How to Make Money Fast Without a Job

Have a garage sale. A garage sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted household items and make money in the process! Staples of garage sales include old clothing, books, toys, household knickknacks, lawn and garden tools, sports equipment, and board games. Larger items like furniture and occasionally home appliances are also sold. Garage sales take time and preparation, so make sure to start planning well in advance.^[1]

• Set a date. Pick a date 2-3 weeks ahead of time. This will give you time to plan and advertise your sale.
• When setting a date, be conscious of the time of year and be sure to take weather and temperature into account. You are less likely to have good traffic on very hot or very cold days and rain is major deterrent.
• Advertise your garage sale in local newspapers, on community bulletin boards and on Craigslist. The more people who are aware that your garage sale is taking place, the more people who will show up!
• Gather items for sale. This should be done in the weeks leading up to your garage sale. Go through old boxes in the garage, attic and under the stairs. Walk from room to room and gather any items you no longer want or need.
• Attach a clearly written price label to each item. This will make it easier for customers and save you time on the day. You can use small adhesive labels, bits of masking tape or a sticker gun.
• Enlist help from friends, family and neighbors. This will make your garage sale more manageable and less stressful. You will also have more fun this way!
• Have plenty of change. Go to the bank the day before your garage sale and get rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels and plenty of dollar bills.
• Add interest to your garage sale by selling crafts, baked goods and beverages. Items like cookies and lemonade will sell well while also encouraging people to stick around a bit longer.

Participate in a flea market. A flea market is a type of bazaar that rents space to people who want to sell or barter merchandise. You can sell all types of used goods at a flea market, though jewelry, household furniture and sports equipment are popular and profitable choices.

• Find out the location of your nearest flea market. Talk to the vendors and find out if they are happy with traffic and sales in that location.
• Find out how much it costs to rent a booth at the flea market. Compare with other flea market locations.
• Find out when the flea market is open. Some flea markets are open every weekend and some only once a month.
• Find out how booth space is reserved. Can you just show up on the day or do you need to reserve your space in advance? Are outdoor and indoor booths available?
• Figure out if you need a permit to sell goods at your local flea market. One time vendors may not be required to have a permit, but if you intend on vending on a regular basis a permit may be necessary.
• Think about whether you'll need tables, chairs or a tent to sell your goods. Find out if these items are available to rent.
• When selling, make sure to have plenty of change available as customers may only have bank notes. Offer paper or reusable bags for your customers to use.

Rent your things. Renting out your belongings is a convenient way to make some easy money. More and more, people are unwilling to spend large sums of money on items they rarely use. Instead, people are prepared to rent such items from thrifty people willing to lend their belongings for an appropriate fee. Luxury items such as holiday homes, boats and RV's have always been popular rental items, but nowadays items such as vacuum cleaners, power tools and electronic equipment can also find enthusiastic takers.

• The easiest way to advertise the items that you wish to rent is by using a website that connects local owners and borrowers. Zilok, Rentalic and SnapGoods are among the largest — serving as listing, reservation and payment portals (made via the borrower's PayPal account or a credit card).^[2]
• These websites provide a contract, which usually includes a security deposit to ensure that merchandise is returned without damage.^[2]

Dress designing or stitching. By starting a little business of dress designing you can earn money, by getting order from boutique or from common people.

Paint or craft. If you are creatively inclined, making and selling artwork and craft items can be a fun and rewarding way to make some extra money. Paintings, pottery, photographs, glass work, needlecraft and handmade jewelry are some good examples of artistic creations that can be sold for a profit.^[3]

• If you are a member of a painting or craftwork group, find out it they hold any art exhibitions. If not, why not organize one? Art exhibitions are a great vehicle for getting your artwork out there and generating interest with potential buyers.
• Research whether there are any craft fairs in your area. If so, you may be able to rent a booth to display and sell your work at the fair.
• You can also sell your artwork online using websites such as Made It Myself and Art You Can.
• Be careful when pricing your artwork. Cheaper artwork is easier to sell, especially if you are an unknown artist. However, it's also important that you cover the cost of your materials and make a profit.

Sell entertainment. If you can sing, dance, play an instrument or perform a magic trick then why not turn that talent into a business?^[4]

• Entertain the public by working as a street performer. Find a good space to set up. You want plenty of foot traffic but don't choose anywhere too noisy, you don't want to be drowned out.
• Find out if you need permission to perform in that space. Even if you don't need an official permit, it's common courtesy to ask the permission of any store owners within earshot.
• Set out a hat, tip jar or instrument case to collect your tips. Put some of your own coins or bills in the case, as this will catch the attention of passersby and encourage them to tip as well!
• Perform at events such as weddings, local fairs or children's birthday parties. This is easier if you are part of a band or dance troupe. Come up with a catchy name and ask friends and relatives if you can perform at their events for free in order to get your name out there. If you're good enough, you'll soon have people willing to book you for paid events.

Take your items to a pawn shop. A pawn shop is a good option if you need to get some cash fast but don't want to part with any of your belongings permanently.“Pawning” means that you give the pawn shop an item in exchange for a cash loan. For example, you might give them your mountain bike as collateral for a $75 loan. If you repay the loan by a certain date, typically 90 to 120 days after you pawn the item, you can retrieve your bike. The loan repayment amount will include interest and fees that are regulated by the state. If you don't repay the money on time, the pawn shop takes ownership of the bike and can offer it for resale.^[5] You also have the option of selling your item to the pawn shop, if you're not interested in taking out a loan.

• Find the right pawn shop. Do some online research to see what others have said about working with local pawn shops. Then, choose a reputable shop and broker you feel comfortable with. Also, know that some pawn shops specialize in certain items. For example, if you have an antique, look for a pawn shop that has experience buying and selling antique items.
• Know if you want to pawn or sell. Pawn shops will give you the choice, so educate yourself on the options and know the ups and downs of each before you go in. The decision should be based on a number of things including your ability to repay a loan and the value you place on the item you are pawning or selling.
• Negotiate. Understand that pawn store owners are resellers, not collectors. Just because a collector values your vintage vinyl at $100, doesn't mean that you will get that from a pawnbroker. Set a minimum price ahead of time so you don't make a snap decision you'll regret later.
• Be prepared to prove your claims. For example, if you bring in a valuable piece of jewelry, consider having a professional jeweler write up an appraisal so you can prove the piece's worth. If the item runs on batteries, make sure it has fresh batteries in it so you can show that it works. Bringing items in their original packaging is always helpful.
• Show things in their best light. A layer of dust might make sense on an antique, but not on your printer. Imagine that you were going to purchase the item—what would you want it to look like?
• Pay on time. If you pawn an item for a loan, be sure to pay back the loan plus interest and fees on time and as agreed. Not doing so will cause you to forfeit your item or extend the loan which will carry additional charges.

Sell used books. If you have a large pile of college textbooks gathering dust since graduation or just need to make room on your bookshelf, selling your used books is a great option to make some fast cash. You can get rid of your books the old fashioned way, using garage sales and book fairs, or you can sell your books online.^[6]

• When selling books online, you have two main options. You can sell to buyers directly, using websites like Amazon and eBay. With these, you will be able to set your own price but you are also responsible for all organization, including including payment processing and shipping.
• The second option is to sell your books to websites such as AbeBooks, Cash4Books and Powell's. With each of these, you simply input your book's ISBN. They will immediately tell you if it's something they'd like to buy and what they will pay for it. One pro of using services like this is that they'll pay immediately, and even cover the shipping via labels you print out from your computer. The downside is that these companies are essentially middlemen who will sell your product to someone else for more money.
• For college textbooks, many campus bookstores now provide "buyback" services. This is where you can sell your used textbooks back to the store you originally bought them from at the end of the school term or year. You will typically be able to sell the books back for around 50% of what you originally paid for them. The books need to be in good condition.