1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare (118 page)

733 DO CAR TUNE-UPS.
If you're really car savvy, you can start offering tune-ups. Undercut the area competition and offer these tune-ups on craigslist and to your friends. Watch out, though — if your car breaks down and you need a real mechanic, he might not take too kindly to the guy who stole his business.

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734 REPLACE BRAKE PADS.
Brakes are beautiful things. They slow you down, bring you to a stop, and save your life. But most people treat their brakes like trash — stomping on them to come to a screeching halt. That's why brake pads are replaced so often, and if you know how to do this swap-out, you can start charging friends for service with a smile. Along with taking care of oil changes and car tune-ups, eventually you'll be running an almost-legitimate garage.

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735 SWEEP CHIMNEYS FOR CASH.
Chimney sweeping isn't your great-great-great grandfather's business anymore. You can use tools that weren't available back in the Victorian-era to clean modern-day heating appliances. In addition to making some cash, you'll also increase your chances of being on Santa Claus's nice list. See the National Chimney Sweep Guild (
www.ncsg.org
) for more information.

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736 INSTALL NEW WINDOWS.
You hired a company to install your windows, and it didn't look that hard (they were sitting around half the time anyway). You can offer to do this for a much lower price. Just be careful that you measure everything correctly or else you'll have furious customers and get caught footing the bill for the professionals to fix your mistakes.

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737 INSTALL ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS.
Green is still in, especially since Obama got into office. Go around your neighborhood and ask your neighbors if they would be interested in light bulbs that will save them money (while you charge a modest fee).

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738 CLEAN OUT FIREPLACES.
It's a messy, dirty job, but someone has to do it, and that someone is you. You will financially benefit from residents wanting a working fireplace that doesn't cause them to become sick. Make sure you wear protective gear to fight off the dust and debris.

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739 REPAIR DENTS IN CARS.
Anyone who's ever fixed a ding without taking their car in and getting into a financial collision with their mechanic can hire out as a dent-fixer. Don't divulge your secrets to your dented clientele (be it canned air, dry ice, or a hair dryer). You wouldn't want them doing this on their own.