September 2011

Fall Ideas to make money now that are worth looking into…

#75 – Cider Mills Rock!

If you live on the East Coast or in the foothills of California you definitely have stopped at a Cider Mill in the Fall, at some point in your lifetime, for some great tasting Apple Cider. If there’s a Cider Mill in your area, why not see if they need help at the Mill either selling the Cider, filling the Cider jugs or maybe even harvesting the apples that they make the cider from? You might not want any Warm Apple Cider until next Fall but what a yummy way to make some extra cash this fall when you really need it!

#76 – Local Pumpkin Patches or Corn Mazes

Again, if you live anywhere near a rural area, pumpkin patches and corn mazes in the Fall are the norm. Go see& talk to the owner of your local pumpkin patch or corn maze and ask them if they need help selling tickets, directing traffic or picking the pumpkins. Some corn mazes have concession stands and sell local goodies to their guests. And…if you make local goodies, you might also want to see if they will sell some for you. It’s worth asking…

#77 – Haunted Houses…how spooky!

Tis’ the season for Haunted Houses. If you are an actor at heart and LOVE Halloween, what a great part time job for you?!!! Here in Colorado, there are lots of local haunted houses and they are great fun. They will be busy from now until the end of October and it’s a great way to make some extra money in the evenings or on weekends. They may need ticket sellers, parking attendants, traffic directors, actors or concession help…if you aren’t into acting spooking or ghoulish, they might have another need for some help, so ask about all opportunities. If you love ghosts and ghouls, this might be the perfect part time gig for you.

#78 – Halloween Costume Stores

They are popping up in every empty storefront in local shopping centers here and are about to be busy…busy…busy. Again, if you LOVE Halloween, this might be a great part-time job for the next 6 weeks or so. They will also need help after Halloween selling the costumes at a discount to people who might want to stock up for next year and then they will probably need help boxing everything up and shipping things back to their headquarters when the temporary shop closes for the season.

#79 – Football Games

It’s Football season and many stadiums (NFL and high school) need help during home games directing people to their seats, selling concessions to the fans, directing traffic/parking, pouring drinks at the Beer cart or stadium bar. I know that the stadium here in Denver hires employees to do all of this for their “at home games”. One friend of mine is a bartender at the local stadium bar during the home games and even though it’s a long day, she makes great money, so it’s well worth her day away from her family. Check with your local stadium or high school to see who runs the concessions because that would be the company that you would need to apply with or reach out to when inquiring about any opportunities. What a great way to keep up with your favorite hometown team while getting paid!

Girls…If you can “Rock” a Promotional Tank or Dress to make some extra money, why not?!

#80 – Promotional gigs at pubs, nightclubs and bars…

I was out this weekend with some friends and the “Jameson Girls” came into the Irish Pub we were hanging out at “rockin” long sleeve t-shirt type, green Jameson branded dresses (they weren’t too revealing but hugged their bodies nicely…so if you have nice curves…this dress would work for sure!) and passing out FREE samples of Jameson and Ginger drinks…pretty tasty! They were also doing a pop quiz on an iPad where if you got the answers correct they’d give you a Jameson branded hats or ear-buds. Pretty cool give-aways…better than a t-shirt, in my opinion anyway. They all looked like they were having a great time, so I asked one of the girls how she found out about this gig and what did it really entail? She was very generous with the information she shared and told me she found it on Craigslist and that it was pretty easy and really fun. She not only did promotions for Jameson, but some other libation companies as well. She said she made anywhere between $8 and $25 an hour depending on the night and what “brand” she was working for. She also shared that weekends usually pay a little more than weeknights but she never worked more than about 4 hours a night, no matter week night or weekend. As she was telling me all of this, I couldn’t wait to blog about it and share this idea. I’ve seen the “Bud Girls” and other beer girls walking around giving away promotional items at bars before, but I hadn’t really thought about this as a viable part-time money maker. My one caution…save the money you make “rockin” the hot dress or tank top and let the “boys” buy you drinks after your shift is over…then you can use the money for cab fare or a new pair of fall boots!

Need cash…now?!

Times are tough…I hear it every day. I’ve even, recently lived it myself after being laid off from a full time job at a company that I worked at for almost six years. I am recently back to work full-time as a “contractor” for the same company that laid me off. Crazy…I know…but in this economy sometimes it’s more cost effective for companies to hire contract workers than have full time employees with benefits on the payroll. I’m not complaining at all…I’m very thankful to have work and to be getting paid a decent wage again. Times were definitely tough as little as just a few weeks ago. So that being said, while I was laid off, I changed many of my habits and started doing things differently and even did some of these to make some cash right away.

#81 – Recycle Cans & other Metals for Cash

I know my friends and family in New York already do this, but instead of recycling your cans and other metals on the curb in your recycle bin, why don’t you bag them up and take them to a recycling center that will pay you cash? It’s done by weight, so the more you take the more you’ll make. Last time I checked aluminum was at almost 40 cents a pound. If you crush the cans you’ll be able to take more and get more mula. Collect cans at work, or just keep a bag of crushed cans in your garage or trunk and make a stop once a month or so…it could fill up your gas tank or be enough money to pay one small bill a month. It’s definitely worth seeing if there’s a recycling center that pays cash for metals near you. Copper and other metals are worth quite a bit right now too, so if you’ve recently remodeled or have scrap metal laying around your yard or garage, this might be the thing to do with it. I recommend that you check the recycling center’s website to be sure the kind of metal you have is they kind they need and also pay for. Some places might recylce the metal but not pay for it. You will also be helping the environment by recycling the metals, so it’s a win-win for sure!

#82 – Gold & Silver Jewelry…even old, broken or mismatched work for this one

I took some of my old jewelry that was either broken or I only had one earring left in a set to a jeweler and had them inspect and weigh it, then they paid me for it. I got more than $300 for things I was considering throwing away. That was a bonus for sure! Gold is at an all time high right now and there are lots of places out there that are willing to pay you for your gold. Silver is fast becoming more valuable, as well. I would recommend that you do your research and go to a reputable “Gold for Cash” place or take your old/out dated or undesirable jewelry to an actual jeweler and ask them if they buy gold and silver. A jeweler may give you a bit more if your pieces have gem stones in them. A jeweler that designs their own pieces might be able to re-use or re-purpose those stones. You will get paid cash right then and there for your pieces. Never do mail order or leave your jewelry with anyone without being paid for it, there’s no guarantee they will pay you for it when you come back.

#83 – “End of Summer Yard/Garage Sale”

Fall is a great time to clean out closets, garages, basements and attics. The weather is cooler and people like to be outside on the weekends. The saying “other peoples junk is someone else’s treasure” couldn’t be more true. If you didn’t have a yard or garage sale this summer, fall is the perfect time to have one. Most avid yard/garage-salers are experts at negotiating and haggling, so be prepared to sell many of your items for a dollar or less. If you feel things are more valuable than that and definitely worth more, you might want to consider selling those items on Craigslist or eBay instead. If you take the time to price things before hand and have cash for change (quarters & dollar bills) it will make your life much easier the day of your sale. Happy haggling for cash!

In rememberance of Septebmer 11th…ten years…it still feels like yesterday!

As I remember where I was and how I felt ten years ago, I don’t have any cool ideas about saving or making money today. The only idea I have to share today…take time to reach out to your friends and family and tell them how much you love them. Then maybe take a moment to remember all of the great Americans who were taken from the world way too soon and spend some time in silence or meditation…that’s what I’m planning on doing.

More Art ideas…beauty should be shared…right?

Back to the Art topic…a topic dear to my heart for many reasons…

#84 – Turning your Art into Prints, postcards, note-cards or magnets & selling them at craft fairs, farmer’s markets, holiday bazaar’s, websites or even at local gift shops…

There are sites out there that will turn your art into printed materials and possibly also drop ship them to your customers for you. You will need to have high quality digital photos of any pieces that you might like to turn into prints, postcards, note-cards, magnets, t-shirts or caps. If you don’t have a good digital camera, ask a friend to help you take photos of your pieces. This will also help you inventory all of your art and will be helpful with another idea that I’ll share soon.

“Giclées”: Giclée (commonly pronounced “zhee-clay”) is the method used to turn high end art into lower priced prints or note cards. Check with local print shops and see if they are able to do this and get a few quotes. Don’t go with the first one you find, shop around for the best price and quality of what you are printing on. It usually costs less per print or card to do more. So if you are planning on selling more than a few, it would be a better deal to order say 100 instead of 25. Especially if you are going to sell your note-cards, prints or magnets on sites like Etsy, Ebay or your own site. Don’t forget to ask local gift stores if they’d like to carry your art wares…they might sell them on consignment, it’s worth an ask.

Check out Zazzle & Vista Print. They do more than business cards and window decals. How cool would it be to sell note cards, magnets or T-shirts that have your own handmade art on them? Zazzle may even drop ship so you don’t have to store/stock inventory. Just an idea for those of you who are artsy, creative or photographers and are looking for another way to get your masterpieces out to the public. Maybe someone can’t afford to buy the original painting, but would love to buy the print, note card or magnet and as long as you keep the prices reasonable, you might be pleasantly surprised by how many smaller items you sell. Every penny counts these days, so cheers to selling your art in many different ways!

If you could take a “magic pill” to loose weight or get fit, would you?

I know if I could take a magic pill to lose the weight I want to lose, I definitely would. In fact, I think most people would. What if you could…be more motivated to work out? Feel calmer in even the most hectic of situations? Wake up with more energy than you’ve had in a long time? Notice that your clothes are looser after only 10 days? Confidence to wear anything and show your body off with pride? Able to eat the foods you love without gaining weight and even lose some weight? Individual guidance from a personal trainer? You can have all of this for less than $10 a day, check out the 10 Day Body Reset program below that I know you won’t be sorry you tried (there’s a 100% money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose!).

#85 – “10 Day Body Reset Program” on a Little Miss Idea budget

Hollywood celebrity’s all have personal trainers and now every day people like you and I can also afford our very own personal trainer. Personal Trainer, Self Esteem Builder and Inspirational Leader in the Fitness Industry, Nichole Kellerman, is offering a 10 Day Body Reset Program that is a GREAT deal.

This program is an intensive 10 Day Body Reset Program that includes a complete 10 day workout plan with cardio workouts, a great stretch routine and daily video trainings (they are only 3 to 5 min’s long – so yes…you do have time to watch them). It also includes a progress tracking calendar, a great 10 day meal plan, a daily dose of morning motivational videos (again, they’re short & sweet!) and daily check-in’s from Nichole herself. But most of all you will have a new found love and respect for your body, more energy and tools to help you stay motivated and on-track to your over all fitness and well-being goals.

Registration for this program is TODAY, 9/6 through 9/12/11 and you will need to pre-pay with a debit or credit card in order to participate. The cost for the program is only $97, less than the cost of a daily Yoga class and worth so much more! Nichole truly wants to help people meet their fitness goals and wants to work with committed clients, so she ‘s offering a 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you complete the 10 Day Body Reset Program, comment under each video, complete and send her your health evaluation and you aren’t 100% satisfied, just let her know and she’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked and no hard feelings. So, you see, you have nothing to lose…don’t wait, sign up today!

I have personally hired Nichole to train me in the past and am happy to recommend her and her program. I can attest that her meal plans, workouts and inspirational videos are all top-notch and worth every penny. I know it’s hard to get and stay motivated, so another idea/thought would be to ask a friend to sign up with you and then you can hold each other accountable and work out together. Working out with a friend or small group is usually more fun than doing it alone and if you’ve made a commitment to someone else, you are more likely to stick with it. At least that thought process works for me! I’d love to hear your feedback from this program after you’re done with the 10 days. Send your comments and let me know how you feel after sticking to the program for 10 days!

End of Summer Blues? Not to worry, here are some great last minute deals to “Fall Back” in style like the jet setter you are destined to be!

I was surfing the web tonight and came across some great deals for the Labor Day weekend and thought I’d share them with you. Some of them are only good if you book them on September 1st, others are good for other days in September, so check back often to see what’s available.

Maybe you want to take a last minute trip to some place fun or exotic? If so, check out expedia.com for great travel deals starting on September 1st and going through the month of September…maybe you can take a last minute trip to Mexico over the Labor Day weekend then head up the West Coast in a convertible the next and hit Vegas on the flip side? If the deal is right, of course you can!

Groupon does “Getaway” deals now. You can sign up to get these great getaway deals sent directly to your inbox by subscribing at Groupon Getaways – they are offering great getaway deals for all over the United States, the Caribean and Costa Rica. Definitely worth taking a look if you have a hankering for staying in a 4 or 5 Star Hotel but not paying for all of those stars.

Hotels.com is also offering 30% off for Labor Day hotel deals. I have used hotels.com to book last minute hotel stays and have been very happy with the prices and the quality of hotels that they have on their site. So check them out too.

Save $30 on Labor Day Hotel Deals! Get $15 Off by using coupon LABORDAY15 plus $15 instant discount on selected hotels. Book Now!