I know I have listed a couple of ways to make money here. It seems to me that making a few extra dollars, or more than a few dollars, is important to surviving unemployment.
I apologize that I did not start this sooner.
Every few days I will be posting another way for you to make extra income - whether you are unemployed or you need a few extra dollars, it doesn't matter. Not every idea will work for every person. Who knows - maybe one of the ideas you read here will spark an idea for you. If that happens, great!
It's hard to have hope or courage if you don't have a few dollars coming in.
I have started a second blog just about making extra money now. I got so tired of seeing spam and reading articles about making money right now. Just seemed like scams preying on those who are in a tough place in their lives. So, I decided to start offering ideas on how to make extra money right now and not ask for anything. Think of my blog as the anti-scam.
The other blog is located at: http://makemoneynownoscam.blogspot.com/
Sometimes I will list the same posting in both places; and sometimes the entries will be unique to the blog.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Anyone Can Do It - Garage Sale 101
I suppose I should have listed having a garage sale as the first way to make money. Everyone seems to have extra 'stuff' they are willing to part with for a price. And, when times are tight, you might even part with more stuff to make some extra money.
How much am I talking about? Well, that all depends on what you have for sale, your neighborhood, if you do a bit of advertising, how you display your items, and whether or not you know your market. Lots to know to have a successful garage sale, huh?
Here are a couple of books about having a garage sale:
Everything You Need to Know...
Garage Sale Magic
And there is information available on the Internet:
About Garage Sales
Plus a whole lot more.
The Basics
Decide what you want to sell.
Decide when you want to sell it - weekends work best.
Post signage where it will be seen. don't be afraid to post signs on streets that get enough traffic so you will let people know you are having a sale. Post signs at least one day, and two days are better, before you have your sale.
If you have valuable items for sale, or prices on them that seem high for a garage sale, think about posting to Craigslist.com (it's free) or putting flyers up where people will see them. The more people that know about your sale, the more people will come by.
Watch the weather as the day gets closer. If it gets bad, at least post a sign that the garage sale was postponed and let people know the re-scheduled date. That's just being courteous.
Decide the prices ahead of time. And, decide on a pricing strategy - what offers will you take? What if people buy several items - will you provide a discount?
Price items before you put them out - several days in advance of your sale. There will be enough to do just setting up your items - don't think you can set-up and price on the same morning.
Be set-up on time. Remember, it's your store and you posted hours of operation. Be ready to go on time which means everything is out and displayed.
Speaking of display. Take a bit of time to think about how you want to display your items. I have seen items neatly displayed - almost as if it were a display in a store. And, I have seen items that seemed to have been thrown out there in piles. Both methods can be successful depending on what you have for sale and who you attract as customers. If you have time, take a look at several garage sales and see how they are displaying items, hang around long enough to see if they are selling items, and talk with the people having the sale.
The Big Day
It's here. Your big sale day. The signs are out. You have even posted some flyers. You have some great stuff for sale. And, you are ready to make several hundred dollars, or more. Just do one thing - Show Up. It's kind of important that you are out to greet potential customers and are available to take their money. Don't laugh. I don't know how many garage sales I have driven by and seen a lot of stuff, but nobody around to take money. Show Up.
Be ready to sell. Know where you will deal and how you are going to deal to make sure you make money. Have a few dollars in your pocket for change - $1's, $5's and maybe a $10. If you can't make change, maybe you can offer something extra to sell you don't have to make change.
Have fun. Be kind. Smile. Don't bother people as they look. If an item has a story that might influence a sale, tell them the story, but keep it short.
Make money.
It might sound a bit more involved and take a bit extra planning, but that is the difference between a successful garage sale and just sitting in your driveway for an entire day and have nothing to show for it.
Good Luck and God Bless. Let me know how you do.
Next: Super Sizing the Garage Sale.
How much am I talking about? Well, that all depends on what you have for sale, your neighborhood, if you do a bit of advertising, how you display your items, and whether or not you know your market. Lots to know to have a successful garage sale, huh?
Here are a couple of books about having a garage sale:
Everything You Need to Know...
Garage Sale Magic
And there is information available on the Internet:
About Garage Sales
Plus a whole lot more.
The Basics
Decide what you want to sell.
Decide when you want to sell it - weekends work best.
Post signage where it will be seen. don't be afraid to post signs on streets that get enough traffic so you will let people know you are having a sale. Post signs at least one day, and two days are better, before you have your sale.
If you have valuable items for sale, or prices on them that seem high for a garage sale, think about posting to Craigslist.com (it's free) or putting flyers up where people will see them. The more people that know about your sale, the more people will come by.
Watch the weather as the day gets closer. If it gets bad, at least post a sign that the garage sale was postponed and let people know the re-scheduled date. That's just being courteous.
Decide the prices ahead of time. And, decide on a pricing strategy - what offers will you take? What if people buy several items - will you provide a discount?
Price items before you put them out - several days in advance of your sale. There will be enough to do just setting up your items - don't think you can set-up and price on the same morning.
Be set-up on time. Remember, it's your store and you posted hours of operation. Be ready to go on time which means everything is out and displayed.
Speaking of display. Take a bit of time to think about how you want to display your items. I have seen items neatly displayed - almost as if it were a display in a store. And, I have seen items that seemed to have been thrown out there in piles. Both methods can be successful depending on what you have for sale and who you attract as customers. If you have time, take a look at several garage sales and see how they are displaying items, hang around long enough to see if they are selling items, and talk with the people having the sale.
The Big Day
It's here. Your big sale day. The signs are out. You have even posted some flyers. You have some great stuff for sale. And, you are ready to make several hundred dollars, or more. Just do one thing - Show Up. It's kind of important that you are out to greet potential customers and are available to take their money. Don't laugh. I don't know how many garage sales I have driven by and seen a lot of stuff, but nobody around to take money. Show Up.
Be ready to sell. Know where you will deal and how you are going to deal to make sure you make money. Have a few dollars in your pocket for change - $1's, $5's and maybe a $10. If you can't make change, maybe you can offer something extra to sell you don't have to make change.
Have fun. Be kind. Smile. Don't bother people as they look. If an item has a story that might influence a sale, tell them the story, but keep it short.
Make money.
It might sound a bit more involved and take a bit extra planning, but that is the difference between a successful garage sale and just sitting in your driveway for an entire day and have nothing to show for it.
Good Luck and God Bless. Let me know how you do.
Next: Super Sizing the Garage Sale.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Sticking With The Dogs
I started with Doggy Day Care as a way to make money. Well, I thought I'd just stay with the dogs for this one, too.
People love their dogs - that is just a fact. And, they want them to be cared for and cared about.
What else can you do with dogs? Walk them.
Walking dogs is a big business in some major cities like New York. We've all seen pictures of a person walking what looks like 12 dogs at once. It does not have to be that way. You can walk fewer dogs and still make decent money.
Why walk dogs? Because, like people, dogs need exercise on a daily basis. They need to get out and see what's going on in the neighborhood. And, people's work days are getting longer so the time to walk their dog is really limited. Enter a dog walker.
What will you need? A love of dogs - all kinds of dogs. A few strong leashes, unless the leash is provided my the dog's guardian. Decent shoes - you will be walking a lot. A sense of adventure - because like mail delivery you will be walking dogs in all sorts of weather. And, be a good neighbor - pick up after the dogs. Oh, yes, don't forget to keep dog treats with you at all times in your pocket or a bag - but remember to keep your hands free.
Figure out how much you want to charge. Start a bit low so you can get some first clients. You will probably know your first clients, so start by calling friends and neighbors, let them know you are going to walk dogs.
Remember to meet the dogs you will walk - literally interview them. Make sure you get along with the dog before committing to walking it. Also, find out what training the dog has had and what words they respond to. You can walk dogs in the morning and in the afternoon.
Again, I found a book you might want to consider if you want to walk dogs. Click here
to see it. It's titled The Dog Walker's Startup Guide: Create Your Own Lucrative Dog Walking Business. There are also articles available on the internet that have valuable information.
The money? Figure about $7.50 to $10.00 per dog per walk. I'd think about giving a discount if you take the same dogs out twice per day, but that's up to you. However you price your service, be very careful not to price it too high.
Be selective in the dogs you choose to walk. Make sure you get along with the dog and the dog likes you. If you think there will be a problem - don't take the dog. Being selective can be a very good thing for your business.
If you take two or three dogs out - make sure they get along!
Think about add-on services you can offer clients. Training is a natural if you know what you are doing and have experience. Grooming is another - even just bathing a dog is an add-on service.
You can live in the city. In a suburb. Almost anywhere people have dogs as pets.
Good luck and God Bless.
People love their dogs - that is just a fact. And, they want them to be cared for and cared about.
What else can you do with dogs? Walk them.
Walking dogs is a big business in some major cities like New York. We've all seen pictures of a person walking what looks like 12 dogs at once. It does not have to be that way. You can walk fewer dogs and still make decent money.
Why walk dogs? Because, like people, dogs need exercise on a daily basis. They need to get out and see what's going on in the neighborhood. And, people's work days are getting longer so the time to walk their dog is really limited. Enter a dog walker.
What will you need? A love of dogs - all kinds of dogs. A few strong leashes, unless the leash is provided my the dog's guardian. Decent shoes - you will be walking a lot. A sense of adventure - because like mail delivery you will be walking dogs in all sorts of weather. And, be a good neighbor - pick up after the dogs. Oh, yes, don't forget to keep dog treats with you at all times in your pocket or a bag - but remember to keep your hands free.
Figure out how much you want to charge. Start a bit low so you can get some first clients. You will probably know your first clients, so start by calling friends and neighbors, let them know you are going to walk dogs.
Remember to meet the dogs you will walk - literally interview them. Make sure you get along with the dog before committing to walking it. Also, find out what training the dog has had and what words they respond to. You can walk dogs in the morning and in the afternoon.
Again, I found a book you might want to consider if you want to walk dogs. Click here
to see it. It's titled The Dog Walker's Startup Guide: Create Your Own Lucrative Dog Walking Business. There are also articles available on the internet that have valuable information.The money? Figure about $7.50 to $10.00 per dog per walk. I'd think about giving a discount if you take the same dogs out twice per day, but that's up to you. However you price your service, be very careful not to price it too high.
Be selective in the dogs you choose to walk. Make sure you get along with the dog and the dog likes you. If you think there will be a problem - don't take the dog. Being selective can be a very good thing for your business.
If you take two or three dogs out - make sure they get along!
Think about add-on services you can offer clients. Training is a natural if you know what you are doing and have experience. Grooming is another - even just bathing a dog is an add-on service.
You can live in the city. In a suburb. Almost anywhere people have dogs as pets.
Good luck and God Bless.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Number 1 - Doggy Day Care
I didn't think I was going to start with this one - but I found an article today about doggy day care.
Read the article here.
Do you love dogs? Enjoy having them around? Do you need some extra money coming in as you find your new life and job? Start a small doggy day care at home in your yard. Won't work if you live in an apartment or condo. But, if you have a yard, a place where you can make the dogs comfortable, some shade or shelter, and love to see happy dogs, this one could be for you.
It only takes a few dogs - you don't want a whole herd of them on hand. Say four or five which can translate to the equivilant of $15 per hour. Price will depend on where you live, what other locations charge, the services you provide, etc. If you train dogs, great - you can charge more if you really train them. You can charge extra for dog washing and grooming. If you don't know how to groom a dog, find someone who does and who will come to your home.
Remember, though, if you do decide to run a doggy day care, you have to be at home with them at all times - they become your responsibility and do not take that lightly.
Start by finding more articles on the web.
Visit other people who have doggy day care centers to see what they have done - don't be afraid to steal ideas to make your operation better.
Make a list of who you know who has dogs. Let them know you are starting an exclusive doggy day care center.
Make sure you like the dog and have the dog and owner over to see how the dog interacts with others - make sure they all get along. If the new dog does not get along with the existing dogs - don't care for the dog.
Make sure the dog has had all shots and they are current.
Lunch for the dog should be packed by their 'guardian.' You should not have to purchase food, but do make sure each dog has an area they can think of as their own.
Keep your yard clean and free of fleas. Make sure the guardians are using something on their dog to control fleas.
Have emergency contact information for every dog including vet's name, number and location. Make sure you know the shortest way to get to the vet's office - just in case.
A book might help you: Doggy Day Care (Frankly, Frannie)
Or, maybe this one:All About Dog Daycare...A Blueprint for Success
This is not intended to be a full list of what to do to start a doggy day care. Do the research and know that you can start to make money very soon - target about $15.00 per hour, or whatever your area will support comfortably. You could easily be earning $600+ per week by taking care of animals you love.
Good luck.
Read the article here.
Do you love dogs? Enjoy having them around? Do you need some extra money coming in as you find your new life and job? Start a small doggy day care at home in your yard. Won't work if you live in an apartment or condo. But, if you have a yard, a place where you can make the dogs comfortable, some shade or shelter, and love to see happy dogs, this one could be for you.
It only takes a few dogs - you don't want a whole herd of them on hand. Say four or five which can translate to the equivilant of $15 per hour. Price will depend on where you live, what other locations charge, the services you provide, etc. If you train dogs, great - you can charge more if you really train them. You can charge extra for dog washing and grooming. If you don't know how to groom a dog, find someone who does and who will come to your home.
Remember, though, if you do decide to run a doggy day care, you have to be at home with them at all times - they become your responsibility and do not take that lightly.
Start by finding more articles on the web.
Visit other people who have doggy day care centers to see what they have done - don't be afraid to steal ideas to make your operation better.
Make a list of who you know who has dogs. Let them know you are starting an exclusive doggy day care center.
Make sure you like the dog and have the dog and owner over to see how the dog interacts with others - make sure they all get along. If the new dog does not get along with the existing dogs - don't care for the dog.
Make sure the dog has had all shots and they are current.
Lunch for the dog should be packed by their 'guardian.' You should not have to purchase food, but do make sure each dog has an area they can think of as their own.
Keep your yard clean and free of fleas. Make sure the guardians are using something on their dog to control fleas.
Have emergency contact information for every dog including vet's name, number and location. Make sure you know the shortest way to get to the vet's office - just in case.
A book might help you: Doggy Day Care (Frankly, Frannie)
Or, maybe this one:All About Dog Daycare...A Blueprint for Success
This is not intended to be a full list of what to do to start a doggy day care. Do the research and know that you can start to make money very soon - target about $15.00 per hour, or whatever your area will support comfortably. You could easily be earning $600+ per week by taking care of animals you love.
Good luck.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Bad News Can Bring Good Things to Survive Unemployment
Starting with my next post, I am going to begin to offer ideas for ways folks - you - can earn money right now. Every idea I offer will take some work, but will show you money in your pocket sooner rather than later. Some ideas might sound corny, but it might spark an idea in your mind that you can follow.
There are so many scams out there; so many ways people can get sucked in and sucked dry when they feel hopeless. People are standing by to take your money and deliver nothing!
Please do not be a victim to these get-money-without-working schemes. Please do not send money to anyone or any organization that promises you a job - unless you check them out several times. Be very, very careful. I don't want you to lose any money you might have.
What got me started on this?
Last week the government announced that unemployment was reduced by .3%. The unemployment rate fell from 10% to 9.7%, but there was no job growth. So, what does that mean?
It might mean a couple of things. One, the people who went to work took existing jobs - jobs that had been held by another person and were for some reason now open. That's one reason, and it's the reason I would like to believe.
But another reason could be that .3% just ran out of unemployment benefits and are still without a job. That is not good news - and one that I would not like to believe. But, my time being unemployed certainly made me look at things realistically, and I sometimes saw things that I did not want to see.
More than ever, it's survival time for some people - and I want to help.
There are so many scams out there; so many ways people can get sucked in and sucked dry when they feel hopeless. People are standing by to take your money and deliver nothing!
Please do not be a victim to these get-money-without-working schemes. Please do not send money to anyone or any organization that promises you a job - unless you check them out several times. Be very, very careful. I don't want you to lose any money you might have.
What got me started on this?
Last week the government announced that unemployment was reduced by .3%. The unemployment rate fell from 10% to 9.7%, but there was no job growth. So, what does that mean?
It might mean a couple of things. One, the people who went to work took existing jobs - jobs that had been held by another person and were for some reason now open. That's one reason, and it's the reason I would like to believe.
But another reason could be that .3% just ran out of unemployment benefits and are still without a job. That is not good news - and one that I would not like to believe. But, my time being unemployed certainly made me look at things realistically, and I sometimes saw things that I did not want to see.
More than ever, it's survival time for some people - and I want to help.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Rumor is True
I read an article this morning about the way recruiters talk and sometimes share information. This is something you must know as you look for your new life - very important to know that what happens with one recruiter can become almost common knowledge.
Please read the article in the Wall Street Journal.
The big news is that now that you know, you can guard against it - there might even be ways to turn it to your advantage. Remember, not only will they share negative impressions, they are going to share positive impressions - especially at a job fair. Be friendly. Smile. Show your best side. Remember, you new life can come from anywhere!
Please read the article in the Wall Street Journal.
The big news is that now that you know, you can guard against it - there might even be ways to turn it to your advantage. Remember, not only will they share negative impressions, they are going to share positive impressions - especially at a job fair. Be friendly. Smile. Show your best side. Remember, you new life can come from anywhere!
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