Despite our best efforts, sometimes life just takes a turn for the worst. For instance, a global pandemic can break out and strain your financial situation more than it’s already been suffering. It’s the kind of thing that only happens in movies, but we’ve lived to 2020 and saw for ourselves how we can cross the line between reality and sci-fi in a matter of months.

The moral of the story is that, sometimes, you just direly need to get a quick sum of money. So what can you do in such challenging times? Here are some of the quickest ways you can get this quick cash. 

Get a Freelancing Job

You might be used to working in a certain manner throughout all of your life. You log in for work at 9 and log out at 5, and you get to spend the rest of your day the way you like. You might have also gotten a first-row view of how freelancers work from the comfort of their home during the lockdown. However, there’s so much more to freelancing than just being from home. Freelance work gives you the ability to find jobs and earn money without all the bureaucratic complications of routine jobs. You apply for the job, reach an agreement, sign a contract, do the job, and then get paid. Some employers even provide a downpayment in advance. If you’re looking for a quick and hassle-free way to earn money, then freelancing gigs is the way to go. 

However, finding freelance work may not be as easy as some people make it to be. You’ll need to play to your strengths, but understand that there’s strong competition in the market. That’s why you need to put a lot of effort into creating an appealing portfolio, exploring freelancing platforms, and searching your local area for freelance gigs. Generally speaking, you can freelance in any area of work, which can include writing, translation, photography, or other technical or non-technical skills. 

Ask for Overtime

But then again, you don’t have to search too far if you’re already working in a company or an institution. You may be surprised to know that your workplace offers overtime work, in which case that will be much easier for you to apply for instead of venturing into a whole new world you know nothing about. In most cases overtime work hours are paid for at a higher rate than normal work hours, so that’s another advantage. You don’t have to limit yourself to your position though; if they have more part-time or overtime job opening, you can go for those as well. 

Apply for Payday Loan

If worse comes to worst and you can’t find any way out, you can consider getting a payday loan. As the financial gurus at GreenStarCash put it, payday loans give you a quick small sum of cash to be repaid in a short period – usually within the month, when you get your pay or salary. That’s why it’s called “payday” loans, as you repay them from the income of the next pay. While it’s an effective way to access quick cash, you should be careful when it comes to this kind of loan. They’re known to come with very high-interest rates that double in case you fail to make timely payments, so never apply for one unless you’re absolutely sure you’ll be able to pay back on time. 

Take out Cash or Salary Advance

Like payday loans, getting a cash advance from credit cards or banks can be a quick way to get instant money. However, just like payday loans, cash advances impose high-interest rates the more you delay the payment. It may be better to ask for a salary advance, which means you’ll be borrowing from the next paycheck you get. 

Sell or Rent Your Stuff

Many of us have stuff they barely use or need anymore. If you’re like most hoarders, then you might be feeling a little too self-conscious right now. Not to worry though, it’s time to declutter and get some money at the same time! You can go through your old stuff and sort what can be sold or rented to provide the money you’re looking for. Alternatively, you may have some expensive and on-demand items that you barely have any use for, or you’d just rather use its value for something more urgent. One such example is expensive gift cards, festival tickets, or other items you can exchange for cash. 

When life hits hard, you need to find ways to adapt to the changes quickly and efficiently. One such is falling into a financial pit where you need to get quick cash. There are a lot of options in front of you: you can start freelancing, ask for overtime, apply for a payday loan, get a cash or salary advance, or you can just sell or rent some of your stuff.