I recently posed an open question to a few social networks and received hundreds of interesting responses.
I’ll republish the best of them for everyone to see at some point, but first I thought I’d ask YOU.
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Ready? Here’s the question.
Let’s say you were short on cash and had to make an extra $300-500 in the next 30 days. You can’t rob a bank (or do anything else illegal), and you have no access to an existing email list or website. What do you do?
Now it’s your turn, and you can answer in the site comments below. I’d love to hear how you’d solve this problem.
Oh, and to make it fun: I’ll pay a $100 bounty on Thursday afternoon to the person who posts the best idea as chosen by our small crew of biased judges. There are no set criteria as long as you answer the question in some fashion—it’s totally up to you.
So… how do you earn the extra money?
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Travel Note: I’ve just arrived in Asia after a 16-hour flight, so I’ll be sleeping while many of you are commenting. It will take a while to post all of the comments, but check back in a bit if yours doesn’t go up right away.
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Image: LON Studios
August 9, 2011
Katie McCaskey
Ask the invisible blue rabbit.
By this I mean, I’d look closely at what is around me. What opportunities exist in my immediate surroundings that are overlooked by others?
Within 60 feet right of where I stand this moment there are visible:
+ landscaping needs
+ cleaning needs
+ elder care service needs
…and resell opportunities, just to start.
It takes looking at your surroundings with a new perspective.
August 9, 2011
Amelia
I would harvest fruit from abandoned orchards around the area, or public fruit trees, or ask people who have fruit trees whose fruit is dropping and then create value-added products from it, like pies, or jams, or leathers, and sell them at farmer’s markets, or through kijiji ads.
failing that, if it was not fruit season (which is it right now, where i’m at in Canada) I would offer people a bundle of 6 massages (because I am also a masseuse, but any skill could work) for $250 which is a steal, and then sell two of those bundles, and do the massages later. $500 easy up front and work later, which gets you through the hard time.
August 9, 2011
Kristine Voss
I am currently working as Mom, however I am a licensed hairdresser. I am not working in a salon but I freelance from time to time. My specialty is color. While I am gifted in that profession, it is not currently where my passion lies…. but, I can easily bring in $100-$150 pp in about 2-1/2 to 3 hours(for each person), if I put it out there.
August 9, 2011
Christopher
Call the Karma Police and cash in on my investiments of compassion and trust.
You see… I’m a horrible business man. But I’ve managed to hit my one-year anniversary as a chiropractor with positive income.
This is a surprise because I treat patients for free (friends and family tell me to stop this, but I can’t help it). I’m in three networking groups where I offer volunteer my services or lend a non-judgemental ear. I look people in the eyes when they are telling me about their bad day. I spend hours every day loving with kind words anyone who needs them.
This policy I created of loving people first has paid off with a strong, dependable network of people who care about me.
Never eat alone, right?
August 9, 2011
Clara Mathews
I would offer my services as an errand runner/concierge to people living in assisted living and senior living facilities. Many of them are not able to drive, so I would pick up medications, groceries, do their shopping, etc.
There are several high-end, luxury assisted living properties in Dallas and the residents would easily pay $25 or more for someone to drive them to the beauty salon or take their dog to the groomer. With effective time management, I could do errands for multiple clients and make more than $100 per hour.
August 9, 2011
Joshua
1. Start a fundraiser. Create a simple, cheap, yet good looking website. Pull on those heart strings and make it look good. Your proceeds go to helping the needy, and less fortunate (aka yourself).
2. Become a high end escort. This is not prostitution, but for the upper class. Many of them need a partner on their arm when they go out to events where they will be seen by others in their industry… and if you do a good job, they may get a bonus or promotion. All meaning you can make some good money!
3. Offer to be a test subject for a drug/pharmaceutical company. They can have some negative side effects, but some will pay well!
4. Go around the neighborhood and collect every can, bottle and recyclable container and turn it in for cash!
5. Start a website where others can watch you during the day. It can be sexual, or just interesting things you do during the day. If it’s interesting, you can make a lot!
7. If you are young, and relatively good looking? put up a sign and a collection as if you’re homeless. (make sure to dirty up your face first and do this in an area you do not visit or hang out in)
Do some or all of these and you’ll make money in NO time!
August 9, 2011
George Mihaly
This is a twist of something I did in college:
Step 1-Find a college town close to you (State Schools Preferred)
Step 2-Get a list of fraternities at that school
Step 3-Contact the presidents of the top 3 largest fraternities and express interest in cleaning their fraternity houses free of charge in exchange for all recyclables (preferably after Thurs.-Sat. nights)
Step 4-Redeem recyclables for cash
Step 5-Go back to step 1 and repeat until you’ve earned $300-$500
Step 6-Party with your new friends using excess cash found while cleaning fraternity houses (inebriated youth tend to misplace valuables)
August 9, 2011
Billie Jo
I would do a dare for money on my dare blog. I would set up a link to pay me on Paypal, and once I got to a set amount ($500) then I’d do a spectacular dare! If it was something that cost money, like skydiving, I’d figure that amount into the amount needed for me to do the dare. Then I’d video blog the event!
I’ve also thought about selling my four leaf clovers. I have a knack for finding them, and I have a stockpile of about 200. I once found 17 of them in five minutes. I figure I could find 300 of them in a week and sell them, pressed and laminated, for a buck or two each.
My last idea is to go to local college campuses and coffee shops and post signs offering my editing services. Editing services online are pretty pricey, and I could charge less than they do. If I charge $3 per page, and I can do about five pages an hour on average, then I’d be making $15 per every five page paper, and I’d have to edit twenty papers to get to $300.
I love this post of yours! It’s fun to read everyone’s comments, because there have been many times when I’ve been in this situation and it’s hard sometimes to remember that you have more resources than you think.
August 10, 2011
penny
Sell drinks outside concert halls this summer.
Or sell my frequent flyer miles.
August 10, 2011
Tristan
Great seeing how these all add up! I’d post an ad online and a few in the area, and do some private tutoring in Spanish or Japanese. That way I can do what I enjoy, and 10 hours @ $30 per hour gets me to Chris’ target.
August 10, 2011
Barbara Elkins
I make extra money by watching what fruit or veg is in season and reasonably priced then I make jams, chutneys, pickles, filling up empty glass jars I have saved. Then take them to the local farmers market. People love home made stuff like this and it’s not that hard to make as most imagine. Lemon butter is particularly popular.
August 10, 2011
Chris
I would take advantage of my various travel points – hotel, airline, etc. Hotel might be the easiest, because I can go to a local branch. Offer to book someone’s hotel room, using points, for a discounted cash fee. For example, if the hotel were charging $100 a night, I’d offer to book someone a room for $85 using my points.
Same thing with airline miles, although that could be more difficult logistically. Could work out though – go to the airport and look for people trying to book a last-minute flight. Then purchase a last-minute flight using miles and charge them a discounted cash price.
Quick $$!
August 10, 2011
Ben
I’d start by getting in touch with all the creative people I know who aren’t all that tech savvy and asking them if they wanted help with the technical stuff.
So for example I know some great photographers with large photo libraries, I’d ask them if they wanted me to manage their selling some of their library as stock photos (e.g. istockphoto etc) either for an up front fee or a share of the money they made.
Expand this out to music, drawings, arts and crafts and $500 doesn’t take too long, AND you’re helping someone else to make money at the same time.
August 10, 2011
olga
3 ideas:
)
1. Organize a cupcake sale at a friend’s café. Cupcakes are still very new here in Spain, there is a lot of interest. At 2.5€ each, selling 100 I’ll make about 350$. Minus costs, I’ll make about 250$.
2. Take advantage of the cupcake sale and sell a cupcake baking class. At 50€ per person I need just 10 people to make 500€, 710$.
3. Once you start baking cupcakes, you need all kind of material: boxes, piping bags, sugar decorations… I think I could make another 250$ just selling that to the people taking the class.
One more idea:
4. Use the cupcake sale to sell cupcakes by supscription. Selling 5 1-month subscriptions for 50€ each I would make another 250€ (350$)
P.S. Yes, I already know how to bake cupcakes
August 10, 2011
Evonne
Create your own currency. My partner and I successfully did this and worked within Revenue Canada guidelines.
Briefly here’s what we did. We needed to raise $16,000 for a new business venture. We didn’t want to create debt load so we printed our own currency. The only stipulation on the currency was that it not be reimbursed from 3 months. The first $200. we gave away to trading partners (other businesses). We encouraged them to use this currency to buy our product, but to also except it from other friends who frequented their businesses. When people bought something from us at the farmer’s market (we are potters) they were encouraged to take our currency as trade. After 10 years in business some of the currency still trickled in. So this was really a goodwill loan over 5 years no interest paid, done completely without internet or facebook, but word of mouth, and a community willing to invest in each other. BTW we freed up $3800. of hard currency is the first year. ( You can also call them gift certificates not currency, depending on your tax system in the US)
August 10, 2011
John R
I have a phillips & flathead combo screwdriver, a crescent wrench, teflon tape, and a cheap kit of 100 mixed rubber faucet gaskets. I then would print some cheap business cards online and go business to business or house to house offering to fix leaky faucets on the spot for $10 each or $5 each for 5 or more. My selling point is that they will save 5 times more over the year in their water bill than they invested in the repair today. $300 in one week with an honest effort.
August 10, 2011
Powerbroker69
Take a skill that you are very good at, write a few pages about it, and teach others the same skill in a workshop. 3-4 hour workshop, A few pages of handouts of practical ways for them to apply it to their lives post your workshop, charge a flat fee of $25-50 per person, offer a post workshop 1 on 1 tutorial for $100. Public libraries will charge a nominal fee for one of their rooms, public schools charge nominal fees, your local community club(s) usually has rooms to rent for a small fee as well, your local church, etc. Advertise in coffee houses, your community bulletin board, supermarket, laundromat, etc. It might start off small, but it can grow into something great!
Other ideas:
1. Lemonade stand (right next to the train station after the suits get out of work and have that long walk home)
2. Clean houses/offices
3. Clean out your closet and take your unwanted clothing to a consignment shop. (both you and the owner split the profit)
4. Or, clean out your closet and have a garage sale, post it everywhere for maximum exposure.
5.Get a part time job at a “day labor employment agency”. You get paid the same day you work. Bring steel toe shoes though!
August 10, 2011
Shay
After months of unemployment, I made over $1,000 by inviting friends to an “Estate Sail” (pun on my dream of sailing away) in my home this spring. I dug out everything I didn’t need anymore, priced it, and arranged it nicely around the downstairs areas of my house. Also, I made some snacks and opened up the few bottles of wine I had on hand, to make it a real party. Friends–and friends of friends–came, noshed, drank, met, and bought, bought, bought! I cleared drawers, closets and shelves of knick-knacks, jewelry and other unnecessary items. My friends were happy with their great deals, had fun meeting each other, and some were even extra-generous with prices. I had fun, too.
August 10, 2011
Bill Denyer
It is hard to believe that so few respondents failed to read carefully the parameters of your question. It’s tempting to blame that error on the technological age in which we’re living but beyond that, I’m amazed.
I believe I could raise funds by updating the resumes of friends and colleagues – or teaching critical reading skills. (Ouch!)
August 10, 2011
Dave
First – I would mow 5 lawns for $20 each (this is what my rate was 15 years ago so I think it’s a fair estimate for today). I could knock this out in a weekend easily.
Second – I would take that $100 from lawn mowing and open up an online checking account that has a sign up bonus with minimum deposit. Googling “checking account offer” immediately returned several options with $100+ bonuses. So that’s an instant doubling of the first $100.
Third – open up a 2nd account that has a minimum initial deposit (or first 10 debit card uses) bonus with $200 from the first account.
Finally – Use the debit card from the second account to buy 8 separate orders of $25 worth of US mint $1 coins (can only be done with a debit card now) and redeposit the coins when they arrive. Then repeat 2 more times until the 10 debit card use minimum has been met and the bonus is posted.
That’s $300 from about 5 hours of physical labor with most of the money requiring listtle work . Then I’d take it to casino, put the money on red, and cross my fingers (j/k).
August 10, 2011
Mel
Not to product plug (as I am not affiliated with this at all), but Task Rabbit is an alternative to CL’s ‘ETC’ category of picking up random work. It doesn’t serve all cities, but a good way to link up with people who need help doing random chores.
August 10, 2011
Andrea
Hmmmm… I would join a multi level marketing company. That way, I would either end up making the $300-$500, or failing miserably and feeling very enthusiastic about it.
August 10, 2011
Amber
Write a handful of freelance stories for one or two local papers.
For freelance reporters they usually pay between 7-10 cents a word.
So, for about 7,000 words you could make your $500 AND get to know your local community. Win, win!
August 10, 2011
Dan
I would sell my 1995 Ford SHO sitting in my driveway.
August 10, 2011
Mike Choi
This is an interesting question, it doesn’t have a lot of detail other than the fact, you can’t leverage your existing network and it has to be legal.
With that all said, I’m going to make the following assumptions:
1. The $300-$500 is a one time payment of debt to somebody rather than a reoccurring event.
2. You want to make the money as fast as possible or with little time involvement in your part
This leaves us with:
-Rather than sell stuff, it’s better to return your store bought items for the full retail price, this option is the quickest way to recover any previous spent money
-rent out a spare room in your house, this is by far the quickest and easiest way. Not everyone has a house that they can rent out though.
August 10, 2011
Ana
To the cupcake person in Spain:
I’ll go one step further: I’m from a city in the U.S. where everybody from 4 generations back has grown up on cupcakes made by a company called Tastykake (spelled that way). Tastykake has been around for most of the last century into this one — but only in the Philadelphia area and environs. If you were to stop an American on the street in Spain, unless they were from this area specifically, they’d likely never have heard the name.
I happen to be moving to Spain within the year (it’s my lifelong dream). Now I know before I go, I’ll be taking a little drive to the Tastykake company headquarters here in Philadelphia and making a deal to ship a certain amount of their classic chocolate cupcakes to areas in Spain where they can be sold and I’d make a handsome profit — far more than the $500 that was suggested.
I didn’t realize before how popular cupcakes have become in Spain! Of course, homemade is far, far better than Tastykake. But for the convenience of having cupcakes you don’t have to make … I’d just as soon become a distributor of cupcakes in Spain!
August 10, 2011
Rich
As a pastor, one thing I could try is calling all the area funeral homes to let them know I’m available to help with funerals for those families who don’t have a pastor. If they need me for 3-5 funerals, the money’s raised.
That might not be my first choice, but it popped into my head, and I figured you probably haven’t heard that one before.
August 10, 2011
Ana
I mentioned that the brand Tastykake was available only in its home area of Philadelphia. Actually, the cupcakes and other small cakes they make are available in grocery stores in other areas, generally on the East Coast. So again if you meet up with an American in Spain, if they’re from California, where I lived for 16 years, they probably will never have heard of Tastykake or the Tasty Baking Company, now merged with another but still in Philadelphia.
I’m still gonna try to market them. In a country where the product is new, and they taste very good for store-bought little cakes, I’m gonna make some money!
August 10, 2011
Leon Miller
First, I would sit down and take an inventory of all talents, skills, opportunities, experiences that I have received. Then I would see this as an opportunity to grow.
I would rearrange my thoughts, to see opportunity that works with my environment.
I would look for an opportunity that is either under my nose or a few feet away. I would realize that opportunity is all around but what limits my reach is sight and self. I always say with any amount of money that I currently do not have this statement. It’s not that it’s impossible to make but given my current outlook it is impossible to make.
Next I would find who responds to this opportunity. Then I would learn why. Create an environment based off of what I have come to know. Find out where the people who will benefit hang out. I would place my environment in their path of travel.
They,would learn why I do what I do, how I do it, and what the benefit is for them.
I use to be a caricaturist for private events. So $500 could be made in less than 2-5 hours. Depending on how much you charged an hour. Why take 30 days to make $500? It’s all about perception, never about circumstances.
August 11, 2011
Lucinda Ponte
I’d go back to being a bartender in South Beach, Miami! Keep the stories going and the drinks flowing and VOILA! $100.00 min by the end of the night. Do that twice a week and by the end of the month, you’re in black! Miss Writer
August 11, 2011
Malte
329 responses make the answer easy.
Sell the ideas that came up to people that need to make an extra $300-500 in the next 30 days.
August 11, 2011
Brandy
Don’t know if I’m too late to win the bounty, but I thought I’d try anyway.
I’m living this at the moment. And the catch is: I’m 8 months pregnant. Got to be careful (and creative) about the services I offer when I could pop at any moment.
Here’s what I’m going to do:
1st: sell stuff on Craigslist. No super innovative, but it works just the same.
2nd: sell writing services on my blog. This is where things get interesting. I have a smallish blog. And I’ve never sold anything on it – yet. I’ve been letting it grow. Buut, I need some moolah and I like to experiment. I can write my ace off and people know it. Going to offer copywriting and poetry (a la the bum in Before Sunrise) with crazy quick turn-around. If 10 people buy copy at $50 a pop, I’m so there.
Thanks for this post, Chris – the ideas sprouting in the comments – a garden of amazeballs!
August 11, 2011
Alain
A more affirmative, sustainable, and skill building option would be to slightly re-frame the question “to make 300 to 500 dollars in 30 days” for someone else. Many non-profits have expanded to include for-profit arms. In Portland Elders In Action, a service organization working with seniors in the tri-county area, has developed an Elder Friendly business directory. Businesses pay 200 to 400 dollars to be vetted for Elder Friendliness and included in the directory. When I do community outreach I inevitably capture a few new businesses for the directory, generating 400 to 800 dollars every month. The “ask” is so much easier when you are reaching out for someone else and it doesn’t have to be as formal as what I described – simply canvassing your tribe to help someone in need.
August 11, 2011
Tara/Startup Freelancer
I would make weekly raw food feast for 1o friends and charge $30/head. After expenses, it would net a little over $500 for the month.
August 11, 2011
Emily Ann Brown
Last month, I actually had to do this very thing. My husband went through our bank statement and discovered we spent over $1,000 in groceries — quick runs to the grocery store for ice cream and other nick knacks quickly added up, and we didn’t even realize it! We made a decision to come up with a reasonable budget of $500 for groceries and stick to it for the entire month of July. Thankfully, through discipline, sticking to a grocery list each week, and getting creative with leftovers, when July 31 came around, we had managed to stick to our $500 spending goal last month. Thereby saving $500! My idea doesn’t involve selling homemade wares or finding a side gig, but it turned out to be one of the easiest ways for our family of three to save (or earn, depending on the way you look at it). Just look at where you can shave costs in your everyday spending.
August 11, 2011
Paul Carlson
One of the best posts ever. Well done, everyone!
August 12, 2011
Mrs Grimble
Here’s another UK-specific suggestion. Buy a copy of Private Eye magazine (or go to the website) and place an ad in the Eye Need section of their classified ads. You can ask for money / donations for anything – I’ve seen ads saying things like “Wastrel needs money for wine & women, already have song.” I have no idea how successful these ads are. It will cost you £30 or so; might be worth it, if some drunk/mad/stoned rich person is reading!
August 12, 2011
Antonio Castro Jr
I would create a website called “Beggar” where people would tell their problems and aks for some help. Crazy idea, who knows?
August 12, 2011
Wyman
I am a little surprised that so many are still trading time for money.
Create a new product that fits your list and make them an irresistible offer via webinar, report or mp3 audio.
August 12, 2011
Janele
I would take what money i do have and use some of it to make stickers. On the stickers i would make sure that they said something fantastic and/or inspiring. I would use a quote that has inspired me every day like ” If it looks like im free, its because im always running.” Or something fantastic like ” Rock is dead, long live paper and scissors.” Then i would go out to a big music festival or street fair and sell the stickers for just a little bit more then i made them for but ask for donations and email addresses because if you like them i would make more and personalize them for you. So potentially i could make my 500 bucks and start a new small business that i would enjoy. If i didnt make my money back oh well then im still screwed lol but hey i had fun trying. And because i wrote this post i now have a new idea so Thanks Chris!!!
August 12, 2011
Sam Breach
I was doing a similar thing to Emily Ann. I need to reduce the monthly outgoings because of my partner’s continued unemployment – the savings have run dry and so now all the bills are on me. It’s tough paying for all the rent and all the bills when you are used to paying only half. I found I could save over $350 a month if I cancelled some subscriptions to things I really don’t utilize enough to make it worth their cost. So I am going to cancel the gym I rarely go to, start parking on the street around the corner instead of paying for a spot on the lot next door, get rid of the air card subscription which I hardly ever use, revoke membership to the foundation whose lectures I never attend and cancel the magazines I just flick through without really reading. We already got rid of the cleaner. I was actually shocked at how much money I wasting and how quickly all these little things add up.
August 12, 2011
Trevor Pirtle
What do I need to come up with $300+ for?
Cell phone bill? Ditch the phone
Internet access? Go to Starbucks/internet cafes
Housing? Move out to an organic farm (wwoof)
Food? Go on a water fast (or see above)
Car? Use public transportation
Instead of wasting time on money making methods that will only help me in the short term, I would reduce my expenses and invest my time into my long term dreams and goals through writing and marketing my website.
August 12, 2011
Victor Reynolds
I use my photographic skills and do property photography for photoinspection.com and Fastsnap. I also troll craigslist at times. I also ply my photo skills for others as well.
August 13, 2011
Chas
I found $20.00 on the sidewalk and made a mistake on my taxes- the Feds sent me a check for
$766.51- I guess those fall under ‘The Law of Attraction’.
August 13, 2011
Dede
I would go around the neighborhood and sell raffle tickets for lawnmowing for the WHOLE summer. Lots of people would pay $10 for a chance to have their yard mowed all Summer. Only one person would win, but you could sell as many raffle tickets as you wanted. I would only go to a close neighborhood so I wouldn’t have to drive very far each week to do the mowing for the winner. Only need a mower and some gas. This could be repeated as needed, as long as you make sure you allot the time it would take for the lawn.