extra money

9 Ways to Make Money From Holiday Gifts You Don't Want

Camilla Cheung — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 10:00:10 +0000

As well-intentioned as it may be, sometimes a holiday gift you receive just isn’t something you like. Instead of letting it sit around gathering dust, turn that holiday gift into cold hard cash — after thanking the gift giver for their thoughtfulness, of course!

1. Return it

The easiest way to get cash for unwanted holiday gifts, and to get the full value, is to return the item. Even if you don’t have a gift receipt, most big box stores will take items back as long as they have not been opened. Even if they have been opened, many will accept items if you let them know you were not satisfied with the product. You may have to take store credit instead of cash if you don't have the receipt, but if you get a gift card or store credit instead, you can then sell the gift card for cash.

2. Sell your gift cards

Gift card resellers like Cardpool and GiftCardGranny will buy your store gift cards and even merchandise credit (as long as it is on a gift card and never expires) and pay you back in cash. You can get up to 90 percent of the gift card’s value in cash, depending on which store the gift card comes from. To get a higher value back, some card resellers will give you an Amazon gift card instead.

3. Trade it in on Amazon

Amazon has a trade-in program for used goods that can allow you to recoup some of the value of your used items. Categories include phones, Kindles, video games, tablets, and books. You can get a decent amount of money back for unwanted gifts this way, without the hassle of selling it yourself. You’ll get paid out via an Amazon gift card. (See also: 7 Ways to Make Amazon Pay You!)

4. Sell electronics

There’s a thriving market for gently used and working electronic devices, so if you have gotten an unwanted tablet or other device (lucky you), you can sell it via sites like Gazelle and Nextworth, paid out via PayPal or a check. You can also trade in electronics at Best Buy in exchange for a store gift card.

5. Sell to online consignment sites

Sell your items to online consignment shops to make some money back. Sites like ThredUp and The RealReal make it easy to sell clothing and accessories — you just send the items to the store and get paid (in some cases, upfront, and in others once the item sells). No tedious listing of items and taking photos yourself.

Swap.com is another online consignment store that also accepts toys, games, and books. And that shade of lipstick you know you'll never wear? Glambot will buy your new or gently used makeup and makeup tools. (See also: Turn Old Clothes Into Money With These 4 Tools and Apps)

6. Swap clothes and accessories

Instead of getting a payout, sites like SwapStyle and RehashClothes allow you to trade your clothes and accessories for other items you find listed on the site. You can end up getting a better value this way by directly getting back an item of clothing that you’ll wear, instead of a cash payout. You’ll have to have something that will interest the other user in order to make a successful trade, but these sites also allow you to purchase the item for an agreed-upon price.

7. Resell clothing directly

Selling unwanted gifts yourself will allow you to get a higher value back than trading it in via third-party resellers. However, it does take a little more time and effort because you will have to take photos of the item, price it, post it, and respond to potential buyers.

Used clothing sites like Poshmark and Tradesy are popular for selling used clothing and accessories. They allow you to list your own items for sale quickly and easily, but also help you handle the shipping and return process.

8. Sell on eBay and other marketplaces

You can also sell gifts online on eBay and Amazon Marketplace. Vintage or handmade items (like that scratchy homemade sweater, as thoughtful as it was) can be sold on Etsy. For large items that would be cost-prohibitive to ship, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist allow you to sell to your local community.

To get the best value for your items, be sure to do a little price research to see what similar items are currently selling for (for example, on eBay, check the “sold listings” box in the sidebar when searching for similar items). Take well-lit, clear photos and provide as much detail as you can in the item’s description. (See also: How I Make $800 on Month on eBay Selling Used Clothes)

9. Donate it

Donating your unwanted gifts to a nonprofit organization is a great way to give back to those in need. You’ll also get a tax receipt so you can claim a deduction on your taxes (so long as you itemize your tax deductions when you file your taxes). Make your charitable donation before Dec 31 to claim the deduction on your taxes for that year. Not all charities are tax-exempt — so make sure the charity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to claim a deduction.

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This article is from Camilla Cheung of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

17 Ways Your House Can Earn a Paycheck

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 09:00:07 +0000

As interest rates creep up, the days of wringing cheap cash from your home in the form of refinances and home equity loans are waning. But have you ever thought of making money using your house without tapping the equity?

Some concepts, such as taking in roommates, have probably been with us for as long as we have lived indoors. But the rise of peer-to-peer commerce and smartphone apps have opened up new opportunities for homeowners or even renters to put their homes to work.

Here are a few jobs your house could get.

1. Billboard

If you're in a suburban homeowners association, forget it. But if you have a property on a well-trafficked street or in view of the freeway, consider selling advertising space on your fence, walls, or even in the yard. You might need to consult local laws to make sure you don't find yourself in violation of the planning department on this one — which is probably why you tend to see this on highways in rural areas more than in urban or suburban neighborhoods.

2. Filming location

You might not have what it takes to get a close-up on the silver screen, but maybe your home does. The going pay rate for television, film, and even commercial sets is your mortgage payment amount per day. Sign up on LocationsHub ($5 a month) or Set Scouter (free, but they take a cut of the rental fee) so producers can find you. And don't think you need a mansion to qualify; productions need ordinary homes, too. (See also: How to Turn Your Home Into a Moneymaking Star)

3. Extra storage

You've seen facilities that rent out industrial-looking storage sheds where you can keep your offseason clothes, Christmas trees, and that chair that never found a spot in your new apartment but you love too much to sell. But did you know that you can rent out a closet in your own place for this kind of use?

No matter where you live, you can list your extra space for free on sites like Craigslist, including not just closets, but also garage space, sheds, and even backyard or driveway space. If the storage space has a private entrance, you can provide the renter with their own key; if it's in your living space, you can set access hours and have the renter call you to get let in.

This type of service is so in-demand in space-sensitive locations like the San Francisco Bay Area, that there is an entire Parking/Storage category on Craigslist.

4. CSA drop-off point

My front porch is the pickup point for neighbors who subscribe to a community supported agriculture farm share program. I don't get paid cash for the space, but I get a healthy discount on my box — and if more people start picking up here, I could get my box for free.

5. Yard sale spot

I never would have dreamed that anyone would pay for a yard in which to host a yard sale, but then I learned about 127 Yard Sale, an annual 600-mile-long yard sale, for which home and business owners do in fact rent out property along the sale route to vendors. This made me realize that you could also capitalize on other special events this way. Do crowds pass by your yard on the way to the Fourth of July fireworks or the weekly farmers market? You may be able to rent your yard for a sale operator or to a refreshments vendor. (See also: How to Turn Your Backyard Into a Moneymaker)

6. Co-working space

It never made sense to me that some home-based workers pay to rent out cubicles when most homes sit empty and silent during the workday. As a work-from-home mom, I've often wanted to get out of my noisy house to work, but I didn't want to travel to an urban area and pay top dollar for a co-working space with a fancy coffee bar. If there were a service near me where I could book space at someone else's empty house, I might have considered it.

Here in the U.S., it seems that so far, startups trying to connect itinerant workers with empty homes have gone bust. Not to worry, you can always list your extra work-from-home space on Craigslist.

7. Child care location

You can of course open a home-based child care facility, but what if you're not interested in a career in child care? I found out that you can squeeze a little benefit out of your home by offering to host a nanny share for multiple families. Some share arrangements will allow the hosting family to contribute less to the nanny's salary. In my case, I received a different, but equally valuable benefit: Because both toddlers in the share took long afternoon naps, the nanny included several hours of housecleaning service in her workday, at no extra charge to me.

Another way I have seen homeowners successfully use their homes for child care, outside the traditional home day care center idea, is by hosting after-school or summer programs. This is a home business that requires your labor in addition to your space, but you can host a summer camp at home based on arts or any other interest you have. Check into local licensing laws and insurance requirements before you get started.

8. Cold storage

There is a market of people who want to buy meat in bulk, but don't have the cold storage space at home. So it's plausible that you could rent out freezer space to folks who want to store a lot of food but don't have their own deep freeze.

9. Foreign exchange student housing

The U.S. State Department doesn't pay exchange student host families, although you can take a $50 per month tax deduction while you're hosting one. However, there are lots of private programs out there that bring foreign students to the U.S. and pay host families for their room and board. You can sign up with 4stay or The American Homestay Network to rent a room to students and interns.

Another way to go about this is to contact a local university. Some of them keep a list of available rooms, or they allow people to post on a bulletin board to advertise their space for international students or visiting professors.

10. Lodging for nurses or other medical professionals

Some travel nurses move from city to city taking on new assignments arranged by agencies. These agencies may provide housing, so one way to become a host for a travel nurse would be to get in touch with one of these agencies. You can connect with these nurses through the The Gypsy Nurse's Travel Nurse Housing Group, or list your room on Furnished Finder, a housing site just for traveling professionals.

11. Get a roommate

If you have a second home or travel for long stretches, getting a roommate can be preferable to renting out your entire home, because it allows you to maintain access during the times when you are in town. Social media is a good way to find trustworthy roommates, since ideally they'll be recommended by someone you know. There are also websites and apps dedicated to helping people find renters. (See also: The 11 Best Websites for Renting Your Extra Space)

12. Parking

I live on an island, and the ferry terminal parking lot always fills up before the last ferry of the morning leaves. Some folks who live nearby are capitalizing on that by renting out their empty driveways to ferry riders. You can list a parking spot in any of 15 U.S. cities on SpotHero, either on a regular basis or for special events. I've also seen signs offering parking rental posted on lampposts in cities, and seen college kids simply holding up cardboard with the price scrawled on it to rent out their front yards on college game days.

13. Vacation rental

The vacation home rental industry has exploded in recent years thanks to Airbnb, and now anyone who lives in a popular destination can turn a spare bedroom into a consistent source of cash. If you have dismissed becoming an Airbnb host because you don't have an empty bedroom, give it another look.

Not everyone realizes that you can list your whole home on Airbnb while you're on vacation; I have done this several times with good results, and have even had guests who were happy to care for my cats in exchange for a discount. (See also: 13 Things I Learned From Renting Out My Home on Airbnb)

You might also be overlooking spaces in your home that are "Airbnbable," especially if you live in a high-demand area. I have stayed in lovely RVs parked in people's yards. I've seen a breakfast nook rented as a bedroom in Monterey, and a living room sofa listed for $15 a night in Columbus, Ohio. Some people also rent out camping space in their yard; if you do this, think through where your guests will use the bathroom. And if you don't love Airbnb, there are a few competitors, like VRBO or HomeAway, that could help you rent out your space as well.

14. Event space

Even my nonexpansive home has garnered requests for use for a workshop through Airbnb (I turned them down because I don't have one large room where people could gather comfortably). If your home is more of a showcase than mine, you could register it with a company such as Peerspace, which lists spaces for all kinds of events.

One advantage to listing with a company that specializes in events, rather than Airbnb, is that they tend to offer insurance coverage appropriate for events, and have safeguards in place to make sure your property isn't destroyed.

15. Home swap

This isn't necessarily a way to generate cash from your home, but it is a way to get more value from it. Sign up for HomeExchange or another home swap site, and you can get a free place to stay while you're traveling in exchange for hosting travelers at your own place. Recently, HomeExchange debuted a points program that makes it easier to arrange non-simultaneous exchanges, which is great for folks who might want to rent out their home but don't want to deal with rent, which you may have to report on your taxes.

In the past year, my family has enjoyed free stays in Santa Cruz, California; Lake Tahoe, Nevada; and Ashland, Oregon, thanks to home swapping; we're currently working on an exchange for France this summer. We enjoy that we are welcoming members of a more limited community into our home, as opposed to renting on Airbnb, and that when we swap with other cat owners, they are usually more than happy to care for our cats. (See also: Home Exchanges: Free Accommodations With Perks)

16. Package locker

Since ordering online has become the de facto way for many people to shop, secure package delivery has become a problem. Even in my safe community, neighbors are constantly complaining of packages from UPS or FedEx disappearing from their porches.

Providing a package locker is partly a work-from-home job, and partly getting paid for your space: eNeighbor pays you $3.50 for every package you receive. The work part is that you have to be home from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to sign for packages, then hand them out to their recipients when they come pick them up. The space part, of course, is that your living room or other space becomes a little mailroom for these boxes.

17. Rehearsal space

You could rent out your garage, basement, or other large space to up-and-coming musicians who need a place to jam. Keep in mind, however, that nearby neighbors might take issue with this plan, so be mindful of local noise ordinances.

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Ways to Earn an Extra $1,000 for Christmas

Amy Lu — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 09:30:11 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on ways to earn an extra grand for Christmas, things to get rid of by the end of the year, and ways to earn cash for cardboard.

How to Legally Sell Your Body for Money

Max Wong — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 09:00:05 +0000

Have you ever been so desperate for cash that you've wished that you could sell a kidney on the black market just to make your financial problems go away? While selling organs is illegal in the United States, (thank goodness) you can still part yourself out for money in less permanent, and dangerous ways.

1. Sell your hair

If you've ever considered channeling your inner Rapunzel and letting your hair work for you, there are a now a number of online specialty markets for human hair. As with any niche product, hair buyers are a picky bunch, so if you want to monetize your crowning glory, you need to grow, wash, cut, and ship your tresses to specification. But be sure to do your research before you chop your mane in exchange for moola. (See also: How to Sell Your Hair for Cash)

2. Sell your cells

The federal government prohibits the use of blood collected from paid donors for transfusions in hospitals. However, you can sell plasma, platelets, or whole blood to pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers.

The limits on payment for blood products vary from state to state and from lab to lab. For example, I donate platelets to a university research lab. While this lab is forbidden to pay donors in cash, they will give me $60 in gift cards for movies or groceries, or pay up to $60 of one of my utility bills for each donation.

3. Donate breast milk

Healthy moms can sell their surplus breast milk for an average of $2.50 per ounce. Nursing mothers can use Craigslist to find local breast milk buyers or post free classified ads on sites like onlythebreast.com to market their milk or wet nursing services to a national audience. (See also: 5 Bodily Fluids You Can Exchange for Cash)

4. Poop for pay

It sounds like a joke, but fecal transplants are real. In fact, 30,000 people die every year from causes related to C. difficile infection. C. diff is the most common hospital-acquired infection in the U.S. Unfortunately, some cases of C. diff bacterium result in repeat infections and are resistant to antibiotics. Fortunately, fecal microbiota transplants made from donor stool have an 90 percent cure rate for the infection.

If you live near Medford or Somerville, Massachusetts, can make daily trips to the Open Biome labs, and have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30, you could make $40 for every stool you donate.

5. Participate in clinical trials

Robert Rodriguez financed his first film using money that he made by participating in clinical research trials. You can make thousands of dollars by turning yourself into a human lab rat.

In addition to cash, if you can find a clinical trial that matches up with a personal health problem, you might get the benefit of receiving cutting edge medical assistance for free.

The downside of clinical research is obvious: you are part of the experiment, and sometimes experiments fail. New treatments are not always better than existing treatments and can come with unexpected risks or side effects. (See also: Making Money From Clinical Trials: Worth the Risk?)

6. Donate sperm

In order to be considered as a viable sperm donor, you need to fit some pretty narrow parameters. First, most labs are looking for healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35. If you have ever donated blood, the application is similar. Be prepared to share your most gruesome secrets about your sex life and open up your family's medical history, going back four generations, to intense scrutiny. Something as minor as a food allergy can get you kicked out of the eligible pool of candidates. Also, if you have ever had an STD, even if you are 100 percent cured, you will be disqualified.

Another disqualification is no college education. Parents want to give their children a competitive edge in school. Sperm banks will pay extra for donors from Ivy League schools and donors with Doctorate degrees.

If you make it through the paperwork, you will be required to show up at your local clinic where you will submit to an HIV test, an in-person interview, and provide a sperm sample. Your sperm sample will then be tested for sperm count and motility (swimming ability). If your sperm makes the cut, you will advance to the next round of testing that includes a renal ultrasound and blood tests for a host of diseases.

Admitted donors are then required to supply, in addition to weekly sperm deposits, baby photos, personal essays, and audio interviews to aid future parents in their sperm shopping.

While top donors can earn as much as $1,500 per month for their sperm, this is not a way to make quick cash if you are short on rent. All donors are required to sign, at minimum, six-month contracts, and your earnings will be kept in escrow during that time, to ensure that you make weekly deposits.

Lastly, as a successful sperm donor, you may end up providing your genetics to dozens of children. If you sign up as an open donor, those children can find out who you are. If you sign up as a closed donor, though, your identity will remain anonymous.

7. Donate eggs

The audition for egg donors is similar to that of sperm donors. In addition to the paperwork, the interviews, and genetic, drug, and STD screenings, egg donors must also submit to a gynecological exam and psychological counseling.

Katie, an old co-worker of mine made $18,000 donating her eggs. She also got the priceless experience of helping another woman experience motherhood. According to her egg donor agency, Katie was the "high demand" egg donor. She looked like a J. Crew model and had been a cheerleader in college. She also had a kid of her own, which means her eggs were viable and her fertility reliable.

Because her own pregnancy had been as breezy as a pregnancy could be, Katie figured that egg donation would be a cinch. She quickly learned that you earn every penny as an egg donor. For starters, she had to inject herself twice daily with hormones to convince her body to overproduce eggs. These hormones made her crabby, crampy, and so bloated that people thought she was pregnant. Basically, she felt like she had PMS for two months straight. Also, it took her a week to recover from the egg retrieval procedure, a minor surgery that is done under general anesthesia.

Although she ultimately is happy with her choice to donate, Katie cautions potential donors to carefully research the entire egg donation process before they commit. While medical expenses related to the donation cycle are paid by the egg recipient, post-donation complications are not. The donor could be left with expensive medical care. Also, like lottery winnings, the money earned from egg donation counts as miscellaneous income to the IRS and is heavily taxed.

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This article is from Max Wong of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Summer Side Gigs for Grown-Ups

Ashley Marcin — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:00:18 +0000

School's out for summer — and if you're looking to earn some extra cash as the temperatures soar, you're in luck, no matter your age. The good weather brings some excellent side-job prospects. Whether you're a teacher who suddenly has free time, a full-time parent looking to amp up your side hustle, or just someone who wants to earn a little extra for your upcoming vacation, check out these options. There really is a gig for everyone.

1. Camp director or counselor

My husband directed a camp at an Ivy League college several years ago. He employed mostly adults to be camp counselors, too. The pay for about a month of work was several thousand dollars. Sure, he was gone for a month — but the cash made it worthwhile. Not only that, but he also really enjoyed the job. He got to plan events and activities, travel to cool U.S. landmarks, and serve as a role model.

Check with your local colleges and universities for jobs near you. If you're up for travel, you may also browse jobs on sites like CampStaff.

2. Seasonal store help

You'll find that many stores offer seasonal employment, and are looking for summer help. Just take a look around for "now hiring" signs or job applications often posted near the entrance. At Target, for example, they're already looking for team members for the upcoming back-to-school rush. It starts earlier in summer than you'd imagine. Perks of working at a store include discounts, competitive pay, and flexible scheduling.

3. Park employee

Whether it's at the ballpark or an amusement park, there are many jobs at parks that pay a competitive hourly rate. Specific jobs include things like concession stand workers, ticket takers, ride operators, and more. As a bonus, you may even earn perks like free tickets to events or rides for your family and friends. Some venues hold job fairs each year. Otherwise, inquire within to see what positions may still be open this year.

4. Farm hand

Our local CSA farmers employ folks each summer to help get crops to market. The work is definitely physical in nature and the days will be hot. Still, if you don't like sitting at a desk, it may be a good option to explore. Many of their workers in the past have even lived on their farm during their employment. According to Glassdoor, farm hands typically make anywhere between $8 and $15 an hour.

Depending on the farm, you may even get perks like free meals or free produce to take home. Find jobs near you by searching your local paper, Craigslist, and sites like BeginningFarmers. You may even want to ask around at your local farmers market. (See also: 12 Great Side Jobs for Outdoorsy Types)

5. Lawn care and other maintenance

With summer vacations on the horizon, many people are looking for help with lawn care this summer. You may even be able to charge between $35 and $50 per lawn if you include all the bells and whistles, like edging, removing tree limbs and other debris, weeding, etc.

There's also a good market for people who want to do house cleaning, painting, moving, and even hauling away. According to HomeAdvisor, most people spent between $50 and $70 in 2017 to have an individual clean their home for two hours. Consider advertising in your local paper, Craigslist, or through word-of-mouth. (See also: 10 Great Side Jobs for Introverts)

6. Pet-sitting or housesitting

If you book a housesitting gig, you can expect your duties to include: checking on the house, taking care of the pool, mowing the lawn, bringing in the mail, and otherwise performing any necessary maintenance on the property. And you may find pet-sitting lumped into housesitting jobs or as a separate gig on its own.

We have a couple of dog sitters who live down the street from us. They have clients who drop off their pooches in the morning and pick them up after work. The dogs get meals, attention, and lots of neighborhood walks. These people do this gig year-round. But you may also find more temporary gigs as families travel more during the summer.

Pay rates for pet-sitting on Glassdoor range from around $7 to $15 an hour, and you can charge even more if you're housesitting as well. Look for jobs on TrustedHousesitters.com. You can find positions locally or even venture into international travel. That's right! You can even turn your housesitting or pet-sitting into a vacation of sorts. (See also: How to Make $400+ a Week as a Pet Sitter)

7. Childcare

You may think baby-sitting is just for teenagers, but you're wrong. We have an adult friend who is a teacher during the school year and provides quality child care during summer. We're fine paying her some extra dollars each hour because she knows lots of age-appropriate activities for kids.

Consider advertising your services on a site like Care.com. That's where most of my friends go if they're looking for responsible, reliable sitters. The average hourly baby-sitting rate these days is around $14, but it can be higher depending on your qualifications and area.

8. AmeriCorps summer staff

Want to chip away at your student loans? I do! Consider becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate. In this gig, you'll work fully immersed in your project and community for eight to 10 weeks with other year-round VISTA workers. You can apply on the VISTA website and search opportunities in your area of choice.

Payment is either a small cash stipend or a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,174. It may not seem like a lot, but you also get living expenses — totaling around $2,000 — that apply during your service.

9. Photographer

Summer is the time for weddings, engagements, and other family events. While many people do photography as a job year-round, there's a much higher demand in the summer. The weather is nice, and many people would rather have their photos taken when there are leaves on the trees.

I used to have my own photography side business. I was always very busy in the summers and could charge about $150 per session (which included taking photos for about an hour and then editing the photos).

Getting started is as easy as creating a free Facebook page for your business. I put up a sample gallery of photos I had taken throughout the years, invited my friends to like my page, and slowly I started getting clients. At first, they were mostly people I knew. After a while, though, word spread. The best part? If I couldn't fit a job into my schedule, I could say no or offer an alternative time.

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How I Make $800 on Month on eBay Selling Used Clothes

Kat Tretina — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 09:00:10 +0000

When I graduated from college and started my first job, I was on a strict budget. I was always looking for ways to make extra cash and save money. I built my work wardrobe entirely from thrift store finds. It was while I was thrifting that I stumbled across one of my most lucrative side gigs: reselling clothes on eBay.

How I got my start

I love NYDJ jeans. They're the only jeans that fit me off the rack without tailoring. But they cost about $120 brand-new, which was way outside my budget. I would peruse the thrift store aisles, hoping to find a pair in my size.

One day I did find a pair, but they were three sizes too small. But at just $4, they were too good of a deal to pass up. I bought them, thinking one of my friends would want them. But on a whim, I decided to check how much they go for on eBay. A used pair often goes for $30 or $40. I sold that first pair within a week and pocketed $25, after fees.

It got me thinking about other things I could sell online. Within a few weeks, I was selling about 20 items a week and pocketing $800 a month in profits.

Building this hobby into a business

At first, I started very small. I bought just a few items at a time to sell and had very little in terms of supplies. I mostly relied on free priority shipping envelopes from the post office and printed shipping labels at the library. (See also: From Fine to Fabulous: 7 Ways to Improve Your eBay Business)

But once I had made several hundred dollars from this, I started taking it more seriously and reinvested in my business. I added the following tools and supplies to support the expansion.

Bulk vinyl envelopes for shipping

By switching to the vinyl envelopes and the scale, I could ship for much less money.

A dress form

The dress form made my clothes look better in photographs and helped make them more appealing to buyers.

Professional business cards

I also researched the competition, and ordered business cards with my eBay store name on them.

HTML templates

Another thing I noticed was that other sellers weren't just typing in the item description like I was. They had polished templates. I had zero HTML experience, but I found free eBay store templates, and I learned enough in order to customize them. It made my store look much more professional, and buyers were more comfortable buying from me.

Better photos

Other sellers also removed the backgrounds in their photos to highlight the items better. I mimicked that approach with a site that does the work for you, and I saw an increase in my selling prices.

Focusing on eBay best-sellers

Just about anything sells on eBay. But if you're looking to start your own store, it's a good idea to pick a niche you know well. By focusing on a specific customer type, you can build up your clientele and get repeat customers. (See also: 5 Things You Can Resell on eBay That Make the Most Money)

I've helped new sellers get started on eBay, and one of the most common problems that comes up is when a seller is tempted to sell things outside their niche. You might stumble across a set of china or sports equipment that just looks expensive. But unless you know a lot about that kind of item, you have no idea if it's junk or a treasure. And buying inventory without knowing if it will turn a profit can be a costly mistake.

My niche was women's clothing, particularly workwear. I specialized in jackets, suits, dresses, and cardigans. I'd look for name brands and quality fabrics — cashmere, angora, and lamb's wool — and items in excellent condition. I'd check out thrift stores, estate sales, flea markets, and clothing swaps.

If I thought an item looked to be high-quality but didn't recognize the brand, I'd search for it on eBay. Under "filters," you can search for sold listings. The results would let me know if the item would sell for enough money to make it worthwhile; with eBay's fees, I aimed to sell items for at least four times what I paid for it. (See also: 10 Things You Should Always Buy and Sell on eBay)

Cashing in on eBay

By being diligent, I was able to make nearly $10,000 in one year from selling on eBay. That was money I used to pay down debt and bulk up my savings, and it gave me much-needed room in my budget. You can get started selling without a lot of startup costs or expenses, so you can start making money right away.

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This article is from Kat Tretina of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

13 Businesses Your Tween Can Start

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 11:00:10 +0000

Somewhere between childhood and teendom, many kids have an epiphany. I remember having it myself. They realize that money gets you things — movie tickets, clothes, and ice cream cones. And you don't have to just ask your parents for money. You can get out there and make it.

For my 12-year-old, the epiphany has been very specific. If she had a few hundred dollars, she could get tickets to Hamilton. Lately, every conversation is peppered with information on how her current entrepreneurial efforts are going, and ideas for new businesses. She's a tweentrepreneur, basically.

Tweens are in a sweet spot for running their own businesses, because unlike little kids, they may have developed near-adult competencies in certain areas — like growing a strong social media presence — but unlike older teens and adults, they probably have a lot of free time on their hands. With all these ideas, it's important to use common caution: Don't let tweens go to strangers' homes unaccompanied, or distribute their personal phone numbers, addresses, or email.

Here are some ideas that she (and I) have thought of.

1. Dog Walking

This is one of the first things my tween has ever gotten paid for. It's a good "starter responsibility" because the tween only has to be responsible for the dog for a short amount of time, and because there is a lot of latent demand out there from people who wish their dogs got more exercise but don't want to pay the $35 per walk that some professional dog walkers charge in my area.

My tween got her first dog walking gig when I answered an ad on a local email group from someone looking for a few days of backup for her regular walker. She earned about $20 for an hour of her time two days in a row.

Now that she has a reference, she plans to solicit more customers through the same list and through friends and family.

2. Petsitting

This can be combined with idea above for an overall pet care business. So far, my tween's petsitting jobs have been unsolicited — a neighbor asked her to come to her house to feed and play with their cats while the family was out of town. This is a step up in responsibility, because besides ensuring the animals' welfare, my tween has to be careful to lock the door behind her every time she visits. She has gone the extra mile by emailing photos and a report to the pet owner every time she visits their home. She gets paid $10 a visit.

3. Pet Cleanup

This could be added to a full-service pet care business. Lots of people hate scooping dog poop out of their backyards or cleaning the cat's litter box. Teach your tween precautions to avoid spreading bacteria.

4. Babysitting

The age when kids can start babysitting is not universally agreed upon, but my daughter's Girl Scout handbook suggested 12, and the Red Cross offers a training course for her age, so I felt my mature seventh-grader was ready.

Luckily, we have a neighbor who was looking for help with her twins, and was willing to train my daughter. My daughter spends much of her time in "mother's helper" mode, reading to one twin while the other gets a bath or vice versa, but she is working up to being alone with the kids for short periods of time. It's also lucky that I am able to be nearby, next door, as my daughter gets her babysitting legs under her.

My tween earns $5 an hour for this job. There is a lot of demand in our neighborhood, since more teens are busy with after-school activities than in the past. She could easily build up a large clientele if she wanted to.

Most kids get babysitting jobs through word of mouth, but if your child is 14 or older, you can help them set up a parent-monitored account on Care.com.

5. Making Something to Sell

So far, my kids have only sold handmade items for charity, but the results were eye-popping. A mom who knows how to make jewelry donated a load of earring hooks and baubles, and taught my daughter's Girl Scout troop to make earrings. During the holiday season, they set up a table downtown and sold dozens of pairs of earrings for $10 each, in just a few hours, netting hundreds of dollars for their cause.

Kids can also sell their wares online with parental supervision. Another girl we know hand-sewed blankets and other items, and sold them on Etsy to raise money for charity. If they make a high quality product, they could even get it carried by a local store.

More ideas for products that a tween can competently make at home: slime, soap (with supervision), greeting cards, crafty gifts, tie-dyed items, food products (in states that allow selling things made in home kitchens), bath products, personalized items, and knitted or crocheted items.

6. Mowing the Lawn

This has not been my kid's speed, but it's a time-honored tradition to hire a neighbor kid to mow your lawn, rake your leaves, or shovel your snow. If you can lend them your mower or shovel, it gives them a leg up. Weeding and watering are also tasks that are hard to mess up.

7. Running Errands

Nowadays, many of us are raising children in car-dominated suburbs or cities where we don't feel safe letting kids out of our sight. But if you're like me, lucky enough to live in a small city that is bikeable and walkable, but also has very low crime, your tween should be able to make a few bucks by picking things up at the grocery store for neighbors, returning library books, and the like.

8. Wrapping Gifts

My tween has been charging family members to wrap presents for the past couple of years, and she does a brisk trade. She saves money on materials by keeping fancy bows from gifts she receives. Next year, she plans to open her business to the public. In our town, a local bookstore allowed Girl Scouts to set up a wrapping table, just for tips, during the holiday season. Especially if her business aims to raise money for charity, local stores might allow this for your tween.

9. Performing at or Planning Kids' Birthday Parties

When I was a child, children's author Florence Parry Heide lived in my town. Through the grapevine, my mother heard that the author was looking for someone to dress up as a clown to entertain at her grandchild's birthday party at her lakefront mansion. Since I enjoyed acting, and needed money, I gave it a try. I checked out some books on how to be a party clown from the public library, put together a costume with my grandmother's help, and showed up at the party to do a few dopey magic tricks, act silly, and generally entertain the kids. I got a rave review from Ms. Heide, and ended up performing at a few other parties around town.

My tween, on the other hand, excels at planning party themes and making pretty cakes. She has seriously considered offering to put together theme parties for families who don't want to do the work themselves, but also don't want to spend $300 or more to host a party at an event space or hire a professional party planner.

10. Assisting the Technologically Impaired

For some tweens, using the Internet to do everything from creating a photo book to setting up a new cell phone line comes naturally. If you have technophobe neighbors, your tween could help out with such tasks for a small fee. Teens who are really computer savvy could even charge for on-call tech support.

11. Garage Sale Concessions

This is a favorite with all my kids, including the littler ones. Whenever we have a yard sale, they set up a table and sell cotton candy, lemonade, baked goods, whatever edibles they can come up with. In fact, the kids beg me to hold a sale just so they can do this.

12. Tutoring

If your tween has the patience and is a good student, they could help a younger child with homework after school or offer extra help in a specific subject. Some parents would pay just to have someone read to their young child for half an hour a day.

13. Becoming a YouTuber

Believe it or not, there are children making six figures a month by posting videos on YouTube. From the looks of that channel, the top cooking show on the site, making it probably involves full-time adult help. But it's possible for kids to make videos of playing Minecraft, reviewing, playing with, and even unboxing toys, or something based on their own ideas, with little to no adult help, and make some money.

If your child wants to make YouTube videos, you should do a safety check on each video before it's uploaded. Make sure there are no clues as to your physical residence, and that they don't share their full name, for instance. It's probably also a good idea to turn off the comments.

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

You Got a Raise! Now What?

Andrea Cannon — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 11:00:10 +0000

So, you got a raise! Now, it's time to start putting that money to work for you. While your first thought might be shopping spree, consider instead these other options that will build your wealth and secure your financial freedom.

Have Realistic Expectations

Your raise may sound like a lot, but once you receive your paycheck, you may be surprised to find how little your take-home pay actually changed. Don't make plans based on a quick mental calculation. Get the actual amount from your paycheck to know how the raise will actually impact you.

Make a Plan

Of course it's okay to reward yourself a bit for working hard and getting a raise. But don't just pocket the extra money and add it to your fun budget. Check your savings, credit card debt, and investments to see which areas can use a boost, and put your raise there. You can decide to put three months' worth to pay down your debt, and then take a one month break to splurge. Consider your financial goals and how every dollar makes a difference toward reaching them.

Increase Your Emergency Savings

In an ideal world, you should have a three to six month cushion in your emergency fund. If you already have a sizable emergency fund, then you don't need to worry about saving more with your increased income. Otherwise, saving more now will mean less stress later when an unexpected event hits your wallet hard.

Pay Down Debt

Paying off debt should be a priority in your plan to gain financial freedom. It can also help improve your credit score, save on interest, and reduce stress. Consider putting your raise toward debt payments. Even a small amount that you can add to your monthly payments will significantly lower the interest paid and help you pay it off faster.

Increase Your Retirement Savings

Can you put some of that raise into your retirement accounts? Your retirement contribution might also automatically increase as it is usually based on a percentage of your gross pay. Have you at least set your 401K contributions to get the full amount of matching from your employer? If you have an another retirement account, like a Roth IRA, get your annual contribution out of the way.

Refinance Your Loans

With a higher income, you may be eligible for better rates on a personal loan, mortgage, and car loan. You can apply for better loans now or wait for your credit score to increase after you've made some positive changes (such as paying down debt and lowering your debt-to-credit ratio).

Start Investing

It's never too early to pad your wealth with smart investing. These days the startup capital required is minimal. You can start investing with a few hundred dollars. Online brokerages often have a low minimum with low fees. Financial robo advisers can take a lot of the work out of figuring out what to buy. (See also: Easy Ways to Invest Your First $1,000)

Have Fun

It won't hurt to reward yourself a bit for a job well done. Have a celebratory dinner or buy an affordable gadget that you've been wanting. You can also start saving toward a vacation or other large purchase.

Prove Your Employer Right

Getting a raise means you've done a good job and deserve to be rewarded for it. Prove your employer right by continuing your positive behaviors, always putting your best foot forward, and looking forward to the next raise. You may also want to write a thank you card, especially if your manager or boss worked hard to get you the raise.

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Here's How a Spending Ban Can Help (and Hurt) You

Emily Guy Birken — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 10:31:31 +0000

If you're struggling to get your finances in order, a spending ban can be a great way to get back on track. A spending ban is a period anywhere from one week to one year wherein you refrain from all spending, other than for necessities.

A spending ban might sound a little extreme, but it is a good way to get back in touch with your financial discipline and find contentment with what you already have. But, spending bans can have some unexpected pitfalls if you're not careful. Here's how to create a successful spending ban and avoid the potential traps you might face.

Know Your Own Spending Ban Rules

Before you start, you need to make sure you define several different aspects of the ban so that you are prepared for the possible complications.

1. Decide How Long the Ban Will Be

There have been several bloggers and journalists who have described their yearlong, no-spending adventures, but the average person should plan on a shorter length of time to start. It would be very easy to burn out on a too-ambitious spending ban, so it makes more sense to start small. Michelle Singletary of The Washington Post recommends a 21-day financial fast. This is a good length of time, since it is long enough to make a serious difference in your habits and your finances, but it is not so long that you feel overwhelmed.

2. Define "Necessity"

One of the toughest parts of your spending ban is determining what constitutes as a necessity. You know that you will be refraining from unnecessary spending, and that you will of course be able to purchase needed things like food and medicine. But it can be very easy to decide that since lunch out with your coworkers is a food purchase, it counts as a necessity. So, decide ahead of time what you truly need, and what you can live without during the ban. (See also: 25 Products You Think You Need But Really Don't)

3. Plan Ahead

Take the time to think about what kinds of things you will face during your spending ban that you would normally spend money on. For instance, if you know that your child is invited to a birthday party during your spending ban, you can figure out ahead of time how you can bring a gift without spending money. You might be able to regift a gently used toy or book, or make a gift. Thinking through these issues ahead of time will make it easier to avoid a purchase of convenience.

4. Know Where the Extra Money Will Go

When you start your spending ban, you should have a goal in mind for the money you are saving through the ban. Rather than just allowing it to sit in your account, where you might spend it after the ban is over, send the money to your savings account, your debt, your retirement account, or your children's college fund. (See also: 10 Places to Stash Your Savings Besides a Bank Account)

How a Spending Ban Will Help Your Bottom Line

The ultimate goal of a spending ban is to help you determine the difference between your wants and your needs. It can be very easy to get into the habit of regarding anything that makes your life a little easier or more comfortable as a need, but that is not necessarily the case. You are much better able to correctly identify your needs if you are pausing all unnecessary spending.

In addition, the spending ban will help you learn to make do with what you have, when you might usually buy your way out of a dilemma or problem. For instance, if you have to go to a special event during the spending ban, then you will have to find something that will work within your closet, rather than buy a new outfit.

Finally, spending bans are great for helping you recognize how much you already have in your life. If you regularly buy DVDs for instance, the spending ban can help you revisit the favorite movies you already own, rather than buy new ones that you will only watch a couple of times. Taking the time to enjoy what you already have is both a great way to save money and a path to contentment.

Spending Ban Pitfalls to Avoid

Though a successful spending ban can help you save money, it can backfire on you if you are not careful.

In particular, some people find that a spending ban encourages them to overspend, rather than helping them change their habits. Such overspending might take the form of a "last hurrah" spending spree before the start of the ban. Alternatively, you might be tempted to go on a shopping binge after the end of your spending ban to celebrate.

In either case, you are defeating the purpose of your spending ban. If you feel tempted to overspend before (or after) you start you spending ban, focus on why you are committing to this ban. Keeping your motivation front and center in your mind can be a powerful tool to help you combat the urge to overspend.

The other major pitfall to be aware of is how your spending ban may affect your relationships. If you have friends or family members who are spenders, it can feel awkward to bow out of expensive events or deal with their discomfort at your ban. The best way to handle this is to have alternative activities to suggest when you have to turn down dinner or movie invitations. Being clear and honest with your friends about what you're doing and why can also help to smooth over any discomfort with your spending ban. (See also: The 9 People in Your Life Keeping You Poor)

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Ways to Find Money You Didn't Know You Had

Amy Lu — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 10:00:17 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on how to find money you didn’t know you had, ways to save big at Walt Disney World, and expert tips to avoid overspending during the holidays.

Change Jars and 8 Other Clever Ways to Build an Emergency Fund

Tim Lemke — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:30:10 +0000

Saving money is not easy. For many Americans, there's not much cash leftover once the bills get paid each month. Building up an emergency fund and saving for retirement is a struggle, but it's not impossible. Sometimes, it just starts with a small step.

For example, one way to begin building an emergency fund is to place any coins you accrue into a transparent change jar. Once it's full, deposit it all into the bank. You'll find that you may have more than $100 — just from your pocket change!

There are many other small ways to get started saving, even if it's just a few dollars at a time.

Consider taking these small steps to building positive financial habits, and you'll start to see your bank account grow.

1. Track Your Spending — Every Single Penny

If you are having trouble saving money, you will need to take the first step of figuring out where your money is going. Develop a system to record every purchase. An online service such as Mint can help you track spending and even categorize purchases so you know exactly what you're spending money on. By doing this, you'll be able to find where you can cut costs. Information is power. (See also: Start Saving More With This One, Simple Tool)

2. Reduce Your Spending on a New Category Each Month

Once you've figure out where your money is going, it's time to decide what you can cut. If you've categorized your spending, pick one category and vow to reduce spending from one month to the next. For example, tackle your restaurant spending in January. In February, look for ways to reduce your cellphone bill. In March, cancel your cable television. By year's end, you'll have slashed spending on 12 things, and will be well on your way to saving money.

3. Put Away Any Extra Money You Receive

Did you get a bonus or raise from your company? Don't spend it, but put it in the bank instead. If your expenses are the same, then any new money you get should go directly into savings. This also goes for any prize winnings, unexpected refunds or rebates, or cash found in the pocket of that jacket you haven't worn since last winter. This may be only a few bucks here and there, but it adds up and gets you in the habit of not spending every new dollar you get.

4. Track When You Don't Spend

You might pass five coffee shops every time you walk to work. You stare at candybars and magazines at every supermarket aisle. You're bombarded with targeted Facebook ads and circulars in the mail. It's almost impossible to avoid parting with your money. But what if you made a note of every time you passed by that coffee shop without stopping in for a $4 latté? What if you gave yourself points for every time your willpower won? Eventually, resisting the urge to spend might be an easy habit.

5. Open an Online Savings Account and Set Up Automatic Transfers

You can't spend money if you never have it in your hand to begin with. If you set up an automatic transfer of cash into an online savings account — preferably one not tied to your ATM card — you'll be setting aside money before it ends up in your wallet. Start with a modest amount, maybe $25 a month, then see if you can gradually increase that. Before you know it, you'll have a nice sum of money that can serve as your emergency fund.

6. Open Your 401K and Hit the Company Match

If your company offers a retirement plan, there's no good excuse not to take part. Money you contribute is deducted from your taxable income, and it's usually taken directly from your paycheck, so there's no easy way to spend it on silly stuff. Most companies offer to match contributions up to a certain percent. Do your best to contribute up to the match, if possible, and increase your contributions by a percent each year.

7. Pack Your Lunch

This is a tough one for a lot of people. After all, who wants to eat a lame homemade sandwich when they can go out to that new gourmet burrito place with their colleagues? But it's time to get over your fear of the "sad lunch" and recognize that it's a big money saver. Any back-of-the-envelope calculation will reveal that packed lunches can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. If you're struggling to figure out where you can save money, this is a great place to start.

8. Tweak the Thermostat

We all like to keep our house at the perfect temperature, but we can all get use to things being a degree or two warmer in the summer or slightly cooler in winter. If you're setting the thermostat to 70 in summer, try bumping it up to 72. When it's chilly outside, keep things at 68 or even cooler. And don't forget about tweaking it further when you are not home. The U.S. Department of Energy says you can save as much as 10% on your energy bills just by adjusting the thermostat by seven to 10 degrees for eight hours each day.

9. Use a Credit Card With Cash Back

It's best to use credit cards sparingly when you're looking to save. But if you do use credit cards, making sure you get something in return. Do some research to find the cards with the best rewards. Some offer straight cash back on every purchase. Others offer points at airlines or specific retailers. Find the one that best suits you, and watch that money accrue. Even if you get a mere 1% cash back on purchases, that could add up to hundreds of dollars annually. (See also: Cash Back vs Travel Rewards: Pick the Right Credit Card for You)

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This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Improve Your Finances Using Social Media

Andrea Cannon — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 09:00:11 +0000

Social media is about more than just looking at friends' baby photos, posting what you ate for dinner last night, and watching the most recent viral videos. It can actually help you improve your finances, land a new job, and reach your savings goals more efficiently. That's why we've found some of the best ways to improve your finances by getting the most out of social media. (See also: 6 Ways Social Media Can Save You Money)

"Friend" Your Credit Cards and Bank

Add your credit card issuers and bank to your social media accounts by "friending" or following them. Large institutions usually offer deals to followers, so you can enjoy a lower APR, higher savings interest rate, or other money-saving promos. In fact, according to U.S. News, social media is often the first outlet that banks choose to share news about upcoming deals.

Social media is also possibly the best way to get in touch with customer service quickly, as it will allow you to get their attention more easily. Just make sure to keep your account information, address, and any other private information off the message boards and social media pages.

Enjoy Travel and Shopping Deals

There are endless travel and shopping deals available through social media. Retailers often choose social media as the first outlet to announce upcoming sales, so their friends and followers are able to take advantage of the biggest discounts first. Followers are frequently offered early deals, as well.

You can find Twitter-specific deals that can save you on everything from rental cars and vacations to eating out and even buying gifts. Before going out to make any purchases, check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to make sure there aren't any deals that you're missing. You can even check social media hashtags, such as #deal, to find the best deals in your area.

Share Goals

Many financial experts recommend sharing your financial goals online. By setting your goals early and sharing them with the people you love, it can help you articulate what you really want and hold you accountable to achieve your goals. In fact, research has shown that making public statements about goals can help you achieve them more efficiently. However, you never want to reveal anything too personal, such as private information that fraudsters can use against you.

Get Money-Saving Tips

By following your favorite finance site on social media, you can find endless free money-saving tips and updates. You can also find forums and group discussions with unique money-saving ideas and encouragement from others. You can even find good financial and investment advice online.

Seeing these tips on a daily basis on your social media pages can also be a good reminder each and every day to protect your hard-earned income. After all, we all need a reminder once in a while that we don't really need that new top or expensive latte in the morning.

Find a New Job

LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool when you're searching for a new job. You can apply for jobs directly through LinkedIn, perfect your resume, and even reach out to potential employers and former colleagues. Contacting them through Facebook or Twitter won't be as effective or as professional as contacting them through LinkedIn.

With LinkedIn, once you have created a professional profile, employers and recruiters can even reach out to you with potential job offers. You can also join LinkedIn groups within your field so you are the first to know about potential opportunities. You can even add examples of your work, recommendations from current or previous coworkers, and any honors you've received to better build your online portfolio.

Make Connections

Networking through social media can result in better face-to-face communication, potential job offers, and endless contacts in your field. Simply following someone or sharing their social media posts can be a great first step in networking and making connections.

Build Your Brand

Whether you're promoting your personal business or services, or just want to build your reputation as the best in your field, posting on social media can be a great start. Just make sure to stay consistent so that you can reach as many followers as possible.

Research More Efficiently

Gone are the days of asking for financial suggestions from friends and coworkers. Whether you're looking for a new financial planner or would like information on which investments to make, you can find more information quickly through social media. With a simple social media search, you can find detailed research on the investment product or financial adviser you're interested in.

You can also find suggestions for dentists and other service providers in your area through social media. This will ensure you get what you're looking for and don't waste money.

Sell Your Items

If you create and sell items privately, such as through Etsy, social media can be a great free platform for you to advertise your products or services. This can help you bring in more revenue, reach new customers, and show off your work to a limitless audience.

Make Some Extra Income

There are even ways to make some extra income using social media. If you have a large following, you can publish sponsored tweets or sign up for affiliate accounts, where you will receive your own unique link to earn some extra income when followers make purchases using that link. (See also: 6 Ways to Make Extra Money Using Social Media)

Have you followed Wise Bread on social media yet? What are your best tips for improving your finances through social media? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Ways to Make an Extra $1,000 This Summer

Mikey Rox — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:30:04 +0000

Want to boost your bottom line this summer? Pick up one of these gigs to put $1,000 or more in your pocket before the season is over.

1. Take Tests Online

If you fancy chilling inside in the A/C instead of baking under the beautiful sun, consider taking online tests to help build up your bank account. As a tester, you're paid $10 for each 20-minute test you complete. A test involves browsing and providing feedback on a website that is selected for you. Your feedback on the websites design and usability is recorded and at the end of the test you are asked to answer four simple questions. Earning $10 per test, you could easily work early mornings or late evenings for two to three hours (three to six tests) per day. At that rate, you would reach $1,000 in less than 20 days. Hold steady and you're looking at easily making $2,000 to $3,000 this summer.

2. Become an Event Staffer in Your Area

When I was in college, I worked at the local minor league baseball stadium during home games, and with my working wage plus tips, I pulled in a couple thousand dollars over the course of the regular season. If sports aren't your thing (although that aspect shouldn't matter since money is your real thing), poke around for other event-staffing gigs, like working concessions at concerts, cleanup crews for stadium and field events, and security if you look like you could hurt somebody.

3. Register for a Camp Counselor Position

I was a camp counselor during the summer for nearly a decade — before the very sight of children gave me debilitating migraines — and I always pulled in good cash, plus free food and lodging. At the very low end of it, I made about $300 per week at a five-day sleepaway camp (of which there were three per summer) up to about $3,000 for an eight-week session. It's not hard work (it can actually be a lot of fun!), and you'll make lifelong friends and memories — once those little buggers go to sleep, of course.

4. Share Your Knowledge as an Online Tutor

Think you're a smarty pants? Trade your wisdom for cold, hard cash as a tutor.

"While you may need a teaching certificate for elementary, high school, and college subjects, many sites that help international students learn English as a second language do not require a degree or certificate," says Angie Nelson of TheWorkAtHomeWife.com.

The number of hours you work will be according to your schedule and how much demand there is, but you can expect to earn at least $10 an hour at most places, if not more.

5. Turn Your Car Into a Taxi or Delivery Service

Lyft and Uber are so passe.

If you want to participate in the turn-your-personal-vehicle-into-a-cash-cow economy — but don't want to drive drunk people around all day — look into becoming a freelance delivery person.

"The gig economy is the hot trend this summer, but not everyone likes the idea of being someone else's personal chauffeur through Lyft or Uber," says business expert Mike Catania. "Good news — there are other gig-based jobs out there: Postmates pays their errand-based drivers $12/hour plus tips, and residents around San Francisco, New York, Chicago, or L.A. can be a courier for Shyp, where you can expect to make around $16/hr."

Just log 70 to 90 hours of road time with these services to reach your $1,000 goal.

6. Pick Up Odd Jobs on Craigslist

Don't forget about good ol' Craigslist to make some quick bucks. When I was in college, I used to help elderly folks in their gardens, among other odd jobs here and there. Even today, Craigslist is still an excellent resource for picking up side work. If you dedicated an entire summer to picking up gigs, there's no doubt that you'll reach your $1,000 goal.

7. Rent Out Extra Space in Your Home

I feel like I talk about this nonstop, but if you really want to juice up your summer earnings, rent out the extra space you have in your home. Could be a spare bedroom, or just your couch — if you live in an area to which people travel, somebody will rent the space if your accommodations are nice enough. I've been doing this for about eight years now, and I've made hundreds of thousands of dollars. Surely you can pull off $1,000 in a summer. At $50 a night — which is incredibly reasonable for a small bedroom — you'll only need to book 20 nights, and it's easy work with the help of sites like Airbnb, HomeAway, and Roomorama.

8. Watch Other People's Pets

I started watching other people's pets last spring using sites like DogVacay and Rover, and it's a fun and easy way to make $1,000 this summer if you keep your prices below the nearest competition but still competitive.

If you want to add a little philanthropy to your efforts, check out the pet-sitting website called Sitting for a Cause. The site connects pet owners with pet care professionals, then facilitates bookings and payments through the site. It charges a 10% commission fee, which is 5% to 10% lower than DogVacay and Rover, and donates 50% of its profits to animal related causes. Depending on the services you choose to offer, you can earn anywhere from $20 to $100 per client per day.

9. Rent Out Your Clothing

Have the kind of style that other people would pay for, ladies? Rent out your clothes.

Garment Exchange is the first community driven peer-to peer marketplace that allows women nationwide to rent their clothing for money. The site facilitates wardrobe sharing by providing all of the packaging and insurance, and handles the communication. It provides clothing owners 80% commission of the rental. Most women rent their items for 20% of the current retail rate.

On average, women have over 250 articles of clothing in their closet, which could mean serious income potential on items you wear less frequently.

Do you have other bright ideas on how to make $1,000 this summer? Let me know in the comments below.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

What You Can Buy With $5,000

Carrie Kirby — Wed, 18 May 2016 09:30:22 +0000

If I had a million dollars…

So the song by Canadian alt rockers Barenaked Ladies goes. While it may be fun to imagine what you would spend a cool mill on, it's a lot more realistic to imagine that you may find yourself with $5K to dispose of as you wish. Maybe you got a big tax refund this year, or an unknown uncle left you a little something.

Whatever the backstory, here are 11 fun and/or responsible things you could do with $5,000.

1. Pay Off Credit Card Debt

The average American household with credit card debt owes about $15,000. If this is you, making only the monthly minimum payment at a very typical 15% annual interest rate, it could take you seven years to pay off — and you'd end up wasting $8,000 to $9,000 on interest.

Pay down $5,000 of that debt now, and you could finish paying the rest in half the time, for only about $3,000 total interest. (See also: Use a Balance Transfer to Pay Off Debt Faster)

2. Get a Cat

Half leopard, half house cat, the Bengal is a beautiful animal and can be yours for just about $5,000.

If being ignored by one feline doesn't cut it for you, you can get more cat for your cash by adopting. With an average fee of around $100, you could bring home 50 felines for $5,000. Then again, maybe you'll need to save some money for litter and food — and a really good vacuum cleaner.

3. Start a Business

There are a number of low-overhead businesses you could start with a $5,000 or smaller investment, many of them work-from-home gigs such as being a virtual assistant (expenses include computer, phone, Internet, and possibly training and marketing). You could also buy a small franchise, such as a hot dog cart, for $5,000 or less.

4. Take Your Inner Geek on a Vacation of a Lifetime

For about $5,000, you can take the Lord of The Rings New Zealand Tour. The trip includes staying at the adorable Hobbit Hotel — but second breakfasts and elevenses are on you.

5. Bank It

Interest rates are still low, but you can get some return on your money if you deposit it.

EverBank currently pays 0.61% on its money market accounts and compounds interest daily, so after five years of compounding interest, you would have $5,154. So basically, after five years of saving, you'll have earned enough interest to buy a scooter or have your house cleaned once.

4. Give It to an Old Person: Future You

If you're not regularly depositing money in an IRA from your paycheck, you can meet almost the entire year's maximum deposit with a $5,000 lump sum contribution.

Because traditional IRAs grow tax-free, you might be amazed at how much your $5,000 deposit could blossom into by the time you retire. Assuming a 7% annual return, if you deposit $5,000 at age 20, you could have more than $50,000 by age 65. Not bad!

5. Indulge Yourself for a Year

For $5,000, you could get a one-year subscription to a whiskey club ($600), a Kobi beef of the month club ($1,250), a seafood of the month club (about $1,660), a candy of the month club (about $300), and order one in-home massage per month ($1,200). A great deal for xenophobes, freelance writers, or folks on house arrest!

6. Donate to Charity

It will make you feel great, and you can deduct your gift from your taxable income. Make sure your recipient is a qualified nonprofit — you can look it up on the IRS website — and remember that you need a letter of verification from the charity for all donations over $250.

9. Eat a Burger

The Fleurburger 5000, served at Hubert Keller's Fleur eatery in Las Vegas, is made with Wagyu beef, foie gras, shaved black truffles, and truffle oil. It comes with a bottle of fine wine — and fries.

10. Grill Your Own Burgers In an Outdoor Kitchen

While you can flip burgers on the most inexpensive hibachi, making your yard into a plein air living space where you can comfortably cook starts around $5,000 for a decent grill, an island with a built-in refrigerator, and a dining set.

11. Skip Waiting in Lines for a Year

Estimates for how much time Americans spend waiting in line in a lifetime vary from two to five years. That boils down to hundreds of hours per year! You can pay line waiters about $25 per hour on TaskRabbit or through local services. So for $5,000, you can get out of 200 hours of line waiting. Pro tip: Don't blow it all on one phone.

What would you do with $5000?

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Smart Summer Side Jobs for New Grads

Brittany Lyte — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:30:30 +0000

With a high school diploma in hand, you probably feel like the world is yours. And hey — you should! But you've still got to pay to play. It's a long, hot summer that lies between graduation and dorm room move-in day, and all the camping trips, summer concerts, and ice cream cones you'll want to enjoy during that time don't come free of charge. Someone's gotta pay for all that revelrie. That's where the trusty part-time job comes in. And, if you're lucky, you'll land a gig you can keep doing part-time once school begins. Here's a bunch of smart summer side gigs for new grads. (See also: 12 Great Side Jobs for Outdoorsy Types)

1. Score a Paid Internship

You can kill two birds with one stone in the side job department. Land a paid internship in your desired field to make money now and earn experience for your future. Whether it's engineering (inquire with the engineering and tech companies in your area), teaching (search for opportunities with summer schools and camps), or journalism (look for a gig at your local newspaper), there's probably an internship, apprenticeship, or regular part-time job out there that will pay you to get a head start on your career.

If you don't find any advertised gigs that appeal to you, utilize your go-getter attitude and call some local businesses that do work that you find appealing. Sometimes the best jobs are the ones we create for ourselves.

2. Make Money Tutoring

Fresh out of calculus, you're a prime candidate to prime the incoming senior class, especially those who are struggling with Pythagorean theorem basics. Or maybe you're a wiz at essay composition with the patience and creativity to help students who are looking to spruce up their college admittance essays. Whatever your academic strong suit, use it to bring in a little extra cash while aiding the scholastic pursuits of others.

And if you're not comfortable teaching academics, don't think you can't make money teaching skills you are comfortable sharing, such as computer word processing, social media basics, or a musical instrument. Lots of kids (and adults) need help in these areas. In addition to working face-to-face with students in your area, you can also tap into the deeper pool of students-in-need-of-tutoring online. Check out Student-Tutor and Tutor.com to get started. The going rate for a private tutor falls around $15 and $20, depending on your age and experience level.

3. Cash In on the Summer Festival Circuit

Summer brings a flurry of fairs, markets, outdoor theatre, and concerts to the neighborhood, and all of these activities need temporary employees to keep things running smoothly. From ticket salespersons to parking lot attendants, there are a slew of jobs available, and many of them come with perks such as ticket discounts or free entry to these events. Keep your eye on the local paper or contact event organizers and concert venues directly to inquire about part-time job opportunities.

4. Master the Art of Bartending

Bartending means big tips and — bonus — it's a gig that most often leaves you with your days wide open for sunbathing and river tubing, or however you choose to spend your final days before college. And if you need one more good reason why it's smart to learn the art of pouring the perfect cocktail: Time and time again, no matter where you wander in life, you can take up a bartending gig when you're in need of fast cash. Like when you land your first full-time job, but want to pay off those student loans faster than your salary allows. When you get laid off from that full-time job and need some time to calculate the next step in your career. Or when you decide to up and move to Paris for a year and you need to fund your new diet of fine wine and cheese.

To get started, find a small, locally owned bar that's willing to show you the ropes. The average hourly pay for a starting bartender falls around $16 per hour, including tips. Note that in some U.S. states you must be 21 or older to be a bartender — but in most states, 18 is old enough. Check with your local authorities.

5. Profit Off of Wedding Season

The American wedding industry is worth $60 billion and employs more than 900,000 people. Why not cash in on nuptial mania by picking up a part-time gig with a caterer, make-up artist, florist, photographer, or outdoor lighting company? Bonus: June is one of the most popular months to say "I do," thanks to the delightful early summer weather. Just in time for the post-graduation grind.

6. Try Your Hand at Landscaping

Sweet summertime. It's a season to be spent out on the lawn grilling up dinner for the family, basking in the sun, or playing a game of kickball with the neighbors. Of course, trim, green lawns and nicely sculpted hedges don't appear out of thin air. And many folks are willing to pay a sizeable wage to avoid doing all that mowing, watering, and planting themselves. That's where you come in. Join a landscaping business or score your own clients by posting fliers and Facebook posts advertising your services.

What are some other smart side jobs for new grads? Share with us!

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This article is from Brittany Lyte of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

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8. Sell on eBay and other marketplaces

9. Donate it

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9 Summer Side Gigs for Grown-Ups

1. Camp director or counselor

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13. Becoming a YouTuber

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