15 Ways to Make Money When You’re Starting Over

Are you over 40? Have you lost your job?  Are you losing your mind trying to find work? Have you faced countless rejections and even ageism?

If you’re one of the three million unemployed baby boomers that are short on cash, I feel your pain. I interviewed for nine months before deciding, I’m right where I need to be. Writing and making money from my beautiful home.

If you need to wrap your mind around your situation differently, let me offer you ideas to make money right now. You may have to set your ego aside and put on your big girl pants, but the possibilities are endless.

I know this recession has taken us all down a peg.  Adults with kids are moving back in with their parents. Seniors are working at Starbucks. And Val Victorians of their college classes are valeting cars instead of practicing law.

Regardless of the financial hard knocks you’re facing, there is money to be made. It’s America. Here are 15 creative ways to make money legally without having to prostitute yourself like Ray did on the HBO series Hung.

Drum roll, here’s my list of 15 ways to make money and two ways not to listed at the bottom of the blog as a bonus.

1.  Substitute Teach

This generally requires some college education. Here’s the state-by-state criteria for substitute teaching, which pays between $50 to $120 a day. Getting a substitute gig is tough now because of low supply, high demand.

 2. Teach Part-time at a Community College

If you have working experience in a field such as communications or finance, you might be eligible to teach at a community college. Certain community colleges might also require a master’s degree or even a Ph.D.

 3. Sell on eBay or Craigslist

There’s quick cash to be had on both eBay and Craigslist. Craigslist requires very little skill to post a picture and price and instantly get interest from items for faux furs to furniture. Selling on eBay is a bit more complex but many have turned it into a full-time profession making as much as $5,000 a month. There are approximately 700,000 people making a full-time living selling on eBay. Sellers pay a small insertion fee and 1.5% to eBay.

4.  Sell Your Brains

Here’s a short list of services businesses or people hire out every day:  website development, photography, programming, copywriting, editing, data-entry, telemarketing, bookkeeping, professional organizer, garage sale coordinating, translation services, sales, computer repair work, security guard, yoga instructor, and fitness trainer. You’ll need a proven track record and/or portfolio to land accounts, a lot of tenacity, and discipline – but the work is out there.

5. Sell Your Brawns

If you have the know-how, and in some cases the certification, you can be a home inspector, handy man, electrician, sheet rocker, roofer, carpet layer, landscaper, lawn mower, or tree trimmer. There’s also demand for housecleaning, pet sitting, house sitting, elder care, driver (trucker, courier services), bartender, cocktail waitress, and daycare services.

6. Teach Music or Play Music

Give guitar, piano, or violin lessons. If you play an instrument well, join a band that gets paid for its gigs.

7. Conduct Day Trips

Gail Hurbut used to be an attorney but started Get Away for a Day as a more fun way to make her living. She coordinates transportation to venues that mostly seniors, who no longer drive, would like to go to in a day. I’d link to her, but she doesn’t have a website. She secures all her business through printed flyers.

8. Become a Beauty Consultant

Mary Kay and Avon reps who embrace direct sales make good to great money.

9.  Take Surveys Online

It’s tedious and you’ll have to answer a lot of questions, but you can make and extra $200-$500 per month doing it.

10.  Tutor

Here’s where you can cash in on your IQ. Chemistry tutors can make between $800-$1600 a month. There’s a big need for math, science, and English tutors. Must pass some exams to qualify.  Apply here.

11.  Participate in Clinical Studies

Quintiles pays up to $3000 for studies with overnight stays.  Learn which trials you may qualify for at Clinical Connection.

12.  Give Blood

Blood Banks generally pay $25 for a pint of blood. Plan on a two hours to bleed out.

13.  Become a Senior Model

Sandra Sayner just landed her first modeling assignment with Talent Unlimited at the young age of 61. If you’ve to the look, the hands, or the legs (even the voice), check with an agency.

14.  Leverage Your Contacts

A senior VP I know who was laid off seven years ago, started connecting people who wanted meetings with executives he knew. If a deal was struck, he got paid a percentage for the rest of his life. If you do this, make sure everything is written in a legal agreement.

15.  Work Weekend Trade Shows

Check the paper, Craigslist, and with local event coordinators to man booths when various trade shows come to town. There’s always a need and you can make $200 in a weekend.

Don’t Do This if You Need to Make Money

There are two activities I believe you shouldn’t do if you need to make money this year.

1. Start a blog with the hope of generating cash sooner than 33 months, which is the average time it take to monetize a blog according to Darren Rowse author of Probloggers. Today there are around 20 million bloggers and only 1.7 million are making money at it.

2. Buy into a Multi-level Marketing Business in hopes to generate cash when 97% of participants end up losing money, according to Dr. Jon Taylor who has studied the MLM model for 15 years.

Final Words of Creating Wealth Wisdom

I believe the entrepreneurial spirit can save America and you. Need more ideas? Read these awesome 206 ideas to survive the recession posted by The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.

Still need uplifted? Watch the Jonathan Mead’s trailblazer video.

 

 

Tags: freelancing

Category: Career & Money