How to Find Creative Ways to Make Money

Fill your wallet by seeking out creative ways to make money.

Whether you're looking to pad an income, save for an expense or cover monthly bills, it's not so easy going green. Making money isn't always as easy as just getting a job; you often have to work at getting work. But it's not always all work and no play -- making money can be a creative process, especially if you rely on your existing skills and interests to start the flow of green. There's more to making money than just browsing Internet job aggregators.

Instructions

1. Check your bookshelves. Between the bestsellers and the old classics, review your personal library. Look for books that may prompt ways to make money, such as if you've got stacks of knitting, wood-working or cooking tomes. If so, consider re-reading a few chapters to find ideas on something you can make, cook, create or bake for a few extra dollars, whether you set up shop at a craft show or bake sale, or just let your friends know you're willing to cook and carve on demand.

2. Type your hobby into a search engine followed by the terms "for hire," "extra cash," "easy pay" or "looking for" in quotations. You'll have to wade through possible scams and websites that may require more work than you want to do for what you'll earn, but you may also get results that lead to exactly what you want to do.

3. Turn to the back of the newspaper -- choose a weekly local arts and music paper rather than a daily. These guides usually have money-making opportunities such as focus groups, tutoring requests, advertisements for upcoming slots at neighborhood yard sales and other ways to make money that aren't the traditional behind-the-desk office job classifieds.

4. Browse bulletin boards, real ones, as compared to electronic forums. Although email, blogging and texts have replaced much paper communication, you'll still find fliers and other advertisements posted in places like coffee shops, bakeries and community centers.

5. Keep your eyes open. Always have making money at the forefront of your mind as you cruise your neighborhood. If you have a skill with gardening or landscaping and notice neighbors' lawns starting to become overrun, print up fliers and distribute them as a gentle hint of your availability. If you live in a community with a large, well attended dog park, always have business cards or postcards on hand about your pet sitting, grooming or walking services.

References

• Biola University: Ways to Make Extra Money in Your 20′s