Money” With No Job

What does it mean to make money with money? In simple terms, it means finding ways to make the money that you already have work for you, without necessarily getting a traditional first or second job.

Learning how to make money with money often involves various ways to earn passive income. Passive income is money that you earn with little to no work involved. That doesn’t mean you don’t do any work at all: Some degree of work is required in the beginning to create passive income streams before you can start making money on autopilot. It’s a good idea to use a free budget app to track how much you spend to set up your income stream and to track the money you make.

If that sounds good to you, then you might consider these passive income ideas.

Earn Cash Back

When you download cash-back apps, you can link your debit card or credit cards, then earn back a percentage of what you spend at partner retailers.

There are several different cash-back apps to choose from, and they all pay different cash-back reward rates. Some of the apps you might consider for online shopping, grocery shopping, or travel include:

•   Rakuten

•   Ibotta

•   Dosh

•   Mr. Rebates

You can sign up for one or multiple apps to maximize your cash-back earnings potential.

Invest in Real Estate

Real estate can be a great investment, especially when there’s uncertainty in the stock market. Of course, you might have enough cash on hand to buy a rental property, but figuring out how to make money with money in real estate doesn’t have to be that complicated. Investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT), for example, offers the benefits of real estate ownership without the hassles of operating a rental property. You can also invest in real estate mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to gain exposure to a variety of properties in a single investment.

These investment options might be offered through your online brokerage. You may also consider real estate crowdfunding platforms, which allow you to pool your money along with other investors in a variety of property types. You make money through any of these investments in the form of dividends, which is another type of passive income.

Invest in Dividend Stocks

A dividend represents a share of a company’s profits. Some companies pay out dividends to investors who own shares of their stock as a reward for their loyalty. Dividend investing is something that might appeal to you if you’re specifically interested in passive income or residual income, since you can make a one-time investment, then collect dividends as they’re paid out.

When comparing dividend stocks, it helps to familiarize yourself with how the stock has paid out historically. You’ll also want to consider how often dividends are paid out and what kind of tax liability you’ll incur by receiving dividend payments.

Practice Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer (P2P) loans are funded by money pooled from different investors. Those investors make passive income from the loans by collecting interest from borrowers.

You might consider P2P lending as an investor if you’re looking for another idea on how to make money with no job passively. Keep in mind that with peer-to-peer lending, a higher potential rate of return usually equates to higher risk. If the borrower defaults on the loan you’ve helped fund, you won’t be able to collect any remaining interest.

For that reason, you might want to diversify the types of loans you invest in. You can also balance risk by investing in other things, such as real estate, dividend stocks, or even fine art.

More Ways to Make Money Without A Job

Maybe you don’t have a nest egg to invest up front via a making-money-with-money strategy. Never fear — there are still ways to pull in cash without a conventional 9-to-5 schedule.

Sell Your Plasma

Selling plasma can be an easy way to make extra money without a job or without doing any real work. Plasma donation centers pay healthy people real cash to donate their plasma. Depending on where you donate, you can make $1,000 your first month as a new donor.

Keep in mind that there may be a limit on the number of times you can donate plasma each month. You may also want to read up on potential side effects of donating plasma and how the process works.

Get Cash for Your Clutter

If you have things around the house you no longer need or use, you could sell them to make some quick cash. Some of the places you can sell items you don’t need include:

•   Craigslist

•   Facebook Marketplace

•   Facebook bargain groups

•   eBay

•   Etsy (for vintage items)

•   Consignment stores

You can also try selling items through an app like Mercari or Decluttr (for tech products).

Selling items for cash could generate a steady income if you reinvest the money you make clearing your clutter into a flipping business. Flipping simply means taking things you get for one price, then selling them for a higher price. For example, you might be able to find bargains on clothing or accessories at thrift stores and flea markets, then turn around and flip them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. You might need to spend a little money to purchase your first items to flip, but this can be another great idea for how to make money with money.

Get Paid to Do Market Research

Companies are always interested in figuring out how to gain a competitive edge. One way they do that is by paying everyday consumers to participate in market research. There are numerous apps and websites that pay you cash to complete surveys, share your opinions, or participate in focus groups. The amount you can make largely depends on which apps or sites you’re signing up for. But this can be an easy way to make money from home using your cellphone or laptop.

Recommended: Does Net Worth Include Home Equity?

Start a Blog

Blogging can help you to generate passive income in a variety of ways. For example, you might earn passive income from advertisements on your site, affiliate marketing, or product sales. You can also make a more active income by writing sponsored posts or offering some type of service, like coaching or consulting.

There is a certain amount of work that goes into setting up a blog and growing various income streams. But it’s entirely possible to make a full-time income from home as a blogger, even if you’re starting with no experience and very little money.

Offer Childcare, Senior Care, and Pet Care

If you want to make money offline, consider babysitting, pet sitting, or dog walking within your social circle or local area. You might also branch out to offer help to seniors who need it. For example, if you don’t mind leaving the house, you can hire yourself out to run errands for elderly people who may not have transportation. Or you may earn extra money by sitting with a senior for a few hours a day while their regular caretaker does the grocery shopping or cleaning.

Rent Out a Room on Airbnb

If you’ve got a spare room, you might have an easy solution for how to make money without a job. You can rent out a spare room or part of your home on Airbnb to create passive income. Or you might take on a regular roommate, which can help to reduce your share of monthly expenses.

You’ll need to register for an account on Airbnb to start hosting guests in your home. Before you do that, however, it’s important to check the zoning laws where you live to determine whether you need any special permits to act as an Airbnb host.

Rent Out Your Car

Have a car that you rarely drive? You can rent it out to people who need a vehicle short-term through a site like Turo. Renting your car for cash is similar to renting out a room on Airbnb, in that you’re effectively sharing your vehicle with someone else. This can be an easy option for making money with your car passively versus driving for Uber or Lyft.

Recommended: What Credit Score Is Needed to Buy a Car?

Become a Tutor

Tutoring is something you might consider if you’re comfortable helping students learn and you want to be able to make money from home. You might offer tutoring services virtually through a site like Tutor.com or from the comfort of your home if you’re helping students locally. Keep in mind that with tutoring websites, you may be required to pass a skills test or show proof of a college degree in order to get approved.

Freelance Online

You might try freelancing to make money without a job if you have some marketable skills. (Freelancing is also a good option if you’re looking for a good job for an introvert.) Some of the ways you can make money as a freelancer include:

•   Proofreading

•   Virtual assistant services

•   Graphic design services

•   Website design

•   Freelance writing or editing

If you’re not sure where to get started with making money as a freelancer, you might try a site like Fiverr. With Fiverr, you can list your freelance skills and services, along with your preferred rate. Potential clients can browse freelancer profiles and if yours is a good fit, hire you for their project.

Sell Photography

Selling photography online is another way to make money from home. You’ll need a good camera (or smartphone camera) to take pictures, and it’s helpful to have good editing software on hand. Once you have some pictures to sell, you can upload them to a site like Shutterstock or Foap.

These sites allow you to license the rights to your photography. When someone purchases a license, you earn royalty income. Once again, this is another good way to make money passively without leaving home.

Sell eBooks or Low-Content Books

Ebooks and low-content books like blank journals or lined notebooks can be an excellent way to create steady income without a lot of ongoing work. You can create an ebook or low-content book, upload to a self-publishing website like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), and collect income each time you sell a copy.

You typically don’t need much to get started with self-publishing, other than a great idea for a book and some graphic design software to create your covers and interiors. When deciding where to sell your finished books, take time to research the fees each platform charges, since they can eat into your earnings.

How to Make the Most of Extra Income

Figuring out how to make money with money or in another way that doesn’t involve having a job can increase your cash flow, sometimes significantly. But it’s important to think about what to do with extra money that you’re earning from a side hustle or passive income ideas.

Some of the best ways to put extra income to work include:

•   Paying down high-interest debt

•   Increasing your savings

•   Investing money in the market, where it can grow through compounding

•   Reinvesting it into new passive income ideas

Those are just a few ways to make the most of supplemental income, versus simply spending all of the extra cash you’re bringing in.

The Takeaway

Earning money while still having the flexibility that comes from not having a conventional job is an attractive prospect. If you’re testing out different ideas for how to make money with money (or make money even when you don’t have capital to invest), there are plenty of passive income ideas worth trying. A budgeting app can help you track your expenses and revenue to find the method that delivers the biggest rewards.

Take control of your finances with SoFi. With our financial insights and credit score monitoring tools, you can view all of your accounts in one convenient dashboard. From there, you can see your various balances, spending breakdowns, and credit score. Plus you can easily set up budgets and discover valuable financial insights — all at no cost.

See exactly how your money comes and goes at a glance.

FAQ

How can I make money with no job?

Starting a side hustle or online business, or doing gig work, are great ways to make money without a job. It’s possible to make money online or from home doing things like market research, shopping with cash back apps, mystery shopping, or offering freelance services.

How can I make $100 without a job?

The fastest way to make $100 without a job is to sell something. For example, you might sell items around the house that you no longer need, or resell bargain items that you find on Facebook or at flea markets. If you’d like to make $100 a day or $100 a week consistently, then you might consider pet sitting, dog walking, freelancing, or blogging.

How do I live without a job?

Living well without a job starts with creating a realistic budget and understanding how you spend your money. Having savings to rely on can make it easier to live without a job if you expect to be out of work temporarily. You can also work on finding ways to make money without a job, including passive income ideas, or gig work.

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Photo credit: iStock/Natalia Bodrova

SoFi Relay offers users the ability to connect both SoFi accounts and external accounts using Plaid, Inc.’s service. When you use the service to connect an account, you authorize SoFi to obtain account information from any external accounts as set forth in SoFi’s Terms of Use. Based on your consent SoFi will also automatically provide some financial data received from the credit bureau for your visibility, without the need of you connecting additional accounts. SoFi assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery or failure to store any user data, loss of user data, communications, or personalization settings. You shall confirm the accuracy of Plaid data through sources independent of SoFi. The credit score is a VantageScore® based on TransUnion® (the “Processing Agent”) data.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.


Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Opening a checking and savings account, whether at an online bank, a brick-and-mortar one, or a credit union, can be a major step towards good money management. With an account set up, you’ll likely be able to receive your paycheck as a direct deposit, swipe a debit card to pay for purchases, and access tools to help you save towards some short-term goals.

But you may worry that you need a chunk of change to open an account. The truth is, though, that you may be able to start an account with zero cash deposited.

While each bank can set its own minimum deposits, some will let you open an account with a single dollar or even no money at all. Or you might encounter certain financial institutions or account types that require $100, $500, or more. You might even find that the account with the higher deposit minimum is the better fit for you.

To better understand minimum deposit and minimum balance requirements, read on.

How Much Do You Need to Open a Bank Account?

Let’s get down to the dollars and cents of this topic: How much money do you need to open a bank account?

Minimum Opening Deposit for Online Banks

When opening an online bank account, it’s typical to have low or $0 minimum initial deposits for a checking account. Because online banks don’t have to pay for physical locations, they typically are able to pass the savings along to their clients with lower or no minimum deposit requirements.

They may also offer other perks like an annual percentage yield (or APY) on a checking account or a higher APY than elsewhere on savings accounts.

Minimum Opening Deposit for Brick-and-Mortar Banks

If you were to open a bank account at a traditional bank (also known as a brick-and-mortar bank), on the other hand, you might need $25 or more for the initial deposit. And if you have two checking accounts at the same bank, it’s possible you might have to meet different initial deposits for each one.

Jumbo or premium accounts, which may be interest-bearing checking accounts and offer rewards, can also set the bar higher for how much money is required to get started. For example, a jumbo checking account might pay interest on balances of $1,000, $10,000, or more so you would need at least that much to open one.

Minimum Opening Deposit for Credit Unions

How much money do you need to open a checking account at a credit union? If you prefer to open a checking account at a credit union vs. a bank, you will likely find minimum opening deposits that range from zero to $25.

Can You Open a Bank Account With No Money?

You can probably open a bank account with no money. As mentioned above, you are most likely to find this kind of checking account offered at an online bank vs. a traditional bank.

Before you open this kind of account, though, it can be wise to make sure you understand the terms of the account, including the fine print. Factors to consider include what, if any, fees will be assessed, what balance you may need to maintain, and how and when you need to fund the account.

Recommended: What to Know If You’ve Been Denied a Checking Account

What Is a Minimum Initial Deposit?

A minimum initial deposit is the amount of money that a financial institution requires you to deposit in order to open an account. In some cases, this can be as little as $1 or even nothing at all; in other cases, it could be $100 or considerably higher.

What’s the Difference Between Minimum Initial Deposit vs. Minimum Balance Requirement?

When thinking about how much money you need to start a bank account, it’s important to understand the difference between your initial deposit and your ongoing balance requirement. If a deposit requirement is in place, that is separate from the minimum balance requirement that you may also need to meet to avoid a monthly service fee.

For example, you might need to deposit $100 to open your account. However, in order to avoid a $10 monthly maintenance fee, you may need to keep an average daily balance of $500 there.

A free checking account that doesn’t charge a monthly fee may not have a minimum balance requirement. Check with the bank up front so you are familiar with the terms and aren’t surprised by any fees being deducted.

The Takeaway

Checking and savings accounts can make your financial life easier, and you may be able to open an account with very little in terms of an initial deposit, even no money at all. When choosing a banking option, it’s important to consider the fees you might pay, the interest you could earn, and any minimum deposit or minimum balance requirements. Whenever possible, you want your bank to pay for the privilege of holding your money, not vice versa.

SoFi: Making Banking Better

If you’re interested in hassle-free online banking, consider opening a SoFi Checking and Savings account. You’ll earn a competitive APY, pay no account fees, receive a debit card with cashback rewards, and have access to a suite of financial tools that can help your savings grow.

Better banking is here with SoFi, NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Checking Account Overall.* Enjoy up to 3.80% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

FAQ

How much is needed to open a checking account?

The amount of money needed to open a checking account can vary by bank. At some banks, it may be as low as $1 or even $0; at others, you might need to deposit $25, $50, or more to get started.

Can I open a checking account with no money?

It’s possible to open a checking account with no money if your bank allows you to fund your account later. For example, you may be able to open a bank account online with no money, connect an external bank account, then fund your new account with an initial deposit later.

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SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit activity can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Eligible Direct Deposit means a recurring deposit of regular income to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government benefit payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Eligible Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below).

Although we do our best to recognize all Eligible Direct Deposits, a small number of employers, payroll providers, benefits providers, or government agencies do not designate payments as direct deposit. To ensure you're earning 3.80% APY, we encourage you to check your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives. If your APY is not showing as 3.80%, contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. As long as SoFi Bank can validate those details, you will start earning 3.80% APY from the date you contact SoFi for the rest of the current 30-day Evaluation Period. You will also be eligible for 3.80% APY on future Eligible Direct Deposits, as long as SoFi Bank can validate them.

Deposits that are not from an employer, payroll, or benefits provider or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, or are non-recurring in nature (e.g., IRS tax refunds), do not constitute Eligible Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits.

As an alternative to Direct Deposit, SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant. SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits are not eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Eligible Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving an Eligible Direct Deposit or receipt of $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Eligible Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Eligible Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Eligible Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until SoFi Bank recognizes Eligible Direct Deposit activity or receives $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Eligible Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit.

Separately, SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days can also earn 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. For additional details, see the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

Members without either Eligible Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, or who do not enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days, will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
SoFi® Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A. ©2025 SoFi Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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