A financial emergency can happen without warning. It can be a stressful situation, and you may feel stuck without any financial resources. But you do have options to get emergency cash fast!

Here are four quick ways to help you get fast cash now.

Sell Some of Your Possessions

If you have a lot of stuff you don’t use and can live without, you may want to consider selling things that can quickly generate the cash you need. If you have lots of decorative items, housewares, books, toys, sports equipment, etc., there are very popular platforms for selling just about anything, such as eBay, Poshmark, or Facebook Marketplace. To make your items appealing, be sure to post nice pictures and write detailed descriptions. Remember, items won’t sell at the same price you paid for them when they were new. So, price them reasonably, and be flexible. Make it easy for people to buy things quickly. For safety, meet the buyers in public places, never at your home or theirs. See advisories for avoiding scams. To control your selling costs, if your buyer lives far away, be aware of travel or shipping costs.

Borrow Money from a Family Member or Friend

Ask a friend or relative to loan you the money you need. We know that it can feel very awkward to ask someone close to you to lend you money, even if you know they’re glad to do it for you. But if you need cash quickly, borrowing from family or friends may be the most reliable option for getting a fast loan. Loved ones are also usually less likely to charge you interest, so you may be able to borrow the money free from that cost. Plus, friends and family might be more understanding and patient than a lender if you take longer than agreed to pay them back. But, if you fail to pay back the money on time, your most important relationships could be damaged. To prevent serious misunderstandings, be sure that you both agree very clearly on the repayment terms. Write out a loan agreement. Putting it in writing clarifies and firmly establishes the repayment terms.

Take a Side Job Where You Can Earn Money Fast

You might think this idea doesn’t make sense because you need money now, and you’re being advised to go out and look for a job. But, there are abundant real opportunities to earn money quickly. For example:

• Do some quick projects. There is a constant flow of new job orders on the reputable skilled labor platform at HomeAdvisor Powered by Angi. Everyone can find quick job tasks that match their skills. Maybe you can do house painting, lawn mowing, house cleaning, window washing, etc., or bigger projects like installations, roofing work, etc. (The bustling site has processed over 100 million service requests.)
• Make food deliveries. You can start delivering anytime with Uber Eats or DoorDash. Contactless deliveries are now the popular mode of transaction through the service. So, if you enjoy driving, you can simply start making a few or a lot of pickups and deliveries and earn whenever you have time to take some food delivery orders.
• Provide ride service. Drive for Lyft or Uber. Data indicates that the average Lyft driver is currently making over $200 per month. It’s a little less at Uber, about $150. But, if you want to pick up some cash quickly, you can start driving anytime.

Apply for a Personal Loan

The easiest and fastest way to get cash quickly is to take a personal loan. Some personal loans are unsecured, while others are secured by listing collateral. Before you take a personal loan, be sure to do your research to clearly understand the type of loan you agree to take and choose a reputable lender that fits your current needs and credit status.