This “tip” can be worked simultaneously with either the previous “tip” (limiting your out-going money) or the next “tip” (paying off / down debt).
If you’ve already cut your budget to the bare minimum (hey, I’ll have to do a post about budgets…) and there’s still a gap, you need to bring in extra income.
-Interjection- I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but it’s worth mentioning here: You won’t be able to pay off your debt if you’re still adding to it! Make a commitment to STOP using credit! If you have a gap between income and expenses, fill it by making extra money, NOT by charging. Moving on:
* Sell some stuff: The easiest way we made extra $ was selling stuff on Craigslist and ebay. We sold car parts, books (books are easier to sell on Amazon), clothes, Gavin’s old baby toys, kitchen stuff, my excess PartyLite inventory… it was amazing, the things people buy! 
If the weather’s nice and you have the space, try a yard sale. On Craigslist, always check the “Wanted” section, too. Some people just post what they want, but never check what’s listed for sale. Or, you’ll run across someone wanting something you have, but didn’t think about selling.
* Get another job: We never really got second jobs, due to our schedules. We could have, but didn’t want to spend anymore time away from Gavin than we already were. But it could work for you if you have the right situation. If you already work the proverbial 9 – 5, try looking for a job with more “exotic” hours. Coffee shops are open pretty early, and some are open late in the evenings. If you can do it, paper routes are REALLY early! Delivering pizzas could be a good choice, since you’ll make tips, too. Just don’t forget to factor in the cost of childcare, if that’s an issue. Also, if it interests you, look into a direct sales company, such as PartyLite, Mary Kay, etc. These can be SUPER flexible, and really fun! I liked selling PartyLite, but I think my timing was off . ($4 per gallon gas, anyone? No one was buying candles!) Direct selling isn’t for everyone, but there are people that eventually replace their “real” jobs with it!
* Use your skills. Kelly-Shane did odd computer repair and car repair gigs. Check the “Gigs” section on Craigslist! I found a tutoring “gig” on Craigslist as well! You can get really creative with this. Like the 8 year old kid who advertised picking up dog poop. I have several friends that make Hair Clips and Hats for kids to sell (The hair clips and hats are for kids to wear. Not for kids to sell). One friend even has her clips at a couple different kids’ shops around Portland! Of course, there are supply costs involved, but if you already have a crafty hobby, this could generate extra money. Etsy.com is a great site that lets you sell your hand-made goodies! Facebook is a good marketing tool, as well. You can set up a page or group just for your items, or just post pics and prices on your own page.
* Paid Survey Sites: Ok, seriously, don’t laugh. Alot of them aren’t worth your time, but some are good. Obviously, at $1-ish per survey, you’re not going to be replacing your day job! But if you have a few extra minutes, you can make a couple bucks a day. Here are the sites I like:
1. MyPoints.com You earn points for online shopping at selected merchants. Obviously, this is only a good deal if you would be doing it anyway! They also have coupons you can print, and you earn 10 points when you redeem them, plus like 25 points if you redeem 10 coupons in a month. They send bonus emails, like a few a day, that you open to get a few points, and more points if you buy the product or service. Again, only worth it if it’s something you’d buy anyway.
2. SurveySpot.com Most surveys have an entry into a sweepstakes as the reward, but some are $1 – $5. I usually don’t bother with a survey unless there’s a cash incentive.
3. Lightspeed Panel These surveys reward points that can be used to buy a bunch of different items, or redeemed for cash via Paypal. The surveys on this site tend to be about new products and TV or print advertising. Occasionally they’ll have in-home product testing, which is kind of cool. Once, we got a 12 pack of Charmin TP to test, plus something like 1000 points (almost $10).
4. OpinionOutpost.com Again, rewards points that can be redeemed for a check. Checks usually come in less than 2 weeks.
It should be pointed out that all the survey invitations are sent via email. You may want to set up a separate email just for signing up for surveys. Some people have complained about getting a ton of spam, but I haven’t had any problems. I also have Gmail, which has a wicked-good spam filter.
Oh, yeah, if you have a regular job where overtime is an option, that would be much easier than finding a second job. Just saying!
That’s all I can really think of right now… I’d love to hear other people’s ideas!
~April
