May

15

Ten Quick Ways To Bring In Extra Money

I haven’t spoken about money in quite sometime. My apologies. These past few weeks have been a bit hectic, however, today I took the time to write about several ways that I’ve used to make extra money to pay down my debt and/or save. Depending on your time frame, you can do some or all of the below.

 

1. Blog: I have heard that you can earn extra money by blogging although that hasn’t been the case for me! Income is generated by the ads on the blogger’s pages. Hence, by clicking on a blogger’s ads and/or downloading coupons, specifically from coupons.net, you allow the blogger to earn pennies without spending a dime.  Average payment for downloaded coupons is less than five cent, while ads can generate a few pennies to a dollar. In the interest of openness with my readers, I can honestly state that I have made a grand total of $42! Of this sum, I have received absolutely NOTHING because Goggle will not submit payment until a blogger has made at least $100.

 

2. Hunt for Treasure: I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying, “One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure”, well its true and it can help you bring in some exta money! This is one of Big K’s favorite ways to make extra money. Every county has an area that is better off than others, so begin your search in those areas. Get to know the recycling and/or garbage schedules in those areas, then go prowling! If you live in an area like mine, then this is the way to go. In my area, people tend to discard items that are practically new or can easily be re-furbished. Whenever Big K needs a few extra dollars he goes on a Treasure Hunt then sells them in our local Craigslist, on eBay, by word of mouth or with flyers. I have to admit, I was feeling a bit claustrophobia having his finds thrown around the apartment, so we located several shops in our area that will hold and sell the items for him. They do collect a small commission for their services but in the end I keep my sanity, while he makes a few bucks. FYI: Read No. 10 below then use Swagbucks when conducting your seach
 

3. eBay/Craiglist:I find that this is one of the fastest ways to make an extra $50-100 per month. This is the perfect way for apartment dwellers like myself to host an online garage sale. Also, if you are not good at the garage sale haggling game then this is a great way to go since its easier to remain firm on your asking price when the transaction is not personalized. Now take an honest look around and  get rid of the stuff that’s making your home feel cluttered. It will bring back the peace and harmony that was missing in your life and pocket!   

 

4. Sell concert/sporting events and/or theater tickets on the secondary market:Depending on your state’s statutes/laws you may be able to do this without a license. New York requires a ticket reseller license when an individual sells more than 4 tickets to an event.  I use StubHub.com. You can also sell on TicketsNow, but they actually had some issues some time back and I’ve noticed that buyers aren’t purchasing from their site as much as StubHub.com. Also, note that this option requires purchasing the tickets first. If you do not sell the tickets than you will lose the money you originally invested. Its hit or miss. It depends on the popularity of the event, as well as whether the media has recently reported problems with the economy. I did better with this option  last year.

 

5. Sell Books: This is another good one. If you are an avid reader as I am you can easily amass a huge collection. Sell those which you have not read in some time! Great sites that I use are: TextbookX.comicon, and Barnes & Noble. NOTE: If you have access to the internet on your cell phone you can go to your nearest thrift shop and check the resale value of books before purchasing them for mere pennies! This can easily net you a few dollars if you do it right!

 

6. Etsy.com: This is a fabulous way for individuals with crafting skills to sell their wares. You do not need to be a professional to post your items. You can turn a much loved hobby into a moneymaker in etsy.com. Several hobby that have a high return include, but are not limited to, knitting, crocheting, painting, sewing, and jewelry and pottery making. Check out the site to get an idea of what  is selling. You may have a skill that is in high demand, however, do not become discouraged if your particular skill is not listed. List your wares anyway, you may become a trailblazer!

 

7. Babysit: This is not a job for teenagers anymore! As most Mommies know it is easier to take care of two or more kids because they end up playing together and leaving you alone. Make this work for you! Prices and fees vary per individual and state. In Manhattan, a babysitter can easily pull in $15 an hour and even more at night. Post flyers in your neighborhood schools, daycares, afterschools and of course don’t forget the power of word of mouth!

 

8. Mystery Shop: I love doing Mystery Shops! This is one of the quickest ways for me to make extra money and sometimes try a product/service for FREE. I especially love doing the dinner, movie, bowling and bank audits. The first three provide me with a service for free, as well as a bit of cash in my pocket. The last requires me to spend about 15 minutes evaluating the services to earn a minimum of $20! Not bad huh? I made sure I created a special account for my mystery shop money. This is the money that I use as my summer fun money. This year I dipped into it earlier than usual to purchase a Wii Fit when Barnes and Noble had a sale on Used Games. Not bad for a few short minutes of my time!

 

9. Surveys: Since there are so many scams out there, I will only recommend the two sites that I use, which are GlobalTestMarket and Survey Savvy, an accredited Better Business Bureau company, featured in Seventeen’s August 08 issue. Surveys are very easy to do and take just a few minutes of your life. Also the more surveys you complete the higher the return rate! They will not only offer you more surveys but will also provide you with higher paying surveys.

 

10. Swagbucks: Although this nets you virtual dollars, they can be redeemed for gift cards! You can check my original post that explains how by clicking HERE. Big K and I love this one. I also love that teens can do it too. It helps him save for what he wants while keeping extra in my pocket. I’ve noted it quite a bit in my blog because its that good!  The best part is that you earn virtual dollars for doing things that you would normally do anyway, like searching the net or online shoppping. If you do it on their site, it will earn you “swag bucks”.  The amount of each varies. Also, when others sign up via your link you earn when they earn! The site also gives you clues on how to earn extra “swag bucks”. You have to use the clues they provide to search for extra virtual “swag bucks”. If you follow me on Twitter by clicking on the link on the right-hand side of my blog, I will make sure to let you know when I find out any extra ways to earn more “swag bucks”.  At this time, I would like to thank all of my readers who have supported Ms. Latina by signing up via my link. I use these virtual dollars to purchase giveaway goodies and/or for my sons so thank you! For those of you who haven’t signed up yet, I can’t repeat enough how easy this is. You can sign up now via my link, by clicking HERE. As an added bonus, if you sign up via my link , you will also get $3 in virtual ‘swag bucks” to start you off! 

 

This next one is a method I haven’t tried yet, although I will now. It was suggested by a fellow blogger. I had never considered it myself until she brought it to my attention. Thanks Carolyn for the heads up!

 

Giveaways: Blog Giveaways are a great way to get products that you may have had a desire to purchase without spending your own hard earned money! Of course, when you win you should take the money you would have spent on the product and sock it away or use it to pay down a debt.

After learning how I could earn extra with Giveaways, I decided to make it easier for YOU, my Latinalicious readers, and myself, by asking other bloggers to post their giveaways on my blog. You can find these giveaways by clicking on the Giveaway tab. They are posted at the top of the page. Read through each description, if its something you are interested in click on the highlighted description and let them know you heard about it here on Latina On a Mission!  I know I’ll be doing the same!

 

Hope these ideas helped! If you have any tips that you use to bring in extra money for the month, let me know. We could all benefit from it!

About the Author

Avatar

Migdalia Rivera, also known as Ms. Latina in social media, is a single Latina mother of a teen, tween and 2 Australian Shepherds. When not blogging, or chasing after her energetic bunch, she connects influential bloggers with brands and PR agencies via her blogger network, Stiletto Media.

Facebook Comments

{ 4 comments… add one }

  • Avatar angie May 16, 2009, 11:35 am

    thanks so much for all the great tips

  • Avatar Mommy Kennedy May 16, 2009, 2:40 pm

    Loving this list….but……..

    AAAAaaaaa! Helllooooooo?????? Where’s shopping with coupons and grocery budget stretching listed? LOLOLOL

    Seriously, great wrap up. Out of the ones listed above I love the blog giveaways & of course the blogging the best.

    I honestly haven’t seen a paycheck for blogging yet either. From what I understand, it can take a few years to see anything substantial. When I do eventually get some income for it I will probably invest it back into the template or hosting anyway.

    Mommy Kennedy’s last blog post..Congratulations Doreen!

    • Avatar admin May 16, 2009, 10:27 pm

      I wrote about other ways to earn an extra few bucks cause I do couponing everyday (and hope everyone else does too)! In fact, at work, I’m called the coupon girl. Everyone comes to me before shopping. Its what made me start blogging!

  • Avatar Luke July 20, 2009, 7:43 pm

    Added to my RSS, Thanks!

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