1. Clean out your garage on Craigslist. The yard sale is being rendered obsolete in favor of selling unwanted items on Craigslist. The advantages are that you do not have to sit for hours in front of your house waiting for people to drop by. Instead, list your items on Craigslist, including a description of the item and a picture. You can have people contact you by phone, text or email. Before you list, take a look at what other people are selling similar items for to get an idea of a price.
2. Recycle scrap metal. Scrap metal makes a surprising amount of money at a salvage yard and nearly anything made of metal is eligible. Take a look at unused pipes, broken auto parts, garden tools, old weight sets, playground equipment and even something as large as an old camper. As long as it's metal, you can probably sell it for scrap. If you have auto parts that are in good shape, sometimes auto shops or auto maintenance stores will buy them from you, otherwise you are better off taking them to a junk yard.
3. Make stuff. It's easy to sell homemade items on the Internet these days, whether it's via Craigslist or a shop like Etsy, anything you can make that is unique and quality could rake in some extra cash. Sewn or knitted craft products such as quilts, pillows, stuffed animals or hats and scarves sell well. Another possibility is handmade soaps, body sprays, oils and perfumes. Craft jewelry such as beads and the like are also popular. If your expertise lies more in the tool realm, you can make barbecues, outdoor fireplaces or smokers.
4. Online crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing has grown hugely in the last few years and there are now a myriad of sites available to perform a variety of small tasks such as surveys, research, translation and more. Sign up for one of these sites and make a habit of spending an hour or so every day getting some extra cash.
5. Sell your old video games. Ever think about selling your old video games? Did you know you can sell your old video games online? For example, you can sell Xbox 360 games online. You can also sell other games from Nintendo, PlayStation or other various counsels. Selling your old games can make you some extra cash. Some games for obsolete systems might even be considered rare and classic and can make you some extra money.
You can do most of this list in your spare time, days off or on weekends to easily supplement your cash flow. These are also odd jobs that your family can help you with or teach to your children to help bring in extra money for your family. They may not sound fun, but it is better to be bringing in some money rather than no money. There are also many other options out there as well. Just make sure you do what is best for you and your family, and what you are the most talented to do and you will be bringing in extra money in no time.
