Making Money Using What You Have

Sometimes you don't have to look very far to find new ways to make money. You can start making money using what you have. Consider carefully what you can do to profitably use the things you own, the situations you are in, and the skills you have. How can you make some money from these?

Some Money Making Possibilities

Renting Rooms

We've made tens of thousands of dollars over the years renting out bedrooms, even when we were living in a mobile home at the time. We charged a weekly rate that included all utilities, making it very convenient for students and single people. I've also known of people renting a spot in the yard to somebody to park their R.V. and live in it. I once converted a shed into a bedroom and rented that out too.

Rummage Sales

Find everything you don't need (maybe half of your possessions) and have a sale. We find it better to simply take it to a flea market. The fee for a spot is usually cheaper than an ad in the paper and you are guaranteed some customers if it's a good flea market. If you enjoy the process, you can start accumulating more stuff to do it all over again.

Closet Grocery Store

I used to make a little money running a "grocery store" out of two shelves in a living room closet. My room renters paid regular retail for cereal, soup, etc., which I would buy during half-price sales. Also, selling cold pop out of the refrigerator for 50 cents was a regular source of income for years.

Neighborhood Taxi Service

I used to pick up three or four fellow employees on the way to work at a charge of one dollar each way. Recently a neighbor paid us $30 to take her 12 miles because the cabbies here don't speak Spanish (I speak a little and my wife is from Ecuador). It may not be legal without a taxi license, but go ahead - I won't tell. There are regular newspaper ads in some areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania offering rides to the Amish residents, because most Amish will ride in cars but will not own or drive them.