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What is beer money?
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Beer money is the small, extra cash you pick up on the side: a few bucks from cashback, a couple more from scanning receipts, a little from answering surveys while you watch TV. It won't pay your rent. It will cover a case of beer on Friday, your share of the bar tab, or the streaming service you keep meaning to cancel.
Where the name comes from
"Beer money" is an old phrase for pocket money: cash for small treats rather than bills. Online, it became the name for a whole category of side income, helped along by r/beermoney, a large Reddit community that has been swapping tips about legit earning apps since 2010.
You won't get rich, but you can get paid a little for things you already do.
What beer money is (and isn't)
Beer money is
- A few bucks a month, up to around a hundred
- Low effort, mostly apps that run in the background or take seconds
- Free to join, always
- A bonus on top of your normal life
Beer money isn't
- A paycheck. It won't replace your income
- A second job. That's freelancing or gig work
- Pay-to-play. Never pay to get started
- Get-rich-quick. Anyone promising that is selling something
The main ways people earn it
Almost every beer money app fits one of these buckets. They're listed roughly from least effort to most.
Cashback on shoppingA percentage back when you shop online through a cashback site.Effort ●●●
Receipts and gasSnap grocery receipts, or get cents back per gallon.Effort ●●●
Passive appsGet paid to share unused internet bandwidth.Effort ●●●
Games and walkingPoints for playing new games or counting steps.Effort ●●●
SurveysA few cents to a few dollars per survey.Effort ●●●
Get-paid-to sitesOffers, surveys, and tasks in one place.Effort ●●●
Paid researchRarer, but the best pay per hour by far.Effort ●●●
So how much is "beer money," really?
For most people, somewhere between a few dollars and roughly a hundred dollars a month. Where you land depends on how much you already spend (cashback scales with your shopping), where you live, and how much time you want to put in. The set-and-forget stuff adds up slowly; the occasional paid study can make a whole month. We break it down in how much can you really make.
How to start in 15 minutes
- Set and forget. Install one cashback extension and one receipt app. You'll earn on purchases you were making anyway.
- Add one thing for downtime. Pick a single survey or get-paid-to site for when you're bored. One is plenty to start.
- Leave a door open for the big ones. Sign up for a paid research site and fill out your profile. When a study lands, it's a nice bonus.
That's it. You can always add more later, but most of the value comes from those first few.
Rules of thumb
Never pay to join. Legit beer money programs are free.
Use a separate email so promos don't bury your real inbox.
Cash out often. Don't let balances pile up anywhere.
Your time has value. Skip anything under about $6 an hour.
Be honest in surveys and profiles. Sites check.
Mind taxes. US earnings are generally taxable; cashback is usually a rebate.
Red flags
Most of the beer money world is legit, but scams love it too.
Walk away from anything that
- Asks you to pay up front to join or "unlock" earnings.
- Pays way too much for simple tasks, like two dollars to read an article.
- Won't let you cash out until you hit $100 or more.
We keep a list of sites we don't list based on what the r/beermoney community reports.
Quick answers
Is beer money legit?
Yes, when you stick to established programs. Many have been paying their users for years. The scams are usually easy to spot once you know the red flags above.
Do I need any special skills?
No. A phone and a few minutes is enough for most of it. Paid research studies sometimes look for specific jobs or experiences, which is a bonus if you have them.
Can beer money turn into real income?
Not really, and that's fine. If you want meaningful income, look at freelancing or gig work. Beer money is for the little extras.