Being unemployed – especially when it isn’t by choice – is a difficult thing to go through. Not only do you have to spend each day looking for a new job, but you have to worry about living off of your savings until you find some work. During this time, it would likely be very helpful if you had some extra funds coming in, to keep from going into debt. To help you out, here are a few suggestions on how you can make some extra cash quickly, to hold you over until you find another job.
Have A Garage Sale
Your first option is to host a garage (or yard) sale. Chance are you have some things lying around your home that you no longer need. If they are in good condition, you can sell them to your neighbors to bring in some extra cash. Hosting a garage sale is pretty easy. You just need to gather up everything you want to sell, post some fliers around town to advertise the sale, and set up your stuff outside with some suggested prices. It’s a great way to clean out your home, and make some money at the same time. For more garage sale tips, you can check out this list.
You also don’t have to limit yourself to stuff you could sell at a garage sale. For instance, you might get more money from an antique if you take it to an antique dealer. Or, if you want to sell something big like your car, you could look into cash for cars online programs, or post ads for it around town. Think about what stuff you no longer need, and then find the best way to sell it for some financial relief.
Find Work Online
Nowadays, there are plenty of opportunities to earn some side money with just a computer and an Internet connection. You can find everything from the occasional gig, to long-term employment, and do it all from the comfort of your own home. What you end up doing will largely depend on your skill set, the equipment you have available to you, and your ability to find the opportunities.
For instance, if you have experience designing websites or running social media accounts, you could do this on a freelance basis for companies all over the world. Or, if you are good at typing, you could work for a transcription service, typing up words from an audio or video recording.
There’s also opportunities in data entry, writing, customer service, programming, and more. If you’re having trouble getting started with any of these, or if you don’t have the required skills, try signing up for sites like mTurk or UHRS. These sites need people to perform very simple, and very quick tasks. They don’t pay much, but if you can do the jobs quickly, you can at least earn a few dollars a day. It’s not much, but when you’re unemployed and with a lot of time on your hands, it doesn’t hurt to have some extra money at the end of the month.
Participate In Focus Groups
Focus groups are another great way to earn the occasional side cash. Companies are always seeking the opinions of consumers to help better their products, and by offering your opinion, you are typically rewarded with a small cash payment for your time. Check your area for local focus groups, or you could look online for survey sites that pay money. Again, this is not a long-term solution, but every little bit helps.
Perform Gigs Around Town
Finally, your last option is to find some gigs around town. This could be in the form of driving people around as an Uber driver, or performing yard work. Chances are there is someone in your area who needs a job done, and either can’t, or doesn’t want to, do it themselves. If there is a particular service you have in mind, post fliers for it around town, and spread the word on social media. You can also check your local paper, or scan through sites like Craigslist to find opportunities. Another option is to join TaskRabbit, which connects people looking to do quick jobs with people who need something done. Some people have even turned their quick gigs into full time jobs, but you don’t have to go this far. Performing jobs around town will allow you to get out of the house, interact with your neighbors, and earn some extra money – making it great for people who are unemployed.
Make Unemployment Easier
Going through unemployment is difficult enough without stressing over money. By finding some extra ways to make money during this time, you can relieve some of that stress, and hopefully make your life easier until you get another job. The above list will hopefully get your mind working, and you’ll be able to think of a way to earn some extra cash.
Veeramachineni Lalitha
I am Finance Content Writer. I write Personal Finance, banking, investment, and insurance related content for top clients including Kotak Mahindra Bank, Edelweiss, ICICI BANK and IDFC FIRST Bank. My experience details : Linkedin