1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare (16 page)
88 COLLECT GREASE.
Restaurant owners are sitting on a gold mine. Cooking grease has now become a hot commodity to make bio-diesel fuel. Offer to dispose of the waste product for restaurateurs who don't know that they're cooking up a profit — and letting it slip through their slick fingers.
$ $ tried it
89 PICK UP ROADKILL.
Roadkill cleanup is a sad, messy, smelly business, but it can also be a profitable one! How much you make depends on your location and how strong your stomach is. Many highway departments will pay you for cleanup. A creative alternative is to taxidermy any animal you find and sell it for a neat profit. Or you can sell fresh roadkill to any hunter looking to impress his friends.
$ $ tried it
90 FIND AN OIL FIELD.
You, Inc. would be a way better oil contributor than any of the “Big Five.” The only issue here is finding a source. This might get dangerous because all the spots for lucrative domestic drilling have either been snatched up or are protected by that pesky Department of the Interior. In order to stake a claim to land that's a cash cow, you'll have to travel to the Middle East or South America — which might get a
little
dangerous.
$ $ $ $ tried it
91 PANHANDLE — WITH A TWIST.
In this awful economy, the competition among beggars is intense. You need a special technique to earn money from the passers-by. Bet that the person you are asking can't solve a riddle and make it impossible to answer.
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92 HOLD A CHALK ART SHOW.
We've all seen those amazing 3-D chalk drawings online. Now, put your skills to the test and earn some easy cash. Grab your little sister's sidewalk chalk, hit the pavement, and draw away! Advertise your “avant-garde” art show to a local college or art school. After all, college kids love experimental art. Best part of hosting this type of an art show? Easy cleanup!
$ $ tried it
93 PUT ON A PUPPET SHOW.
Puppets are “in” these days.
RollingStone.com
reports that even Kanye West is getting in on the action, working with Comedy Central to produce a show called
Boots
“[that] will feature felt characters rapping.” Jump on the bandwagon and put on your own impromptu show. Socks with buttons for eyes don't cost a lot, and you'll reap the rewards.
$ tried it