Whether you have a pile of bills, need money for an urgent need, or just want to add to your savings balance, there are actually many ways to raise money quickly and legally. Depending on your situation, you can sell things you no longer want/use, find a job that makes a quick buck, get paid for the things you do every day, or do it all at once. Raising money quickly can help you deal with urgency and save for future needs.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Selling Unused Items
Step 1. Hold a garage/yard sale
Second hand sales are an easy way to make money fast. However, be wary of people who usually come to sales events to try to bargain with you for the best possible deal. If your customer is too pushy, or if he or she finds out that you really need money, you may end up selling valuable items for a much lower price than they should be.
- As you price each item out of stock, keep in mind that most buyers will try to lower that price. If you start with a price that is too low, people will try to lower it even more, but if you start at a price that is too high, people will not want to buy it.
- If you are in a very emergency situation, you can try selling items at a thrift store. However, be warned that you probably won't get the best deal from a thrift store (usually only a percentage of the item's value), as these stores want to make a profit too.
Step 2. Try to make money selling things online
In this digital age, it is easier to sell things online than in the past. If you're familiar with the online sales and bargaining process, you can throw in a higher price than the second-hand sale.
- Try websites like “eBay” and “OLX”.
- Use high-quality photos of the items you want to sell, and provide honest explanations and descriptions.
- Make sure that you agree to meet in a public place if you are transacting through these kinds of websites, then ask the buyer to bring cash in person. Consider coming accompanied by a friend or family member, so you're not intimidated by the buyer.
Step 3. Sell your obsolete electronic device
If you're like most customers, you probably have an old, worn-out cell phone lying around in your house. You may also have an MP3 player, tablet computer, or PC computer. You can keep these devices as backups in case something happens with your new device, but chances are that your once new device is now a backup for the newer device. You can sell anything you don't currently use online or by meeting a prospect in person, freeing up some space in your closet.
- You can use bartering websites like “uSell” and “Gazelle” or “Barter Yuk”, or online marketplaces like “eBay”.
- You can also make money at the same time using the “ecoATM” test. To ensure the success of “ecoATM” on your device, search the prospect's data network for the highest price, and if you agree to the terms of sale, you will immediately get the money from the sale.
- Before selling any device, make sure that you move or keep a copy of the data you want to keep. You may also need an external hard drive for the computer, or check with your mobile phone company's support service on how to make a copy/transfer of the images, contacts, and messages it contains.
- Delete all personal information from the device you want to sell. This includes photos, contact numbers, messages, email accounts, and social media accounts.
- You can also reset your phone to ensure that all your personal data is erased.
- Make sure that you disconnect your phone and tablet computer from any service contracts or networks so that no one else uses them and charges you.
Step 4. Get money from gift cards/coupons (vouchers/gift cards
Many people give and receive gift cards or coupons on birthdays, holidays, or as a sign of gratitude. However, sometimes you get a gift card or coupon that you never use or will not use at all. A small amount of cash left on this card or coupon can provide additional cash. You can save by using this meager amount of money to get things you would normally buy with money, or by selling the remaining value of the fund. Whatever your situation, selling unused or rarely used gift cards or coupons is a quick and easy way to make money.
- In the US, there is an online gift card/coupon exchange service. Some popular websites for this purpose are “GiftCardRescue.com”, “Cardpool.com”, and “CardCash.com”.
- You'll get paid within 24 hours if you can enter your card code online. However, you'll usually get more money if you send your card via courier, and you'll be paid within three to seven days of your card being received by the buyer.
Method 2 of 4: Looking for a Short Job
Step 1. Earn money online work
Online jobs are an easy and often quick way to earn extra money. All you need is a reliable computer connected to the internet, but by registering with certain websites, you can make a little, moderate, or a lot of money from the work you do.
- The pay is usually not that big, but the job is quite easy.
- Many jobs have very low wages, but some have decent wages. Payments for completed work can be collected and used for grocery shopping or going out to dinner.
- Websites like “Amazon” offer you the opportunity to complete Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs), advertised by the Mechanical Turk Workers, which pay you when you complete work within a set time.
- There are also ways to earn money from online surveys, for example USD 5 per survey. Try “Toluna”, “Vivatic”, “MySurvey”, “OnePoll”, “SurveyBods”, “The Opinion Panel”, “Valued Opinions”, “YouGov” and “iPoll”.
- You can also make money simply by doing your usual online searches on “Google”, “Bing” or “Yahoo”. Install the required additional apps through a website like “Qmee.com” and earn money for every sponsored product you click on.
Step 2. Work on babysitting, pets, or the house
You can make money looking after children, pets, or homes. You have to be a responsible and trustworthy person, and it helps a lot if you have some previous experience. If you're new to taking care of kids, pets, or the house, try asking friends and family if they need someone to look after their belongings. To make things clear (in a strategic way), let them know you need some extra money so your friends/family don't think you want to do it for nothing.
- Depending on where you live and the financial situation of the family you want to help with, you may be able to earn around IDR 50,000-100,000 per day from babysitting or pet work.
- A house keeping payment may be easier to negotiate, by days or weeks. Do an online search to find out the average service price in your city.
Step 3. Look for “same-day paid” jobs
There are many websites that can help you quickly find short-term jobs that can bring you extra money right away. You need to know your abilities so you don't get overwhelmed or run the risk of injury, but if you can do that it will be a lucrative prospect.
- Try doing an online search or visiting certain websites that can immediately land you a job. In the US, the sites commonly searched for are “LaborReady”, “LaborWorks”, and “LaborFinders”.
- You can also browse the “Craigslist” website under the jobs or gigs category to find short-term jobs in a wide selection of different fields.
- Make sure that you negotiate and agree to the payment before you start work. You may need to request a written agreement with the agreed payment amount after you have completed the work.
Step 4. Participate in a medical experiment
This is of course not for everyone, but if you are in good health you can make a large amount of money by participating in a medical study or experiment. Always study the full terms of the research before you do it, know the amount of money you will receive, and understand the risks you will face.
- Some research centers are looking for volunteers to test vaccines or pharmaceutical treatments, while others just want to find a few people for comprehensive research.
- Be aware in advance that research requires participants with certain health qualifications. Research experts usually look for someone who is in excellent health, or someone who is chronically ill.
- Be aware of the risks. Most trials are usually harmless, but some are high risk.
- Always read the entire written description of any research you are considering, and talk to your doctor about the potential risks before agreeing to participate in the study/trial.
Method 3 of 4: Making Extra Money
Step 1. Collect your change
It is easy for us to forget the change that is often left in our pockets every day. Whether you put it in a special jar, or toss it in a drawer, or maybe it often falls out of the clothes pocket when washing clothes, those pennies can be a lot if you collect them.
- Check in between your couch, trouser pockets, under the washing machine, or the drawer where you keep your spare change.
- Check your car. Check under the seat, the cup holder, the cigarette ash holder, in the center console and in the car glove compartment.
- You can collect loose change and roll it in paper from the bank, or put your change into a money changer (such as those commonly available in supermarkets in many countries other than Indonesia). Currency exchange machines usually charge an exchange fee, but may provide you with banknotes in lieu of a pool of unused change.
Step 2. Recycle scrap metal
Scrap metal can bring you a surprising amount of money. Of course, in order to earn enough money you'll need to collect a lot of scrap metal, but if you're diligent, it can be done anywhere.
- Look for building materials that are available where people are building buildings. You may be able to find scrap metal scraps there. The important thing is not to plunder the building materials that are there, because you can be accused of stealing.
- If you're renovating your home and planning to replace the copper pipes in your home, you can earn money by selling the copper at second-hand shops.
- Look for scrap metal in your shed, garage, or yard.
- Check the dumps in your neighborhood, but be careful not to injure yourself. It's easy to fall in a dumpster, and climbing into it could result in injury if there's shards of glass, sharp metal, or used syringes inside.
Step 3. Earn money from other items that can be recycled
Scrap iron or copper are not the only valuable materials for recycling. You can usually make money from any type of recycled item. You won't make a lot of money from these items (for example, aluminum cans and glass bottles usually cost around Rp. 11,000 per kilogram), but if you can collect a lot of recycled materials you can earn extra money.
- Try asking a business located near you if you can collect recyclable items. Some businesses monetize this recycled waste, but many also throw it in the recycling bin or into the regular trash.
- If you are in a very urgent situation, you can try looking for recyclables in the trash, but be careful because you will get dirty and may be scratched by shards of glass, used syringes and other unhygienic items/ not safe.
Step 4. Borrow money from friends/family
If you are pressed by debt or need money quickly, you should consider borrowing money. However, you must take responsibility for this. Money that is not returned, or that it takes too long to return, can damage your relationship with the person who lent the money.
- Be honest about your needs, and about the risks involved.
- Arrange a payment schedule agreed by both parties.
- Make sure that you pay back the money you borrowed within the agreed timeframe. Remember that your friends and family trust you, and breaking that trust will have unintended consequences.
Step 5. Take a short term loan
If you need to borrow money but can't get it from friends or family, a short-term loan may be your last resort. However, it is important to be aware that short-term small loans are a form of business of the lender. Even a small loan amount can quickly put you in debt that is more than the amount you borrowed.
- Be aware that many short-term loans charge very high interest rates, and there may be penalties if you fail to repay the loan by the specified maturity date.
- Always ask for interest charges, fines/penalties, and other hidden fees that may be added to your bill.
- Learn if short-term loans are legal in your area. Many counties and cities have their own regulations that may prohibit short-term lending businesses or regulate how short-term loans are run.
Method 4 of 4: Getting Money from Donations
Step 1. Exchange your hair for money (if this is acceptable according to the norms in your area)
If you have long, beautiful hair, you may be able to help someone who needs hair and you can sell your hair. Many wig manufacturers pay a lot of money to get real hair, and if the hair is in good condition, you'll be able to sell your hair for more than you think.
- Your hair can sell for IDR 1,000,000-1,500,000 per kilogram, depending on the length, condition and where you sell it.
- Usually the hair sold must be at least 25 cm long to meet the requirements. The hair should not be dyed, and if it is in good condition (not often dyed, not damaged by the sun, or not tangled with split ends) the selling price will be higher.
- You can do an online search to find places that buy hair in your area, or try placing an ad on a website that is appropriate in your area, such as “Hairwork.com” in the US.
Step 2. Sell your breast milk (if this is acceptable according to the norms in your area)
Breastfeeding women can make good money selling excess breast milk online. There is a large market for this “product”, namely for people who are looking for real milk for their babies and for adults who believe that breast milk can provide better nutrition than milk sold in stores. Ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to sell your excess breast milk, and find out how long it is safe for you to continue collecting and selling your breast milk.
- Breast milk can cost around USD 1-2 per ounce in the US. So, in the US if you continue to pump and sell your breast milk, you have the potential to make USD 20,000 a year just from breast milk.
- You can do an online search to find breast milk buyer forums, or special ad spots like “OnlyTheBreast.com”.
Step 3. Earn money from selling eggs or sperm (if this is acceptable according to the norms in your area)
Selling sperm or eggs can provide you with a decent income (possibly even a steady income). Each fertility clinic offers different prices for sperm and eggs, so it's better to find the best price information by searching online. However, be aware that there are many limits to donors, and many restrictions on how often or how much you can donate.
- In the US, sperm donation can earn you around USD 100 each time, and you can donate two or three times each week. Thus, you can earn around USD 1,200 per month.
- In the US, egg donation can earn you as much as USD 8,000 per egg, but it is more complicated and difficult than sperm donation. You will need to consult a doctor and take hormone medication every day for a few weeks.
- You can donate eggs up to six times in your lifetime, although some fertility clinics may accept egg donations from the same person more than six times. Be careful when donating eggs because this requires a serious medical procedure and should not be underestimated.
- There is no limit to how much a man can donate sperm during his lifetime.
- To donate sperm or eggs, you must undergo a personal and family history examination. Donors must be in good health and usually have to graduate from college or are still studying in college.
- Be aware that you have to pay income tax through the sale of eggs or sperm. Study tax regulations or do an online search to find out the tax laws that apply in your area.
- Sell your sperm or eggs only in licensed clinics and with licensed doctors. Selling sperm to someone without involving a licensed medical clinic can put you at risk of supporting the baby when the mother becomes pregnant.
Step 4. Donate your blood plasma (if this is acceptable according to the norms in your area)
Many people donate blood for free, but you may not realize that you can actually earn from your blood plasma. Plasma is removed from your blood, a process that takes one to one and a half hours. Technically, the money you get from the plasma may not be worth the time you spend in the “donation” process.
- In the US, you can make USD 15-40 by donating blood plasma, and usually you can donate plasma twice a week. Do an online search or search the phone book to find the nearest blood plasma clinic.
- To sell plasma, you must be in good health. You also need to be free of drugs to ensure that your blood is safe for others to use.
- Do a search online or in the phone book to find a blood plasma donation center in your area, and contact the place to see if they pay you for the donation (and how much it's worth).
- Talk to your doctor to see if you can donate blood plasma.
Tips
Be creative. If you need money, find what's around your house that you can turn into, or try to find a new way to earn an income
Warning
- If you are arranging any private transactions, meet in a public place and get someone to accompany you. Even when doing second hand sales, it's best to bring at least one person along to ensure your safety.
- Just do something within your means, and make sure the job is safe for you.
