Eleven Ways to Make Money Fast When You're Desperate
You've heard the familiar mantra, "Start your own business!", but sometimes you're so desperate for money you don't have time to start your own business and wait for the returns. You need to make quick cash! If you're desperate for money, what are some things you can do to make money fast?
While I'm not a fan of get rich quick schemes or starting an endeavor without thoroughly researching it, I want to suggest some ideas you might be able to do to make quick cash in the short term:
1. Have a yard sale.
Go through your house and closets and weed everything you don't absolutely need. Most people have far too many things they never use and will never use again. Organize and price them in preparation for a large yard sale. Display your items as attractively as possible. Advertise everywhere you can with large, easy to see flyers. If you can afford it, post an ad in your local newspaper. A one day yard sale can often produce a significant amount of money.
2. Take back any recent large purchases you can.
Do you need money because you've overspent on luxury items recently? Now's, the time to return items to the store for which you still have the receipt. If you're in a desperate situation, you're not going to be able to make use of those luxury items anyway.
3. Write an article.
You can get paid for writing an informative article on the topic of your choosing at a website called Associated Content. Articles must be at least 400 words in length and well written without grammatical or spelling errors. Once your article is approved, which usually takes 2-3 days, you'll be paid within 3 days. This can be an excellent way to make quick cash if you're a good writer.
4. Deliver new vehicles to dealerships.
It's not well known, but large specialty vehicles such as vans, limousines, and RV's aren't delivered to dealerships on a truck. They're driven to dealerships by part time entrepreneurs like you. You're paid by the mile and then give money for air transportation back home. Plus, there's
no need for a commercial driver's license, although some states require a chauffeur's license which is obtained by passing a written test. This can be a relaxing way to generate cash relatively quickly.
5. Mow some lawns.
Yes, I know it's low tech, but there's a real demand for lawn care these days as people have little time to do it themselves. Find an attractive neighborhood and market your services door to door. You can get paid for this service the same day.
6. Play an instrument.
Do you play an instrument or sing? Visit some local restaurants and bars and see if you can entertain their customers for a few evenings. If they resist, offer to do it for a free meal the first night. You should be able to make some money via tips despite not getting paid. Who knows? This may lead to a long term gig.
7. Sell something inexpensive door-to-door to businesses.
Consider selling inexpensive items that businesses use everyday and frequently run out of such as pens, pencils, erasers etc. You should be able to get these items cheaply and sell them at an inexpensive price. Businesses will likely purchase some from you because the items are not costly and they want to be accommodating.
8. Be a guinea pig.
Did you know you can get paid to participate in medical studies testing out new drugs and treatments? Some of these studies pay fairly well, but may require frequent visits to a clinic or even an overnight hospitalization. One disadvantage is you may not get paid until the study is completed. If you're desperate for money, make sure you sign up for a short study. Do an internet search for "paid medical studies".
9. Donate plasma.
If you're free of infectious diseases and are healthy, you can get paid to donate your plasma. This is a relatively quick and relaxing procedure, but does require a needle stick. You'll relax in a comfortable chair and watch television or listen to music as your plasma is prepared and collected. You'll receive immediate payment which varies by location.
10. Wash some windows.
Find a janitor supply store in your area. Buy some squeegees, a brush and rags, a pail with rollers attached, and some some ammonia and vinegar. Drive to your nearest outdoor mall and ask the first store if you can wash their windows. Offer to do so at a low price in order to establish some credibility. After completing the first store's windows, move on to other stores. Mention that you washed windows in the first store and the owners were very pleased. This could turn into a business with employees, but, until then, it's a good fast cash generator.
11. Run a weekend sale.
There are loads of people who would love to have a yard sale, but don't have time to tag all the items and set it up. Offer to do the work for them for a percentage of the sales, say 25% or so. You would organize the items, display them, and be there throughout the sale to collect money. This is another quick cash generator that has long term potential.
These are just a few of the many ideas you can use to make quick cash. I'll be following up with more quick money making ideas in the future. Stay tuned!
Written by Kristie.Leong.M.D
