Are you in a financial pinch? An urgent one at that?

Lots of people need to generate some quick cash (and before you take on new debt), read this article to learn seven ways to make money fast.

Sell an Asset

Selling an item is the most common way of generating immediate cash. This can include jewelry, furniture, CDs, DVDs, books, and clothes. Sites like Decluttr and Letgo enable you to unload stuff to make money fast.

Do you have any unspent gift cards laying around? You could make money fast by selling those at a slight discount from their face value.

Consider intangible property too. Perhaps you had a business plan and registered a domain name and aren't likely to use. You could potentially sell that on a site like Sedo.

Do you have a vehicle you could sell? An old clunker that has a scrap value? Many folks own one car which they rely on for transportation, and couldn't survive without it. But it is possible to get money for your vehicle without selling it.

Return Items to a Merchant

Another way to make money fast is to return items to a store. People often buy things they think they need and then end up not needing them. If you have purchased unnecessary items on maxed out credit, returning them may not help you.

If, however, you used cash or debit card on items you don't actually need (or at least don't need right now), returning the unused goods will free up extra cash fairly quickly. Many stores require a receipt unless you are merely exchanging items.

If you don't have receipts, get into the habit of retaining them. While this is far from having an emergency cash fund, a stockpile of merchandise can nevertheless operate as a small bank in times of need.

Open a New Bank Account

Some banks will give you money just for opening up a new checking account and promising to have your paychecks direct-deposited into it. Some banks won't even require a direct deposit. Check out this list of banks or look for such offers in your mailbox.

You will eventually have to pay tax on this free money. But otherwise, as long as you keep the account open with a potential minimum balance per bank guidelines there are no other strings. 

'Bonus tip': If you don't already have an emergency fund set up, you may wish to designate this account for that. This will remind you that having an emergency fund can rescue you from unexpected financial pitfalls.

When you have an emergency account and need to make money fast, you can be your own banker.

Generate Extra Income

If opening a second account is not for you, you don't have extra stuff laying around to convert to cash, or just need more money, then a boost in income might be your next step. If obtaining a raise or advance from your employer is not possible, then consider the following:

Start a Small Business

By 'business' you don't need anything fancy. If you have a mop and a bucket you can start a cleaning business. If you have a truck, you can start a moving business. Check out our 10 ways to make extra money from home article for more ideas.

Good with dogs? Kids? Good at reading? You can start a dog-walking business, date-night babysitting service or answering questions at tutoring lessons.

Perhaps you know how to do things that others don't know. Or you naturally do certain things better than other people can. This is a good time to start noticing and taking inventory of every skill you have that perhaps you take for granted.

What skills can you turn into good money?

Even if you aren't necessarily more knowledgeable or better, there are things that people will pay other people to do just because they would rather have more free time doing something else. Lawn-mowing is an example of this.

Pre-Sell a Service or a Project

Even if no one is in immediate need of your business services, you can design and sell gift certificates for them, offering a discount for prepaying for your service. You will want to put an expiration date on the certificate so that it doesn't get redeemed at a time you are unable to fulfill it.

You can also leverage any special knowledge or expertise you have into what is known as 'information marketing.' This could include the creation of an e-Book, webinar, or a toolkit of some sort that you could even deliver by mail.

You can quickly and easily create a website for free to show people what you have to offer and promote it through your social media channels. Collect money now, deliver later. (Just make sure you do deliver as promised.)

Become a Driver

Depending on where you live, you could do well as a driver with Uber or Lyft. Both companies have vehicle requirements that your car has to meet (such as age and body style). Also, tires and so forth have to meet safety standards.

Uber drivers report making between $19-23 per hour, so this could be a great way to make money fast once you're in the driver pipeline. It could take a week for the application process (including a background check) to run its course.

Collect Debts

Does anyone owe you money? This is the time to shake the trees and see what you can collect.

If you need cash (and your debtor could use a break) you could create a win-win by providing an incentive to settle up with you. You accept less money but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say.

In most cases, if you are owed less than $5,000 you don't need an attorney to start collecting the money you are owed. Even if a loan you made was not in writing you can still collect it.

Reasons You Might Need Money Quick

Most people tend to agree that you should avoid utilizing a cash advance service from a credit card company, but sometimes there are necessities. We’re going to list a few reasons why you might need money quick and discuss whether it’s better to use a cash advance service or perhaps the convenience of a loan institution such as CASH 1.

Utility Bills

You are short on funds, and your utility bill is due. Most utility companies won’t take credit card payments, preferring to leave the hassle of writing a check or purchasing a money order up to you. While it is true that some companies have online payment services, many still won’t take credit card payments.

So, you need to get some cash into the bank to cover the bill this month. Should you get a cash advance from your credit card or consider utilizing services like a same day quick loan from places like CASH 1? There are factors to consider. How large is the bill? Will you be able to repay the cash advance or would it be better to have a short term structured loan you know you can pay off? Some quick money services require a minimum amount that you must borrow even if you don’t need that much.

Car Repairs

You’re driving, on your way home from a vacation. Suddenly, the car stalls and you need to pull over. You’ve got an auto club card but that only covers the expense of towing, and the local mechanic won’t take credit cards or doesn’t take the one credit card you have with you. You’ve spent all the money you budgeted for the trip, but you’re nowhere near home. In this case, an auto repair loan will help you to pay the mechanic.

Overspent

You’ve had a little too much fun in Vegas playing the machines. No big deal, you’ve got just enough money to get home, and payday is coming in a few days. But you’ve got this feeling. You’ve been playing this one machine, and you are sure it’s about to pay off. You’ve got a little room on your credit card, but the machine doesn’t accept it, but there is an ATM nearby. This would be where you need to step back from the machine, maybe take a walk and see all the free attractions Vegas has to offer. This is not a time to use either a cash advance or a quick cash loan. If you find it’s too difficult to step away from the machine, we recommend you call 1-800-522-4700. That’s the hotline for the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Just about every type of scenario can fit into one of the hypotheticals we’ve described above. Use common sense when you find you need cash, and make sure you explore all your options. Many times, a credit card cash advance is not the best answer.

Make Money Fast

Hopefully, you have found something of value in this article. Even if you have but still find yourself short on money (and don't have an emergency fund set up yet) you may be eligible for a quick cash loan. For assistance call 888-858-9333.