Many personal finance blogs write about ways to make more money. The problem is– how many of these ways to make money are creative? Not that creativity is the deciding factor in making extra money. It just helps.
I asked my readers last week as to what some of the most creative ways they made money were. Some readers chose to discuss ways to make easy money while other jobs involved more hours of work than I want to ever think about. I’ve compiled all of the answers and attached them below along with my thoughts.
Daniel played free cell for money. Think of all of the people that play free cell all day for fun. Daniel was able to figure out a way to get paid to do this.
20s Money used to sell air heads candy to classmates in high school. Looks like some readers were entrepreneurs at an early age. In a rather funny note, I tried selling bubble gum in grade 5. I would get my parents to buy me a whole tub and I would bring it to school to sell to my class mates. This worked well until the teachers found out. I guess selling stuff in grade 5 is not such a hot idea.
Sahaiya shared their opinion as part of a focus group. I’ve always heard of these focus groups but have never met anyone that has been apart of one. We all love to speak our minds, so why not get paid for it?
Donna used to sell video game saves. There truly is a market for everything. Some people either find a game too difficult or are too lazy to finish it so they pay someone for this service.
Financial Samurai teaches tennis for $50 an hour. Not creative but getting paid that kind of money do play a sport you enjoy and catch a workout at the same time is alright with me.
Youngandthrifty sold beaded necklaces to younger sisters. That’s what older siblings are for.
Maxwell worked as a product tester. At a $100 per test, you really can’t go wrong with this creative way of making money. I would love to be a beer or pizza tester.
Ron of The Wisdom Journal is the winner. I can’t event try to paraphrase his answer so I’ll just include it word for word.
Probably the MOST creative thing was starting my own shaved ice business. In 1992, I did a little research, found some suppliers, built an 8×12 building, had it wired properly, installed shelving, sliding windows, a bathroom, a three compartment sink, and a hot water heater. I set up across from the practice field at a major college (Roll Tide), and consistently made $300 to $500 per day in profit. Sadly I lost my lease and had to sell, but it was good while it lasted.
Okay now that’s creative.
In case you missed the original post this is your chance to list any creative ways that you’ve made money. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money and it doesn’t have to be super creative.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Ron’s creativity definitely takes the cake, but I love 20s Money’s idea of selling airheads. Kids used to go crazy for those things!
If you think that’s a great idea, you should hear how I convinced the power company to bring electricity to my building … let’s just say that ignorance is bliss. Sometimes NOT knowing what you can’t do is a real advantage!
Come on Ron! Are you going to divulge any more details with us?
Wisdom Journal proves the key to success: location, location, location.
And shaved ice, when all else fails.
My mom went out of her way to buy a box of airheads when I was 11 and I ate around 20 the first day. I still feel guilty about that to this day.
I would suggest selling items for your friends. If you see a friend has books, video games, movies that are never touched or used, offer to sell the items and split the profits. They’ll almost always say yes as long as you make it easy for them.
Austin welcome to my world. After a work out I will come out and eat until I feel like exploding. I always end up feeling bad and finding myself at the grocery store replenishing supplies for the kitchen.
All this “airhead” talk someone is bound to snap and go buy a whole box lol.
So much for entrepreneurship and capitalism. I too got busted in grade school, I was selling a cox plane engine and ended up with my parents in the principal’s office. Scarred for life!
Man I would LOVE to be a product tester! $100 bucks a pop- I’d do that any day! AND I would like to be a secret shopper or food critique.
Beats selling beaded necklaces to your sisters when you’re 9 years old any day. =)
Or you can wait until your sisters start making lots of money! You can sell them all kinds of stuff.
When internet auction sites were first warming up, I was a senior in highschool. I would open a new account with a jewelry auction site with different Yahoo email addresses and get a $10 off coupon. I’d easily win an inexpensive piece of jewelry with diamond chips for $10 or less since there was hardly anybody else bidding. I’d pay $8.95 for shipping and then take the piece of jewelry to the local pawn shop…they sold for between $15-$75 each.
I made several hundred dollars in a few weeks with less than 10 purchases. Then the site started picking up and the coupons weren’t available anymore…oh well. I’m sure it was in a “shady” area since I was opening different email addresses…young and selfish, but I feel kinda’ proud I thought of it since I’m not usually that motivated.
If you have LOTS of spare change lingering in your piggy bank, then id suggest to take it to a bank and they will count it. Did this before xmas and made just over $100
oh and online surveys, market research and paid research experiments are quite good (i do them)