1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare (2 page)
1 START UP A DAY CARE.
Who says kids aren't good for anything? You can make a nice nickel off the parents who work all day when you launch your very own Some Place Special — or some other equally comfortingly titled hot spot for tots. Your payout will depend on how many underage boarders you take in, as well as how risky this endeavor may be to your homestead (beware spilled juice, ransacked rooms, and finger-painted wallpaper).
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2 HAVE A TAG SALE.
It's like eBay for the Internet-less. Rummage through your attic and cellar, go into those forgotten drawers, and finally make it to the back of your closet. Price everything out, slap sticky tags on all your wares, and hang up fliers throughout your neighborhood advertising your driveway department store (you might even send out a social-network blast on that new-fangled World Wide Web calling for all your friends to buy your crap).
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3 GET A ROOMMATE.
Go ahead, admit it: You miss college. You miss sharing a cramped space with another human being who is at all times close enough for you to tell what type of toothpaste he uses. Now that you have a house (or apartment), you can take in a roomie to split the rent so you can actually pocket some of your paycheck rather than blowing it on your mortgage broker or landlord. Try getting a friend to move in, or if you really feel daring — throw an ad up on craigslist.
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4 MOVE BACK IN WITH YOUR PARENTS.
Don't bother getting a roommate. Become a roommate. Depending on how much your parents love you, you may be able to freeload a roof over your head and food in your stomach. However, chances are that you'll have to put up some sort of boarding cost. But it will be a lot less than you're paying now — they're your parents after all. The only thing at risk is your sanity.
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5 PIMP OUT YOUR PARKING SPOT.
You ride the bus, take the train, or pedal your ass to work. Why do you even have a driveway? Take advantage of the available asphalt and throw an ad up on the Net, or go old school and post it on telephone poles with “Interested? Call me.” tabs. The harder it is to find on-street parking in your area, the more you can charge.
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6 SCROUNGE FOR CHANGE.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Turn over the couch cushions, check under the rug, dig through old pants' pockets. Do what you have to do to find your fair share of nickels, dimes, pennies, quarters, and — if you're lucky — a stray Sacagawea or two. Roll them up in those nifty papers you get from the bank (don't cop out and use those machines) and turn your findings into some crisp new bills.
7 RENT YOUR BIKE.
Sweet Schwinn!
It's okay. We understand. The whole “be greener, be leaner — bike to work” New Year's resolution didn't work out. But now your Huffy's just taking up space and collecting dust in your basement. Take a page from the Danes and make your two-wheeler available to the public, for a price. The risk here is someone going
Pee-Wee's Big
Adventure on you and riding off into the sunset with your set of wheels.
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