Smartphones have become ubiquitous, however, most people are not aware of their full potential. The majority of individuals who buy smartphones only does so in order to browse the internet or to use the may apps available. Unfortunately, very few actually understand how they can either monetize the time that they spend on their phone, or how to make money using this gadget.

The best part about making money using your phone is that you would use something that you already have. The following strategies can be approached using pretty much any phone, even older models. You don’t need a flagship smartphone or one that just came out yesterday. If you can install apps on it, and it can connect to the internet, then you’ll be able to use it in order to make money.

This having been said, please keep in mind that the idea of earning so much money that you’ll be able to quit your job and only life off of what you make using your smartphone is unrealistic. You’ll start by making a dollar per day, however, you’ll be making it without even realizing.

Also, most of these ways to make money using your smartphone don’t require your full attention. Most of the time, you’ll make money by doing things that you would normally do on your phone. For example, there are apps that will pay you money in order to download certain games and to play them for a few minutes. You can easily do this when you wait in line or commute.

The best part about these strategies is the fact that you will not be required to spam your friends on Facebook or any other social network in order to earn money. You will earn by performing various tasks inside the apps that you install, by participating in surveys, or by shopping. There are no tricks and no requirement to spend money in order to make money.

As a word of advice, don’t take the promises made by app developers for granted. There is a large number of apps that will promise money in return for doing all sorts of tasks. While the ones presented in this article are legitimate and have been tested extensively, this does not mean that any app that you will come across will be as effective at enabling you to make money using your phone. So, avoid downloading apps that you do not know anything about. Spend a few minutes researching it, and looking at the developers’ website. If everything checks out, then you can install it and give it a go.

Most apps will have reviews both on the app stores offered by Google or Apple, as well as online, in the shape of articles.

Now that you know what do to before installing unknown apps that promise to help you make money, let’s take a look at 4 proven ways to make money using your smartphone.

1. Make money by surfing the web and by watching various videos

Most of us spend a lot of time online, moving from website to website, hoping to find what we need, or something to entertain us. However, what few people know is the fact that it’s easy to monetize this activity. Basically, you can make money by doing the things that you normally do on your phone. For example, there are apps that will reward you with points when watching certain ads. These points can then be redeemed in order to get anything from gift cards and discounts to actual cash. Here are a few apps to get you started:

• Swagbucks – This one has been around for quite some time and is still as popular as ever. You can earn Swagbucks by searching for things online, using the platform’s internal search engine, by watching videos, and by answering surveys. Once you have enough points, you will be able to redeem them for a gift card, or for PayPal cash. There is a large number of people who are currently making money on this platform, and this stands testament to how reliable Swagbucks really is.
• CashPirate – A great alternative to Swagbucks, CashPirate rewards you for participating in surveys, playing games, and clicking on ads. Similar to the previous platform, you will be rewarded with points that you can transform into PayPal cash once you reach a minimum redeemable amount.
• Fronto – The third app that you may want to try is Fronto. This one is a bit more flexible, in the sense that it rewards you for viewing news, articles, product deals, and reviews. You will also be able to make money by downloading free apps suggested by the platform.

These three are a great way to get started, however, you should always be on the lookout for more platforms that offer rewards for minor tasks like the ones above.

2. Make money by spending money, when you buy things online

Most people shop online every month. Whether they buy house appliances, gadgets, office supplies, or food, a lot of people prefer to purchase things online, rather than go across town to find what they need. Luckily, there is a way to make money when you make online purchases. There are several apps that will essentially pay you to shop. For the most part, you will only have to install an app on your phone, and then take a photo of your receipt. Here are 3 reliable apps that people are currently using in order to make money when they shop online:

• Ibotta – Ibotta will reward you when you go grocery shopping, however, you will be required to complete a few easy tasks on the app beforehand. You will have to basically specify which are your favorite brands, and what kind of products you regularly buy. Once you’ve finished, you can go to the store and buy what you need. Next, take a picture of your receipt and you will receive a cashback amount. While you will receive cashbacks every time you shop for things that are included amongst the platform’s deals, you will only be able to withdraw the money once you earn at least $5.
• Shopkick – Shopkick is a bit more difficult to use than Ibotta, in the sense that you will have to shop in certain stores. However, if you already buy things from said stores, then there’s no reason not to profit from what this app has to offer. Shopkick will reward you with cash and gift cards that you can use the next time you buy something.
• Receipt Hog – This one works the same way as the ones above. You have to take a picture of your receipt and you will receive points that you can then redeem for cash. Receipt Hog doesn’t restrict you to certain stores, and you will also be able to do other things in order to earn points, like watch ads and participate in paid surveys.

3. Sell any items that you no longer use or want

Most people tend to keep every gift that they receive, regardless of how little they like it. This means that most people will have at least a couple of things that they can part ways with, items that have never been used and could be sold for quite a bit of money. On top of this, people you may have old electronics like tablets and laptops that can be sold for parts or cleaned and sold to companies that refurbish this kind of items.

When it comes to the actual process of selling the items, things couldn’t be simpler. As long as you have a smartphone with a decent camera, you’ve got everything you need to put things up for sale. Here are a few apps that will help you sell the things that you need as fast as possible:

• Depop – Depop is basically an app that allows you to snap and sell. In other words, you can put things up for sale extremely quickly, and the platform will handle most of the technical side of things. While you will benefit from having access to a popular marketplace that a large number of people visit, you will also have to pay a 10% fee on everything that you sell. Also, the platform is great if you want to sell gadgets or high-tech items, as it is geared to a younger audience.
• Poshmark – If you have any designer or brand-name clothes that won’t fit you anymore, or you no longer want to wear, then Poshmark is a great place to sell them. Clean your clothes, take a photo of them and then establish a selling price. Once someone buys your clothes, Poshmark will deduct 20%, and send you the rest. Keep in mind that this is also a great platform to look for deals on clothing. So, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you can look around and you should be able to find some great deals on the Poshmark marketplace.
• Letgo – Letgo has been described as being a mobile version of Craigslist. This platform will let you keep 100% of the sale price and you won’t have to pay any shipping fees due to the fact that all exchanges are made in-person. A lot of people use the platform, and this means that your items should sell relatively fast. However, since you will have to deliver the items yourself, you should read the safety guidelines that the platform offers, before starting to sell your things.
• eBay – The mobile platform offered by eBay is just as good as the browser one, and offers the same features. Once you create an account and post an item for sale, you will have to wait for users to bid. The highest bid wins, and you get the money when you ship the item. However, if you would rather avoid the trips that you have to make to the post office, there is always the eBay valet service that will have the platform take care of shipping, in exchange for a percentage of the sale. Overall, the app is great if you have a cluttered house and need to sell a couple dozen items.

4. Make money by playing games on your phone

Everyone plays games on their phone. Whether you do it for a couple of minutes each day, while you’re waiting in line, or for a couple of hours while commuting, if you’ve got a smartphone, chances are that you’ve got a few games installed on it. While most people are aware that certain games try to convince you to spend money on various virtual items and powerups, few actually know how to make money from them. So, here is a great game that you can make money from playing:

• Qriket – Qriket is a chance game where you spin a wheel in order to receive prizes. You can earn anywhere from a few cents to $10 with each spin. Once you install the game you will be rewarded with a certain number of free spins. When you use them up, you can watch short video ads in order to receive more. The best part is that the game also features events where the grand prize is $100. When it comes to cashing out, you will be able to withdraw the money that you’ve earned to your PayPal account, however, you will have to reach at least $25.

Again, these are only a few of the many apps and strategies that you can use in order to make money using your smartphone. More apps are being released each month, however, you should always research them beforehand. While all apps are checked by the Google Play store or the Apple Appstore, these marketplaces rarely actually check to see if people are being tricked by the developing companies.

Also, never install apps from sources other than the official ones. While Google and Apple analyze the apps in their stores, you have no guarantee that the apps that can be found on unofficial websites are safe to use.