Looking for an Odd Job? Sell Magazine Subscriptions

Parents - Do you want your teenagers to get a job but don't want them to commit to a full job.

Teens - Do you want to earn some extra cash but don't want a full-time job?

If the answer is yes, then you might want to explore this odd job - Sell Magazine Subscriptions.

Magazines have historically cost a good amount of money. I'd say the average 12-issue subscription has historically cost around $15. But magazines make most of their money through advertising. With the advent of the Internet, an interested searcher can easily find magazine subscriptions almost for free.

Find Your Inventory

First, find which magazines you want to sell. Look all over the Internet and find the lowest price. I've found that MagsForLess.com often has specific magazines at amazing prices. Currently, I see:

US News & World Report - 52 issues for $6.70

Sporting News - 60 issues for $4.99

ESPN The Magazine - 26 issues for $6

Rolling Stone - 26 issues for $4.99

My web site TheMagazineWizard.com also links to some of the best magazine deals on the Internet. I've also found good deals at Magazines.com.

Find People Who Want to Buy The Magazine

Once you have your inventory, all you have to do is find people to buy the magazines from you. I'd start with friends, relatives, and neighbors. If these people are pleased with your prices, tell them to refer other people to you. You'll make even more sales!

Let's say your uncle is a big sports fan. Then you can offer him 60 issues of Sporting News for $10. You can point out that a regular subscription to Sporting News costs $19.97 (I found this at SportingNews.com) and that the cover price is $215.48

At 17 cents per issue, that's a fantastic deal for your uncle!

Sign them up

Once your uncle decides he's interested, take his payment and write down his name and address. Then purchase the magazine online and enter his name as the address to send the magazine subscription to. Renewals work well too. If somebody already has a magazine and pays full price, they'll be more than happy to renew from you at a discount. And remember to have the client renew through you each year.

Credit Card Issue

The only drawback is that you need a credit card to purchase magazines online. If you don't have a credit card, try to get one. It's great to have a credit card and start building credit, so long as you only charge what you can pay for. Make sure to pay your credit card off each month!

If you can't get a credit card, ask your parents to purchase the magazines for you. First, you give them $5 cash. Then they charge the $4.99 to their credit card. Since you're paying them up-front, they should be happy to help you. They might even earn points or miles thanks to your job.

How Much Money Do You Make?

Your uncle will pay you $10, then you will pay $4.99 to MagsForLess.com. You earn $5! It's not a ton of money, but it doesn't take as much work as a full job. You can raise the price and earn more, or lower the price and give your clients an even better deal.