How to Get Money Quickly, Part 2 – Earning More

This is a follow up article to my original hub on getting money quickly. This hub focuses on the final tip for getting money quickly and becoming more financially efficient by earning more income.

Might as well go ahead and get the simplest tip out of the way first. Return any items you have that you don’t use. Most stores have anywhere between 30 and 90 day return policies, usually with no questions asked as long as you have the receipt. If you are trying to earn money quickly, it won’t hurt to recoup some money you just recently threw away. Take a look at all of your recent purchases and ask yourself if you really need them. It may not be too late to take them back for a full refund and, even if you can’t get a refund, you can almost always get a store credit, which you can put toward more practical purchases in the future.

1. Online – This is for serious sales only. Maybe you have a slew of old DVDs or books that you are looking to get rid of, maybe you have something more valuable like unused car parts, or maybe you are skilled enough to create your own products like T-shirts or crafts in your spare time. All of these things can land you some serious money will little effort if you opt to sell them online through Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, or other e-commerce sites. It may take a little work to establish everything, but once you are through the initial phases, the sky is the limit as long as you keep your inventory stocked.

2. Classifieds – Using classified newspapers or sites like Craigslist is a fantastic way to advertise your more valuable used wares. Craigslist is free and an easy way to promote old items you may have that are still valuable. All you have to do is post an advertisement and wait for the calls to roll in. With this method, you can screen the serious calls from the cheapskates with ease, ensuring you make the most profitable agreement. I only suggest using classifieds if you have something of decent value (i.e. $50 or more) as most people aren’t willing to track down, haggle, and meet up with you for something that costs $5.

3. Personal Selling – You can always do it the old fashioned way. Sell whatever you have of value to friends or family members who can find some use for it. If you have the time, you can even set up a traditional yard sale and just place all your old junk outside. You never know what people are willing to buy. One caveat to this method is that it is probably the least profitable way to earn money as most people will only be willing to take stuff off your hands if you give it to them at a severely reduced price.

Another way to earn extra money is pick up an extra shift at work. If you are allowed to work 40 hours per week and you aren’t then you should start. If your organization approves you for overtime, then you should take advantage of this opportunity by working as much overtime as you can. Overtime usually yields time and a half (your normal hourly wage plus half of that wage gives you the total amount you make for overtime hours), so these hours add up quickly and will go a long way toward gaining you some much needed income. You’d be surprised by how many people complain about not having enough money when they only work 20-30 hours a week. The added advantage to work is twofold because when you are at work, not only are you making money but, more importantly, you aren’t spending money.

If you can’t pick up any extra shifts at work or even if you are working 40 hours a week, there is still plenty of time available to fill with another job. An easy way to get side work is to ask your friends if they need any extra hourly help temporarily so you can earn some extra cash. Chances are you know someone who can help you out by giving you temp work during your off hours.

If you ask all of your friends and they can’t do anything for you, then apply for jobs the old fashioned way. Look for gigs that lend themselves to temporary work like labor jobs that specialize in weekend or night work (think event, hotel, and restaurant industries) or freelance jobs that let you work on your own schedule as long as you make the given deadlines. Once you get in with certain companies doing work like this, you may be able to establish a relationship that will allow you to continue to work periodically whenever you need extra money.

Craigslist has an entire section for temporary gigs. It won’t hurt to peruse these every so often and see if there is anything you might be interested in. Sometimes you get lucky. Working even 10 extra hours per week could easily net you an additional $100, which will add up fast if you are saving up for something big.

This is the holy grail of extra income. Money you make without having to do anything. It’s the reason most of us are on here at Hub Pages and, if you do it correctly, you can actually earn extra money relatively easily. The best way to generate passive income is simply to start trying. Sign up for Hub Pages or Web Answers or set up a blog and write, write, write. In a few months you should see some noticeable income trickling in. It won’t allow you to retire, but it will help you have more discretionary income.

If you are keen, another way to earn more passively is to invest your money. If you are conservative, set up a high interest savings account. You can find them online for around .8% annual compounding interest. If you have a little money and want to make more, then you can even review stocks and purchase ones that pay dividends. If you do this, every so often you will receive payments for literally doing nothing.

The above tips are ways to earn money to supplement your core income. If you try any of these and have success stories please let everyone know in the comments section. I will try to write more hubs as they come along, but for now, good luck earning!