Hey, when times are hard, nearly everybody needs extra cash, a.k.a, that “put it in your pocket and forget about it kind of money.” So here are ten ways you can earn such money:

1. Work as a House Player in a Cardroom

I’ve actually done this, but it was a long time ago. In order to work as a house player or shill, you’ll need to go to one of those cardrooms that offer player-versus-player games, not where everybody plays against the house. This works best in establishments where they offer games such as lowball or draw poker. California has lots of these so-called casinos. But don’t just walk into one of them and ask if you can work as a shill! You’ll need to inquire discreetly – and you also better be able to play poker like a pro. Good luck!

2. Use Your Vehicle as a Taxi

You can charge people whatever you want to give them rides around town. I charge at least $5 for a short drive and as much as $20 or more for a long one. You can charge even more if you use your vehicle to move stuff such as building materials, tools, furniture, pets, trash or whatever. You could also charge people for being the “designated driver” for a night on the town.

3. Recycle Aluminum Cans, Plastic or Bottles

If you’re inclined to dumpster dive, you can make money by collecting used aluminum cans, plastic and bottles. This place in Downton Sacramento pays $1.70 per pound for aluminum cans, 96 cents per pound for #1 plastic (for other plastics they pay different amounts) and 10 cents per pound for bottles. Some recycling centers pay more than others, so you should shop around. But be careful, some communities have ordinances against people scavenging for cans and such! Incidentally, some people make a hundred bucks or so a week doing this, working only an hour or two a day, and all you have to do is sign your name when you cash in your recyclables.

4. Wash Windows at Homes or Businesses

If you wash the windows of businesses, you can make perhaps $25 per hour, because, after all, few people want to do windows! But you’ll need some equipment – a ladder or two, squeegees, buckets and some window cleaner. Also keep in mind that if you work for a business, they’ll probably have you fill out a W9 form, initiating an audit trail for this money. Perhaps you should wash windows for private citizens who generally don’t bother with such paper work. Also, you can promote your “business” by printing some flyers on your computer printer.

5. Sell Bottled Water

These days, just about everybody buys bottled water. So go to the grocery story or wherever and buy some half-liter bottles of water for as cheap as you can possibly get them. Then find a place that gets lots of foot traffic and sell your water for a $1 a bottle. You can sell this water at flea markets, art walks, concerts or sporting events, but you’ll need a business permit, sales license or tax account (whatever they require), as well as the permission of the people having the event, all of which would complicate matters considerably and bite into profits.

6. Sell Used Books, CDs, DVDs, LPs or VHS tapes

This stuff is easy to sell at garage sales, and the cheaper you sell it, the quicker it will go. Try selling your paperbacks for 50 cents apiece, hardbound for a $1 and somewhat more for the other items. Of course, there are many stores that buy this kind of used merchandise, but they probably won’t give you what you think they should.

7. Cash-in Pennies or Other Change

Stores such as Safeway pay you cash for your change and charge you 10 per cent for their trouble. But make sure that your nickels, dimes and quarters don’t contain silver, for which you can get somewhat more money by going to a coin shop or collector.

8. Sell Home-Grown Vegetables or Herbs

If you live in a place such as California, you can grow vegetables or whatever throughout the year and sell them for a profit. Naturally, this option is only for people who can produce enough products to sell, because you should consume as much of your own vegetables as you possibly can to save money and to maintain a healthier diet as well!

9. Dog Walking

Many people have dogs they are willing to pay you to walk, and you can charge them whatever you want. But don’t do this for less than $20 to $30 per hour, including or not including expenses. Anybody who can afford to pay you to walk their dog or dogs, can afford to pay you at least that much. By all means, charge more if you can. Also keep in mind that once the dogs are in your care, you could be held responsible if one of them bites somebody or destroys property.

10. House Sitting

The sky is the limit on what you can make watching people’s homes, ranches, apartments, boats or whatever. I’ve heard of people getting $100 for a three-day weekend plus all they could eat. Or you might prefer a long-term job, where they let you stay rent-free for weeks, months or whatever, and in exchange you do a little work around the house, such as taking care of the pets, etc. This kind of job could turn into a caretaker position for which you could be paid a salary, but that would probably remove this position from the realm of “pocket money.”

Good luck on your quest for pocket money, and please leave a comment.