Ideas to Earn Some Extra Money, Part 1

I've been doing alot of reading of personal finance blogs, and one recurring item that I've found is that to really attack your debt (or boost your savings), is to make extra income. Theoretically, this is a great idea. But how does one go about doing that? After some brainstorming and 'borrowing' some tips from various sources, I developed a list of things a person could do to earn some extra cash.

Ideas to Earn More Money

1. Have a garage sale. The benefits can be two-fold. You declutter your home and earn some money.

2. Sell jewellery you no longer wear or want. Visit a few shops that will buy your things to get the best price.

3. Save your pop cans and sell to a recycler. Make sure they are clean and crushed, then box or bag them to sell. Why let your city have the cash available from your recyclables when you can have it? Inquire while at the recyclers what other items they may buy from you.

4. Make stuff to sell. If you have any sort of creativity, you could make something that other people will buy. Knitted items, quilts, handmade jewellery are good examples. But also think out of the norm. On a recent vacation, local gift shops sold small glass bottles of sand, with the name of the province painted on the outside.

5. Babysit/Housesit/Petsit. Folks pay for these types of services all the time. Why not try to cash in on some of the action?

6. Mow lawns, rake leaves or shovel snow in your neighborhood. Plenty of people cannot do this for themselves due to health or time restrictions. Get some exercise and make money at the same time.

7. Run errands for other people. Offer to drive neighbors to the grocery store, or pick up their dry cleaning for a small fee. Put up a flyer in your neighborhood letting people know you are willing to help them.

8. Seasonal fruit or veggie picking. There are apple orchards strawberry farms and the like who need extra hands to pick the produce when it is ready. I've never done this, But I remember my stay at home Dad who did this yearly for additional income.

9. Tutor students. Many students need extra help with math, english or whatever. A few hours per week could earn you some extra bucks.

10. Walk dogs for neighbors or acquaintances.

These are just a few ideas that can help you bring in some extra income. If you sit and jot down a few ideas that you could tailor to your own situation and interests, I'm sure there are more great ideas that you could come up with.

Part 2 coming next week.