peoples problems, and it doesn't take a fancy degree to do that.
To get your crea
tive juices flowing, check out these common and not-so-common ways of lining you r pockets. Below that, youll also find more general financial advice as well as s ome money-making ideas for kids. Method 1 of 3: Money Makers Flip a Product 58095 1 1.jpg 1Buy underpriced used books. Outfit a phone or PDA (personal data assistant) wit h a scanner, scan the ISBN numbers of books at used bookstores and thrift shops, and compare the asking prices with what the books are selling for on a site lik e Amazon. Whenever you get a good hit (which wont be often but, since the process is fast, wont take long, either), buy the book and resell it online. Be discreet about this, as the store managers probably wont like what youre doing. Ad
58095 2 1.jpg 2Bargain-hunt at yard and thrift sales. If you have a bit of knowledge in a part icular area (ex. Taxco Mexican silver, action figures, classic National Geograph ics) or even just a good eye for quality, visit private sales early and often to find unexpected deals. 58095 3.jpg 3Go to police auctions. You can find incredible deals here, and though may not b e able to resell a car that was involved in a serious crime, you can probably fi nd some spectacularly cheap jewelry that someone else would be happy to buy off you. 58095 4 1.jpg 4Refinish ratty furniture. If you have lacquer thinner, sandpaper, stain, and so me craft sense, you can buy worn-out furniture and fix it up for a great resale price. 58095 5 1.jpg 5Rescue battered wood. Pallets and pallet stock are cheap (or free) and easy to come by. Look for untreated specimens at construction sites, community colleges, buildings under renovation, or shipping warehouses and plane them down and/or k iln-dry them in a homemade kiln-dryer to uncover their hidden beauty. You can th en resell the wood as is or even turn it into beautiful furniture. (Be sure to a dvertise that the wood is reclaimed, as people are often willing to pay much more for this.) 58095 6.jpg 6Flip houses or apartments. If you are a handy(wo)man with great design sense, a knowledge of whats valuable in the construction of a home, and assets youre willi ng to play with, consider buying, fixing up, and reselling real estate. This req uires quite a bit of up-front cash and elbow grease, but the payoff can be big. Participate in Studies 58095 7.jpg 1Sign up with focus groups in your area. Studies that you are eligible to partic ipate in pop up sporadically but pay quite well often more than $50 for an hour of your time. You can also look for focus groups online but will have to sort th rough a lot of bogus opportunities and sites that ask you to pay up-front for the privilege of participating before you find anything worthwhile. 58095 8 1.jpg 2Participate in medical studies. If just the thought of this frightens you, know that the intensity of such studies varies greatly. Some studies ask participant s (particularly those with medical conditions) to test treatments or medications that can have adverse side effects, but others ask participants to perform phys ical tasks with no lasting effects. If you are able-bodied and paranoid about ke eping it that way, you can even participate as a control in a study at a nearby medical research facility or medical school. Find an Artistic Outlet 58095 9 1.jpg 1Sell photos. If you have a decent camera and a good sense of light, color, and composition, you can take and sell stock photos i.e. nondescript images that len d themselves to many applications and are commonly used to illustrate online art icles or products with minimal effort. Stock photos of locations (a fire hydrant , a bare wall near an interesting tree, or anything you might find as a default background image on your computer) are easier to take, but stock photos of peopl e (i.e. people arguing, people kissing, people laughing) usually sell for more, as they have more uses and require the written legal consent of your subjects. H unt for a reputable stock photo dealer or database that will pay you fairly befo re signing on with anyone. 58095 10.jpg 2Design web images. By pairing good aesthetic sense and the use of design or pho to-editing software, you can make and sell background graphics for social media pages, web logos, or computer icon packages. If you know or are willing to learn computer programming, seriously consider making web pages; programmers may be e asy to come by, but programmers with an eye for beauty are another thing altoget her. 58095 11 1.jpg 3Make and sell crafts. If you are even a little bit crafty, consider selling you r goods on a site like Etsy. Though you can make more money on intricate project s (ex. an exquisitely woodburned gourd), even labor-light projects can bring in good money if youre willing to produce them in high quantities. Who knows if you do well, you might even be inspired to start a crafts business. Participate in Marketing Research 58095 12.jpg 1Become a mystery shopper. This means doing business with various establishments and rating their products and services without their knowledge. It may sound li ke cake, but remember that it requires discreteness, a good memory for detail (e x. the name of every individual who helped or served you), and enough cash for y ou to be able to pay for your shopping experience up-front and then wait to be r eimbursed pending the approval of your review. 58095 13 1.jpg 2Write product reviews. Many companies will pay a lot more than two cents for yo ur two cents. Product reviews are a great way to get paid for being opinionated that doesnt require the writing background that many other writing jobs do. 58095 14.jpg 3Complete online surveys. Though tedious, online surveys are often quick and pai nless and, for a few bucks at a time, can add up quickly. Read How to Make Money with Free Online Surveys for more details. Pursue a Passion 58095 15 1.jpg 1Start a website or blog. Sure, competition in the online world is steep, but on e thing that makes a good site or blog stand apart is the dedication and enthusi asm of its writer. Plenty of sites focus too hard on SEO and keywords, and while SEO-optimization is certainly necessary to help your content make money, delvin g into something that truly matters to you will set you apart from your fluff-an d-stuff competitors. 58095 16.jpg 2Start a small business. Being passionate usually translates to a superior produ ct and better service, which is especially sought after in the age of the anonym ous, 1-minute online review. Worried that there isnt a market for your interests? The fact is that though you may not personally know many people who want what y ou have to offer, thanks to the internet, theres a huge market for niche-products (pigeon diapers, chainmail wedding dresses, you name it) and you might just end up being a trend-setter. To create an online store, you can either make your own website or, if dont want to self-host, you can sell on eBay or a similar site. Copywriting. Bloggers and business owners are out there looking for freelance wr iters to help them with their internet marketing campaigns. If you can write a g ood video marketing script, sales copy, press release, product reviews, website content and advertising copy, you can make money doing exactly that. You may nee d basic SEO skills since most of these copywriting jobs require some knowledge o n how search engines work. These people are looking for traffic, and they will o nly hire you if you can deliver that.[1] Do Odd Jobs 58095 17 1.jpg 1Watch and/or walk your neighbors pets. Taking a few pooches to the park every we ek is a good way to have fun, get some exercise, and meet new people, all while making a little cash on the side. 58095 18.jpg 2Landscape. Look for brush-clearing, mowing, or woodcutting jobs, some of which may land you regular customers. This can save you money at the same time: if you are hired to pick up pine needles, use them to mulch your roses, which will app reciate their acidity and smothering effect on weeds; if you are hired to cut an d clear a fallen tree, use it to heat your house that winter. 58095 19 1.jpg 3Run errands for the elderly. Contact your local community center or church to g et in touch with people who need help getting groceries, cleaning their gutters, or getting to the post office. You might cultivate some lovely friendships at t he same time. 58095 20.jpg 4Find odd jobs online. Check out Craigslist, Fiverr, or Zaarly for interesting o r unusual gigs that come up. Use Money-Making Apps 58095 21.jpg 1GigWalk: This iPhone app allows you to team up with companies posting gigs and get small jobs done for cash. These can be anything from mystery-shopping to mak ing deliveries to testing apps to taking photos. Simply install the app, make a profile, and start looking for gigs in your area. 58095 22 1.jpg 2WeReward: This iPhone and Android app allows you to complete small tasks (ex. t aking a photo of yourself with your favorite beverage or eating at a new establi shment) for points that translate to cash. Though the per-task reward is small, there are millions of participating businesses and the points can add up quickly . The location-based rewards are best if you already have an active lifestyle an d wont have to force yourself to starting eating/drinking out all the time. 58095 23.jpg 3CheckPoints: This iPhone and Android app allows you to go to stores and scan it ems for points, which you can then use to redeem prizes. This is a handy way to make a little extra while you do your shopping, but note that the rewards are ei ther actual products or gift certificates no actual cash. Sell Things You Find Outside 58095 24.jpg 1If you have a manzanita thicket: trim and dry the branches and sell them online . Believe it or not, people love using them for crafts projects. In fact, many o f the things you dont even look twice at have to be ordered online by people livi ng in cities dont have access to them. 58095 25.jpg 2If you have a curly willow tree: trim, dry, and sell the twisting branches onli ne to craftspeople or to a local florist, as they are commonly used as accent pi eces in bouquets. 58095 26 1.jpg 3If you have a pine tree: sell the pinecones that flood your yard every fall. Ex tra long or large ones make beautiful holiday decorations, especially with a sim ple twist of ribbon. 58095 27 1.jpg 4If you live by the beach: sell driftwood, which can be used for crafts or, if t he pieces are large and dense, as decorations in marine aquariums. 58095 28.jpg 5If you have a pond: pick and dry the cattails before the downy seeds begin shed ding and sell them as decorations for bouquets (or even bunched together as stan d-alone bouquets). You can also divvy up and sell bits of your water lily, water hyacinth, fairy moss, or any other plant thats doing its best to overtake your p ond anyway. 58095 29.jpg 6If you have a tree drowning in mistletoe: cut the mistletoe down, turn it into festive, ribbon-wrapped bunches, and sell it around the holidays. 58095 30 1.jpg 7If you are selling something that you know or can verify hasnt been treated: you can even advertise it as being organic, which might heighten interest and allow you to increase the price. 58095 31 1.jpg 8If you dont have access to any of these items: get paid to collect them from oth er people. Plenty of people would happily hire someone to cut back their Manzani ta forest or wade into a pond and break apart their water-lily thicket, meaning you can make money from both gathering and selling your product. Make Money Passively 58095 32 1.jpg 1Become a moving advertisement. Wrap your car in an advertisement, go about your u sual commute, and get paid monthly to do it. (Some car-wrappers in San Francisco make as much as $400 a month doing this,[2] but of course this varies depending on how big a city you live in and when / how often you make your commute.) You can also get paid to wear a companys logo t-shirt around (particularly if you wea r it someplace conspicuous, like at your school; see ShirtsInSchools.com as one example). 58095 33 1.jpg 2Rent out a space. If you have a spare room, an unused parking spot or driveway in a busy part of town, or even an empty lot that you wouldnt mind seeing transfo rmed into an urban garden, rent it out and enjoy an extra monthly paycheck. 58095 34.jpg 3Try affiliate marketing. This means promoting someone elses products or services for pay without actually carrying an inventory. There are many ways of incorpor ating affiliate marketing into your website/blog/page including banner ads (whic h are generally ineffective, as people tend to avoid these), linked articles (wh ich are quite successful when the article content is thoughtful and doesnt appear spammy), and product-placement videos (which can be very successful when done b y people with charisma or a good sense of humor). You can even become an affilia te marketer without a website. Basic ways of making money through of affiliate m arketing include: Cost-per-click: you get paid a very small amount every time someone clicks from your content onto the advertisers site; good for high-traffic content Cost-per-lead: you get paid a bit more every time someone signs up or fills a fo rm with the advertiser thanks to your content Cost-per-acquisition: you get paid a (fixed or percent) commission every time so meone makes a purchase with the advertiser because of your content; good for foc used, high-quality content Make Money Quickly 58095 35 1.jpg 1Sell CDs and/or DVDs. Back up your collection on a computer or external hard dr ive, then sell the original discs. Youll make quick cash and save space at the sa me time. If you have prized collections (boxed sets, limited-release editions, e tc.), sell these individually for what theyre worth; otherwise, sell your discs v ery reasonably (remember, your potential buyers can also get the exact songs the y want instantly by downloading them for buck or less apiece). Even for a mere $ 4 each, a sizeable collection of CDs can haul in a tidy sum. 58095 36 1.jpg 2Sell hair, plasma, or other body parts/fluids. Long, healthy, untreated hair ca n be sold for a variety of purposes (including high-end wig- and extension-makin g) and earn you anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars depend ing on color, health, and length. Plasma can be donated (for compensation) provide d that you are old, healthy, and heavy enough to qualify. Sperm can be donated, but you usually have to know (and be able to document) a fair amount of informat ion about your parents as well as your medical history to be eligible. But be wa ry; for example, donating eggs is often touted as a fast, high-profit medical pr ocedure, but the process is actually requires that the participant undergo hormo nal and medical treatment, receive regular checkups and ultrasounds, and abstain from sex and intoxicants, all of which take weeks or even months before the egg s are even eligible for removal. The removal process itself is invasive and last s about 30 minutes.[3] Consider your options very carefully before taking on any thing like this. 3Read How to Make Money Fast for more ideas. Method 2 of 3: Financial Wisdom to Live By 58095 38.jpg 1Use the law of supply and demand to your advantage. Most of us are familiar wit h the law of supply and demand--the more there is of something, the cheaper it i s; conversely, the rarer the product or service, the more expensive it is. Howev er, other than when we get to a toy store before sunrise to get on line for the latest fad toy that kids can't get enough of, we don't really apply the law of s upply and demand to our own lives--particularly our careers. For example, if you 're aspiring to do something that many, many other people want to do (so much so that they do it for free, as a hobby) then it will be far more challenging for you to make money doing it. On the other hand, if you do something that most peo ple don't want to do, or if you get very good at doing something most people don 't do all that well, then you can make a whole lot more money. In other words, c hoose a career in pharmacy over photography. 58095 39 1.jpg 2If your career path is going nowhere, resign gracefully and switch careers. Res earch occupations to find out how much they pay and what their future outlook is (in the U.S., you can find this information in the Bureau of Labor Statistics O ccupational Outlook Handbook). Find an occupation that pays well, and invest in the education and/or training to get you that job. Look for employers that offer competitive salaries and ample opportunity for advancement. 58095 40.jpg 3If your goal is to make enough money to retire early, prioritize earning potent ial over job satisfaction, since you plan on getting out of the rat race early, anyway. Consider the types of jobs that pay extraordinarily well in exchange for hard work, little psychological satisfaction, and a punishing lifestyle, such a s investment banking, sales, and engineering. If you can keep your expenses low and do this for about 10 years, you can save a nest egg for a modest but youthfu l retirement, or to supplement your income while you do something you really lov e doing but doesn't pay much. But keep in mind that delayed gratification requir es clear goal-setting and strong willpower. 58095 41 1.jpg 4Recognize that time is money. This critical piece of advice is attributed to Be njamin Franklin, who was an accomplished American inventor, journalist, printer, diplomat, and statesman--the ultimate multitasker. Your ability to manage your time (and stop procrastinating) is a critical ingredient in your ability to make money. Whether you have a job or are self-employed, keep track of what you're s pending your time on. Ask yourself "Which of these activities make the most mone y, and which of them are a waste of time?" Do more of the former and less of the latter, simple as that. When you're focusing on high-priority tasks, get the jo b done well, and get the job done fast. By working efficiently, you're giving yo ur employer or clients more time, and they'll appreciate you for it. Remember th at time is a limited resource that you're always investing. Will your investment s pay off? 58095 42.jpg 5Jack up your prices. If you're providing a skill, service or product that is in high demand and low supply, and you're making the most of your time, you should be making good money. Unfortunately, there are many people who are too humble o r fearful to demand that they get paid accordingly. It's the pushovers in life w ho get taken advantage of and exploited, so if you think you might be one of the m, learn how to stop being a people pleaser. If you work for someone else, ask f or a pay raise or get a promotion, and if none of that pans out, revisit your ca reer options as described previously. If you're self-employed, the first thing t o do is to make sure your customers and clients pay up on time--this alone can s ubstantially improve your income. Check your prices and rates against those of y our competitors--are you undercutting them? Why? If you're providing a superior product or service, you should be getting at least the average, unless your prof itability depends on mass production, in which case you're probably making a lot of money and wouldn't be reading this article anyway! 58095 43 1.jpg 6Be proactive. Remember Murphy's Law: "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Mak e plans, complete with as many calculations as possible, then anticipate everyth ing that can go wrong. Then make contingency or backup plans for each scenario. Don't leave anything to luck. If you're writing a business plan, for example, do your best to estimate when you'll break even, then multiply that time frame by three to get a more realistic date; and after you've identified all the costs, a dd 20% to that for costs that will come up that you didn't anticipate. Your best defense against Murphy's law is to assume the worst, and brace yourself. An app ropriate amount of insurance may be something worth considering. Don't forget th e advice of Louis Pasteur, a French chemist who made several incredible breakthr oughs in the causes and prevention of disease: "Luck favors the prepared mind." 58095 44.jpg 7Redefine wealth. In studies of millionaires, people are surprised to learn that most millionaires aren't doctors, lawyers, and corporate leaders with big house s and fancy cars; they're people who religiously live below their means and inve st the surplus into assets, rather than liabilities.[4] As you're taking the abo ve steps to make more money, keep in mind that increased income does not necessa rily equal increased wealth. Most people who flaunt their wealth actually have a low net worth because their debt to asset ratio is high--in other words, they o we a whole lot more money than they actually have. All of the previous steps hav e outlined aggressive strategies for making money, but you'll never get anywhere if you have a hole in your pocket. 58095 45 1.jpg 8They say that a penny saved is a penny earned. Actually, when you consider that you pay taxes on every penny you earn, you really do make more money by saving than by increasing your income, especially if the extra income will increase you r tax rate dramatically. For example, let's say you have a choice between saving $100 or earning an extra $100. If you pay 15% taxes, then when you earn an $100 , you only get $85. But when you save $100 off of your existing budget, you keep it all. To sweeten the deal further, if you take advantage of compound interest as found in most savings accounts, over time you'll start making money on the a mount saved plus previous interest paid on that amount saved. It'll be pennies a t first, but eventually the amount will multiply exponentially. 58095 46.jpg 9Take advantage of tax laws if you're self-employed. Money saved on taxes is sti ll money saved. You may be able to deduct many of your business expenses (use of your home, use of your car, office supplies, etc.) if you keep good records. Yo u may also qualify for tax breaks, such as deducting your health insurance premi ums on your tax return. These laws are in place to encourage commerce and busine ss growth, so don't neglect their benefits especially if you want to make money. 58095 47.jpg 10If you're not self-employed and work for a company, find out if they have a re tirement plan. If you're lucky, employers will sometimes match contributions you make into a retirement fund. Retirement plans also often have the benefit of be ing tax-deferred. The longer you get to keep your money (and make interest on it ) the better. It's never too early to start planning for retirement. 58095 48 1.jpg 11Know the difference between an asset and a liability. The dividing line is whe ther it puts money in your pocket, or takes it out.[5] As much as you love your home, for instance, it is a liability rather than an asset because you put more money into it than you get out of it (unless you're flipping it or renting it ou t). Whatever money you save, invest it in assets such as stocks, mutual funds, p atents, copyrighted works--anything that generates interest or royalties. Eventu ally, you might get to the point where your assets are doing the work for you, a nd all you have to do is sit there and make money! 58095 49.jpg 12Watch out for inflation chipping away at your assets. We've all heard an elder ly person describe the purchasing power of a coin in their day. Inflation contin ues to make today's money worth less in the future. To win the race against time and inflation, learn to invest your money in the right places. A savings accoun t might help you to keep up with inflation; however, to stay ahead of the game y ou'll want to invest in bonds, stocks, or some other investment that returns abo ve the average rate of inflation (currently 3%-4%). Method 3 of 3: Make Money as a Kid 58095 50 1.jpg 1Ask your parents if they'll pay you for doing more chores. You're probably alre ady expected to do chores around the house and help out your family for free. If you need a little extra pocket change, however, ask your parents if there's som ething else you can do for a small fee. For instance, maybe your mom really hate s folding laundry and would be willing to pay $5 a week for you to do it instead . Whatever it is, let your parents know you're willing to take on more work for a bit of allowance. 58095 51.jpg 2Make sure you're able to do whatever you agree to do. If you know your parents like a chore done a certain way, don't cut corners - do it well, and they may ev en agree to give you a raise in the future! 58095 52.jpg 3Run a lemonade stand, or something similar. During hot summer months in the US, many kids run lemonade or cold beverage stands on the sidewalks in front of the ir houses. Here are a few tips to get you started: 58095 53.jpg 4Offer something that's appropriate for the weather. Cold drinks or popsicles wi ll sell better on a hot day than on a rainy day. If it's too cold or miserable o utside to do much business, hold off and wait for a better day. 58095 54 1.jpg 5Keep your costs down. In order to turn a profit on what you're selling, choose to sell an item that's inexpensive to make. Lemonade is a classic because all of its ingredients (water, sugar, lemons or lemon juice concentrate, and ice) are fairly cheap and easy to obtain. Popsicles are another favorite because they can be bought in large quantities from the store! 58095 55.jpg 6Set up on public property. You can set up your stand on a sidewalk, public park , or other area that is not owned by a private person. Doing this can help you a void accusations of trespassing. Be aware, though, that some larger metropolitan parks might require you to get a permit to sell there. 58095 56.jpg 7Advertise your price. Get a large piece of paper, cardboard or poster paper, an d write what you're selling and how much one serving costs. For instance, you mi ght write "LEMONADE, 25 CENTS". Set a fair price point, and make it something yo u'd be willing to pay yourself; if you're not sure what's fair, ask your parents or another trustworthy adult. 58095 57 1.jpg 8Have somewhere secure to keep your money. Find a lockbox, coin purse, wallet, o r envelope to keep your earnings safe and collected.