Earn Money by Working With Your Cellphone

That expensive smartphone you're carrying may be the key to earning a little pocket money. Several services will pay you to install their apps and perform market research or otherwise point and click with your smartphone. They're easy tasks anyone can do. While you won't be able to make a living off these apps and services, the extra money you make may well be worth the minimal effort. Some pay in cash directly to your account; some pay in gift cards.

You have an advantage if you live in a good-size city rather than in a rural area. Most of the jobs are in cities.

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Gigwalk

What We Like

Find work through Gig List or a map of gigs in your local area.
No timesheets or invoicing.
High performers may be added to a private workforce.

What We Don't Like

Limited to metropolitan areas.
Requires a PayPal account for payment.
Higher paying jobs are based on performance scores.

Gigwalk describes itself as a mobile work marketplace. You can earn a second paycheck using Gigwalk's iPhone or Android mobile apps to perform simple field work, such as mystery shopping, delivering items, testing mobile apps, taking photos, and more. Available in major U.S. metro areas, Gigwalk pays from $3 to $100 per task, depending on your experience and reputation.

Just download the app and check the list of jobs in your area. The small tasks take just minutes to complete, and you work only when you want to.

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Field Agent

What We Like

Easy way to make pocket money.
No minimum required for cashout.
Relatively quick to pay.
Pays through direct deposit or prepaid debit card.

What We Don't Like

Must follow instructions carefully to be paid.
Short reserve time.
Pay is low for the time involved.

Similar to Gigwalk, Field Agent turns iPhone and Android smartphone users into mobile workers who scan barcodes, mystery shop, check prices, take polls, explore neighborhoods, and more using their smartphones. In return, agents are paid between $2 and $12 for each task. It may not seem like a lot of money, but when you're bored waiting in a line, you might as well take a survey and earn a few bucks.

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EasyShift

What We Like

Available throughout the U.S.
Automatic PayPal payment 48 hours after approval.
As "rank" increases, so do shift opportunities.

What We Don't Like

Must follow instructions carefully to avoid rejection.
Pay is low for the time required.
Customer support is not responsive.

Pick up a quick 1- or 2-minute shift, and you can earn a couple of bucks anywhere you shop. Like Gigwalk, EasyShift assignments often include taking a picture or recording a price. Payments range from $2 to $20 per shift. The automatic payments are sent within two days to your Paypal account. The app is available for iPhone and Android smartphones.

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Shopkick

What We Like

Works on a point system called "kicks."
Kicks are redeemable for gift cards at popular stores.
Earn kicks in physical stores and through online shopping.

What We Don't Like

Payment is in gift cards, not money.
Takes a long time to collect a lot of points.

Shopkick rewards you just for going shopping — whether or not you buy an item. If you walk in with your smartphone, you earn "kicks" redeemable for gift cards or store discounts. You don't actually get pocket money with Shopkick; you receive savings instead. When you scan items or buy from partner stores, you earn even more kicks. Shopkick is available as an app for both iPhone and Android smartphones.

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CheckPoints

What We Like

Shop, answer surveys, watch videos, and participate in daily contests for points.
Fun giveaways.
Good customer service.

What We Don't Like

Collect coins to play games for points.
Pays in gift cards and prizes, not cash.

CheckPoints, like Shopkick, earns you points and rewards for scanning items, watching videos, checking in at different stores, playing games, or completing offers. Points are redeemable for discounts, gift cards, or products. The app is available for iPhones and Android smartphones.

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Swagbucks

What We Like

Pays out in gift cards and cash.
Take surveys, shop online, watch movie trailers, and search the web for points.
Regular sweepstakes for cash prizes.

What We Don't Like

Surveys are time consuming.
Unresponsive customer service.

Get paid in gift cards to search the web on your phone or on your computer. Swagbucks is a popular online rewards program, and both Android and iPhone users can make money on the go. Mobile searches, daily polls, and other ways to earn Swag Bucks are available from your phone. For about 450 points, you can earn a $5 gift card. That requires a lot of searches, but there are other ways to earn points including random drawings.