Monday, July 26, 2010

How to Get Cash Quickly

Recently I received a letter from a mom whose ex-husband lost his job and probably won’t have money to pay child support for a while. Her hours at work were reduced and she is scrambling to find a way to make extra money or start a side business to supplement her income.

 

She asked for my advice so this post will serve to answer her question.

 

I dug through the archives and found 9 articles that speak to her question. There are over 15 ways listed within these articles for this single mom to begin making extra money today.

 

To sum the articles she can begin by selling some of her possessions either through the local classified ad, through craigslist, or at the local pawn shop. Having a yard sale (especially during this time of year) is also a very good option.

 

If she has cooking and/or baking skills she can buy some ingredients to make cakes, cookies, or whatever her specialty item is and sell them to the neighbors and co-workers. If she makes up some samples to give away she could get pre-orders.

 

If cooking is not her thing, she could use her everyday skills to make extra money. Whether it’s typing, sewing, crafts, or whatever she can do, there is a way to make money from her skills and talents.

 

The biggest issue many people have is fear of their plan failing. They are afraid to try because it might not work. This is a very valid fear. When I first started making money on the side I was not all that confident.

 

I tested things out first to see if there was any interest. The way most products or services sell is through word of mouth or recommendations. People do it everyday. A friend or family member has a good experience with a product or service and they tell someone else.

 

The key is to beginning telling people about what you are offering. If you are giving samples of food it should be fairly easy to get things going. If people are asking you for certain things all the time it may be a clue that what you have to offer is or can be in demand.

 

If this single mom is in desperate need of money then I suggest she begin selling possessions first. It can be books, popular DVDs, small electronic items, instruments, clothing, furniture, or other valuables. Selling her gold jewelry is also a very good way to get a good amount of money fast.

 

These tips will help this single mom make money quickly. She doesn’t have to struggle or be afraid there are no options for her. The reality is there are many ways to make extra money in a short period of time.

 

Below are links to the archived articles on what I like to call side hustles or how to make extra money.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading How to Make Cash Quickly. Do you have any specific questions you’d like to ask me about making extra money or how to reduce your stress as a single mom?

 

 

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/side-hustle-series-ironing-and-mending

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/side-hustle-series-%e2%80%93-rent-out-your-space

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/side-hustle-series-bake-up-some-profits

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/side-hustle-series-10-places-to-find-temporary-work

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/single-moms-guide-to-free-low-cost-food

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/side-hustle-anyone

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/need-some-cash-sell-something

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/single-mom-side-hustle-series-the-change-jar

http://richsinglemomma.com/weblog/quick-and-easy-ways-to-make-extra-money

 
Samantha Gregory

Side Hustle Idea: Bake Up Profits

With the holiday season ramping it now is the time to use your baking skills to earn some extra Christmas money. If you make exceptional cakes, cookies, and/or pies you are one of the few people that will be in demand. Not everyone can bake and the thousands of people around you with a sweet tooth will beat down your door once they find out that you can bake.
 
How do you get started? Make some samples and place them in the employee, teacher, or nurses’ lounge. Put your baked goods where people gather and leave a note letting people know how to get more. You could give out samples as an early holiday gift, sort of a holiday kickoff things. Attach your business card (make some up), brochure, or mini-flier to the package.
 
You will have to come up with a system to take orders and deliver your product. Another option is to bake up a batch of cookies, brownies, or other easy to bake and take item and sell them from you office desk or locker.
 
If you are daring place a classified ad on Craigslist.org, Backpage.com, or Kijiji.com. You can also sell your goodies (the baked ones) on eBay. They have a classified ad option for $10 that will remain on the site and searchable for 30 days. That's not a bad value at all!
 
So there you have it. Another side hustle idea that you can run away with. Tweak it and make it yours. Let me know how it works out for you.
 
(c) 2009 Samantha Gregory

Side Hustle Series - Deliver Newspapers

As hard as it is to believe, there are people who still subscribe to the local newspaper. The internet has taken quite a few former newspaper readers online, but there are some who are die-hard real newspaper fans. They expect their newspaper at their door step every morning like clock work. The postal service is not in the business of delivering papers so somebody has to do it so why not you.

 

Delivering newspapers is a great way to earn extra money on the side while working your regular job. Most of the time newspapers are delivered early in the morning, usually before sunrise between the hours of 4am-6am. Those early hours are great because you are making money early and easily.

 

This is one job that you can take your kids on. You can put them in your car and let them sleep while you drive. Take a small snack, a pillow, and blankets and do your rounds. You will fall into a great routine over time so your mornings will go buy effortlessly. Since you are already up you won’t have to struggle to get ready for work.

 

There is a downside to delivering newspapers though as with all things. You may encounter late delivery at your pick up station which will make you late delivering. Some customers may blame you for that. You have to pay for the wear and tear on your car and pay for your own gas.

 

The popularity of newspapers is going down because of Internet access to the news. So this may limit the number of newspaper delivery jobs right now. There are other types of delivery that can be done such as phonebook, community newspapers, free newspapers, and free magazine delivery to storefronts and other public gathering places.

 

© 2009 Samantha Gregory

Side Hustle Series - Rent out your space

We live in an age where people accumulate stuff and refuse to let it go. That is why there are so many storage rental places popping up all over the place. Depending on the size the space the rental fee can range from $25 to $125 a month to store all the, ummmm, stuff that can’t fit in the house. Sometime though, people, other single moms, students, or people in transit need a temporary place to store their goods. That’s where you come in.

 

If you have an extra room, closet, space in your basement or and extra large backyard or driveway, you can rent it out and make some extra money each month. There may be someone you know who is moving to a smaller place and needs to store their hat collection or instruments. Others may have a room full of furniture to store so depending on your space you may be able to accommodate two or three people. There are cars, boats, and campers that need to be stored somewhere so your space will come in handy.

 

What you charge is up to you, but it should be just a few dollars lower than what the storage rental place up the street is charging. You can be creative in how you charge and can be flexible with people who get paid weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. You may decide to build a storage room in your backyard to take in more things because it’s going so well.

 

A few flyers on a college campus, military base bulletin board (if you have access), or a church bulletin board may bring your first customers. After that, word of mouth will supply you with future customers. Try to find people who don’t need to visit their “stuff” too often because you don’t want people coming back and forth to your home all the time. Your perfect customer may be a college student who is leaving for the summer, a military person going on an extended tour, or a single executive who will be out of the country for a few months.

 

If you have the unfortunate pleasure of getting a person who refuses to pay feel free to donate their items to Goodwill. You should draw up a simple contract with the agreed upon rate, terms, and property disposal in case of non-payment.

 

© 2009 Samantha Gregory

Multiple Income Opportunities from Your Expertise

When I look around the world I see opportunities to build wealth everywhere. I have ideas pouring out of my, well, pores. Maybe that's the problem, too many opportunities and not enough time to do them all.

 

Making extra money is always in the front of my mind and I can see how others can make money from their talents and skills, but it is harder for me somehow. Right now, off the top of my head I can think of five ideas for my dad to make money. He is a mechanic and has been for 25 years, so he's an expert, right?

 

Being an expert is moneymaking opportunity in itself because people come to you for advice all the time. So back to my dad; he knows things about cars that the average person will probably never know. He has what we all need at some point in time, knowledge about how to fix cars. So he can take his knowledge and make money in the following ways:

 

1. Write a book

2. Teach a class

3. Start a Blog

4. Sell parts

5. Consulting

 

It was easy enough for me to think of these ideas, now the hard part is expanding on them implementing a plan of action. All of the ideas mentioned above can be done at the same time all it takes is organization.

 

Write a Book

As an auto mechanic with so many years of experience, my dad can write a book or two about cars. He is particularly fond of muscle cars, the old Plymouth and Chevrolets that are big and sleek, yet super fast. He could write a book about where to find them, how to restore them, and how to resell them. He had two Plymouth Dusters in his driveway that people were always stopping to inquire about. They wanted to buy them so badly that they were practically drooling over them.

 

Every year millions of teenagers get their driver license. They are dying to have their own ride but their parents are not always too sure about the best kind to get. It is easy to research the best kind of cars but to have all the information in one place is priceless. Parents of teen girls are especially cautious and concerned with the safety features and handling of the car they will buy for their precious daughter.

 

When my dad bought me my first car, he was less concerned about how it looked, but rather how safe it was. Since he’s into classic cars he bought me a 1971 Dodge Dart. It was a beautiful gold color with impeccable interior. It was also as big as a boat and made of steel. I was in an accident one time in it and all I got was a small ding on the corner of the fender. The other car was completely totaled. When I told him about it he was concerned that I had been in an accident, but he was thrilled that the car he purchased for me kept me safe.

 

Another idea for a book could be what to look for in a car repair center and/or mechanic. Every year thousands of car owners get ripped off by unscrupulous mechanics. With timely tips about how to choose an honest mechanic, concerned consumers can be more confident in choosing an honest and reliable automotive specialist. The best kind of book or eBook would be one that lists the top 10 tips or 7 easy methods for finding a reliable mechanic.

 

Teach a Class

To capitalize on his expertise as a mechanic, he could teach classes to two groups of people. The first group is individuals who want to learn the auto repair trade. There are many people who want this knowledge to either learn how to repair their own cars or learn auto repair to become a paid professional.

 

Classes can be taught in private small group settings or as an instructor at a high school or community college’s vocational arts program. Through collaboration with a neighborhood auto parts store, my dad could teach men and women alike basic maintenance skills. A class for women that is sponsored by a women’s organization or club is another avenue for teaching.

 

Blog

Considering that blogs are a normal part of life it is only natural that my dad starts blogging. There are a vast number of topics to cover in a blog from how-to’s to product reviews to advice. There is no limit to what he can talk about in a blog. Personal experience, humor, and the hundreds of stories he can tell about life as a mechanic are also great content he can create.

 

As his reader base grows he can begin to accept advertising. The automotive industry has thousands of wholesalers and retailers of auto parts, car manufacturers, and products to make the car pretty on the inside and out. Paid reviews, banner ads, and Adsense are all a part of the blogging world. It would not be hard to start seeing a nice bundle of money coming in from a blog like this.

 

Sell Auto Parts

Everybody who has a car needs parts at some point in time. The fact of the matter is that all car parts wear out sooner or later. There are hundreds of auto part stores, in fact in some places there is one on every corner, kind of like all those CVS and Walgreens stores. Parts can be sold in one of three ways. He can buy a franchise, buy some land and start a junkyard, or buy parts for cheap at the local junkyard and resell.

 

Buying a franchise can be expensive with the hefty start-up fees and monthly or yearly franchise fees. Buying land, in reality, is not cheap. He will also need seed money to buy junk cars from individuals and a tow truck to haul them away. His best bet would be to buy parts cheaply from a salvage yard and resell on EBay, Craigslist or any other online classified ads website.

 

I heard of a man who only sells spark plugs he collects and cleans at one of the largest flea markets in California. He sells them for $1 each and regularly makes $300-400 before noon. Specializing in one or two parts may yield the same results but it will take testing it out to see what works.

 

Consulting

The final way that my dad or any other experienced auto mechanic can make money is by consulting. The clients he could serve are those people in the market to buy a car, particularly a used car. When the car is sitting on the lot looking pretty and the interior is immaculate it’s easy to forget about what’s under the hood.

 

Having worked around cars for over 25 years he can distinguish between normal and abnormal sounds. During a test drive he can know if the car needs an alignment or if that knocking sound is the sign of big trouble in the future. The sights, sounds, and smells of a used car can never be taken for granted so having a knowledgeable mechanic around can save the consumer money and headaches.

 

Knowing the true value of a used car is another area that a mechanic can advise a consumer about. Too often the unassuming buyer pays too much for a car. The way it looks and the features drive them to overpay for what could be a lemon. They don’t take into consideration the mileage, maintenance reports, or blue book values. They may not even know that those factors influence the cost of the car they have fallen in love with. An automotive consultant can be the voice of reason at this very important time in the consumer’s life.

 

These ideas can be used for any professional with years of experience in their field. What you know is valuable because you have spent the time to learn everything there is to know about your industry. As retirement nears or the economic crunch begins to change and challenge your level of income, it becomes necessary to think outside of the box and create alternative ways to produce income.

 

© 2009 Samantha Gregory

Need a Bit of Cash? Check Out the Treasure in Your House!

Take your excess stuff and sell it to people looking for just what you have. When I was about to move I had a yard sell, posted items on Craigslist.org, and in the local newspaper. Ebay is another great place to sell things but it’s not as instant as selling locally.

 

Look through your house and see what you can get rid of today. We all have an extra this or that. It may be a pair of jeans you can’t wear anymore but still have the tags on it. It may be that designer purse that you never use or the shoes that are in great condition but don’t match any of your clothes.

 

Hot sellers are furniture, electronics, and books. Small pieces like nightstands, storage units, beds (especially twin), and computer desks. Books, DVDs, and video players and games also sell well. Kids or baby items sell well too, especially gently used clothes.

 

With the price of metal going up you can get a great deal on your scrap jewelry as well as scrap metal that may be lying around. Take your unwanted jewelry to the neighborhood pawnshop and sell it for a small fortune. The local scrap metal companies are also pay high dollar for old iron beds, copper tubing, and many other types of metals.

 

As I said before, great places to sell your stuff include craigslist.org, the local newspaper, and online classifieds. The local newspaper may allow you to list your stuff for free or a very small amount. Craigslist.org is free and so are most of the other online classified ad services. Be sure that everything you plan to sell is clean and have all the pieces.

 

Having a yard sale is also a great way to sell off your stuff. It takes some time to get everything organized. You will need at least one table to display stuff, change in coins and small bills, and bright, readable signs to point people to your sale. Check with your city to see if you need a permit and your local newspaper to see if you can list your sale for free in the yard sale section.

 

Use caution when dealing with aggressive buyers and those that want to strike a deal on bulk items. They could take a lot for very little and you end up losing money in the long run. Your yard sale could be a booming success depending on the time of month and week. Weekends and the first of the month are better for yard sales as well as early in the day.

 

So if you are in need of cash look no further than your home and garage. You never know how much money you can rake in after selling a few items. This is also a great way for your kids to make money instead of begging you for it. They can even take some initiative and offer to clean out the neighbor’s garage for a very low price if they can keep the unwanted items. Who knows what kind of bonanza they will discover.

 

© 2008 Samantha Gregory

 

Side Hustle Idea: Profit from Your Pen Freelance Writing

Are you interested in earning money with your words? Have you thought about being a freelance writer? Right now writers are in demand because of the internet. Let’s face it we have entered an era of technological change and the internet is one “trend” that is here to stay.



Why do people go to the internet? What are they looking for? If you guessed information, you are right? That’s why you are here isn’t it? You came looking for information about a certain topic. The internet is the largest repository of information in the world today. It used to be that libraries were the places to go for research and general information. They are still very important for much of what we need but they are not as convenient as going to your computer in the next room and searching for a recipe, a historical figure, or how to grow tomatoes.



With the stability of the internet traditional magazines, newspapers, and newsletter publishers are setting up an internet presence daily. In addition to their regular publications they need content for their websites. They have people to write for the traditional publications but there is still room for people to write for the web. You may be the solution to their problem.



In addition to traditional publications, there are retailers, internet marketers, and small businesses that are also setting up their businesses on the web. They need content as well. As more and more people flock to the internet it becomes a more profitable place. The more people with businesses on the internet, the greater the competition and the need to attract people to their website. Content is the key.



With good content that offers a benefit to reader the internet marketer has a greater chance of making a sale. They are seen as the authority because they can offer advice, information, and help to the people who have come to the internet. The trouble is that most internet marketers and business people don’t have the time or talent to write great articles that are both informative and easy to understand. This is where you come in.



Your writing skills are in demand is it is clear, concise, grammatically correct and interesting. Think about your high school and college papers. Did you get good grades? Did your teachers praise you for your creativity? Where you able to explain things in a way that everyone could understand? More recently, have you written a letter to the editor that got published? Have you contributed to your child’s school newsletter? Do you have a blog that is well read? Do people ask you to proofread their writing over and over again? Now is the best time to take your writing talent and start earning money from it.



There are many options to explore when considering freelance writing. You can start off writing for one of the many content companies on the web. I gave a few examples in the Use Your Expertise post. They are just the tip of the iceberg. If you specialize or decide to write for only a certain segment of the population or on certain topics you open yourself up for more opportunities.

Writing articles is but one type of writing that you can get paid for. You can also get paid to write blog post, write on forums, write short facts, write comments, write how-to’s, and the list goes on and on. Do a little research to find out what is in demand. Start writing samples in areas you already know about. Take your journal entries and write an article of blog post from that. When you approach a company or individual about writing for them you will have samples to show.



Eventually you will need to get a website up or turn your blog into a website. Get help with this or, if you are adventurous, do it yourself. I did my own blogsite, graphics and all, so I know you can do it if you have the motivation. Having a web presence shows that you are serious about your business and it is the place to put all your writing samples. You can also tell the site visitors about what you offer, about you as a person, and how you do business.



It takes confidence to hang out your shingle as a freelance writer. You have to market your self all the time and keep several projects going. If you are serious about writing you will do what it takes to keep your clients happy and always be on the look out for new ones.



Writing as a hobby is much different than freelance writing. A hobby can be put down and left for a while, then picked back up again. If you get money for writing as a hobby that’s great but it is not a motivating factor for you. A writing hobbyist is not concerned about perfecting their craft, customer service, or looking for the next gig. It’s fun and never time consuming. Freelance writing is not always fun. It’s hard work. The money you make from freelancing is a vital part of your livelihood. You depend on that money to pay a few bills. You will constantly find ways to get better and you recognize that your clients are your bread and butter so making them happy is top priority.

(c) Samantha Gregory 

Side Hustle Idea: Put Your Kids in the Limelight

If you have cute and/or talented kids you could make a lot off of them. Every time you look in the newspaper, company catalogs, store flyers, or magazines you see pictures of amazingly cute kids. They are somebody’s child and the current one grows up so there has to be a new cycle of kids to replace the old ones.

 

Getting your kids in pictures is a great way to make money. It sounds horrible if you think about it too much but with balance and ethics you can maneuver through the system. Both you and your child can come through unscathed provided you don’t get greedy or overly ambitious for them to succeed. Keeping things in perspective is very important.

 

I toyed with the idea of putting my daughter in front of the camera. She was always smiling, friendly, unspoiled and best of all she was a ham. She loved the camera and it loved her back. I didn’t pursue it because I didn’t live close enough to a big city agency. Actually there was one about two hours away but I thought I couldn’t invest in the time, gas, and time off work to commit to it.

 

What I’ve learned since that time I’ve learned a few things about getting your baby in pictures. The first thing is to never pay an agency any money to get work for you. A legitimate agency will pay you and expect nothing by your child’s smiling face. The only expense you may have is the initial photos you send in for review. Even then you can take the pictures yourself if you are handy with the camera.

 

The next thing is to consider your child’s temperament. Can they handle the stress of being around so many strangers? Can they handle being away from you for a time? Are they polite or hellions? There is nothing worse than dealing with a spoiled child and the agency can and will easily drop you from their list. A well-mannered and all around good natured child is easy to work with.

 

Here is a quote from Kiddin Around Model in Atlanta about what they are looking for:

“Just because your child is cute, does not mean they take direction well, have a good attention span, work well with strangers, have an outgoing personality and truly would like to be a model. These are essentials when we evaluate a child. Also, of utmost importance, parent(s) must be professional, able to follow directions well and in general easy to get along with.

The Atlanta and Birmingham offices will only accept submissions from hopefuls who live within a two (2) hour drive from either location. The industry gives very short notice, usually 12 to 24 hours, and children who travel long distances are usually tired and do not make good models. Also, there is an abundance of children to choose from in these cities. If you live outside our required area, check with agencies in your area.”

This gives you a realistic idea of what most agencies look for when working with their clients.

 

Lastly, you should be within an hour’s drive or commute to the local office. Your child may be called at the last minute to do a shoot and you have to be readily available. Being in close proximity will take the stress off of you and your child for short or long notices.

 

The compensation for being a child model is very good. Your child could earn anywhere from $75-$125 an hour. This is a nice chunk of change to get started on a college fund. You would have to establish a trust account for them and get legal and accounting advice to make sure that all the details are covered. Since you will be managing your child’s career you will be able to take a small percentage of the earnings for living expenses.

 

So what do you do now? Look in the phone book or Google a talent and modeling agency near you. Find out how to submit an application and pictures of your little star. You may want to do a little more research about this topic and get as much information as possible. You never want to go in blindly, but be very informed so that you and your child’s interests will always be protected.

 

Learn more and get agency leads http://www.babycenter.com/400_should-i-get-my-baby-into-modeling_500621_1000.bc

 

Side Hustles for Women: Sell Your Eggs

I am always on the look out for ways to make money. I firmly believe in having multiple streams of income, because if one dries up you have other sources to fall back on.

 

So I visit Craigslist.org often to see what is on the jobs site, especially the ETC. section. There are a lot of interesting things there and that is where I find many focus group and survey opportunities. Recently there have been quite few ads for egg donors. Yes there are companies that pay you for your eggs, as in ovaries. Many couples can’t have babies because the woman’s ovaries aren’t working properly to produce eggs.

 

The compensation is typically $5k but could go as high as $20k if you are working in a private situation. The eligibility depends on age, education, and other specifics. All medical exams, medications, and doctor’s visits are covered. All of the sites that I visited regarding egg donor services say that the gift of egg donation is an act of kindness.

 

Surrogacy is also another way of making money. For the couples that cannot have or carry their own child a surrogate mother is one of the options they look at. Even with millions of kids waiting for adoption, couples still want to have their own children and will spend thousands of dollars to make it a reality.

 

The standard compensation for surrogates is $25k. There are agencies that specialize in surrogate situations as well as couples who place ads on their own to cut out the middle man. There are risks and rewards for both types of donation. You are giving your body in the service of others to assist in bringing a new life into the world. All medical expenses are paid and you receive a large amount of money as compensation. The risks are mostly emotional because there is likely to be a bond that occurs, especially in a surrogacy situation.

 

I don’t advocate either process, though I have given thought to donating my eggs, but now I am considered to old (go figure, lol). Surrogacy would be more difficult for me because I know I would want to keep the baby. Another thing is I am already a single mom, and though I shouldn’t care about what others think, my kids would be greatly affected.

 

So would you be able to be an egg donor or surrogate? Would the need or want of money convince you to do it? Is there a moral dilemma involved?