Need cash fast? Maybe it's an unexpected bill, a non-uniform day payment you forgot about, or you just fancy a takeaway this week without dipping into next week's budget. Whatever the reason, here are genuine, legit, tried and tested ways to make money in an hour or less, online or from home, right here in the UK.

Make money matched betting

It took me a while to build up the confidence to try matched betting, but after seeing so many bloggers I trusted sharing their results, I gave it a go. I signed up for the free trial with Outplayed, followed their step-by-step guides, and made £45 almost instantly by placing bets on matches that were ending soon.

Encouraged by that, I became a paying member and matched bet for two years, even with limited spare time. I earned almost £5,700 in profit with roughly 30 minutes of work a week.

If you haven't heard of it, matched betting is a way of turning free bets and offers from bookmakers into guaranteed profit, regardless of the result. It sounds complicated, but Outplayed's software and guides walk you through every step, so you don't need to understand the maths yourself. (Outplayed used to be called Profit Accumulator, so it's the same company if that name rings a bell.)

Whether you can make money in your first hour depends on what offers are available when you sign up, but if there are good matches ending soon, it's genuinely possible to get your first profit the same day.

You don't need to fully understand matched betting before starting. Sign up, follow the guides, and it clicks quickly. You can also read more in my matched betting blog if you want to understand the theory first.

Click here for a free trial with Outplayed and start earning

Sell preloved items on Facebook Marketplace

Selling things you no longer need on Facebook Marketplace is one of the fastest ways to turn clutter into cash. Storage tubs, bikes, furniture, tools, homeware and children's toys all tend to sell quickly. (I don't have much luck selling clothes or books there, so I save those for eBay instead.)

Take clear, well-lit photos, write an honest description including dimensions and condition, and price competitively. We've had items collected and paid for within 20 minutes of listing.

Joining local selling groups helps too, since it puts your listing in front of thousands of nearby buyers rather than just your own followers. Some people even post "wanted" requests, so it's worth checking those in case you already have what they're after.

To avoid timewasters, arrange collection straight away rather than leaving it vague. State that you need it collected the same day, and that whoever can get there first gets it. Don't hold an item for someone for more than a day if you need the cash quickly.

Empty your money boxes and cash them in

This one sounds too simple to work, but it adds up faster than you'd think. Keep a money box somewhere visible, like a windowsill, and get into the habit of dropping in your change whenever you have cash on you.

We keep a few going at once, each with its own story: one has our daughter's baby footprints on it, another was decorated by our son, and a third was a gift from a family member for the kids' savings. We drop in everything, from 1ps to £2 coins, without really thinking about it anymore.

The last time we cashed ours in at the bank's coin deposit machine, it came to over £100, far more than we'd guessed. If you can't get to a bank, most large supermarkets have Coinstar-style machines, though these usually take a small percentage as a fee.

Get instant cashouts with survey app Qmee

Qmee is one of the few survey apps that lets you cash out instantly rather than waiting until you hit a minimum threshold. You earn money by completing surveys, shopping online, and searching the web, then withdraw straight to PayPal whenever you like.

How much you make depends entirely on what surveys are available when you check the app, so it's worth dipping in and out throughout the day rather than expecting a fixed amount every time.

Click here to sign up to Qmee

Sign up to mystery shopping apps Roamler and BeMyEye

If there are tasks near you, mystery shopping apps can pay out for jobs that take just a few minutes each.

Roamler pays you to complete small local tasks, like photographing store displays or checking prices, usually assigned by local businesses or brands. Payment lands in your Roamler account, ready to cash out via PayPal or bank transfer. If you're in the UK, use invite code lyliarose when you sign up.

BeMyEye works similarly, covering tasks like checking product availability, taking photos, or giving feedback on displays, with bonuses for completing tasks within a set time. Payment is via PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards. Use invitation code 0rg1zy to get £1 free after your first completed mission.

Click here to sign up to BeMyEye

Both apps are free on iOS and Android. Create an account, complete your profile, and wait for task notifications with instructions and a deadline attached.

Take part in free money offers

There are dozens of genuine ways to get free cash from companies, often just for signing up, no spending required. I keep a regularly updated list of them in my free money post.

Some of these pay out instantly, while others take a little longer depending on ID checks or account activation. Either way, it's worth working through the list, since a handful of quick sign-ups can add up to real money for very little effort.

Which method actually gets you cash the fastest?

If you need money in your hand as fast as possible, selling something on Facebook Marketplace is usually your quickest route, especially if you can arrange same-day collection. Matched betting comes a close second if there are good offers live when you sign up. And if you've got a money box lying around, raiding it is instant, no waiting required.

If you've got longer than an hour to play with, it's worth exploring my guide on how to make an extra £1000 in a month instead, since some of the bigger wins there just need more than 60 minutes to pay off.

Want more ways to make money?

Check out 60 ways to make money online that I've personally tried and tested, or if sharing offers with friends is more your thing, take a look at these refer-a-friend schemes.

Heard of Swagbucks? Here's how to earn free gift cards with Swagbucks, including PayPal cash payouts.