Tight on cash for the summer? Here are a few original ideas to help you make a quick buck.
Help people cool down
How: Head to parks, beaches, or local soccer practice fields with products that are guaranteed to sell in a hot summer evening. Anything from bottled water and sports drinks, to cheap sunglasses and battery-powered fans is fair game.
What you'll need: Transportation, a cooler and ice if you’re selling drinks, drinks (mostly water), and any cheap summer product you can manage to find (sunglasses, visors, battery-powered fans, caps).
Estimated startup cost and revenues: Shop at your local dollar store. Make at least three times the original cost.
Be a movie extra
How: Start by registering with a casting agent. Most extras are selected from an album of headshots. Or check out online companies that register potential extras for a small fee. Cenex Casting and Moviex are two well-known groups.
What you'll need: Simply register and wait for a call.
Estimated startup cost and revenues: Online companies charge a photo fee of $15 and up. Extras can expect to make about $50 a day for non-speaking parts.
Become a personal chef
How: Cook for busy professionals who have no time to do it themselves but don’t want to eat fast food either. No state or local licenses are required if you cook at your client’s home. If you are operating on a small scale, you can also cook at your home and deliver the meals in microwave-safe containers. For large quantities of food, state law requires that you cook in a professional kitchen. If your business grows to that stage, you should consider looking into churches or private clubs to find a kitchen you can rent and work from.
What you'll need: You should know how to cook, of course. Taking a class in exotic cuisine wouldn’t hurt either, and it would make you more appealing to clients looking for something more than the typical mashed potatoes.
Estimated startup cost and revenues: A few dollars for flyers and ads in community boards. Or you can advertise in local newspapers for a larger fee. You can expect earnings in the hundreds every week once you land regular clients.
Shopping & Errands
How: Perfect around the holiday season, but a good gig year-around nonetheless. You can offer shopping services for large items (far-away malls) or small everyday errands such as picking up groceries. If you have a large store such as Ikea near you, this can become a regular occupation, as many people do not want to invest the time to make the trip to the store themselves.
What you'll need: Time. If you have a credit card that offers money back for purchases, you can use it to pay for your client’s goods and keep the cash.
Estimated startup cost and revenues: Out-of-pocket expenses are negligible. You normally won’t be paid for gas mileage, though. To reduce costs, you can combine paid errands with your own, or use public transportation. Many errand services charge a flat fee per week, and it can become a significant income if you get a couple of regular clients.
Deliver new vehicles to dealerships
How: Although manufacturers usually deliver new cars themselves, some specialty vehicles, such as RV's and limousines are driven to dealerships. Craig Chilton, the editor of the Road Rat website, estimates there are 100,000 drivers who make a living delivering cars. Contact dealerships to inquiry about opportunities in your area.
What you'll need: Some states require a chauffeur's license, easily obtainable by taking a written test. You also need a clean driving record.
Estimated startup cost and revenues: Pays about 35 cents a mile, plus air transportation home if the drive takes you far away from your city.