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!
