You roll out of bed and the first thing you see is your computer, staring at you, accusing you of neglect and abandonment. Why, it screams out at you, why on earth can’t you use me to get yourself out of the financial hole you’re in? Can’t you think of anything that I can do to help you make some money?
Geez, you think to yourself, Mr. Computer is right on the button. Surely there is something I can do to bring in some extra cash. Email, schmee-mail. Enough already. Let’s be creative and come up with some brilliant ideas to haul in the bucks.
- Market Something
Remember when you were a kid and you set up a lemonade stand in front of your house? 5 cents for a cup of lemonade. Well, sure you’re too old to do that today but there are plenty of variations on this theme. You can market something, anything. That’s how people make money.
Instead of selling your ‘stuff’ which everyone else seems to be doing on ebay on other local secondhand listings, broaden your horizons to anywhere in the world. Think China. You know all those ‘fake’ pictures you can order from Shenzhen? You can create your own Shenzen right in your own living room. Here’s an idea that will go over big everywhere and you don’t even need photographic acumen to do it: Pull out your old box of Lego and start building a series of interesting structures. Then snap some pictures and send them out on Facebook. Tell your friends that they too can have a portrait of a Lego building custom designed in the colors and size they want. Their name can appear at the bottom of the photo and they can use it as a greeting card for someone they love. It’s exciting and different. And you’ll have a blast playing with the Lego you haven’t touched in years.
- Offer a Service
Everyone has something they can do with greater skill than their neighbors and friends. If you’ve been walking your dog for years and feel you know how to respond to each tug and turn, why not offer to take a few other dogs along for the walk? Walking 5 dogs doesn’t take too much more energy than walking one dog and since you are out there anyway, why not make some money out of it? Sure, you will have to carry several bags with you to scoop up all that poop, but hey, it is certainly worth the money you will make. Come up with a catchy name (How about Pooch and Poop Daily Jog) and then market your service on as many online programs as you can. Get your name out there. In time, you can broaden your marketing area by enlisting more dog walkers from other cities and get them to send you a percentage of their take. Then sit back and watch your business grow
- Tell Your Story
Let’s face it. We all have stories to tell. So why not get paid for telling them? The world is a vast place and can we ever be certain that someone will be interested in what we have to say? Well, trust me. There will always be someone who thinks along the same lines as you do and who is just dying to hear their own ideas put down on paper (so to speak.) I used to shy away from blogging because I figured no one really cared what kind of a day I had. But then I started reading what other bloggers posted and I said, “Hey, if these guys can write ad nauseum about their horrible kids or their miserable marriages, surely I can find something positive to say that will lighten the day and maybe bring a bit of joy into peoples’ lives.” I mean, how many times can you read about how to get your baby to sleep through the night or how to get along with your co-worker? So I started writing (call it a blog or whatever) on topics that made sense to people. Enough of the misery in this world. Let’s be happy. You may not realize that you have writing abilities but you do and there are plenty of blog posts that would be willing to pay you for your efforts. Do some research and put pen to paper.(sic)
- Trading Forex Online
For those who are willing to put their money at risk for a quick turnaround, investing online is the way to go. Of course, you have to be a certain type of person to be willing to trust your hard earned cash to an inanimate object (your lap top doesn’t talk back but neither does it tell you if you are doing something wrong!) But if you should decide to start trading online, you will find yourself in the company of millions of other folk willing to throw their money away. Take Forex trading for example. How many of us really understand what currencies are all about? I mean, sure. We go to Paris and we exchange our US dollars for Euros, but that’s the end of it. We don’t think beyond how much we can purchase with those Euros. We have enough to buy that dress? Great. Here you go. So yes, trading Forex online with the right Forex broker is a way of making some profits but keep in mind that any investing is taking a chance and you better be prepared to lose most of your money upfront.
