odd-jobs

13 Ways to Make Money While Exercising

May 7, 2014 By Danielle Warchol 4 Comments

One of the biggest problems many people face when it comes to exercising is lack of time, mostly due to work and other obligations. Most people who decide that they need to get more exercise immediately think about joining a gym. While this is certainly one way to get more exercise, there are many alternative ways to get exercise at no cost. It’s possible to do even better than that by using a bit of creativity to work while getting exercise. Maybe pick up a full or part-time job that gave you an income and also helped you get in better shape at the same time. Here are a few different ways to make money while exercising:

Tour Guide

If you’ve ever been to any historical or cultural site, you’ve probably seen or taken a guided tour. Tour guides have to do a serious amount of walking several times a day, as they tend to give multiple tours during one shift. If you’re looking for a part-time job, becoming a tour guide is not only a great way to get exercise and make some money, but to become more involved in a cultural or historical site in your town or city.

Teach Gym Classes

Did you know that many of the people who teach courses at gyms only do so part-time? All it takes is a certification class and some knowledge of the area you want to teach, and you’re good to go! If you want a good workout and some decent money, consider teaching a gym class, whether it’s a spin class or yoga class. You can also teach classes at your local YMCA.

Referee for Youth or Intramural Sports

Youth and intramural sports are always looking for qualified referees for their games. You’ll get quite a workout referring such sports as soccer, lacrosse, hockey, or football, since you need to be just as quick on your feet as the players. Some divisions and leagues require certification and previous experience to referee, however, so before you go ahead and look up referee jobs, make sure you’re actually qualified.

Dog Walking

One of the easiest ways to make money while exercising is by dog walking. If you live in a city, you’ll have no trouble finding people who need their dogs walked while they’re at work, away on vacation, or busy on the weekends. You can make good money dog walking, too, sometimes upwards of $50 for a one hour walk. If you have a couple dogs you walk at once, you’ll not only be raking in a decent amount of cash, but will be getting a good workout as well.

Mowing Lawns

Mowing lawns is another great way to make some money while getting a workout. There is even a thing called the lawnmower diet. A lot of people have no interest in mowing their own lawn and if you have the time to push a lawn mower around a yard, you’ll earn some cash and get a workout.

Landscaping or Construction

A lot of people will pay good money for construction or landscaping projects. Landscaping or construction can be a part-time side job or a career, depending on your interest, but it’s definitely a way to make some decent money. There’s also no question that you’ll be getting quite a workout regardless of whether you’re working on a small or large scale project.

Bike Courier

You may think that bike couriers have gone out of fashion, but they’re actually still used in many major cities. With the rise in bicycling, many companies prefer to use bicyclists to help promote an environmentally friendly image. Biking across a city to deliver a package or a takeout delivery is a job that requires a lot of athletic dedication. Not everyone wants to bike four hours on a time, after all. Become a bike courier is a great way to get an intense workout and make some extra money.

Seasonal Yard Work

Do any of your friends, family members, or neighbors need seasonal yard work done throughout the year? Maybe someone doesn’t want to rake their leaves in the fall or clean their gutters in the spring or shovel snow in the winter. Yard work always works up a good sweat, and if you offer your services for hire, you can make that exercise worth your while.

Work at a Youth Camp

Many youth camps are constantly in need of workers during the peak summer hours. Youth camps are very into physical activities, whether it’s pickup sports games or general camp activities. Whatever events and games you may have to participate in, you can bet that you’ll be exhausted by the end of the day. If you love working with kids and being outdoors, working at a youth camp might be the perfect way for you to make money while getting a workout.

Work at a Sports Arena

Have you ever wanted to work at your favorite ballpark or golf course? Why not get a job as a caddy? Even a job showing people to their seats at large arenas is sure to give you a good workout. After all, walking up and down all those flights of stairs is far from the normal sedentary desk job.

Teach an Athletic Class

If you happen to be great at a specific sport, aerobic activity, or fitness routine, get your certification and teach a class. This way you’re actually partaking in a fitness routine while getting paid to do so. Best of all, if you choose to teach a group class, you’re going to make a significant amount of money.

Be a Masseuse

You must be wondering how you’re going to exercise while giving a massage, right? After all, massages are supposed to be relaxing and not at all energizing. But did you know that you can lose 300 calories by giving someone an hour-long massage? Being a masseuse requires a lot of upper body strength and it’s a surprisingly good workout. People pay a lot for massages, so you can also set a decent price for your services.

Do Odd Jobs Around the House

Many people are looking for someone to do odd jobs around their house. This could range from fixing broken appliances, renovating a room, landscaping, running errands, cleaning, carrying furniture, or helping move large items. While some of these activities will be more of a work out than others, you’re still getting exercise. And if someone’s paying you to help them out, why not do it?

These are just a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing. There are actually dozens of more ways that you can get exercise and make money at the same time. It’s worthwhile taking a moment to consider how you can do this in a way that suits your lifestyle and you may find that getting in shape can actually make your bank account a little heftier.

10 Ways To Earn Extra Money For Christmas

December 6, 2012 By Danielle Warchol 7 Comments

Christmas is just around the corner. Many of us would love to have some extra money for the holidays, whether that money is going toward vacations or presents. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to earn some extra money for the holidays.

Amazon Trade-Ins

For instance, did you know that Amazon has a trade-in program? The program allows you to trade in old books, DVDs, and other items in exchange for Amazon gift cards. While you won’t receive cash for your items, gift cards will certainly come in handy if you need to buy any presents on Amazon. Of course, there are certain eligibility requirements for traded items, so make sure you read their terms and conditions before trading anything in.

Consignment Shops

Do you have a bunch of clothes, accessories, or appliances gathering dust around the house? Take the upcoming holiday season as an opportunity to clean out your closets and cupboards. You may find you have more than enough items to send to a consignment shop. Most cities and towns have consignment shops where you can drop off your secondhand items. If you’re lucky, someone will purchase them and you’ll be able to make some extra money.

Sell Online

If you want a better method of selling your unused items, try selling them online. There are various places where you can list your items such as Craigslist, Amazon, eBay, or even Facebook. There are millions of people browsing the internet each day, so you never know who might want to buy something you’re selling. Have some old knick-knacks you think are worthless? Someone out there might want to buy them.

Have a Garage or Yard Sale

A garage or yard sale is a great way to not only get rid of old items you no longer want or need, but to make a little extra money before Christmas rolls around. Go through all your items and make sure you know what you have to sell, that you have enough room to display everything, and how much you want to charge for each item. Also make sure that you know where you want to advertise so people actually stop by!

Freelance

Freelancing is a lot easier than some people may lead you to believe. Signing up for websites such as Freelancer.com, oDesk.com, or Elance.com can help get you started. You can even send out freelance inquiries to companies in the area or post a notice on Craigslist or LinkedIn asking for work. Make sure to advertise the skills you can offer and be sure to set a reasonable rate for the type of work you plan to create.

Tutoring

There are plenty of companies and websites that ask for tutors for students in K-12 or college. Each company varies regarding tutor requirements as some companies only require people with a strong background in a particular subject while others require tutors to have anywhere from a Bachelor’s degree to a PhD. Check out websites like Tutor.com, HomeworkHelp.com, or Verbal Planet. Tutoring is a great part-time job for someone looking for additional money during the holiday season.

Pet Sitting

Are you planning on staying home for the holidays? If you have some extra time and are allowed to have pets in your house or apartment, why not offer some pet sitting services? A lot of people would prefer for a friend or acquaintance to look after their pets instead of boarding them for the holidays. If you’re an animal fan, this is a great way to make some extra money.

Become a Mystery Shopper

Have you ever wanted to get paid for going out to eat or going shopping? Well, become a mystery shopper! The Mystery Shopping Providers Association has a list of legitimate companies that hire mystery shoppers. Some companies will pay anywhere from $10 to $15 an hour for your services while some will provide a stipend for your time. You won’t make a lot of money at once by becoming a mystery shopper, but it should be enough to give you some extra cash for the holidays.

Online Surveys

There are many online survey sites out there that are scams or that pay next to nothing, but if you find the few that are legitimate, you can make a few extra dollars a week. Taking online surveys won’t make you rich overnight, but if you have the time and patience, you’ll make some extra income. If you’re interested, look at such sites like MySurvey.com, SurveySpot, CashCrate, or Opinion Outpost.

Market Research and Focus Groups

If you have the time and ability to travel to any locations doing focus groups, you could make a decent amount of money. Some focus groups offer a couple hundred dollars if you qualify for their research. A lot of corporate companies will host focus groups for market research, so your best bet is to see if they’re looking for participants.

(Photo courtesy of Paradoxotaur)

Work With the Dead: Strange Ways to Make Money

July 22, 2011 By Jennifer Derrick 3 Comments

Working with the dead typically appeals to two types of people. Those who don’t like a lot of personal interaction in their work (the dead aren’t going to complain or engage in office politics, after all) and those who are compassionate and derive satisfaction from helping others through their grief. Either way, working in the funeral industry isn’t as depressing or creepy as you might think. It can be quiet, peaceful work and you can feel good that you sent others into the afterlife with dignity and respect. If you want to work with the dead, here are some job options for you.

Grave digging. You no longer need to labor for hours with a shovel. Most digging these days is done with a backhoe. You may not need to grave dig full time, either. Some cemeteries don’t have enough volume to keep a grave digger on staff full time. If you own a backhoe for another business like landscaping or construction, you may be able to work on an “on call” basis for a few cemeteries and help them out when needed. It can be a nice little sideline business for you.

Embalmer

You will be the one who prepares the body for burial by replacing bodily fluids with the preservation chemicals.

Cemetery landscaper

Mowing the grass, pulling weeds, and tossing out old flowers are all the job of the landscaper or caretaker. It’s quiet, peaceful, outdoor work that you may be able to combine with an existing landscaping business.

Funeral director

This job may involve everything from casket sales to arranging/conducting the service to comforting the family and friends. The director also usually retrieves the body from the place of death or the morgue and brings it to the funeral home for preparation for burial.

Hair and makeup artist

If you have a talent for hair and makeup, you can use that skill to prepare the dead for viewing. Beyond hair and makeup you may need some special skills in reconstruction, depending on the cause of death.

Casket/urn design and construction

There is a market for custom made caskets and urns. If you have strong woodworking skills, you can make a good income because custom caskets usually sell for more than their mass produced counterparts. You can design traditional caskets or biodegradable caskets for green burials. If metalworking or pottery is more your thing, you can design urns for cremated ashes.

Headstone artist

There are some cemeteries that still allow the traditional headstone or sculpture. If you are a stone cutter or sculptor, you can make money designing, inscribing, and personalizing grave markers.

Crematorium owner

If traditional burial isn’t for you, you might want to open a crematorium. Restrictions and requirements vary by state and it is a closely regulated industry so you will need special permits and inspections. As an operator of a crematorium, you may also be called upon to comfort the grieving family to conduct brief services prior to cremation.

Hearse or limo driver

If you like to drive, you can work for a funeral home as a hearse or limo driver. If you’re driving the hearse, you’ll drive the body from the place of death to the funeral home and then on the cemetery. If you drive the limo, you’ll drive the family members from the funeral home to the cemetery and then back to their home or hotel. This may not be a full time job. If you own an existing limo business, you can add funeral homes to your client list.

Janitor at a funeral home

Funeral homes need to be cleaned just like any other business, especially after a service. This can be a great way to get an introduction to the funeral business and see if it’s something you want to be a part of.

Some of the occupations above require some formal education. Embalmers, for example, usually have degrees in mortuary science and must be state-licensed. Funeral directors usually have degrees in mortuary science or funeral service and they usually serve an apprenticeship before getting a full time job. Makeup artists usually have some formal cosmetology training, although it may not be required; talent alone might get you the job. Other jobs such as janitorial work or grave digging may require no formal education.

There are also lots of emerging jobs in the funeral industry that are associated with the green burial movement. Some people are designing monuments for ashes that are then dumped into the sea to act as habitats for sea life. There are jobs designing biodegradable caskets. It’s an open and emerging field and there may be more jobs in the future that have not been identified yet.

Working with the dead isn’t scary or creepy. Unless you’re an embalmer or makeup artist, or you run a crematorium or funeral home, you’re not likely to have much contact, if any, with the bodies. You’ll just be tending to other aspects of the death ritual. If you want quiet work without a lot of office politics or gossip, this may be the industry for you.

An Odd Job by any Other Name would Smell Just as Sweet: Thirty Odd Jobs

June 15, 2008 By Ann Hartter 5 Comments

Saving is one half of an equation, but to save, you have to make money. Many like to supplement their regular jobs, many are retired and would like to work — but not too much. Many are teens and can’t get a regular job yet. What, oh, what can you do? So you can hit the pavement running, I did a little footwork for you. Here are thirty jobs you just might be able to do.

If you frequent a website and are tech savvy, maybe they’ll hire you to iron out bugs or moderate.
Freelance for newspapers, magazines, online journals.
Run Errands. Especially if you have a conservative gas machine, you can combine your errands with your neighbors’ for a small fee.
Make things for sale. Especially if you have a hobby making things anyway, and have a pile of supplies, you can get returns by pitching in on craft booths during farmer’s market festivals.
Rent out something you own. If you’re the only one in your apartment with a dryer, you can charge your neighbors who want to use it, on certain days.
Throw a sober-party with a band and a cover charge.
Aluminum has pretty good returns, and if you live in a state with deposits, you can volunteer your services for adopt-a-highway and get returns in the process. Try to pick roads near college campuses or party sites.
Take your neighbor’s yard waste or old Christmas trees to the your area’s compost for them, again, for a fee.
Put your sewing machine to work and make alterations and repairs. Some people would pay to have someone else sew on their buttons.
House or pet sit. Many aren’t close with their neighbors or to their family anymore. When people go out of town, they need someone trustworthy to grab their newspapers or mail, water their plants and gardens, feed their pets, mow and water their lawns, pick up debris or shovel after a storm, and generally make sure no one breaks in or vandalizes the place.
Give blood or plasma.
Mystery Shop.
Do online surveys.
Gather golf balls at the golf course, or caddy.
Child/Baby-sit.
Be a Handy Man or Woman.
Tutor or be homework help.
Set up a reminder service. With a good calendar program, you can offer to call your friends, family, and neighbors to remind them to do certain tasks, like feed the dog a heartworm pill, or that this is free Family Museum weekend, or that the movie that they want to see is coming out.
Run your own E-Bay service, selling for others.
Sell or Promote Products: Mary Kay, PartyLite, Avon, Melaleuca, Pampered Chef, Cutco, Filter Queen, UndercoverWear. Some grocery stores or food distributors need people to offer samples to shoppers.
Tend bar, either at a local bar or for special events like weddings or friends’ parties.
Buy real estate to rent out. If you pay a manager, you can be hands free. If you want to keep all the money, it’ll be a handyman or general contractor job for you, too.
Like to tinker? Be an auto mechanic on the side.
Join the Army Reserves.
Raise food products. Beekeeping, vegetable gardening, grow some fruit trees.
Raising wool producing animals. There are several who comb and spin their own yarn who’d love some lovely alpaca, llama, Angora goat, Kasmir goat, Camel, Angora rabbit.
Teach English as a Second Language.
Grade standardized tests. See the College Board Website.
Write Search Pages. Check out Mahalo Greenhouse.
Deliver Pizza. Jonathan at MyMoneyBlog said so.

More? Really? You want more? Try these two blogs entries:Easy Side Jobs and Additional Income Possibilities.

And, really, before you take any side job, take some good advice: Don’t let it interfere with your day job. (Unless, of course, your side job turns out to be a great career!) For more in depth advice, see CK Tan’s article. While you’re enjoying the fruits of your labor, I’ll take another gander and see if anything else interesting pops up.

Image courtesy of Steve Roe