Easy Money

   

New jobless claims are up according to a recent news report and economist are no longer talking about a recovery from the “great recession” but instead are talking about an economic downturn that’ll make the great depression of the nineteen thirties look like a day at the beach. So in this crap economy one needs to find ways to pinch every penny until ole honest Abe cries out in pain. There are many ways to cut back, find cheaper alternatives, and just make do. Go back and read my post “cheap living tips” to get a few ideas.

But sometimes you just need to figure out how to make a few extra dollars to supplement your current income. If you are currently unemployed it is even more important to find ways to make a little extra money. In this article I want to toss out a few ideas to help stimulate your imagination. Read over these and see what else you can come up with to earn a little cash in your spare time.

Handy man service work odd jobs whenever you can. Mow lawns, rake leaves, paint houses for people. If you have a truck or van you could haul off junk or move furniture on the weekends. Tree trimming can really bring in some decent cash in your spare time if you have the right tools and equipment. A mobile auto detailing service could be started for very little money. Get the word out by printing up flyers and passing them out to people. Knock on doors and offer your services. Once you get started and people see that you offer honest services at reasonable rates they will call you again whenever they have something for you to do.

Sell crap at flea markets Set up a display of used stuff at a flea market or swap meet on the weekends, kick back with a beer in your hand and let people bring money to you. Where do you get the crap to sell you ask? Anywhere and everywhere you can find it. Dumpsters at apartment complexes around the end of the month are areas to find useful stuff, as people move out and toss anything they don’t feel like taking with them. Most Cities and towns have a certain day every month that residents are allowed to place larger items on the curb for pick-up. Furniture, toys, household items, and other crap you could make a buck off of can be found. The free section on Craigslist is an excellent source for totally free crap you can turn around and sell. Have a yard sale as often as you can to save the expense of renting a space at a flea market.

Baby sitting and house cleaning For the ladies out there who don’t want to try trimming trees and moving heavy furniture around find a couple of people who need good cheap babysitting service. Small children are not the only people who need “sitting”. Lots of seniors need caring compassionate folks to check in on them every day and do some light house cleaning. You could also offer your services to people who are planning to go out of town for work or vacation. You stop by once a day and feed and water any critters they have, check up on the place and then go about your business.

Scrap metal Money can be made in your spare time as a “scrapper”. All sorts of scrap metal can be found just about everywhere. Aluminum cans are going for about 65 to 70 cents a pound right now, and #1 copper is more than $3.00 a pound. Learn the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Between #1 and #2 copper. Learn how to find the scrap and how to turn it into cash with the least time and effort. There are all sorts of videos on you tube that will explain how you disassemble junk appliances for the valuable metals inside. There are also forums on the internet where scrappers exchange ideas about making money from scrap metal.

Doggy Style No I’m not talking about becoming a porn star. I’m talking about breeding dog’s (to each other of course) to make a little extra spending money. Look in the newspaper to get an idea of just what a pure bred k-9 can go for these days. One bitch can have six or more puppies per litter and can have two litters a year. Let’s say you have one male and two females. The potential is there for more than twenty puppies a year! If you only made $200 apiece that’s over four thousand a year. All you have to do is raise a few dogs. They can’t be mongrels however; you need pure bred registered animals. Don’t try this unless you really love dogs, you’ll be miserable and so will the dogs.

Blood Money Become a blood plasma donor. You can make two to three hundred a month with just a couple of hours of your time, twice a week. Last year, being completely broke I did just that and it meant the difference between keeping a roof over my head and having to sleep out on the street. The first four times I donated I received $50 each time. After that it dropped down to $30 and $40 if I donated within the same week. It is extremely important to eat something prior to donating though. I’ve seen people pass out who didn’t eat before donating so don’t forget. I’m not trying to scare you away from this however, just eat an hour or so before hand and you’ll be fine.

There you go just a few ideas to help you make a couple extra dollars in your spare time. These are not the only ways to earn cash obviously but hopefully they will stimulate the old gray matter a bit. Do you have any unique or creative ideas to make extra money? Please share them with me if you do.