50 Ways to Make Money

Here are 50 ways to make money if you are looking for work. Let's face it! The economy does not discriminate, it affects everyone. It doesn't matter if you are a CEO, white collar, blue collar or no collar... if your job is eliminated, you're gone!

And the way it is today, a lot of people are losing their jobs and their careers. Some are laid off the same day they find out they are losing their job, and some no months in advance that will be joining the millions of Americans who are already without work.

You need to work, and you've been looking for work. You've sent your resume to every business you can think of, but there is no response, and now you've gotten to the point where you will accept a full time job or part time job, just as long as it's work.

The scenario above is real! More real than the government and the public want to admit, but the fact is this... it doesn't matter if you have been the CEO of a company for 20 years, and have degrees out the kazoo, you could find yourself out of a job, with no prospects of getting another one, and having to take a full time job or part time job, that you are over-qualified for, and this is if you're lucky!

The reality is... you need to work... you're too young to retire, your unemployment compensation is coming to an end, and you have to support yourself, or more importantly, a family. You have to come up with ways to make money - what do you do?

Well, you do what it takes to survive, regardless of your previous positions and degrees, so I'm going to list 50 ways to make money, when you desperately need to work.

1) Welfare and Food Stamps - I listed this first so that I could get it out of the way, because a lot of people look at this as being beneath them. But this system was put in place to help people like you. People who need help, until they can help themselves.

Don't knock this avenue of aid just because the system is being improperly used. If you have children to care for, and you need to eat, then this source of revenue can be the difference between living or starving.

2) Life Insurance Policies - This is an emergency! If you have life insurance policies that you can surrender and get the cash, then this may be the time to do so.

3) Pawn Shop - Gather up all the jewelry an other items that can be pawned, and go sell them. If you think you can get a better deal on your gold jewelry by selling it to a company that processes gold, then consider that option. If you don't want to pawn any of your items, then consider number 4.

4) Yard and Garage Sell - I've seen people make a living doing nothing but holding weekend yard sells. Gather up all the things you want to get rid of and have your own yard sell. Why not tell your neighbors than you will sell their items also... for a percentage of the profits that is.

5) Make Jewelry - If you happen to be in area where you can comb the beaches for sea shells, you can collect them, polish them up and make beautiful jewelry that you can sell at flea markets, consignment shops or on line. It's a thought!

6) Paper Weights - Remember the "pet rocks?" Well these are going to be paper weights. Go hunting for strange or odd-shaped rocks, clean them up, then paint faces on them and sell them as paper weights.

7) Sell Trees - Find different wooded areas where you can dig up small trees, pot them, and sell them to homeowners. Especially new homes that need landscaping. The idea is to have different sites to dig from. Be responsible, don't take too many trees from one area.. Do your research about digging, potting and the soil they will need. If not done right, they will die within a week.

8) Mow Lawns - Find customers by going door to door and asking if you can mow their lawns or trim their shrubbery. You will probably get better reception if you go to homes where the lawns need to be mowed, and the shrubbery needs to be trimmed.

9) Wild Plants - Find different areas where wild, native plants are growing. Dig some up, pot them and sell them. Do your research about digging, potting and the soil they will need.

10) Painting House Numbers - A lot of neighborhoods have their house numbers painted on the curb. Drive around these neighborhoods until you spot numbers that are either missing or faded and ask the homeowner if you can paint or touch up their numbers.

11) Newspaper Logs - Collect all the old newspapers that you can. Roll them into bundles the size of a log and sell them for firewood. You can find several ways of making these logs on line. Choose the way that suits you best.

12) Sell Driftwood - If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where driftwood washes up onto your beaches, you can start gathering some really nice pieces and sell them to craft shops or even on Ebay.

13) Make Vases - Collect or save all your pretty and unique wine bottles, glass water bottles and even liquor bottles, and turn them into lovely vases that you can sell. All you need is a glass cutter, some fine grain sandpaper, the bottles, and you're in business.

14) Make Pot Holders - Instead of purchasing bags of the material that potholders are normally made out of, try using strips of material from old dresses and shirts. The more artistic and designed they are, the better they will sell.

15) Wiping and Cleaning Rags - If you don't want to use the old shirts and dresses to make pot holders, then cut them into nice sized squares and sell them as cleaning rags.

16) Clean or Make Gardens - If you love being outside in the garden, why not sell your services as a garden designer, maker, digger and cleaner.

17) Sell Pine Cones - You can find pine cones where ever there's a pine tree, which is pretty much everywhere. Collect them, clean them, and sell them by the bag to craft shops.

18) Sell Fishing Bait - If happen to have a area around your house, or know of an area where you can dig for worms, why not do this and sell them to either a bait shop or directly to the fishermen.

19) House Painting - Check out the neighborhoods, find houses that need painting and sell your services. Find out how much professional painters charge and give your customers a discount by charging less.

20) Door Stops - Save all of you empty coffee cans, fill them with plaster or cement, paint them decoratively and sell them as door stops.

21) Sell Bake Goods - Make cookies, cakes, pies and fudge and sell door to door, or pass out fliers in the neighborhood and let them know that you're selling baked goods at your house, what kind of goods you're selling and the price. They can call and reserve what they want, stop by or you can deliver.

22) Sell Vegetables - Have a garden, then collect and sell your vegetables door to door, a flea market or farmers market. Don't have a garden, but you have the space, then start one.

23) House Sit - Offer your services as a house sitter for people going on vacation. If you throw in
maintaining the grounds, collecting the mail, newspaper and dog sitting their pets, you can charge even more.

24) Babysit - This service can be offered as a, "I'll keep your child while you go out for a few hours," to a, "Drop your child off at 6:00am and pick up at 6:00pm" type of deal. Either way, set reasonable limits on the amount of children or babies, and the time frame.

25) Dog Walker - Offer your services as a dog walker for pet owners in your neighborhood.

26) Typist - Use your computer to type resumes, term papers, book reports or anything else you can think of that needs typing. Also offer this service to local churches.

27) Work In Nightclubs - If you're good at singing, dancing, playing an instrument or telling jokes, then look into working at a nightclub.

28) Type Menus - Start a typing service to type menus for restaurants, and charge them so much per menu.

29) Read Books - Offer to read the books and do the book report for students. I debated about adding this, but this something you should do, only if you conscious allows you to, because nothing can replace a child's education of reading their own books and doing their own book reports.

30) Become A Clown - Get a clown suit and rent yourself out to different functions, parties and events as a clown. If you learn how to juggle and do magic, you can charge more.

31) Dance Teacher - Know how to dance. Then become a dance teacher.

32) Researcher - Not a researcher in science, but in information. Offer your services as an information and legal researcher for businesses, lawyers, doctors and individuals. Charge by the hour or the page. People need information, but don't always know where or how to find it. Charge accordingly and the income you make here can replace your old income.

33) Plate Decorating - Take old, but good white plates and decorate them paint. Be creative with your designs. You can also do the same with saucers, cups and bowls. Then sell them yourself or put them on consignment at a shop.

34) Yoga Teacher - Pass around fliers or place ads to get customers, then charge at least $4 or $5 dollars an hour for your service. A nice income can be made an hour with 10 or 20 clients.

35) Sell Crafts - Make your own crafts and sell them at craft shows, flea market or farmer's market.

36) Sell Door Wreaths - Make door wreaths for general purpose or holidays and sell them door to door, craft fairs, flea markets or farmer's market.

37) Craft Teacher - Set up show in your garage or a spare bedroom and teacher other people how to make crafts. Sign them up and teach a new craft each week.

38) Make Candles - Make candles for all occasion and holidays. You can charge more per candle if you make them from soy and add different fragrances.

39) Exotic Dancer - If you can dance, don't mind the atmosphere and you have the body, then become an exotic dancer. The pay is great and there is no doubt that you will make more than you did on your last job.

40) Pick Up and Deliver Service - Start a pick up and deliver service. You can pick up anything from people, to groceries, to dry cleaning, to pets who need to go to the vet or for grooming. The possibilities are endless and deserves some research.

41) Window Cleaning - Everyone hates cleaning windows! Offer your services as a window cleaner for residential and commercial customers.

42) Become a Cook - Just as maids are hired to clean house, sell your services as a cook. Find clients who don't have time to cook meals, but would love to come home to a delicious, home-cooked meal. This would require going to several different homes a day, and menu planning with your client.

43) Car Washer - Go from house to house or pass out fliers offering your services as a car washer. You will go to their homes and wash their cars, using their water and supplies. You are only charging them for your time and labor.

44) Airport Taxi Service - Advertise yourself as an airport taxi service, and charge a little less to the established companies in your area. This needs more research, because insurance and certain licenses are needed.

45) Sell T-Shirts - These can be bought wholesale and in bulk. Decorate with different designs and pictures and sell them at flea markets, the farmer's market or on line.

46) Prune Trees - Get yourself some pruning gear and go house to house or pass out fliers offering your service as a tree pruner.

47) Pool Cleaner - Pass out fliers or go door to door to offer your services. If they already have someone, let them know that you are reliable and will charge them less.

48) Clean Eaves - Not only do homeowners need their eaves cleaned, but so do business owners. Get the equipment you need and do some advertising.

49) Handy Man or Woman - If you are handy with cleaning, hauling, moving, building and repairing, then hire yourself out as being handy.

50) Carpet Cleaner - If you have the funds to invest in a professional carpet cleaner, then do so and offer your services as a carpet cleaner. Pass out fliers letting them know your hours, days and price.

There are so many more I could list here, but space won't allow it, but you get the picture. If you should ever find yourself looking for a full time job, a part time job, you need to work, you're looking for work or you just need ways to make money, then remember this list and put it to good use.

If you don't want to put your trust in corporate America again, or in any business where you could get laid off, then consider the above list try putting several of the ideas together, and starting your own business. They could be different ideas or ideas that are related.

The point is that you will be working for yourself, so will have no one to depend on but yourself. Where there is a will, there are ways to make money, you just have to put your thinking cap on.

When it comes to selling your services, if you don't want to go door to door, then make up some professional looking fliers, and you, the kids and your spouse pass out fliers in the neighborhoods you're trying to target.

Don't limit selling items at flea markets and farmer's market. If you have any computer skills or not, try selling your products on line . There are many ways to make money, and I hope you enjoyed reading my list.