Tax refunds are one of the nicer parts of tax season. They can be helpful in paying bills and expenses, paying off a loan, or putting away funds for a rainy day. But tax refunds do take some time to come in.

If you are waiting on a tax refund but have bills that need to be paid off soon, you might be wondering what you can do. Here are some ways you can get extra money in the meantime.

Budgeting chart with savings goals for better financial planning

Ways to Make Extra Money While You Wait for Your Tax Refund

If you need funds before your tax refund is expected to arrive, here are some ways you can get some funds quickly:

  • Sell Items You Don’t Need – If you have some valuable belongings that you have not touched for a long while, consider selling them. Those items could earn you a bit of money, and those funds could be used to tide you over by selling them on eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or by having a yard sale.
  • Advertise Using Your Vehicle – You could make some extra funding with the most minimal amount of effort by signing up with services like Carvertise. Get paid to drive around like you normally would with advertisements on your vehicle.
  • Deliver Takeout or Groceries – By signing up with services like UberEats or DoorDash, you could get paid for picking up and delivering takeout food or groceries that people order. Plus, you will get to do this for a multitude of restaurants or retailers rather than just being a delivery driver for one business.
  • Be a Secret Shopper – In recent years, services have popped up that will pay you to shop at certain establishments. Your job would be to anonymously shop and report on their customer service or store cleanliness. This can usually include all kinds of benefits – even money.
  • Do Online Work – If you have a bit of time and energy to spare, then another way you could make a bit of extra scratch is by doing online work. Sites such as mTurk will pay you for doing various online activities that don’t usually require prior knowledge. However, keep in mind that you need to do several of them in order to generate significant income.
  • Take Part in Paid Focus Groups – Another way to make a bit of quick money is by getting in on a paid focus group. This will take an hour or two, but you can get paid to give your opinion on a product, commercial, game, movie, TV show, and so much more.

Apply for Extra Money Through a Loan While You Wait for Your Tax Refund

Another way that you may be able to get the funding you need to tide you over while waiting for your tax refund is a loan. Depending on your credit score, credit history and income, you could be able to access various types of credit to get access to funds:

  • Tax refund advance loan: tax refund advance loans are usually offered through a tax preparation provider or tax preparation platform such as Jackson Hewitt or Turbotax. They usually require that the applicant can prove they are entitled to a refund from the IRS. The size of the loan amount may primarily depend on the amount of the expected tax refund.
  • Personal loan: personal loans are usually unsecured, and can be obtained regardless of an applicant’s confirmed eligibility for a tax refund. Depending on the credit history of the applicant, a loan from a bank or credit union, or a loan from a bad-credit loan provider may be a better fit. Even though personal loans aren’t directly tied to a pending tax refund, they can be used to bridge the time between
  • Title loan: a title loan serviced by LoanMart can be a fast and easy way to access funds if you own a paid-off or nearly paid-off vehicle.1 A title loan is a secured loan that’s primarily designed for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit. While title loans are not specifically intended to provide funds to customers until they receive their tax refund, they can certainly be used for that purpose.

Car title loans serviced by LoanMart are available in several states. Whether you live in Cincinnati OH, El Paso TX, Simi Valley CA, or in another one of the thousands of cities serviced by LoanMart, an auto title loan could cover your cash shortfall until your IRS check arrives.1

Get Funds Until Your Tax Refund As Soon As Today!1

If you own a car, truck or SUV and need funds quickly until receiving your tax refund, apply today for an auto title loan serviced by LoanMart! Upon approval, you may be able to get your funds as soon as the same-day!1 3 Whether you have bad credit, no bank account or non-traditional income like driving for Uber, a title loan could be the solution to your cash shortfall until your refund arrives!1

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I get an advance on my tax refund now?

You may be able to get an advance on an expected tax refund through a tax refund advance loan. Alternative borrowing options can also be available, even though they may not be designed specifically for that purpose.

How to get an immediate tax refund?

If you are entitled to a tax refund, the process is usually not instant or immediate. However, the IRS recommends to use e-filing in combination with direct deposit for the fastest processing possible.