Top 5 Hustles to Earn Quick Money and Why Citizen Journalism Is Changing the Game

When people think of “quick money,” they often imagine risky shortcuts or unrealistic promises. In reality, the fastest ways to earn money usually come from using what you already have: your time, your skills, your surroundings, and your awareness of the world around you.

Today’s economy rewards speed, access, and information. Here are five legitimate hustles that people are using right now and why citizen journalism platforms like PressHop are redefining what earning looks like.

1. Gig-Based Local Work

Delivery apps, ride services, and short-term task platforms offer near-immediate income. These hustles trade flexibility for effort, but they work because they don’t require prior experience, credentials, or long approval processes. Once approved, you can usually start earning within days.

Popular platforms include:

• Uber & Uber Eats – https://www.uber.com

• Deliveroo – https://www.deliveroo.co.uk

• Just Eat – https://www.just-eat.co.uk

• DoorDash – https://www.doordash.com

• Lyft – https://www.lyft.com

These platforms are ideal for people who want predictable earnings based on time spent. Busy hours, weekends, events, and bad weather often increase payouts, making them a reliable short-term hustle.

2. Reselling What You Already Own

Unused electronics, clothes, furniture, and household items can be turned into cash quickly through online marketplaces. This isn’t always recurring income, but it’s one of the simplest ways to raise money fast without leaving home.

Popular resale platforms include:

• Facebook Marketplace – https://www.facebook.com/marketplace

• eBay – https://www.ebay.co.uk

• Vinted – https://www.vinted.co.uk

• Depop – https://www.depop.com

• Gumtree – https://www.gumtree.com

  
  

  

Many people underestimate how much value they already have sitting around. Phones, trainers, branded clothing, gaming consoles, baby items, and small furniture often sell within hours if priced well.

3. Freelancing Small, Practical Skills

You don’t need to be a specialist to earn through freelancing. Writing short captions, editing basic videos, organising inboxes, creating simple designs, or managing spreadsheets are all skills people pay for daily.

Popular freelance platforms include:

• Fiverr – https://www.fiverr.com

• Upwork – https://www.upwork.com

• Freelancer – https://www.freelancer.com

• PeoplePerHour – https://www.peopleperhour.com

  
  

Micro-tasks add up quickly, especially when you’re paid per job instead of per hour. While building reviews can take some time, once momentum kicks in, freelancing can become a strong and scalable side income.

4. Reward, Cashback, and Loyalty Apps

Reward and cashback apps won’t replace a full income, but they can generate consistent side money through everyday actions like shopping, subscribing, or completing simple tasks. Think of them as “background earnings” rather than a primary hustle.

Popular platforms include:

• TopCashback – https://www.topcashback.co.uk

• Rakuten – https://www.rakuten.com

• Honey – https://www.joinhoney.com

• Swagbucks – https://www.swagbucks.com

Used consistently, these apps help offset everyday expenses and free up money elsewhere.

5. Citizen Journalism: Getting Paid for What You Witness

This is where things truly change.

Every single day, ordinary people witness moments that the public needs to see — breaking news, public incidents, protests, emergencies, transport disruptions, extreme weather, celebrity sightings, or once-in-a-lifetime events. Traditionally, only professional journalists and media crews could monetise being in the right place at the right time.

PressHop changes that.

PressHop is a citizen-based journalism app that allows everyday people to upload photos and videos of real-world events directly to a marketplace used by news publishers. Once uploaded, each piece of content goes through verification and is protected before being made available to the press. If a publisher buys it, you get paid.

• There’s no need for followers.

• No need for expensive equipment.

• No need for journalism experience.

You don’t pitch editors or chase newsrooms. You simply capture what’s happening, upload it safely on the app, add context, and let PressHop handle the rest.

What makes PressHop powerful is that it doesn’t reward content creation in the traditional sense. It rewards presence and awareness. Being alert while commuting, attending events, walking through busy streets, or simply being out in your city can turn into an earning opportunity when something newsworthy unfolds.

Publishers rely on PressHop because it gives them:

• Faster access to real-time moments

• Verified, first-hand content

• Coverage from places traditional crews can’t reach in time

For contributors, it creates a new kind of hustle one where everyday life itself becomes the opportunity.

PressHop empowers people to earn not by staging content, but by documenting reality - ethically, transparently, and responsibly. Quick money doesn’t always come from working more hours. Sometimes it comes from recognising value in the moment.

As the media landscape evolves, citizen journalism is becoming one of the most powerful hustles available. Not because it’s flashy, but because truth, timing, and trust always matter.

And platforms that respect those values aren’t just creating side hustles. They’re shaping the future of work.