Need a little extra cash in a hurry? Follow these steps and you're bound to have a fuller pocket by the end of the week. It may not be much, and it may not be reliable, but your options are limited if you're short on time. Later, you can read up on long-term ways to make money. Otherwise, hurry up and follow these steps so you can make money ASAP!
Steps
1. Consider day labor. There are employment agencies that specialize in this type of arrangement, and you can get paid at the end of the workday. The jobs you find through an agency can vary, but are usually in construction, factories, offices, and manufacturing. An alternative to finding day labor is to go where other day laborers meet (usually street corners or parking lots) and wait for employers (building contractors, landscapers, home owners and small business owners). If you go the non-agency route, you might get paid in cash. You can also check your local newspaper or internet classifieds to find quick labor gigs, like painting, mowing, or moving work. When considering a day labor opportunity, keep in mind that less formal arrangements could result in you not getting paid or worse, you getting injured without any kind of compensation.
2. Sell something. Sell that old guitar you never play, those CDs you don't listen to anymore, or your baseball cards even. Go to the pawnshop, put an ad on local internet classifieds, or hold a yard sale in front of your house or on a busy street corner (just display the item with a big sign announcing the ridiculously low price). Price items at half of what somebody would be able to buy them for anywhere else, and you may be able to sell them within an hour or two.
3. Open a lemonade stand. Especially if you're a kid, a lemonade stand or baked goods stand can bring in good money in one day. If the lemonade isn't selling, or you want to diversify, sell cookies and brownies as well. The important thing here is to find a good location, like the main entrance to an apartment building, outside a shopping center, on a busy corner near your house, or outside one of your parents’ workplaces (if you're a kid; otherwise you might get in trouble).
4. Become a street performer. If you can dance, play music, or tell jokes, you can probably get some cash by performing in public. But don't do this unless you are actually good at it. Put together a good act and find a place to perform. Give people a dose of live entertainment, and hopefully they'll reward you with tips.
5. Panhandle. A panhandler is a person who depends on the spontaneous charity of strangers for their survival. If you really need the cash, you might swallow your pride and decide to ask for help. Make a sign, find a good location, ask politely for money, and say thank you. Cyberbegging is becoming increasingly popular, and there have been some amazing success stories, but these are the exception rather than the rule. While there are some sites on which you can beg just by putting up a brief ad, if you're looking to make any substantial money you'll probably have to build your own site and invest the time and money into it to make it successful.
6. "Donate" plasma. Plasma is a component of blood, and the process is similar to donating blood. You're not permitted to actually sell your plasma, but you can be compensated for your time spent donating (and essentially, it's like selling your plasma). Your blood is drawn, the plasma is separated, and the red blood cells are returned to your body. You can make US$20-30 per visit and give plasma twice a week, but you must weigh at least 110 pounds, be between the ages of 18 and 59, and be in good health.[1] Many college students do this to make extra cash.[2] If you haven't been to the doctor in a while, this may be a good way to get a free health checkup.[3]
7. Recycle. Broke because you bought too much soda? Turn the old cans into cash by bringing them in to be recycled. If you don't have your own cans, go looking for them in trash cans or along busy roads, especially rural roads. Call up several recyclers to compare prices. If you live in a state with a bottle or can deposit system, you may be able to get 5 or 10 US cents per container. Other scrap metals are also worth something, so if you've got a big pile of scrap in your backyard or you know of an legal dumpsite, you can pick it up in your truck and anywhere from 1 or 2 cents per pound for scrap steel to considerably more for metals such as copper or aluminum.[4]
8. Fill out surveys online. Companies who want to know what's on the minds of their customers are willing to pay for your opinion. Online surveys won't make you rich, and won't allow you to quit your day job, but you can make a little extra cash. When choosing between surveys, read the fine print. There is usually an asterisk near the "you won" part. This means you have to do something like buying stuff before you even get to talk about your prize. Don't fall into these sorts of traps, they're ridiculously difficult and not worth it. In general, the more companies you sign up with, the more survey requests you'll receive in your email and more opportunity you'll have to make money.
9. Enter sweepstakes. By choosing sweepstakes carefully, you can increase your likelihood of hitting the jackpot (or at least getting a few useful freebies that you can sell, as mentioned above). Search the internet-- there are even internet databases, some free and some by subscription only, that can clue you in to hundreds or thousands of sweepstakes. Sweepstakes with smaller prizes can be great because you generally have a more realistic chance of winning. Don't, however, waste your time entering a sweepstakes for a prize you don't want and can't easily sell for a good profit. Enter as many times as possible. The more times you enter, the better your odds. It's as simple as that. Before you send in a million entries, however, make sure you know how many entries the rules allow you.
10. Become a moving advertisement. Creative marketing companies might be willing to pay you to get their name out there. Some interesting strategies that people have gotten paid for:
Turning their car into a moving advertisement; there are
Companies with bumper sticker programs as well.
Wearing t-shirts, clothes, costumes that advertise a business.
Temporary tattoos on the forehead, a pregnant belly, and other parts of the body.[5][6]
Warnings:
Make sure that whatever you're doing doesn't violate any local laws or regulations.
(from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit)
18 ways to earn $100 a month
It's tough out there, but readers are still finding creative ways to moonlight -- and some of these sidelines didn't even exist a few years ago.
[Related content: savings, save money, work at home, holiday spending, Liz Pulliam Weston]
MSN Money
A couple of years ago, I asked posters on the Your Money message board what they did to bring in extra cash to make ends meet. The answers, which ranged from online auction
selling to pooper scooping, became a column, "20 ways to make $100 more a month."
With a recession on and unemployment high, I thought people might be finding it harder to land those outside gigs. If it is, you couldn't tell it by the message board posts.
Not only were people doing many of the jobs mentioned in the previous column, but they mentioned a whole slew of new ways to generate cash -- some of which didn't even exist a few years ago.
As before, to make the cut the jobs had to be:
Real -- something the posters were actually doing or had done recently.
Flexible -- something people could do before or after a regular workday.
Available -- something that people in most areas can find.
Not speculative -- something that doesn't require a big upfront investment or have a high probability of failure. Day trading and multilevel marketing schemes were out.
Obviously, not every idea will work for everyone, but you should find at least a few options that could work for you or at least get you thinking about the possibilities.
1. Artist
Poster "Joylein1" paints murals for children's rooms, while "Adrian Black" draws cartoons and caricatures.
"It's not very steady, but when someone wants me to do something for them, I make $50 and upward per drawing," Black wrote.
Theme parks and other tourist attractions often employ caricaturists. As an alternative, you could set up a booth at a community fair to get started.
2. Bartending
This time-honored way to garner tips and new best friends somehow missed our last list.
Poster "Fedupwithitalready" tends bar on Saturdays and calls it "a part-time job sent from heaven. Great money, and in these times socializing and alcohol are a good escape."
3. Blackjack dealer
Casinos are a source of off-hours employment in many areas. Poster "STL1976" attended a free, six-week course offered by a local casino to learn how to be a blackjack dealer, then accepted a weekend job there.
"It was tiring since I had to work 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (especially on Fridays after working till 5 p.m., and then doing this) but it was good money," STL1976 wrote. "With tips it was around $17 to $18 an hour."
4. Bookseller
Selling stuff on eBay or Craigslist is a moneymaker for many, but some specialize in reselling one thing: books. There are a number of sites that facilitate used-book sales, including Amazon.com, Half.com andCash4Books.net. Some folks haunt yard or library surplus sales, but poster "elizabethann" gets books for free at her job.
"We get brand new books at work," elizabethann wrote. "I take them and sell them to (Cash4Books.net). I have a box of books near my desk that they will pay me $22 for. They even pay the shipping and handling."
The high national unemployment rate means there is plenty of competition even for offbeat jobs, such as that of 'Wolfman' at a New Hampshire tourist attraction.
5. Coach
Shaping young athletes can be a profitable sideline for someone with flexible hours and coaching skills, wrote poster "IrishSeanPatrick," who coaches high school track and field.
"I am self-employed so I have the flexibility to be at practice at 3:30 every day," IrishSeanPatrick wrote. "I am also considering coaching basketball in the winter for one of the local schools as well. Total compensation for these two seasons would be $4,000 to $5,000 per year, depending on the school. (Private schools usually pay less for coaching than a public school does, at least in my area.)"
6. Crafting
A number of Your Money posters have turned crafting hobbies into profitable sidelines.
Poster "PaladinHG" spent less than $40 to get a computer program that turns scanned photos into cross-stitch patterns.
"People will pay decent money to get a cross-stitched picture of their kids or pets," PaladinHG wrote. "It takes a lot of time, but it's something I enjoy anyway."
Several crafters sell their wares on Etsy.com, a site that connects artists and crafters with a sizable audience of buyers. Poster "cymablines halo" makes hand-painted scarves to sell on the site.
"I make anywhere from $20 to $120 a month, depending on the season," cymablines halo wrote. "It's not big money, certainly, and it'll never make me rich or famous, but it's nice to have a little something coming in."
7. Freelance writer
The previous column mentioned writing for magazines and newspapers, but breaking into the print realm can sometimes be tough. Some skilled writers have found it easier to find jobs through sites such as Elance, which allows scribes to bid on article-writing projects.
Poster "NancyinFL" used the site to find a client.
"I am working with a woman in Las Vegas (I am in Florida), writing articles, helping her come up with ideas for books and also doing research," NancyinFL wrote. "She liked what I did so much, she recommended me to a blogger she knows, and now I write for him, too."
8. Music lessons
Poster "ILTransplantInWI" wrote that her husband teaches trumpet and guitar to kids to earn extra cash.
"He charges $15 a lesson (which is usually a half-hour, once a week) and holds his lessons in the morning during the summer, but obviously during the school year they are all done after school," she wrote. "He also plays trumpet, guitar or sings for weddings and funerals . . . (He) doesn't have a set rate for playing at weddings/funerals, but he's never come home with less than $100."
9. Odd jobs
Craigslist is connecting people with handyman skills -- or who are just willing to work hard -- with folks who need help.
Poster "Angel D" said her husband posts ads on Craigslist "for labor work for $10 an hour."
"He has built a few fences, helped people move, done landscaping, cleaned out houses, etc.," Angel D wrote. "(He) brings in a couple hundred a month depending on how many jobs he takes."
Poster "kelli120" and her husband both work full time but find nearly two dozen other ways to make money on the side.
"We are the Ultimate Hustlers . . . in a good way," kelli120 wrote. "We sell industrial scrap metal (up to $300+ a month), mow lawns, haul landscaping materials, deliver and remove furniture, deliver appliances, replace window screens, change locksets, clean storage sheds/garages, pick up decent furniture on the street and sell to college kids, sell other curbside finds on Craigslist, buy, sell and trade video games, repair/upgrade computers, assemble patio furniture, assemble/tear down swing sets, rake leaves, write resumes, fix old bikes for resale, clean gutters, repair fences, install toilets, whatever."
Poster "Poharry34" mows lawns but says he could earn more if he had the time.
"Currently I only have two (clients) but that nets me $190 a month from about mid-March thru October. Half the money goes to purchasing football (tickets) and the other half is for Christmas money," Poharry34 wrote. "If I had more time (already work a full-time job and part-time job) I would wash windows and clean gutters. There is good money to be made doing those things.
The high national unemployment rate means there is plenty of competition even for offbeat jobs, such as that of 'Wolfman' at a New Hampshire tourist attraction.
10. Organizers
Among many other odd jobs, poster "TexTaxpayer" once "organized 20 years of poorly kept financial records for the executor of a large estate."
Helping others declutter and organize their homes and offices is a full-time profession for many (for more information on this career field, visit the National Association of Professional Organizers). Many get started working for friends or neighbors, but you can also contact professionals such as accountants, attorneys and conservators to see whether their clients may need help.
11. Referee
Another way to employ sports skills is by playing umpire or referee. Poster "GW in TN" and his wife work for the local parks department one night a week.
"I umpire, and she is the scorekeeper," he wrote. "We make $32 per game and work three to four games each week. $96 to $128 per week is $400 per month!"
Poster "iaalaughlin" referees soccer games and says it's a sideline to consider for those who are "good with children, relatively fit and confident."
"You can start by going to your local soccer club and asking if they need a referee, and if they offer a club certified referee class," iaalaughlin wrote. "Otherwise, you have to get FIFA certified, (which) costs less than $100, and you are good to go."
12. Pet sitter
Several posters look after other people's animals for extra cash.
Poster "mdwilson" tends two golden retrievers for a couple who are often out of town on business.
"We average about 110 bucks a month doing this, the dogs are happy, we like having them, and the owners save a bunch of money on boarding them," mdwilson wrote. "Also we get the fun of having dogs but none of the expense. Win-win."
Rather than make jobs harder to find, the recession seems to have improved business, wrote poster "973ias beach bum," who charges $2 per dog for three walks a day, which includes feeding and watering.
"So it is only $12 a day (for two dogs) but it also only takes about 30 minutes (and for me $12 is a half a tank of gas if money were tight!)," 973ias beach bum wrote. "People are also wanting it more as boarding is expensive -- at least $15 a day for one dog."
13. Seamstress
Those who sew reported making several hundred dollars a month with their skills.
Poster "Kanoeka" taught sewing and sewed for others while her kids were growing up and recently started sewing again "because of the rising costs of everything."
"This time I'm doing slipcovers and recovering cushions for people that have furniture that is the loose-cushion style," wrote Kanoeka, a resident of Hawaii. "I easily make $600 a month on a slow month just from doing the cushions."
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"Retouche" drums up business by dropping into stores in outlet malls and asking whether there are any clothes in need of repair.
"There always are. I look them over with the manager, jot down what's required to bring them up to snuff, giving a quote for the work," Retouche wrote. "I take them home with me and bring them back in a few days' time. It's unusual that one sweep through the malls doesn't net a couple hundred bucks."
14. Survey taker
This one's a bit of a stretch, since it's unusual to make $100 a month in cash filling out surveys online. Poster "StillOnTheRoad" reports making $20 to $40 a month this way. "That said, I think it's still well worth my time," StillOnTheRoad wrote. "It averages out to $10+ per hour for doing something I can do while I'm watching TV."
Poster "sh81" reports making up to $100 if you count the value of free merchandise.
"Starting off, you might only make about $5 a month, but once you prove you give consistent answers you can make about $50 to $100 in money and merchandise," sh81 wrote. "This month I made about $35, two bottles of shampoo (I had to test them out on separate weeks), a case of canned dog food (enough to feed Argos for a month, but I had to do three phone surveys, which was a bit time-consuming), and five small bottles of perfume (I don't know the brands, but if one wasn't Chanel No. 5, then it was a very good knock-off)."
For more, read "4 real jobs you can do at home" and "Need extra income? Here are some ideas."
15. Teaching online
The previous column mentioned teaching part time at local colleges, but poster "AZ Girl 123" found a moonlighting post teaching online for a local university.
"I can teach my classes in the evenings and on the weekends," AZ Girl 123 wrote, "from the comfort of my couch!"
The high national unemployment rate means there is plenty of competition even for offbeat jobs, such as that of 'Wolfman' at a New Hampshire tourist attraction.
16. Text researcher
Answering strangers' questions can help you earn money. Poster "dreamy1," who freelances for text answering service ChaCha, explains how it's done:
"People text questions and I look up the answers and send it back to them. I can average $100 a month if I have the time which lately I haven't had," dreamy1 wrote. "I can work when I want and however long I want so it's good for making extra money."
17. Wait staff
Being a waiter or waitress is hard work, but it's a time-tested way to earn fast cash if you have a good memory and people skills.
Poster "M324292" wrote, "I wait tables a few nights a week. It's a pretty boring second job, but I can make $50 to $100 per week, and I can always find the extra work."
18. Web site design
If you know your SEO from your HTML, you could help others build or spruce up their Web sites. Elance andRentACoder are two places to look for jobs, or you can specialize in certain clients. Poster "BoudicainBoston," for example, does Web editing and design for nonprofits.
"The work is not steady, but I have brought in anywhere from $500 for a complete redesign to $20 to $40 for an hour or so of updates and changes," BoudicainBoston wrote.
Liz Pulliam Weston is the Web's most-read personal-finance writer. She is the author of several books, most recently "Your Credit Score: Your Money & What's at Stake." Weston's award-winning columns appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board.
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