Stripping out one time costs and benefits, earnings were 46 cents per share. That’s better than the 40 cents per share analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research predicted. 

Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. rose more than 8%. Citi analysts suggested Delta may be the best airline with which to ride out the uncertainty in coming months for investors who want to maintain exposure to the travel sector.

“Overall, these results show a carrier with a resilient business model, in light of significant uncertainties around demand and the global tariff controversy,” Stephen Trent of Citi Investment Research wrote in a note to clients. 

Still, the sector has been battered this year as investors, anticipating trouble from rising tariffs, put their money elsewhere. Shares are down 41% this year for the nation’s most profitable airline, which is better than rivals American and United. 

Quarterly operating revenue climbed to $14.04 billion from $13.75 billion, beating Wall Street’s estimate of $13.81 billion. 

The average fuel price per gallon declined to $2.47 from $2.79.

Delta cut its first-quarter earnings and revenue outlook last month, saying at the time that a recent decline in consumer and corporate confidence amid growing uncertainty over the economy was weakening domestic demand.

Delta said in March that it expected first-quarter revenue to rise between 3% and 4% compared with a year earlier, down from projections of 7% and 9%.

In January, Delta released fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street’s profit and revenue estimates, as the company benefited from strong demand during the crucial holiday period.

Yet conditions have deteriorated since then with a burgeoning trade war leaving consumers and businesses unsure about what comes next. Both have begun to pull back on spending, and that includes travel. 

Bastian said Delta foresees June quarter profitability of $1.5 to $2 billion but will not update its full-year outlook “given the lack of economic clarity.” 

The airline previously said that it expected 2025 earnings of more than $7.35 per share and free cash flow of more than $4 billion. At the time the company was expecting strong travel demand to continue, and that has clearly changed. 

A month ago Bastian was confident enough to stick by Delta’s guidance for the year. Speaking at the JPMorgan Industrial Conference, the executive said at the time that Delta was feeling good about where it was at.

“There’s nothing that we’ve been through these last couple of months to indicate there’s any cracks in any of this,” he said. “We anticipate margins continuing to expand and we think margins will expand this year, even with the slower start to the year.”

Yet uncertainty over U.S. trade policy has rattled companies in every economic sector since then. 

Bastian said during Delta’s earnings call on Wednesday that the airline is seeing softness in domestic consumer and business travel given all of the uncertainty. There’s been greater resilience in the international market so far, he added. 

Bastian maintained that given current fuel prices and actions being taken, Delta is “well positioned to deliver solid profitability and meaningful cash flow in 2025.”

For the second quarter, the airline is looking for earnings between $1.70 and $2.30 per share, with total revenue down 2% to up 2%. Analysts surveyed by FactSet predict earnings of $2.21 per share. 

“2025 is playing out differently than we expected at the start of the year,” Delta President Glen Hauenstein said. “As a result, we are adapting to current conditions while staying true to our long-term strategy.”

President Trump’s tariffs have come into effect and we will likely start seeing products get even more expensive as companies pass long these costs to consumers.

All goods coming into the country will have a minimum 10% tariff, with some countries seeing higher rates. On April 9th, everything coming from China will have a 54% tariff. It go even higher still, as Trump has said he will add an additional 25% tariff on any country that buys oil from Venezuela!

According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, it’s estimated that the average household will pay an additional $2,100 per year for the goods they’re already buying.

In the near term, as companies go through existing inventory, we won’t see immediate price increases. But, as time goes by, the cost of tariffs will be pushed onto consumers as businesses will have no other option. This highlights the importance of tightening up your budget so you don’t overspend. These may help.

Here’s what will get more expensive:

All Electronics

We get most of our electronics from other countries – notably China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. All were hit with sizable tariffs and it’s expected that all consumer electronics will get more expensive. Everything from laptops to cell phones to LED light bulbs. Cars, which are basically computers with wheels, will also see a price increase due to increased electronics costs.

Alcohol

Scotch, Irish whisky, French and Italian wines are all products in Europe. The European Union will be facing a 20% tariff by the United Kingdom gets a modest 10% tariff. Importers of those products will face rising tariffs and have no choice but to pass along those increases. If you think domestic producers are cheering, reciprocal tariffs are like to hurt their business too.

Clothing & Footwear

According to to a 2024 report from the American Apparel & Footwear Association, over 97% of all apparel and shoes in the United States is imported. One of the major suppliers is Vietnam, which the Trump Administrator slapped with a 46% tariff.

Furniture

Would it surprise you to learn that 30% to 40% of all furniture sold in the United States is made abroad? If you’ve ever talked to a local carpenter about buying dining room furniture, you’ll realize why so much of it is imported from countries like China and Vietnam. The products you can get locally may be of exceptional quality but they come as such a high price. IKEA is popular not because of its durability but because of price.

Toys

As you’d expect, billions of dollars worth of toys are imported each year from China and Taiwan. The Toy Association estimates that nearly 80% of all toys sold in the United States come from China. As a father to four kids, a quick scan of our disaster of a living room confirms that much of it comes from outside the United States.

Coffee

Coffee had already gotten more expensive the last six months because of inflation, now tariffs are set to make them go up even more. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the United States imports 80% of its coffee beans from Latin America. Brazil and Colombia, two major suppliers, are set to face a 10% tariff.

Chocolate

We get much of our chocolate from Latin America as well. Cocoa beans are a major import and are sourced from countries like Cote d’Ivoire (21% tariff) and Ecuador (10% tariff). If you want to get more of that rich sweet chocolate, expect to pay more for it.

Every month, the Conference Board surveys Americans and produces a Consumer Confidence Survey that details how Americans feel about their economic prospects today and into the future.

It captures everything from what people intend to buy, plans for vacations, expectations of inflation, stock prices, and even interest rates. It tries to capture how Americans feel about their present state, known as the Present Situation index, and confidence in the future, known as the Expectations Index.

And the latest figures, from March, showed that Americans were not feeling good about the present or the future.

The Present Situation Index fell by 3.6 points to 134.5.

The Expectations Index fell by 9.6 points to 65.2, which is the lowest it’s been in 12 years which coincides with the Covid pandemic. The index at 80 is sometimes seen as a leading indicator that we’re headed for a recession.

More importantly, according to Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist, Global Indicators at The Conference Board, said “Consumer confidence declined for a fourth consecutive month in March, falling below the relatively narrow range that had prevailed since 2022.” Confidence is low and slowly sinking.

“Meanwhile, consumers’ optimism about future income—which had held up quite strongly in the past few months—largely vanished, suggesting worries about the economy and labor market have started to spread into consumers’ assessments of their personal situations.”

Don’t let the numbers get you down. These are largely surveys of regular Americans, not necessarily experts on the matter, but it does give you a good sense of how everyday Americans are feeling. Inflation has taken a toll and everyone is feeling the pinch of higher prices. The March survey predated the recent carnage in the stock market, so I suspect future months will share even less rosy figures.

While we can never predict whether we enter a recession, it seems prudent to prepare as if we are going to. And even if the broader economy doesn’t, we may be forced out of a job because of a variety of reasons (not to mention tariffs!). It is important to prepare now.

If you don’t yet have a budget, start using one of these free budgeting apps to identify where you can cut if you need to. Make sure you put your emergency fund in a safe high yield savings account so you maximize yield but put none of it at risk. Finally, avoid major purchases. You want to keep a larger than normal cash cushion just in case.

Consumer confidence may be at lows but by playing a bit of defense, you can give yourself some personal confidence that you can weather potential financial storms.

Do you want to earn more money without working long hours or learning new skills? A low effort side hustle can be a good way to make extra income while fitting around your busy life.

Many people think that side hustles require a bunch of time or effort, but there are plenty of options that don’t need much from you. Some of these require only a few minutes of your day, while others can bring in passive income over time.

I have always loved finding easy ways to make extra money. Over the years, I’ve tried many different side hustles, such as getting cash back on things I was already going to buy, playing games on my phone for real money, or renting out items I don’t use often. So, yes, there are many real ways to make extra money and not be tired all the time.

Recommended reading: 40 Best Jobs Where You Work Alone

Best Low Effort Side Hustles

Before I get to my favorite low effort side hustles, let’s quickly talk about what makes a side hustle low effort.

A low effort side hustle may be one that:

• Requires little to no money to get started
• Can be done on a flexible schedule
• Doesn’t need much training or skills
• Has passive or semi-passive income potential

Now, that doesn’t mean that all of these will be easy for everyone (because everyone is different), but you may be able to find one that fits your lifestyle.

1. Take online surveys

Taking online surveys is one of the easiest low effort side hustles from home.

Companies are constantly looking for opinions from people like you and me so that they can improve their products and services, and they pay for it. All you need to do is sign up for survey platforms, complete questionnaires, and earn points that can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.

Some of the survey companies I recommend include:

While each survey may only pay a few cents to a couple of dollars, the earnings can add up. Some people make an extra $50 to $100 per month by consistently taking surveys. If you stack multiple survey sites and take advantage of high-paying opportunities, you can increase your earnings too. I recently wrote about my experience at How I Made $15 in 2 Hours Taking Surveys – Is It Worth It?

The best part about online surveys is that they require almost no effort. You can answer questions while watching TV, waiting in line, or winding down at the end of the day. The questions they ask are super easy, like “How often do you go grocery shopping?” or “What is your favorite TV show?” so they are very easy to do – it’s not like you’re taking a test.

2. Sell stock photos

Stock photos are the pictures that you see within blog posts (I personally use stock photos all the time here on my blog), in brochures, in advertising, on websites, and more. Businesses use these because they need high-quality images.

If you like taking pictures, you may be able to make extra money by doing stock photography. You can take pictures of business settings, food, travel, lifestyle, and more, and upload them to sites like Depositphotos, Shutterstock, and Adobe Stock.

If you enjoy photography or graphic design, you can turn your creativity into passive income by selling stock photos or digital products. Many businesses, bloggers, and content creators are constantly looking for high-quality images and digital tools, and they’re willing to pay for them. Then, every time someone downloads a picture of yours, you can earn a commission.

Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures

3. Use cash back apps

If you’re already spending money on groceries, gas, or online shopping, then you can earn cash back on these same purchases. Cash back and rewards apps make it easy to get money back on everyday expenses with very little effort.

My favorite cash back apps are:

• Upside (get cash back on your gas/fuel purchases)
• Swagbucks (get cash back on most shopping – from groceries to online stores)
• Rakuten (get cash back for online shopping and travel)

I use all three of these cash back sites, and I get cash back all the time. I recently used Upside and received $44 cash back when filling up my car. I used Rakuten recently and got $90 back on a kayak I bought online, and I use Swagbucks for my grocery receipts.

The nice thing about cash back sites is that they require no additional spending. You simply shop as you normally would and earn rewards for doing so. Over time, these small earnings add up, and some people make hundreds of dollars a year just by using these apps consistently.

Recommended reading: 13 Best Cash Back Apps To Make Extra Money

4. Rent out a spare room

Many people have spare space in their homes that they do not use or just fill with clutter. If this is you, then you may want to try renting out the space to someone else.

This is a very low effort side hustle, especially if you don’t mind sharing your home with someone else.

I have rented out extra bedrooms in my home in the past, and I made around $400 per room per month, but this was also in a very low-cost-of-living area. In certain towns and cities, you may be able to earn $1,000+ each month per room that you rent out.

In fact, in a local Facebook group that I’m in, someone is renting out 3 out of the 4 bedrooms they have in their house at $1,250 a room. That means that person is making $3,750 extra each month!

You can learn more about low effort real estate ideas at 23 Best Real Estate Side Hustles To Make Extra Money.

5. Sell print on demand

Print-on-demand is one of the easiest ways to sell custom products without handling inventory or shipping.

This business model allows you to create designs and sell them on items like T-shirts, mugs, and phone cases, and a third-party company prints and ships the products for you.

Sites like Printify handle the fulfillment process (they print and ship the product for you), so you don’t have to worry about managing stock or packaging orders. Your job is simply to create and upload designs, and when a customer places an order (such as on Etsy), the print-on-demand company takes care of the rest.

This side hustle is perfect for anyone who enjoys graphic design or has a knack for creating catchy slogans. The more designs you upload, the higher your chances of making sales. Since everything is handled automatically, print-on-demand is a great way to earn passive income with very little ongoing effort.

I recommend signing up for the free workshop How to Make Money with Print-On-Demand. In this training, you’ll learn how one business owner made $500,000 in two years selling gifts, the best types of products to sell to maximize your earnings, and how to start this side hustle on Etsy.

Recommended reading: How I Make $7,500 Monthly Selling Print-On-Demand Gifts

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Want to learn how to make money selling print-on-demand products on Etsy? Check out this free workshop and learn how Emily made $500,000 in just two years.

6. Mystery shopping

Mystery shopping is an easy and fun side hustle for beginners where you give your feedback on stores, restaurants, or customer service experiences.

Companies hire mystery shoppers to visit locations and evaluate cleanliness, employee behavior (did the employee say hello when you entered the store or help you at all?), and overall experience.

There are several mystery shopping platforms, such as BestMark, that connect shoppers with paid opportunities.

Mystery shoppers typically receive $10 to $50 per assignment, and some gigs even reimburse purchases, making it a great way to get free meals, groceries, or products while earning cash.

I have done many, many mystery shopping jobs over the years. From phone call mystery shops to fine dining and department store evaluations, I have probably done well over 100 mystery shops over the years. I have always liked doing these because the questions you answer in the assignment afterwards are very easy to answer, and you can get free things as well (such as free food). I’ve also been on the other end as well – I worked at a retail store when I was younger, and we would have mystery shoppers come in and evaluate us.

Recommended reading: 10 Best Mystery Shopping Companies To Work For

7. Pet sit in your own home

If you love animals, pet sitting can be an enjoyable and stress-free way to make money (as long as the pets are easy, of course – and you can even be picky and choose who you want to accept).

Many pet owners prefer leaving their pets in a home environment rather than a kennel when they travel. By selling pet-sitting services in your home, you can get paid to watch dogs, cats, or other pets without having to leave your house.

Dog walking websites like Rover and Wag make it easy to set up a profile and start accepting pet-sitting gigs. You can set your own rates, choose which pets you’re comfortable watching, and even decide whether you want to do overnight stays or just daily check-ins. On average, pet sitters make $15 to $50 per pet per night, with rates increasing for additional services like dog walking or medication administration.

If you have the space and love caring for animals, this side hustle is a way to earn money with minimal effort, as most of your time will be spent simply hanging out with pets.

I have hired many pet sitters in the past, and I always only booked sitters who had fenced-in backyards, and I would actually ask them to not walk my dogs (because my dogs were not great walkers with other people – only me). So, I often had pet sitters who worked from home and just hung out with my dogs all day – and they always said it was one of their easier pet-sitting gigs.

Now, I do want to say that pet sitting isn’t always easy! Some dogs can be very difficult, untrained, and a lot of work. But, you can always interview your potential clients to make sure it’s a good fit for you. In fact, one of my favorite dog sitters had an extensive interview process – first by PDF where you filled out a questionnaire, then by phone, then in-person, before she agreed to watch your dogs. This way she could make sure it was a good fit for her lifestyle.

8. Play games on your phone

Believe it or not, you can actually make money by playing games on your phone. Certain apps pay people with cash, gift cards, or prizes for playing mobile games.

I have personally been able to make $302 in one week by playing games on my phone. You can learn more about my experience at How I Made $302.80 Playing Games on My Phone (In One Week).

My favorite game apps are:

This side hustle is perfect for anyone who likes to play games on their phone and wants to turn their hobby into a small way to make more money (it’s definitely not a full-time job, but it can make you $100+ each month). It requires no upfront investment and can be done whenever you have free time, making it one of the most effortless ways to make money.

You can learn more at 23 Best Game Apps To Win Real Money.

9. Deliver food

Food delivery services are extremely popular, and they are one of the most flexible ways to earn extra money.

Companies like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart allow you to choose your own hours and work whenever it’s convenient for you.

The process is simple: sign up for an app, accept delivery requests, pick up food or groceries, and drop them off at the customer’s location (such as their house). You can work as little or as much as you want, making this side hustle great for people who just want to work when they can fit it into their schedule.

You can apply to deliver food on DoorDash here.

10. Own vending machines

Vending machines are a way to make passive income that requires little effort once set up.

The idea is simple: buy a vending machine, stock it with snacks or drinks (or you can even get more creative and do things like baby items, fishing tackle, or makeup), place it in a high-traffic area (you’ll have to get permission of course), and collect earnings.

While vending machines require an initial investment – typically $1,000 to $5,000 per machine – they can earn $100 to $1,000+ per month depending on the location. Good locations include office buildings, schools, gyms, and shopping centers.

Once you place your vending machine at the location, they don’t require a lot of maintenance or work, other than restocking and occasional servicing (for example, if it breaks).

You can learn more at How I Make $7,000 Monthly With A Vending Machine Business.

11. Transcription work

If you can type quickly and accurately, transcription work is an easy way to make money from home. Transcribers listen to audio recordings and type them into written text for businesses, legal professionals, or content creators.

Websites like Rev and TranscribeMe list flexible transcription jobs that usually pay around 30 cents to $1 per audio minute (this is different from each minute on a normal clock FYI, so the pay actually ends up being around $15 to $20 per hour).

While transcription requires some focus because you have to listen, it doesn’t require specialized skills beyond good typing speed and attention to detail.

You can learn how to find jobs at 18 Best Online Transcription Jobs For Beginners To Make $2,000 Monthly.

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In this free training, you will learn what transcription is, why it’s a highly in-demand skill, who hires transcriptionists, how to become a transcriptionist, and more.

12. Sell printables on Etsy

Selling digital printables on Etsy is one of the best ways to earn semi-passive income.

Printables like planners, meal organizers, thank-you cards, and budgeting worksheets are in high demand, and once listed, they require little ongoing work. Yes, there is work to create the printables and list them, but after you are done with that part, it is a fairly low effort side hustle to continue to make money with the same printables.

Some Etsy sellers make $500 to $5,000 per month selling digital downloads. And, there’s no need to worry about inventory or shipping, making it an extremely low-effort way to make money online.

I recommend signing up for the free training How To Earn Money Selling Printables. You’ll learn printable ideas, how to get started on Etsy, and how to actually make sales.

You can learn more at How I Made $6,161 in Just 4 Months With a New Etsy Printables Shop.

Do you want to make money selling printables online? This free training will give you great ideas on what you can sell, how to get started, the costs, and how to make sales.

13. Scan your grocery receipts

If you do grocery shopping regularly (doesn’t everyone?), why not earn money from it?

The process is simple: Take a picture of your receipt, upload it to the app, and earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards or cash. This is truly an almost zero-effort way to earn $5 to $20 per month just by doing your regular shopping.

My two favorite receipt-scanning apps are Fetch Rewards and Ibotta. I use both of these apps for every single one of my grocery receipts. I have personally been using these two receipt-scanning apps for years now – I love how easy they are to use and how you can earn points or cash while barely spending any time. Plus, I already have the receipts (it’s printed receipts or e-receipts they accept) – so it’s nice to make some extra money by doing almost nothing.

Recommended reading: 14 Best Apps To Scan Receipts for Money

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With this app, you can scan your grocery receipts (from any grocery store or wholesale club, any time) and earn free gift cards. It is free to sign up and easy to use.

14. Rent out your RV

If you own an RV, renting it out on platforms like RVshare can make you $50 to $250 per night (it depends on the type of RV you have and what rate you list it at).

Many people rent RVs for road trips but don’t want the cost of ownership. My sister and her husband have rented RVs in the past from online sites before, and they are actually preparing to do it again this year too because they have enjoyed it so much.

By listing your RV when you’re not using it, you can make passive income without much work. If you’re like most people and have an RV that sits without being used, this can be an easy way to make extra money.

You can click here to learn more about renting out your RV on RVshare.

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RVshare is one of the best money-making sites because it helps travelers save money by cutting out the middleman and offering RV rentals directly from RV owners. If you have an RV that is sitting around, then you may be able to make $100 to $300+ a day.

15. Sell recyclables

Recycling can be a great way to earn extra cash while helping the environment. You can sell cans, scrap metal, or even old electronics for money.

Many people collect recyclables from their own households or even from neighbors.

You can learn more at 11 Ways To Make Money Recycling.

16. Rent out baby gear

Traveling parents usually need baby gear, and platforms like BabyQuip allow you to rent out strollers, car seats, hiking carriers, toys, and cribs for extra income.

This is a great low-maintenance side hustle that requires little effort beyond maintaining and cleaning the gear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to common questions about low effort side hustles.

What is the easiest side hustle to start?

The easiest side hustles to start depend on you, as everyone is different. Some easy ones that I like include answering online surveys, using cash back apps, renting out unused stuff you have (like a spare bedroom or even baby items), playing games on your phone, and owning vending machines.

How can I make money with minimal effort?

You can make money with minimal effort in many ways such as selling recyclables, owning vending machines, answering surveys, and even having dividend-paying stocks.

What is the best passive income for beginners?

The best passive income for beginners is something that requires little time, investment, and effort to start. I personally think selling digital products like printables, templates, or stock photos is a good and easy option because you only need to create the product once, and you can then sell it repeatedly. Another good passive income idea for beginners is, if you have extra space, renting out a room on Airbnb or storage space on Neighbor. If you’re interested in investing, dividend stocks or high-yield savings accounts can help you earn money with little maintenance as well.

How can I make money barely working?

If you want to make money and barely work, you’ll want to focus on passive income and low-maintenance side hustles like selling digital products on Etsy, renting out extra space, investing in dividend stocks, and saving your money in high-yield savings accounts.

Low Effort Side Hustles – Summary

I hope you enjoyed my article on the best low effort side hustles to make extra money.

I’ve always loved finding easy ways to make extra money without adding stress to my life. Whether it’s answering surveys, using cash back apps, selling digital products, or renting out things you already own, there are so many ways to increase your income without putting in a ton of effort and even on your own schedule.

Even if you only have a few extra minutes each day, there are ways to make some extra money, which can be very helpful.

What do you think is the best low effort side hustle idea?

Recommended reading:

An NDP government would back low-interest mortgages for first-time buyers, Singh said at a campaign stop in Port Moody, B.C., on March 30. He offered few details.

The NDP has also pledged nationwide rent control. At a Halifax campaign stop, Singh said his party would make federal housing grants for provinces conditional on tenant protections and pass a renters’ bill of rights that would apply across Canada. He said it would also ban “renovictions” (evicting tenants under the pretense of major renovations) and fixed-term lease agreements.

Currently, different provinces and municipalities have a patchwork of rent control measures. They are controversial; economists and business groups argue that they are counterproductive in the long term because they take away the incentive for developers to build more rental housing and for landlords to maintain housing stock as rental property.

Canadian issues: Inflation

NDP leader Singh has promised to bring in emergency price caps on food staples such as pasta, frozen vegetables and baby formula. He also pledged higher taxes on grocery chain profits and tighter regulations in the sector. The party aims to permanently remove the GST on “essentials” including grocery-store meals, diapers and strollers, as well as phone, internet and heating bills.

Canadian issues: Retirement

The Conservatives have proposed raising the age at which you must wrap up your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) and convert it to a registered retirement income fund (RRIF) or annuity to 73 from 71. The party has promised to keep the retirement age at 65 for programs such as Old Age Security (OAS), the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

The NDP has vowed to raise the GIS for low-income seniors, but it hasn’t specified by how much.

The Liberals announced one-time measures to help seniors cope with the market volatility brought on by American tariff policy. It says it will reduce the minimum amount seniors must withdraw this year from their RRIF accounts and it will boost the GIS by 5%, again just for 2025. The latter move will increase individuals’ GIS payments for the year by up to $652.

Canadian issues: Investing

The Conservatives have proposed to increase the TFSA contribution limit by $5,000 for funds invested in Canadian equities. The policy harkens back to the 1990s and earlier, when RRSP contributions only qualified for a deduction if invested in Canada. There are issues with such policies in practice, however. The Canadian markets feature companies that are domiciled outside Canada, like Franco Nevada, and many Canadian-based companies have most of their operations and employment outside the country. Conversely, there are Canadian companies that are listed only on foreign stock exchanges, such as Lululemon, that presumably would not qualify.

In early April, Goldman Sachs raised its forecast of a U.S. recession in the next 12 months to 45%. J.P. Morgan saw a 60% chance of a global recession.

Consumer sentiment in the United States is the lowest it has been in years and inflation has taken a big bite out of everyone’s spending power over these last few years.

If you’re concern about a recession, there are a few steps you can take right now to better prepare for it.

Fully Fund Your Emergency Fund

In a recession, your greatest fear is that you lose your job. While you still have a job, now is the time to try to maximize the savings in your emergency fund because that will be your lifeline if you are fired. You want to save at least six months of expenses, preferably twelve, and adjust based on how likely you are to be let go. Some industries are more recession resistant than others.

Change Banks for a Bonus

Banks will pay you big bonuses to switch, take advantage of these offers so you can add a little bit extra to your emergency fund. A quick cash infusion, especially while you have a job and can move your direct deposit, could give you that extra boost to help navigate difficult times. Just remember to hold a little extra back to cover taxes as the bonuses are reported as interest.

Cut Unnecessary Expenses

If you have discretionary spending that you can cut, now’s the time to do it. This might mean cooking more at home, skipping everyday luxuries, and just tightening up the purse strings a little bit (here’s a list of ways to save money). It’s only temporary, until the fear of a recession subsides, and use that extra cash to build up your emergency fund.

Develop a Bare-Bones Budget

Once you’ve cut some of the “extra” stuff from your budget, develop a “worst case” budget. If you don’t have a budget, use one of these free budgeting apps to set one up. One where you’ve cut everything possible, while maintaining your sanity, that you can use if you do lose your job or your income drops significantly. Having a bottom line budget is crucial for these times because it’ll help you understand the lowest possible number you need to cover.

Diversify Income

If you have the ability to pick up side gigs or freelance work, look for ways to add income streams. If you do lose your job, these can be a small lifeline to help cover your expenses. If you don’t, this extra income can help bolster your financial position. Either way, it’s a win.

Declutter and Sell Stuff

You probably have stuff in your home right now that you no longer need, such as selling clothes. Consider selling it so that you can declutter a bit but also raise additional funds that you can use to boost your emergency fund. We all have extra stuff in our house we don’t use anymore, time to turn it into something we do use – cash.

Avoid New Debt

If you’ve been thinking about buying a new car or taking on some other large loan, put a pause on that for now. You don’t want to commit yourself to anything new on the expense side of the ledger if you’re concerned you might lose your job. The last thing you need is a bigger drag on your finances.

Don’t Panic Sell Investments

Avoid panic selling investments, especially after the recently tariff related fall, because recessions often cause volatility and it’s impossible to predict what will happen. A recession may not be in our near future and selling now would take you out of the market. Don’t let the market swings impact your decisions, keep a long term view.

Plan for the future

Develop an emergency plan for what you will do if certain financial disasters strike. If you lose your job, where you will you got to file for unemployment benefits, what steps will you take to look for a new job (refresh the resume, update your Linkedin, reach out to your network), and begin making preparations now. You may not need the plans (hopefully!) but it helps to have them in place.

Double Check Your Insurance

Check your insurance policy coverages to ensure you have the proper amount. This may mean you have too little or too much, so confirming the amounts is critical. You can also use this time to shop around, to see if you can get a better deal, or simply ask your insurance agent if there are discounts you qualify for but haven’t yet gotten. You may be surprised at what they say.

Nurture Your Support Network

Your friends and family are very important in turbulent times and it’s important to nurture those relationships and remember that everyone is going through this together. If you don’t often talk about the economy or careers, now is a good time to bring that up. Community is very important during volatile periods and nurturing yours could provide positive emotional benefits.

Orlic agrees in that “there’s nothing wrong with using an ETF to get exposure to a certain area like the bond market.”

However, considering all that’s happening in the economy right now with tariffs, interest rates and inflation, she said a bond mutual fund might not be a bad idea. 

“There’s a lot of moving parts and there’s a lot of interesting ways you can trade that and actually actively outperform an ETF if you invest with a good actively managed fund,” she said. 

What are active funds?

Active funds means the manager is updating the composition as market dynamics change, while ETFs are a more static basket of holdings, but the greater involvement of the active funds means they also generally charge higher fees.

When setting up her younger clients, Orlic said she might go for a hybrid solution. Money that might be needed in the short-term would be invested in a high-interest savings account or guaranteed investment certificate while money invested for the long term would be put into an ETF.

Regardless of whether you choose an ETF or mutual fund, it’s crucial to learn about what’s in the investment. 

The prospectus and fact sheet can give you an overview including the top holdings in the fund, the geography of the issuers, the investment grade of the debt, previous fund performance and how risky it is. Funds that hold government debt will typically be lower risk while ones that hold corporate debt are higher risk.

“I always look at volume traded every day, too, because you don’t want something that doesn’t trade very often,” Orlic said. 

One Finance recently rebranded to OnePay and are now offering a $125 cash bonus through Rakuten.

OnePay is a fintech company that works with Coastal Community Bank and Lead Bank (both Member FDIC) to offer banking services. They offer OnePay Cash, which comes with a debit card that offers cash back, no monthly fees, and 3.75% APY on your savings with you use OnePay Cash+ (requires $500+ monthly direct deposit and $5,000+ balance).

If you open an account through Rakuten and meet certain conditions, they’ll send you $125.

How to get $125 from OnePay

This bonus is offered through Rakuten, not from OnePay directly, and so you will need to sign up for a Rakuten account if you don’t already have one. If you use my referral link, you will get an extra $30 cash back when you fulfill this offer.

Once you have an account, go to OnePay page on Rakuten and review the terms. To get cashback, you have to open an account and complete a direct deposit of $500+ within 45 days of signup. The qualifying first direct deposit must be an automatic payment method, such as a paycheck, gig platform payments, retirement payments, or government benefits. Person to person transfers like Venmo or PayPal won’t count nor will an ACH or debit card funding.

If you run into any problems, you need to reach out to Rakuten for the bonus as it’s being offered through them, not OnePay.

Remember, if you use this referral link, it’s an extra $30 in cash back.

👉 See the OnePay offer on Rakuten

How does this bonus compare?

The cash back bonus offer on this varies throughout the year, probably based on how badly OnePay needs new customers. I’ve seen it as high as $250 and $200, so $125 is a bit on the lower side.

For a single $500 direct deposit, the offer is OK. You may want to wait until it’s a bit higher or, if you don’t feel like waiting, pull the trigger now.

Here are some other offers:

Keep calm and avoid panic selling

Michael Pate, senior portfolio manager at Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc., says he’s been helping calm clients and reminding them that a balanced portfolio means they’re not taking the brunt of the equity losses in the news. “It’s just a matter of talking them off the ledge and reminding them they have an asset allocation for a reason.”

For those who are truly losing sleep over the portfolio losses, he advises trimming their equity exposure to ease the stress, but he also emphasizes the importance of not panic selling and instead riding through the volatility. “If you need to sell something, sell something and just reduce down, sell it to the sleeping point, so you can sleep at night and know you’ve done something.”

The market is still digesting the shock of tariffs that, as Pate notes, were not based on the tariffs of other countries but on a formula that “made absolutely no sense. It was made up out of thin air.”

But at some point, there will have to be some give on tariffs, he said. “I just have a hard time seeing Trump flying the plane into the mountain, like, at some point he’s going to lift up. Somebody will get a hold of things and calm it down.”

Avoid making decisions based on short-term swings

As the situation eases, investors could take a look at their allocations, but such decisions shouldn’t be made because of short-term swings.

“You don’t make major changes to your asset allocation because of what’s happening over a two-day period or a two-month period or even a five- or six-month period,” said Pate. “As long as you’re systematically changing that as you go over time, you’re constantly coming back to the right level.”

While Trump’s policies are creating dramatic threats to global trade that are resulting in serious recession fears, Maiorino said it’s important to remember to focus on the long term.

“Every time you’re in the midst of this type of market volatility, it feels different than the time before and the time before that,” he said. “We’re looking at a long-term view and these things will work themselves through.”

The IRS estimates that there is over a billion dollars in unclaimed funds owed to a million taxpayers.

Yes. A million people who were eligible for a stimulus check did not get one.

All because they didn’t file their 2021 tax return.

If you didn’t get a stimulus check in 2021 but were eligible for one, you have until tax day in 2025 to file your 2021 tax return and get it as a Recovery Rebate Credit. As of this writing, that day is a mere eight days away – April 15th, 2025.

When the stimulus check was issued, it was only sent to people who had filed their 2021 tax return and known by the IRS to be eligible for it. If you didn’t file a 2021 tax return, the IRS didn’t know you should’ve gotten a check. Even if you were eligible, you didn’t get one because the IRS didn’t know!

Many citizens don’t file tax returns for a variety of reasons – low income, living off Social Security or other benefits, lack of stable housing, or some other reason. But if you don’t file, you couldn’t get the check.

Fortunately, you have five years to file a tax return. If you were due a refund, which is how the stimulus check is treated under tax law, you forfeit refunds over three years old.

By filing today, if eligible, you could get a check that’s due to you.

If you don’t file a return and were eligible, there’s no way to get the check.

Who was eligible?

First, you have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien with a Social Security number and you are not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.

Next, you were eligible for the full stimulus check if your adjusted gross income (AGI) was:

• Single filers – $75,000 or less
• Head of household – $112,500 or less
• Married filing jointly – $150,000 or less

If you earned more than that, you could still get a partial stimulus check because the amount was phased out.

You also received additional funds for qualifying dependent children of $1,400 each. This was a big jump from previous checks, which added only $500/$600 for qualifying dependent children under 17.

Who should check their eligible?

If you didn’t receive a check and believe you fall within those income and eligibility limits, you should check to see if you were eligible.

If you don’t remember, you can check to see if you received one at the IRS website.

How to file your 2021 tax return now

You can still file your 2021 tax return with many of the same tax preparation services you would use for your 2025 return. They are equipped to file prior year returns and you can do it online.

This list of the low cost tax preparation services works for 2025 and 2021, though you will have to navigate through the tax company’s website to find the right forms.

If you need assistance, you can always rely on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program from the IRS.

Act quickly

As I mentioned earlier, there is very little time because you forfeit refunds if you don’t file within three years.