You’ve been watching every penny, but now the furnace needs a repair. How do you come up with the extra money when there is nothing in the bank to cover it? Or maybe your daughter needs a winter coat. Check out some of the following ideas.
Hire yourself out as a handyman or handy woman. If you know a thing or two about general home repair, advertise! There are plenty of people who have a bunch of little jobs around the house that they would love to have completed. Spackle a hole in the wall, replace the washer in a drippy faucet or put up some crown molding for $50 an hour. You can easily fit this type of work in half a day on a weekend.
Sell some stuff. Gather everything around you that you don’t need or want. Anything that is in good condition can be sold somewhere. Try consignment shops, Ebay, outgrown sales, craigslist, etc. If you aren’t savvy about selling, drop your stuff off at a place that will sell it for you on Ebay in return for part of the sold price.
De-clutter your home. This can work in conjunction with selling your stuff. You might be surprised at all of the lost checks, paper money and coins that you find. Every little bit helps.
Find a part time job in health care. Even in a poor economy, health care workers of all kinds are in demand. Even without training, there are plenty of positions that may be available in all shifts.
Find a part time job in retail. If you enjoy meeting people, you may enjoy working in a store over the holiday season. Seasonal workers are usually in demand, and the job doesn’t require a great deal of commitment.
Give up a monthly expense until you can save the money you need. Non essential services include cell phones, cable TV, eating out and maybe even a second car. Pay attention to any fees involved with canceling a contract for services, but usually when you are in a pinch not having the monthly bill is worth any extra fees.
How do you find extra money?
Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans.
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