Times are tough. Bills are tight. $50 could buy around a week’s worth of groceries, more than pay your phone bill, or pay a couple of doctor’s office copayments. If you’re in a pinch, here are some ways to make a fast $50:
- Eat what you have. For a week, dine from your pantry. Most of us have far more in our cupboards than we regularly want to use. For one week, vow to only buy at the grocery store what you can carry out in your hands — or nothing. Make tuna melts. Combine pasta, that old can of olives and the random anchovies for a zippy Italian dish. Dig into the freezer for veggies. Melt cheeses into fondue or a homemade macaroni and cheese (it’s better with multiple cheeses, anyway). Make your own pizza instead of ordering in.
- Give plasma. If you and your honey both contribute, you can make $50 with one donation each.
- Sell things. Look around your house for things you don’t use. If you are hard up, look again. So you received three sets of crystal candlesticks for a wedding gift … do you really need all three? If not, price compare on eBay. Do you have anything weird on your shelves that you don’t even notice, but someone else might covet? We made big bucks ($100 each) selling an old, collectible set of tarot cards and a handcrafted glass vase.
- Hustle on the side. Walk dogs; scoop poop (that job goes for around $7 a yard in our area … 7 yards per month and you’re golden!). Babysit one evening, pet-sit for a weekend, or deliver groceries to a neighborhood family. Clean someone’s house and you could earn twice as much. Rake leaves, shovel snow or mow lawns. Frugal Dad wrote about this a couple months back.
- Buy something used instead of new. A couple of weekends spent scouring thrift stores for your or your child’s next season’s clothing can easily save more than $50.
What quick ideas can you add?
My friend has made money the past couple Christmases making skarves. She sells them to coworkers who then give them as gifts.
I’ve every couple weeks I try to live off my pantry. Even though I only think I’m purchasing what I need based on menu planning each week I always have odds and ends so eating those saves a lot of money. I’ve also had decent luck selling stuff on Craigslist although if I lived in a warmer climate right now a garage sale would probably make more money.
Ah yes, I sell things on Craigslist all the time. I’m not even sure if you can make more money at a yard sale … and the beauty of Craigslist is you can do other things while you wait for your items to sell!