This ain’t no pyramid scheme
As a 4th year undergrad, I can look back on my time and say, “I’ve learned a lot”. It’s true. I have. I learned about the law, about the media, A LOT about myself, about friends, and about family. I’ve also learned one of the most valuable/important things to learn as a 20-something. We all hate it, but it’s going to be following us around till the end. That thing?
Budgeting.
I use the term “learn” loosely here because, well, I haven’t quite mastered it. BUT I have gotten better. I don’t think a person ever really figures OUT budgeting, it’s hard, I still find myself pulling out the couch cushions scrounging for any and all loose change and opening up my “drawer-o- stuff” for any quarters I may have thrown in there (let’s be serious, we all know quarters are the ONLY one’s that matter). Realizing that I myself still try and find ways to make some extra cash when I budgeted my money wrong, I thought it may be useful to provide some alternative ways to make some “easy” cash without fighting the unknown (i.e. your college couch).
So here is MY HOW TO go from doing THIS to doing a LOT MORE of THIS*
*ok, I lied. Maybe you won’t be doing that…but you’ll definitely have a few extra green one’s!
- Sell your clothes. I definitely endorse this idea because I do it myself, all the time. Towards the end of every season, I clean out my closet/drawers, re-fold everything, and decide what I’ve worn and what I haven’t touched. Those items I haven’t touched in more than 6 months, I try to sell back. Plato’s Closet is a GREAT place to sell back your name brand clothing. They accept brands like Forever 21, to more expensive name brands like Lucky. AND, once you sell back with them, you get a discount to shop around. Not a bad deal. Check out their site here to see if there’s one in your area.
- Return your recyclables. I know it’s easy to just throw it in the recycling bin and forget about it, but the work to take back your cans and glass may actually be worth it. You pay the deposit when you buy cans and glasses, so, you may as well get it back, right? Don’t lose out on an extra 10 bucks in your pocket, it could mean a lot in your food shopping budget.
- Pawn your items. This sounds so trashy, Good Ole’ Tom just doesn’t do it for me. Neither does Cash 4 Gold. But, in practice, it really isn’t so bad! I have 3 pieces of Tiffany’s jewelry that I haven’t touched since 2002, when the chain with the heart was all the rage (you know what I’m talking about…I bet you have it too…I bet you haven’t worn it since 2002 either, just sayin!). Don’t take up room in your jewelry box! Go find out how much you can sell it for at a pawn shop or something of the like. Rule of thumb: if you haven’t worn it in the past 6 months, you probably won’t wear it in the upcoming 6 months, so get rid of it!
- Sell back frivolous purchases. So maybe you had a bad day and thought buying $500 tickets to see Bette Midler was a good idea..and NOW you’re rethinking it. Sell back your tickets! There are plenty of legal and safe sites that allow you to auction your tickets. I bet there are a lot of 40-something year old’s jonesing for a sweet rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings” LIVE, so make their dreams come true and make some cash doing it.
- Sell items you don’t use. I’ve sold PLENTY of stuff on Craigs List and I know more people who have been equally successful on EBay. Maybe it’s time to sell back those text books or maybe someone else can find use in your old desktop mouse. Look around, take inventory of the stuff you use and stuff you don’t.
- Check out sites that host freelance work. I know Craigs List does this, but some other sites include: guru.com and ifreelance.com. Sites like these post freelance jobs that generally don’t exceed a day or two. Maybe you have some time over the weekend to help, might not be a bad idea. I’ve known people in the past that have spent a few hours on the weekend offering free samples at a store in the mall or asking people to try out new gadgets at a store like Brookstone. If you have the time, and use your resources wisely, you’ll be surprised what’s out there.
- Offer your services. I’ve known several people who have offered their services on sites like Craigs List. Maybe you’re a lifeguard, or you’ve been baby-sitting for years now, posting something about that may yield some results! I know often times in the summer people need a lifeguard at their pool party, and many adults look for a night off from child-watching for a romantic evening with their spouse. Again, using the resources you have at your finger-tips may yield some good results! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
- Create a cup for change. You never realize how much your change can accumulate until you do this, I’ve made up to 80 dollars in just collecting change. Use an old bottle, jar or mug and leave it on your desk, when you get home at night, empty out your pockets and put the change from the day in. Set a date further down the line for when you can “cash in your earnings”, make it long enough to accumulate a good amount of money, but short enough where you can keep your eye on the prize, I think 6-8 months is a good amount of time.
Here are some cool websites I found that lend some more advice:
- CNN Money: 5 Easy ways to make cash
- Walletpop.com: 25 unusual ways to make quick money
- eHow.com’s How to Make Cash Fast
