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How to Make $50 a Day

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How to Make $50 a Day

Learning how to make $50 a day can significantly improve your finances. You can use that extra cash to pay down debt. Alternatively, you can put it into savings. There are many different ways to earn this extra cash through hustling, passive income, and making money online. Here’s a roundup of suggestions to get you started.

Make $50 a Day with Items You Have

There are things that you already own that can help you easily begin to earn extra money. Let’s start there:

Rent Out a Room with AirBnB

If you have a spare room in your home that you can rent out then this is one of the quickest ways to make $50 a day. After all, that’s as cheap or cheaper than most hotel rooms. Therefore, people are often willing to pay that rate. Of course, you should take into consideration that you’ll spend a little more doing extra laundry and cleaning, but overall this is one of the most consistent ways to earn that extra cash.

Rent Out Your Car

If you aren’t using your car every day then why just have it sit there? Instead, figure out how to make $50 a day by renting it out to others who need to use it temporarily. There are sites such as Getaround that make it easy for you to navigate setting this up.



Rent Out Garage / Storage Space

If you have extra space for storage then you can rent that out to someone who needs it. Of course, whether or not you can make $50 per day doing this really depends on your area. Right now in San Francisco there’s a huge exodus of people leaving the city, at least temporarily, due to COVID-19. As a result, storage rental prices have drastically risen. People need that storage space so they’re willing to pay high prices.

That said, you can also get creative to make more money from your garage. For example, could you rent it out a few nights a week to different bands that need rehearsal space? What about renting it to an artist who needs a studio? Or, during these times when people are working from home, you might even be able to rent it out as a “man cave” / “she shed” to people who are happy to pay $50 per day to escape from home for a little while.

Rent Out a Parking Space

Do you have a parking space in your building that you don’t use? Or do you own a home with its own garage? If so, and if you live in an area where parking is at a premium, then you might be able to rent out your parking spot. Here in San Francisco, it’s not impossible for people to make $50 a day renting out their parking spot to travelers who are staying in certain neighborhoods.

Sell Your Stuff

Declutter your home and sell everything that you don’t need. Become an eBay seller. Try Poshmark. Sell your books online. Sell your old computers, phones, and gadgets. Although this isn’t sustainable forever, since of course your amount of stuff is finite, it’s a great way to make $50 / day for a short period of time to boost your savings or pay down debt. And, if you discover that you really like selling stuff, you might be able to parlay it into a side job doing the same work for other people at a commission.

How to Make $50 a Day Online

It’s nice to be able to make use of your possessions to earn extra money. However, honestly, when most people think about how to make $50 a day, they’re thinking about what they can do online in their spare time to earn that extra cash. There are many great options:

Freelance Writing / Design

Notably, this isa real full-time professional job so it’s not easy to break into if you’re new. That said, if you already have skills that translate well then you can begin finding work fairly quickly. For example, if you have already done content writing within the context of your work history, then you can brush up your resume to reflect that and start looking for freelance writing jobs. If you have a graphic design background, there’s work for you as well.

Virtual Assistant

Anyone who has basic administrative experience can parlay that a job working as a virtual personal assistance for someone who needs help across all kinds of different fields. And even without that kind of experience, there might be jobs out there for you. If, in your spare time, you’re happy to help someone schedule their appointments, book travel plans, and organize their calendar then you might do well in this kind of work.

Rideshare / Delivery Driver

Of course, this is a hybrid offline/online job as it requires that you leave the home but also that you’re connected to the Internet constantly. In any case, this kind of app-based gig work using your car is one of the most popular ways that people turn to today when looking for how to make $50 a day.

In the same vein, you can sign up with a site like Instacart to do shopping for others.

Get Paid to Take Surveys

The truth is that you will have to spend quite a few hours of the day doing this if you want to make $50. That said, it’s not impossible. And it will put some extra cash in your pocket. Learn more about getting paid for your opinion here.

Offline Ways to Make $50 a Day

If you’re already online regularly for your day job then you might want to know how to make $50 a day offline. After all, you can only stare at a screen for so many hours of the day. Luckily, there are a lot of fun gigs that will allow you to earn some extra cash:

Dog Walking / Pet Sitting

If you’re an animal lover then this can be one of the most pleasurable ways to make that extra cash. Whether you join a service like Rover, set up an account on a site like Care.com, or simply head to the dog park and use word of mouth, you should quickly find it easy to get gigs. You can walk one or more dogs at a time. You can petsit in your home or in someone else’s.

House Sitting

This is often a spinoff of petsitting because so many of the people who want you to stay in their home expect you to care for their pets. However, that’s not always the case. Even if you don’t want to watch pets, you might be able to get some good house sitting gigs. Some people just want a person who will water the plants, collect the mail, and accept deliveries while they are away.

Babysitting/ Childcare / Mother’s Helper

If you prefer children to pets then perhaps you’ll want to get a gig taking care of them. This can be a delightful way to spend a few hours, easily earning $50 or more per day.

Tutoring

During the pandemic, children have started doing a lot of their learning at home. Parents don’t always have the time, skills, energy, or willingness to devote to educating their children. Therefore, there’s a growing interest in home-based tutors. (Of course, this can also be an online job or a hybrid of the two.)

Decluttering / Organizing

Do you excel at and enjoy organizing closets, files, and other areas that many people keep cluttered? If so, people need your skills. Start by offering to declutter for friends for a small fee and take it from there.

Tailoring / Upholstery / Domestic Skills

Do you know how to sew? What about reupholstering old furniture to make it look new? If you have domestic skills like these then you can market those. This is a great way to start making extra cash, perhaps doing something that you really enjoy.

Lawn Care

Mow lawns. Rake leaves. If you can do a bit of gardening and landscaping then you can earn even more money on the side.

Almost Any Part-Time Job

Remember when you were a teenager and you were willing to accept almost any job just to start earning some money? If you’re looking for how to make $50 a day then go back to that mentality. Get a job at a coffee shop, a fast food restaurant, cleaning offices. Work the minimum number of hours required to earn that small amount of money. Since it’s your second job and not your career, you might even find that it’s kind of relaxing this time around.

More Ways to Make That Extra Cash

If you’re still asking how to make $50 a day in other ways, here are some miscellaneous extra ideas:

  • Create a course and sell it through a channel such as Udemy.
  • Write and sell one or more ebooks.
  • Make and sell your own food.
  • Make and sell your own jewelry, stationery, art, etc. using a site like Etsy.
  • Start a blog / YouTube channel and make ad income.
  • Take the time to get good at investing your money and earning that passive income.
  • Taking the long view, purchase a second home as a real estate investment.
  • Advertise on your car.
  • Become a paid friend to a tourist, elderly person, or other in need.

What is your favorite way to drum up $50 a day quickly?

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If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

 

10 Unusual Ways to Make Money During a Pandemic

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unusual ways to make money

The pandemic left millions of Americans suddenly unemployed. Others saw their hours cut or income from their side hustles diminish. That left many looking for new opportunities. Luckily, there are some unusual ways to make money during the pandemic that can work for many people. If you’re looking for something a bit unique. Here are some options that you may want to explore.

1. Sell Your Hair

While this isn’t something you can do too often. It is possible to sell long locks for a handsome fee. Usually, unprocessed “virgin hair.” Virgin hair is hair that’s never been dyed or chemically treated – snags the best price. In some cases, virgin hair is a requirement.

The color and texture of your hair can also make a difference. Another critical factor is the length of the strands. As some of the length is functionally lost when creating wigs and certain other kinds of hairpieces.

There are online outlets that buy hair directly. While others allow people to list their hair to try and attract a buyer. There isn’t any guarantee regarding how much you can earn. But, if you’re long hair is getting on your nerves and your open to snipping it off, it could be worth exploring.

2. Be a Video Game Coach

unusual ways to make money

If you have some serious video game skills, you might be able to earn some side income coaching other players toward greater success. Usually, you need a strong record in a popular, competitive game, like Fortnite or Rocket League. Additionally, being a great teacher who is willing to share some tricks of the trade is essential.

The benefit of this option is you can work entirely from home. You’ll just need to connect to your student online through chat software, ensuring you can discuss tips and techniques with ease.

3. Sign Up for a Clinical Trial

Universities, research centers, hospitals, and other institutions exploring the effectiveness of various drugs or devices often conduct clinical trials, at times paying participants for taking part. There are numerous trials going on at any given time, each with its own requirements.

Often, you need a specific medical condition to qualify for an individual trial. However, some are more open than others, depending on the nature of what’s being tested. If you want to explore options, ClinicalTrials.gov is a great place to start, as well as any nearby universities with medical departments or area hospital networks.

4. Sell Breast Milk

If you are a woman who has recently given birth and is still lactating, you may be able to sell your breast milk for some extra cash. Buyers are usually mothers who can’t breastfeed, as it gives their child the potential benefits of breast milk even if they can’t do it themselves.

It’s important to note that selling breast milk is a bit controversial. While it isn’t generally illegal, there are some health concerns associated with the practice. And, if you sell your breast milk and the consumer ends up ill after partaking of it, you could be liable.

5. Advocate for a Cause

Companies like NextWave Advocacy hire work-from-home contractors to help bring causes to the attention of the public and Congress. You might spend your time interviewing people about political issues or turning people’s stories about how they were affected by an issue into a compelling letter or document.

6. Sell Plasma

unusual ways to make money

Many blood plasma centers are operating, even in areas that still have some quarantine restrictions. Unlike whole blood donations, plasma is usually purchased by the center. Also, unlike whole blood, it’s possible to donate plasma twice a week.

In exchange for your time, you can earn several hundred dollars a month, suggesting you give plasma at every opportunity. However, even a single session can net you $50 to $100, give or take.

While many plasma centers used to be walk-in-friendly, that may not be the case in all areas today. Social distancing requirements have led many facilities to go appointment-only, so you may want to call ahead if you are open to this unusual way to make money.

7. Be an Online Juror

Many legal firms want to gauge how potential jurors may feel about a case well before they step into a courtroom. As a result, they work with companies like eJury to connect with people who play the role of a juror, hearing the details of a case and discussing their opinions on it.

In exchange for being a juror, you get a little extra cash. While you may not get to participate in a ton of cases each week, the projects can all be done from home and usually take no more than an hour, making them relatively easy to squeeze into a day.

8. Write Greeting Card Poems

If you enjoy poetry, you may be able to turn your love into a bit of money. Companies like Blue Mountain Arts will pay you for short poems that it thinks could work in greeting cards.

Now, the process is incredibly lengthy, as, after you submit your poems, you have to sit back and wait until they review it and make a decision. If they are interested, you’ll be notified within eight weeks that your poem was chosen for further review. However, if it isn’t selected, you won’t get any reply.

Once it moves forward, you have to wait some more. It can take several months to over a year for a formal decision to be made. However, if you enjoy poetry and don’t mind the delay, it could be a worthwhile venture.

9. Give Feedback on Website and Mobile Apps

If you are skilled at expressing your opinions verbally and in writing, and are willing to test website and app designs, sites like UserTesting will pay you to do just that. The process isn’t unlike finishing surveys, aside from the fact that you’ll use a microphone and say what you’re thinking instead of spending the whole time checking boxes or clicking toggle buttons.

Additionally, it pays better than most surveys. Usually, $10 per test is the minimum, and each one usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete. However, like surveys, you may not qualify for many tests, especially when you first sign up. But as you build your reputation, potentially giving you access to more opportunities, being able to snag a couple of sessions a week isn’t uncommon.

10. Review Music

There are countless unsigned bands out there today, and companies want to know which ones strike a chord with listeners before committing. At SliceThePie, you can help them figure it out, and get paid a little along the way.

Along with reviewing music, you may have a chance to give your opinion on clothing and other products. How much you earn depends on your rating and the quality of your reviews, so it may start out on the lower side while you build your reputation. But with a little time and some care, you could bring in a nice bit of money on the side, all while working safely from home.

Can you think of any other unusual ways that people can make money during the pandemic? Have you tried any of the approaches above, and want to discuss your experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

Different Ways To Earn Money Online

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ways to earn money online
This guy is earning so much money online his daughters are happy.

Advancements in technology have brought about many positive changes in the world today. For as long as you know how to use it wisely, technology plays an imperative role not just in social activities but even that of employment and career needs as well. When you browse through the Internet today, you’re sure to find many websites that offer jobs. More often than not, too, these websites offer legitimate ways to earn a good living.

In this article, you’re going to learn about the many different ways for you to earn money online. Some you can do on your part-time, while others can be done as a full-time employee, only that your home is your office. You’ve only got to filter your options based on that which best matches your needs, preferences, and schedule.

Taking Online Surveys

Taking online surveys is one of the best examples to earn money. But, often, the pay isn’t as high. You have to take so many surveys before you can come up with a stable and good withdrawable amount. With taking surveys, therefore, this is something that you should do on top of another online job, or on top of a day job that you do at the office.

The good thing about earning through taking online surveys is that these are often very easy to do. Plus with paid survey sites, you can also complete and accomplish them during your idle time. Rather than wasting time being unproductive online, use that time instead for a money-making opportunity through taking online surveys.

Be careful though – a lot of surveys take a good deal of time, and don’t necessarily pay out a lot.

Use A Mobile App

Leveraging the app economy means taking advantage of the services offered in mobile apps. If you wish to earn money, you can also use these apps. Depending on the kind of app, it’s up to you to match it with the skills that you have for you to earn. Common examples of mobile apps that are popular for this reason are the following:

    • Inbox Dollars – This is an app that you can use to earn by watching TV, shopping, and taking surveys.
    • iBotta – Earn by shopping? iBotta gives you cash back for purchasing featured products by major retailers. An excellent way to go about with this is to sign up for iBotta and check its offers first before you head out to shop for your needs. If there’s anything that you can buy through this app and get cashback for.  One important to factor to consider that iBotta isn’t going to make you money, per say.  It just reduces the amount your groceries cost.
    • Swagbucks – This app also lets you earn even while you’re sitting on your couch. Through surfing the web, answering videos, shopping, or taking surveys, you’re paid cash or given a gift card.

Get Paid For Searching The Web

If you’re the type who loves to search the web during your free time, why not get paid each time that you search? This is one of the easiest ways for you to earn an income without making any changes in your routine or lifestyle. But, like answering surveys, this also isn’t the most sustainable option. You can do this on the side, along with a better-paying job.

Sell Your Photos Online

Selling your photos online is an excellent way for you to earn a passive income. All you’ve got to do is to post your photos on sites such as Shutterstock. Each time that another user downloads or needs your photo, you get paid a royalty for it. The great thing about selling your photos online is that you don’t even necessarily have to be a professional photographer. If you love taking pictures and you’ve got so many pictures to share with the world, then why not do so. That way, your photos don’t just stay stagnant. You get to earn from them, too.

Dinksfinance has an excellent review article on how to make money as an amateur photographer.  Read it if you get a chance.

Trade Online

Trading online is one of the most lucrative ways to earn through the web. The only downside to it is that this stuff is extremely serious. You need to first have at least a minimum background in trading before you get right into it.  Otherwise, you could be a risk for serious financial losses.

Here are some rules to follow:

      • Always have a trading strategy
      • Stay informed with the latest updates in securities, trading methods and securities regulations
      • Determine the particular trading style that you’d like to use
      • Risk only the amount that you can afford to lose

Sell Your Stuff Online

Selling your stuff online can either be some of your used stuff to earn extra income or new things, such as through running an online business. If you take the time to look through websites online, you’re going to find so many sites selling many different things, such as ThreadUp, for instance. If you’re a fashion enthusiast who loves to create your own clothes, this is a good place for you to start. Read through this article to learn how much you can make with ThreadUp.  Other good sites are ebay and Facebook marketplace.  Craigslist is becoming less popular.

In social media sites also, there are online shops already multiplying like rabbits. This is how in-demand online shops are today.

Running an online store is an excellent way to earn an income because the capital doesn’t have to be as substantial. You don’t even need to have a physical warehouse or a physical store. While at the comfort of your home, you can manage and start to earn an income. If this is managed well, and it grows, your business can even become a stable source of income not only for yourself, but for your family.

Start Your Blog

If you’re a writer or love writing, starting a blog is a perfect fit for you. The great thing about starting a blog is that you don’t have to face the screen all the time. You can do this on the side, along with another job. That way, whatever you earn from your blog is already an extra income for you.

With blogging, however, you need to have patience. As you start, you still have to work really hard to build steady traffic to visit your site. With the right effort and determination, however, you can slowly begin to build financial stability through your blog.

To help you along this line, here are some tips for you remember:

      • Have a unique blog name
      • Choose a blogging platform that you best prefer
      • Create a theme that matches the niche of your blog
      • Choose a niche that you’re comfortable writing regularly about, such as a finance blog, if you used to work in the field of finance
      • Always write about relevant topics

Don’t forget, blogging is not easy money, you’ll likely need to work at it for a year before you see any serious results.

Download And Sell Courses Online

This applies to you if you have a field of expertise that you’re specializing in. For instance, you used to be a professor before you had to take a leave. You can even be an expert in fashion design, photography, blogging, Vlogging, or content creation. Whatever it is, there’s an opportunity for you to create classes or courses and sell them online.

As working online has become quite in-demand, so also has the clamor for students to take online classes. This means that as the demand for online courses stays steady, so too will the need for professors and other experts to teach courses online.  People often want quick and easy approaches to learning new subjects, so there is plenty of room to

Start Affiliate Marketing

Working as an affiliate marketer has a necessary prerequisite to it. Before you can start with affiliate marketing, you’ll first need to have a blog or a Vlog up-and-running with a steady following or audience. You only become attractive to companies looking for affiliates when you already have a strong audience. That way, you can be successful in influencing people to buy the particular product or service that you’re promoting.

Affiliate marketing means that companies pay you to advertise their products and services on your blog. You can be paid with a certain amount of commission for every sale made while using your link or code.

Generally, affiliate marketing works well when you’re also promoting products and services that fall within the niche of your blog. To be more successful, here are some tips to remember:

      • Be passionate also about the products or services that you’re promoting (e.g., you can’t promote a resort well when you don’t even love traveling)
      • Always track the progress of your affiliate marketing
      • Learn from other affiliate marketers who are more successful than you

Conclusion

Earning a stable income online may seem like a difficult thing for many. There are even those that dread the idea, as many make it out to be more complicated than it is. But, the truth is it isn’t. Working online can, in fact, sometimes be easier than having to commute and report to the office on long, traffic hours. Just like any other job, though, it also requires some discipline. You have to set your time, such that you’re still productive and don’t end up slacking just cause you’re home. Whether you’re looking for something part-time or one that can sustain your family in the long run, there are many opportunities for work online. This list comprises only a few of them.

For more excellent lists of ways to make money, consider these other Saving Advice articles:

Thirty-Eight Easy Ways To Make Extra Money

Five Ways To Make Money On Your Phone

One Hundred and Two Ways To Generate Extra Cash

 

What Are the Most Appealing Products to Sell Online?

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The internet has made selling products online easy from anywhere in the world. With new trends, it’s convenient for you to find your specific niche products. With this in mind, here are some of the things to make and sell Shopify.

Coasters

Used to rest drinks upon and protect the surface of tables, coasters are one of the items that are easy to make and sell online. You can make them using a range of materials, including faux leather, leather, plastic, melamine, tile and paper. You can mix and match coasters with cool shapes, vibrant colors and unique material. If you want to make colorful, unique coasters, you will need supplies such as ceramic tiles, a sponge brush, felt, clear acrylic glaze, fabric glue, decoupage glue and scrapbook paper. You can glue the paper to the ceramic tile and let it air dry before painting them over with decoupage glue.

Clothes

Fashion has a high demand and appeals to many people worldwide. People are always looking for glamorous shirts, trousers, coats and jackets. As such, aspiring designers can create original designs and sell them on the internet.

Pet bed

Pet beds are designed to keep dogs or cats warm, support their arthritic joints and prevent calluses. They also help pet owners to preserve their furniture and concentrate dog shedding in one area that can be cleaned with ease. For these reasons, pet beds are one of the most popular trending products online. You can make pet beds of different sizes, colours and shapes. There are various filling options you can choose from. Fibrefill is a soft choice while memory foam is a great choice for those looking for a pet bed for their dog that has arthritis. Alternatively, you can use a bed pillow, old towels, blankets or T-shirts to make an inexpensive pet bed filler.

Jewellery

Jewellery has always been trending and popular among everyone. It’s a consumer product that does not have boundaries as it appeals to both women and men of all age groups and culture. However, originality is the key if you want to be a successful seller in this niche. Keep up with the changing trends in the world of fashion and make sure your designs reflect who you are. You can offer anklets, bracelets, necklaces and rings. You can make these products from a variety of mediums such as beads, shells and gemstones.

Bath bombs

Used to add essential oils, color, bubbles or scent to bathwater, bath bombs are made from mixtures of dry ingredients that effervesce when wet. They are also easy to make and one of the most selling items online. To make your bath bombs, mold them into attractive shapes, giving them attractive smells and colors. This will help you sell your creations swiftly. With originality and unique branding, you can good money selling bath bombs.

For more great savingadvice articles, read these:

Ways To Make Extra Money

Take the 52 Week Money Challenge

Need Money, You Can Always Get Naked

Image source: Manu, via Flikr.

Side Businesses You Can Start With Little Cash

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side businesses you can start with little cashImage source: Unsplash.com


One of the things you need to do to improve your financial life would be to start a business. Irrespective of where you find yourself, starting a business will definitely pay off. A side business is also important to ensure that you can properly offset your bills. If you need help establishing connections, you can use ideXlab’s open innovation platform, which facilitates innovation management and can be used as a social network that helps you detect experts and cutting-edge competencies. After conducting several kinds of research, we have come up with some of the best side business ideas you can choose from.

Start Blogging

Blogging is another fine way to earn cash on the side. Prior to this time, most people find it difficult to create blogs, you will find it interesting to know that a number of platforms have been developed to help you create and manage blogs. While blogging may look simple, choosing the right niche would determine the amount of money you stand to make.
Also, you need to be consistent when it comes to uploading content. Right now, you could decide to try any of these niches; weight loss, relationship, health, legal, and making money online.

Tutoring

If you happen to have vast knowledge in a particular field of study, you could decide to tutor high school or college students. This is a good side hustle as you can set out a time that is convenient for you. You will find it interesting to know that there are a number of students willing to pay over $40 per hour.
To do this, you will need to have a passion to teach or help others. Also, you need to know about a particular course. This side hustle idea is perfect for college students seeking to earn extra cash to survive. You can set up weekends to tutor your fellow students.

Flipping Furniture

flipping furniture

Image source: Unsplash.com

This is currently one of the best ways to make extra cash on the side. One thing you need to remember before choosing this business idea is that you need to put in an effort. To start, you will need to carefully go through websites like Craigslist, Garage Sales and others to find trash furniture that needs little touching. Once you get these pieces of furniture, you have to make out time to fix, refinish, and repaint them. Once this is done, you can sell them to interested individuals.

Start a Dropshipping Business with Shopify and Printify

As someone seeking to make extra cash on the side, you definitely would not have time to stock products. Dropshipping is the best business idea for you. You do not have to store goods in a warehouse or have to keep an inventory. Drop shipping is easy to handle right from the comfort of your home. To start you will need to have either a laptop or smartphone with an internet connection.

To make huge cash from this side business, you will need to offer your customers an excellent customer service. This would definitely motivate them to return to your store once they need another product.

Sell Your Craft

Image source: Unsplash.com

If you happen to have any skill, you could also sell your craft. ProfitIndustry.com has revealed that there are five best ecommerce platforms for small business owners. One of these platforms is Etsy. It offers you the opportunity to sell your craft. One of the most amazing things about this platform is that it is quite easy to make use of.

Freelancing

Currently, there are hundreds of freelance platforms you can choose from. On these platforms, you can offer clients a number of services and get paid immediately. For example, you can write contents, build websites for clients etc. These platforms have been designed in an easy to use manner.

Affiliate Marketing

Image source: Unsplash.com

If you have a website or blog, you could venture into affiliate marketing. It works in such a way that you are paid a commission for promoting the products and services of brands. To do this, you will need to have a large online fan base.

One of the many advantages of this business idea is that you can do this from the comfort of your home. As a student or worker, you can try this side hustle in your free time. With more brands acknowledging the importance of affiliate marketing, you stand to make huge cash from this side hustle.

Sell Your Stuff, Not Your Trash: Yard Sale Etiquette

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I went to a yard sale this weekend that was disappointing, to say the least. Everything on sale was either broken, damaged, dirty, or trash (one half-used crayon, a moldy mattress, a shirt so faded and tattered that it would only suffice for rags, and board games missing most of the pieces and with the decals peeling or missing from the base). I was there right after the sale opened, so I know it wasn’t a case of all the good stuff being snapped up already. Making matters worse: Things were just strewn on tables and tarps on the ground without any sort of organization. Needless to say, this person wasn’t making a lot of money.

If you’re going to have a yard sale, you need to sell stuff that people want to buy. Sure, you can sell some things that are broken or damaged. You don’t want to try to sell your trash, however. How do you tell the difference? Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly. (Note that you should ask yourself these same questions before donating an item to charity. If no one will buy it at a yard sale, a
charity isn’t going to want it either.)

Can the item be repaired at all, and for a reasonable cost?

People will buy things that they think they can repair for a reasonable cost. However, if the item cannot be repaired or it will cost more to repair than to buy a new one, most people won’t buy it. The broken toaster at this weekend’s sale is an example. Toaster repairs today cost far more than just buying a new one. Unless the buyer is skilled in toaster repair, you aren’t going to sell that item.

Is the item collectible or valuable?

If the item is a collectible or valuable, people might be willing to repair it knowing that they will get more out of it in the long run. If the toaster mentioned above had been from the 1950’s, someone might have purchased it and paid for the repairs, hoping that it might be worth more ten years from now. Or, they might have a use for it in a themed B&B. Otherwise, it’s garbage.

Can the item be used for anything other than its intended purpose?

You might be able to sell some battered clothes if someone can use them for the fabric. Maybe a quilt maker will buy them. However, the fabric needs to be in good condition and it had better be a unique pattern. You can also sell things like broken generators, mowers, or computers because someone might scavenge them for parts. If there is no other use for the item, it’s probably trash.

Is the item hygienic?

A dirty, moldy mattress isn’t going to sell. Neither is badly stained (upholstered) furniture, used underwear, well worn shoes, used hairbrushes, or smelly or stained clothes. If the item is of a personal nature or carries a lot of “personal” stains or smells, it won’t sell. People won’t buy things that are gross and unhygienic. These need to go in the trash.

Is the item still useful?

Is the item damaged in such a way that its usefulness is compromised or it is unsafe, even if it might still work? Cups with the handles broken off aren’t very useful anymore and should probably go in the trash. So should things like pots with broken handles, Tupperware without lids, and desktop picture frames missing the arm that makes them stand up. Technically these items still “work,” but not well or safely. They should go in the trash.

Is the item an odd bit?

Things like one crayon, one game piece, one empty CD case, or one magazine aren’t likely to sell. These things sell better in large lots, if at all. If you have just one odd bit, it’s probably better off in the trash.

If you have an item that you think is on the border between trash and useful, see if you can repair or clean it before putting it up for sale. If you can spruce it up or restore its functionality you’ll have a better chance of selling it. If you do try to sell something that’s broken or damaged, be honest about the problem and price it accordingly. For example, don’t try to sell tattered clothes for full price. Price them as rags or fabric scraps. Price an old, obsolete computer for the parts, not as a fully functional unit.

No matter what you try to sell at your yard sale, display it attractively and in such a way that it’s easy for people to browse. Don’t make your buyers crawl on the ground to view items or paw though piles of junk. Clean things up so people don’t get dirty wen browsing your sale. An attractive, well set up sale will go a long way toward enticing buyers.