Selling Items
Have a garage sale. A garage sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted household items and make money in the process! Staples of garage sales include old clothing, books, toys, household knickknacks, lawn and garden tools, sports equipment, and board games. Larger items like furniture and occasionally home appliances are also sold. Garage sales take time and preparation, so make sure to start planning well in advance. Set a date. Pick a date 2-3 weeks ahead of time. This will give you time to plan and advertise your sale. When setting a date, be conscious of the time of year and be sure to take weather and temperature into account. You are less likely to have good traffic on very hot or very cold days and rain is major deterrent. Advertise your garage sale in local newspapers, on community bulletin boards and on Craigslist. The more people who are aware that your garage sale is taking place, the more people who will show up! Gather items for sale. This should be done in the weeks leading up to your garage sale. Go through old boxes in the garage, attic and under the stairs. Walk from room to room and gather any items you no longer want or need. Attach a clearly written price label to each item. This will make it easier for customers and save you time on the day. You can use small adhesive labels, bits of masking tape or a sticker gun. Enlist help from friends, family and neighbors. This will make your garage sale more manageable and less stressful. You will also have more fun this way! Have plenty of change. Go to the bank the day before your garage sale and get rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels and plenty of dollar bills. Add interest to your garage sale by selling crafts, baked goods and beverages. Items like cookies and lemonade will sell well while also encouraging people to stick around a bit longer.
Participate in a flea market. A flea market is a type of bazaar that rents space to people who want to sell or barter merchandise. You can sell all types of used goods at a flea market, though jewelry, household furniture and sports equipment are popular and profitable choices. Find out the location of your nearest flea market. Talk to the vendors and find out if they are happy with traffic and sales in that location. Find out how much it costs to rent a booth at the flea market. Compare with other flea market locations. Find out when the flea market is open. Some flea markets are open every weekend and some only once a month. Find out how booth space is reserved. Can you just show up on the day or do you need to reserve your space in advance? Are outdoor and indoor booths available? Figure out if you need a permit to sell goods at your local flea market. One time vendors may not be required to have a permit, but if you intend on vending on a regular basis a permit may be necessary. Think about whether you'll need tables, chairs or a tent to sell your goods. Find out if these items are available to rent. When selling, make sure to have plenty of change available as customers may only have bank notes. Offer paper or reusable bags for your customers to use.
Rent your things. Renting out your belongings is a convenient way to make some easy money. More and more, people are unwilling to spend large sums of money on items they rarely use. Instead, people are prepared to rent such items from thrifty people willing to lend their belongings for an appropriate fee. Luxury items such as holiday homes, boats and RV's have always been popular rental items, but nowadays items such as vacuum cleaners, power tools and electronic equipment can also find enthusiastic takers. The easiest way to advertise the items that you wish to rent is by using a website that connects local owners and borrowers. Zilok, Rentalic and SnapGoods are among the largest — serving as listing, reservation and payment portals (made via the borrower's PayPal account or a credit card). These websites provide a contract, which usually includes a security deposit to ensure that merchandise is returned without damage.
Dress designing or stitching. By starting a little business of dress designing you can earn money, by getting order from boutique or from common people.
Paint or craft. If you are creatively inclined, making and selling artwork and craft items can be a fun and rewarding way to make some extra money. Paintings, pottery, photographs, glass work, needlecraft and handmade jewelry are some good examples of artistic creations that can be sold for a profit. If you are a member of a painting or craftwork group, find out it they hold any art exhibitions. If not, why not organize one? Art exhibitions are a great vehicle for getting your artwork out there and generating interest with potential buyers. Research whether there are any craft fairs in your area. If so, you may be able to rent a booth to display and sell your work at the fair. You can also sell your artwork online using websites such as Made It Myself and Art You Can. Be careful when pricing your artwork. Cheaper artwork is easier to sell, especially if you are an unknown artist. However, it's also important that you cover the cost of your materials and make a profit.
Sell entertainment. If you can sing, dance, play an instrument or perform a magic trick then why not turn that talent into a business? Entertain the public by working as a street performer. Find a good space to set up. You want plenty of foot traffic but don't choose anywhere too noisy, you don't want to be drowned out. Find out if you need permission to perform in that space. Even if you don't need an official permit, it's common courtesy to ask the permission of any store owners within earshot. Set out a hat, tip jar or instrument case to collect your tips. Put some of your own coins or bills in the case, as this will catch the attention of passersby and encourage them to tip as well! Perform at events such as weddings, local fairs or children's birthday parties. This is easier if you are part of a band or dance troupe. Come up with a catchy name and ask friends and relatives if you can perform at their events for free in order to get your name out there. If you're good enough, you'll soon have people willing to book you for paid events.
Take your items to a pawn shop. A pawn shop is a good option if you need to get some cash fast but don't want to part with any of your belongings permanently.“Pawning” means that you give the pawn shop an item in exchange for a cash loan. For example, you might give them your mountain bike as collateral for a $75 loan. If you repay the loan by a certain date, typically 90 to 120 days after you pawn the item, you can retrieve your bike. The loan repayment amount will include interest and fees that are regulated by the state. If you don't repay the money on time, the pawn shop takes ownership of the bike and can offer it for resale. You also have the option of selling your item to the pawn shop, if you're not interested in taking out a loan. Find the right pawn shop. Do some online research to see what others have said about working with local pawn shops. Then, choose a reputable shop and broker you feel comfortable with. Also, know that some pawn shops specialize in certain items. For example, if you have an antique, look for a pawn shop that has experience buying and selling antique items. Know if you want to pawn or sell. Pawn shops will give you the choice, so educate yourself on the options and know the ups and downs of each before you go in. The decision should be based on a number of things including your ability to repay a loan and the value you place on the item you are pawning or selling. Negotiate. Understand that pawn store owners are resellers, not collectors. Just because a collector values your vintage vinyl at $100, doesn't mean that you will get that from a pawnbroker. Set a minimum price ahead of time so you don't make a snap decision you'll regret later. Be prepared to prove your claims. For example, if you bring in a valuable piece of jewelry, consider having a professional jeweler write up an appraisal so you can prove the piece's worth. If the item runs on batteries, make sure it has fresh batteries in it so you can show that it works. Bringing items in their original packaging is always helpful. Show things in their best light. A layer of dust might make sense on an antique, but not on your printer. Imagine that you were going to purchase the item—what would you want it to look like? Pay on time. If you pawn an item for a loan, be sure to pay back the loan plus interest and fees on time and as agreed. Not doing so will cause you to forfeit your item or extend the loan which will carry additional charges.
Sell used books. If you have a large pile of college textbooks gathering dust since graduation or just need to make room on your bookshelf, selling your used books is a great option to make some fast cash. You can get rid of your books the old fashioned way, using garage sales and book fairs, or you can sell your books online. When selling books online, you have two main options. You can sell to buyers directly, using websites like Amazon and eBay. With these, you will be able to set your own price but you are also responsible for all organization, including including payment processing and shipping. The second option is to sell your books to websites such as AbeBooks, Cash4Books and Powell's. With each of these, you simply input your book's ISBN. They will immediately tell you if it's something they'd like to buy and what they will pay for it. One pro of using services like this is that they'll pay immediately, and even cover the shipping via labels you print out from your computer. The downside is that these companies are essentially middlemen who will sell your product to someone else for more money. For college textbooks, many campus bookstores now provide "buyback" services. This is where you can sell your used textbooks back to the store you originally bought them from at the end of the school term or year. You will typically be able to sell the books back for around 50% of what you originally paid for them. The books need to be in good condition.
Making Money Online
Take online surveys. If you like giving your opinion, you might want to try doing online surveys from home to make a little extra cash while trying new products. There are hundreds of companies that enlist research panels of average consumers to complete surveys online. You can't expect to earn a full salary from taking online surveys, but it is possible to earn $50 to $100 a month in cash and free products if you take several short surveys, according to experienced online survey site members. Try signing up with several survey sites (which are all free to join) to increase your chances of being selected for the surveys. Be aware that compensation varies by company and by survey. You may receive a few dollars, or be sent free products in exchange for trying them and providing feedback about them. Make sure the site is legitimate. Check to see if the website has a good rating and ensure that they have a privacy policy.
Answer technical questions. If you have expert knowledge on a certain topic, then a quick way to make some cash is to answer questions about it online. Topics range from basic legal procedures, to psychological health to computer troubleshooting. First you need to find reputable websites that will pay you for sharing your expertise. Try sites like JustAnswer, Keen and ChaCha. Be aware that most sites have a minimum pay-out rate, usually $20.
Open an online store or use an online auction website. It's easier than ever to sell stuff online these days. You can set up your own website and start your own small-scale business or you can go through an online auction website like eBay. Which option you go for all depends on whether you're looking for a long-term money-spinner or a quick fix. Decide what your goal is. Setting up your own online store is a great idea if you're looking for a long-term project and you're willing to invest your time and money into it. Online auction sites,on the other hand, are good options if you are looking to sell something quickly, as they already have large customer bases of people ready to snap up a bargain. eBay, Webstore and eBid are some of the most popular ones. Decide what you want to sell. Are you going to sell a wide range of products or would you prefer to specialize in something specific? Do you have the products ready to go or will you need to source them from somewhere else? Research the competition. See what your potential competitors are doing and make sure there's a gap in the market for your store. Decide what kind of online store you want to set up. Do you want to own your own website? This will give you greater control of your business but also requires more hands-on, technical knowledge. Consider enlisting a tech-savvie friend as a business partner if you're not comfortable with the more technical computer skills. Alternatively, you can set up an estore through sites such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify and Etsy. You will pay to use this service, but otherwise they're pretty hassle-free. Market your site. You won't be able to sell your products if people don't know that your site exists, so make sure to advertise.
Write online reviews. There are many websites which offer payment for good quality, original reviews of products, services, restaurants, websites, books, films etc. Some websites will pay you upfront for your reviews, others will pay you a certain amount of money based on the number of times your reviews are read. There are other websites that will give you a percentage of the ad revenues generated by your review. Look at websites such as Reviewstream, Dooyoo, SharedReviews and Epinions.
Complete paid online offers. Some sites offer cash rewards for completing varied online tasks, ranging from reading emails, filling out forms, completing surveys, playing online games or referring your friends. Beware of scams. Some sites might request a membership fee, or require you to provide personal information. Be wary of such sites. Try to find third-party reviews and ratings to ensure that the site is legitimate.
Make money through blogging. There are many ways to earn money through blogging, from advertising, sponsorship, affiliate programs, to selling your own products. How much money you can make depends on a lot of factors, including how much time you are willing to invest in your blog and how much traffic your blog gets. Choose your niche. Pick a topic that you find interesting, it's easier to write about something you have a passion for. Try to choose something topical or something that involves a large community of people. If you want to make money from your blog, you need people to read it! You will need to buy the domain name, which will then be your website or blog, and then find someone to host it for you. The next step will be to set up your blog and install it. You will then need to provide content to the blog, before promoting your site on the Internet. Advertisements. Some online providers are on the constant lookout for sites that will support advertisements, and will pay either according to how many visitors the site gets or how many clicked on the ad. There is also a possibility for the site owner to earn a commission from the sales made by the manufacturer as a result of the customer clicking on the ad. Products. Some companies offer bloggers to review their products for a certain fee. You can choose to sell or promote products on your website that are related to your niche. Posting video reviews of products on YouTube can also be a very profitable venture. Affiliate Programs. While not as high-earning as the other strategies, adding links to relevant affiliate products on your own blog can generate income as well. Join popular networks like ClickBank and JVZoo to find items of interest to your audience. E-book selling. Even if you sell your e-book for less than $20 per copy, the net profit you get will pile up, and you can get a steady income from this alone. You can make your book available on Amazon as a hard-copy or Kindle version. Pull together a collection of your most popular blog posts or create a Blogging 101 guide that you can use to profit from your blogging efforts. There are several tools available for example; you can use Google Docs for free or you can check out a paid service called Zinepal. Don't be disheartened if your blog isn't making much money right away. Things take time and the amount of money your earn will build gradually.
Doing What You Know
Identify your skills.Make a list of all of your skills. List everything from speaking a foreign language, to computer programming to solving complex mathematical equations. Once you know where your strengths lie you can begin to figure out how to use these skills to your financial advantage. Try asking yourself questions like, "What are my three favorite accomplishments?" or "What activities make me the happiest?" This exercise will help you to identify both what you're good at doing and what you enjoy doing. Sometimes it can be hard to think of what skills you possess off the top of your head. Try finding a list of skills online then highlight the ones that apply to you. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Even the most unusual skills can be harnessed for monetary gain. Can you twist balloons into animal shapes? Advertise your services for a children's birthday party!
Search for people who need help. Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. Why not take advantage of that fact and offer your services to those in need? Offer to help an elderly relative or neighbor. They will appreciate you taking on some more physically challenging tasks such as mowing the lawn or doing the grocery shopping. Offer your babysitting skills. Busy moms and dads need some time to themselves every so often, so why not take the kids off their hands for a couple of hours? Offer to help people move house. Moving house can be a pain. So many boxes to pack, lift, stack, then unpack. Help ease the workload by offering your services.
Ghost shop. A ghost or mystery shopper is a person hired by a company to pose as a potential customer in a shop, hotel or restaurant. The ghost shopper will evaluate their experience based on the customer service, product quality, presentation and other details. If you fancy yourself as an undercover agent, this can be a fun way to make some extra cash. You can apply become a mystery shopper on any number of websites, such as Secret Shopper or Market Force. Make sure to only accept assignments in your local area. Spending too much money on gas would defeat the purpose of getting paid to shop! If you are only looking to make money, avoid assignments involving eating at restaurants. In this case, the cost of your meal will be reimbursed but you won't make a profit.
Baby-sit or pet-sit. Can you think of a better way to make some extra cash than spending some quality time with an adorable baby or puppy? Sign up on baby-sitting or pet-sitting websites. Here you can create a profile and match up your interests and requirements with potential employers. Taking care of children or pets is a big responsibility. Only sign up for this if you are willing to be fully responsible for those in your care. Many parents/owners will want to see evidence of your qualifications for the job, so having some previous experience helps.
Cook. If you're a whiz in the cuisine, put those culinary skills to good use and cook up a money-making scheme. Organize a bake sale at a local school or community center. Sell some wholesome, home-cooked dinners to families whose parents work full-time. Arrange a fancy dinner party which your guests must buy tickets to. Aim to use low-cost ingredients to maximize profit.
Clean. Advertise your cleaning services to those who are too busy/lazy to do it themselves.
Tutor. If you're a math whiz or fluent foreign language speaker, take advantage of your skills and become a tutor. Advertise on community bulletin boards, local newspapers and nearby schools.
Invest. Investing can be a good option for someone who is currently jobless but still has a decent amount of money stashed away. Make sure to do your research and aim to find an investment opportunity with low risk and guaranteed returns.
Additional Services You Can Offer
Take part in medical tests and surveys. You can earn money by signing up to participate in clinical trials, drug tests and medical surveys. You will essentially be a human guinea pig, so this option is not for the faint-hearted! Some medical tests may be completely harmless, while others have the risk of mild to severe side-effects. Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before signing up for anything. Before participating in a medical trial you may be required to pass a physical exam to determine your eligibility.
Donate blood plasma. By donating blood plasma you can earn money while also doing something beneficial for society. You can expect to be paid around $30 for each blood plasma donation, but due to health hazards, most donation centers have a minimum waiting period between each donation. Do a quick search online to locate the nearest donation center or contact a local hospital.
Participate in a focus group. A focus group is a type of research conducted by marketing companies to evaluate a particular group's attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and opinions of a particular product, service or idea. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. You will need to fill out a survey to qualify for participation in a particular focus group. Focus groups can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Don't hold back. If you are invited to participate in a study, there is an expectation that you will speak your mind. You need to contribute your thoughts and opinions in an upfront manner.
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