There's a lot of talk on Hub Pages these days about all the new ways to make money in 09. But whatever happened to those time tested, rustic schemes that pioneering entrepreneurs used to endeavor? Having spent a couple of winters in the northwoods of Minnesota, with job opportunities as rare as warm days, I began to explore the more traditional methods of money making. One which proved very lucrative was wood splitting. I'll admit that I got a little lucky on the timing, gathering firewood during the peak of the friendly price gouging of our OPEC neighbors. But still, there was money to be made, and I made it.But then I came back to the deserts of southern California and lost all hopes of making money the old fashioned way I had started getting used to. Or so I thought. As I sat one day trying to figure out what to do to escape my penniless state, I began to realize what a wealth of unusual, quirky jobs are still available to those of a more "entrepreneurial" nature. At the top of the list, my favorite:

Gold Panning

That's right, you heard me. I'm talking good old fashioned, time to head down to the family stream with uncle Cletus type gold panning. Believe me, when I first considered the notion of gold prospecting to make a little extra cash, I thought it was the most ridiculous notion since the invention of the pet rock. But then I started doing some research and I realized very quickly that the society of gold prospecting is alive and well in the American public. This quote was taken directly from an article in ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal, at the end of a gold panning tutorial: “In conclusion, don't let anyone tell you that this country's rivers and streams no longer contain gold. Every year winter storms bring more to the surface, continually renewing nature's supply. It's all there for the taking, and the gold pan is still the best way to find it!”

I've since done a lot of research into the potential of gold prospecting for a little extra cash, and have actually been surprised by the results. Apparently gold panning is legal on virtually all land controlled by the Federal Bureau of Land Management, which is quite a lot of land. I live smack dab in a big city, San Diego, and still am only half an hour's drive from an old gold mining town on the edge of BLM land. From the research I've done, the experienced panner in a good location can hope to make over $100 a day worth of gold, which probably has increased all the more with the large increases in the price of gold.

Still not convinced? I don't blame you. Telling your date that you pan gold on the side for a little extra is not always the best way to impress. But then again, when offered in a casual, confident, entrepreneurial fashion, that could be the thing that sets you apart from the rest whose lack of vision has wound them up down the street at their local McDonalds 25 hours a week.

Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

During the economic crisis, though many of us have been drastically effected, some people have still continued to thrive. Chances are, these friends of yours who have a little more disposable income than most, they have things they wish would get done but haven't had the time or money to have it done the right way. But you, having that rare initiative and hard working spirit, might be able to create a mutually beneficial arrangement. This is how I envision the conversation going. “Hey Mike, remember how you always said that you wished you had the time to tear out that old tile and put in wood flooring? It turns out I'm looking for a little extra work right now. Why don't you hire me to do it for you?”

With the advent of the internet, and the overwhelmingly vast wealth of tutorials and how-to guides available, take some time to ask your well-off friends if there's any work they could use done around their house or business. Though it might mean going online for a few hours to learn how to rip up tile and replace it with wood flooring, it can still be done, and you can do it cheaper than the tile company's $20 an hour employee. Plus, since you're doing it for a friend who's helping you out by hiring you, you'll obviously do a very good job, right? That's the sale's pitch anyway. I guarantee you won't be turned down. This is good old-fashioned, friend-helping-friend business. And though it won't make you rich, it should still help get you the extra few hundred bucks you need.

Sell Your Junk!

Let's face it, people still love garage sales, and you still don't need that Total Gym you've never used (Well maybe you still need it but you're still not going to use it). And with the advent of Ebay and Craigslist, you have no excuse. Just get it done.

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