3 Real Ways to Get Free Money

I have earned $685 in free money this year.

Confession: I don’t think this post is going to do very well. I suspect that people will assume these are scams and no one is going to click on the post title to read it. But these are 100% real ways that I have earned “free money” this year.

These are not get rich quick scams. They also are not guaranteed to give you cash, but they worked for me. I hope it works for you as well.

3 Real Ways to Get Free Money

1. Class Action Lawsuits

Companies are being sued all of the time, and sometimes you are eligible for a portion of the settlement/payout. It can be incredibly easy to submit your claim for a lawsuit, but it will most likely take months before you receive your payment.

I received $38.36 from a Facebook lawsuit.

In addition to the claim I submitted to the Facebook lawsuit, I also have submitted a claim this year for a case with Apple. I was eligible for the Facebook claim simply by having a Facebook account during a certain time period. I was eligible for the Apple claim because I owned Apple devices.

Tips for Class Action Lawsuits:

• Follow The Lawyer Angela for the latest information on class action lawsuits. She provides up to date information on lawsuits with information on how to file.
• You can also use the app Settlemate to find class action lawsuits. I have not used this app personally.
• Sometimes you need to provide proof of purchase to submit a claim, but many times you do not. Even if you don’t keep receipts, you still might qualify.

2. Health Insurance Perks

I was looking at my online account for Capital Blue Cross and noticed a section called “Healthy Rewards.” That is where I discovered that I could earn up to $100 a year in gift cards by participating in different health challenges, getting a vaccine or screening, or completing a brief educational course.

I received a $100 Amazon gift card from Capital Blue Cross, and my husband also earned a $100 gift card.

Not every health insurance company will offer this perk, but it is worth looking to see if your insurance has something similar. My friend has earned money towards her kids’ college education with tuition rewards through Aetna. Maybe you’ll discover a perk with your insurance!

Tips for the Capital Blue Cross Healthy Rewards Program

• Every adult on the insurance plan can earn up to $100 in gift cards.
• You can pick from several different types of gift cards including: Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Starbucks.
• There are several ways to earn your gift cards: $50 for an annual physical exam, $25 for a vaccine, $25 for different screenings, $25 for completing educational lessons, $25 for completing challenges.
• I earned my $100 by getting a mammogram, completing an educational lesson, getting a flu shot, and completing a challenge. The educational lesson and challenge were a lot easier than I expected. 

3. Unclaimed Funds

A friend of mine reached out to tell me that she saw my name on a website indicating that I had unclaimed funds. I don’t understand why the state had money that they weren’t able to give to me, but I filled out the necessary forms and anxiously waited to see how much money I was owed.

I received $446.64 from unclaimed funds.

Obviously, the amount owed to everyone is different. My friend and my brother-in-law both received around $30. My mother-in-law got a check for $1,000!

Tips for Unclaimed Funds:

• Google the name of your state and “unclaimed funds” to find the website for your state that manages their unclaimed funds.
• Every state is different, but my state made it very easy to claim money that was less than $100. For amounts over $100, I needed to provide proof that I was the person they were looking for. Mostly, they required proof that I lived at the address associated with the funds.
• It will take several weeks or even a few months to receive your check.

A Word of Caution

There are a lot of apps today that will pay you to play games, upload your receipts, or get cashback rewards by shopping through their links. I have mixed feelings about these. Usually, if it feels too good to be true, it probably is.

In a lot of these cases, you end up being the product that is being sold. Meaning . . . You are watching ads while playing the games. Maybe you are filling out surveys with your personal information. Or you are providing information on your shopping habits. You are the product being sold to advertisers, and they are using the information you provide.

The methods I have mentioned here are not gimmick methods. Obviously, you might not qualify for all of these options, but they are 100% legit ways that I have easily earned some extra free money this year.

Looking for some quick cash?

The methods I listed here might earn you some cash, but it won’t be quick. In my opinion, one of the fastest ways to earn some cash is by selling your decluttered items on Facebook Marketplace. You can find some of my tips for selling on marketplace here.

Want some money saving tips?

• Cheap At Home Date Night
• 10 Tips for a Successful Yard Sale
• 5 Cheap Meal Ideas for a Tight Grocery Budget

Have you ever received money from unclaimed funds or a class action lawsuit? I would love to hear how much you received!