So you need to earn some money. Whether you’re saving up for science camp or raising money to donate to a charity, you can find some fun fund-raising ideas here. Some are fast and easy, some more complicated, but look through this list and you’re sure to find something that’s right for you.

Flamingos

A flamingo fundraiser is fun and easy to do, with very little cost to get you going. It doesn’t matter how large or small your group is - any size group can do it. You need to buy ten to twenty fake pink flamingos to start. After that initial investment, there’s no more cost to you, but you will have some legwork to do. Advertise with flyers or by word-of-mouth that anyone can pay $20 to have a friend’s yard flamingoed. When someone pays, they must specify whose yard is going to get the flamingos.

Then you and your friends go and stick flamingos all around in that person’s front yard. Leave them there with a sign that says, "You’ve just been FLAMINGOED!" Be sure to sign your names and ask them to leave the flamingoes up for a few days. After a designated time, such as three days, go back and take the flamingoes away to be use in another yard. A fun option is to also offer a $25 insurance policy that anyone can buy, insuring against their own yard being flamingoed.

Tablescapes

This is a dinner party fund raiser, best for a large group. Set up a room with several tables. Ask for volunteers to decorate each table with a tablescape, which is just a fancy name for a table decorated to the hilt with a theme. For example, someone could do a golf theme, including golf clubs as a centerpiece, grassy place mats and golf shirts over the backs of the chairs, and tees and balls at each place setting. Or someone could do a wedding theme using white flowers, lace, fine china and good silver.

A beach theme might include a beach umbrella, plastic cups and plates, and beach towels draped over each chair. Get the idea? So you get your room full of fancy tables (all donated), then charge admission for the dinner party. You can either seat people at specific tables or let them wander around and choose where to sit. Serve simple food such as chicken salad and green salad, and if you want, you can include a speaker or a program. Be sure to give people plenty of time to wander around admiring the tables!

Rummage Sale

Best with a large group, a rummage sale is like a huge yard sale. It is just everybody’s junk for sale at one large location (such as a parking lot). Ask for donations of anything you can sell excluding clothes - clothes don’t sell well. Give yourself plenty of time to collect the items, several months might be necessary. Sell for one or two days, then donate whatever is left to a local charity. If it’s a hot day you might also include a lemonade stand at your event.

Silent Auction

Ask local business for donations of items to auction off, including dinners out, gift cards, nice items, services, or whatever they’d like to offer. Arrange the items on tables. Each item should have a starting price and a sheet of paper for people to write down their offers. At a certain time, the auction closes. The person with the highest written bid wins, pays, and goes home happy. There should be a cashier at the door for convenience of payment.

Nail Painting

Best for a small group, this one’s so simple that elementary students can do it. Charge $1 for plain, $2 for fancy. Girls do the painting; boys drum up the business and collect the money.

Popsicle Stand

Sell icy cold popsicles to school kids in the parking lot on a Friday afternoon. Be sure to get permission from the school ahead of time. You can make a good profit if you buy in bulk and charge about fifty cents per popsicle. If you advertise the day before you will have more takers.

Bake Sale

It’s an oldie but a goodie! Sell donated baked goods, lemonade and coffee during any social event or program. Be sure to label everything with yummy-sounding names. You’re sure to make a profit. Hint: give away a few samples to get people to gather round and look at what you’re offering.

Uniform Sale

If your school has a uniform dress code, you can earn money with this one. Just ask for donations of outgrown uniforms that are still in good shape (no holes, not faded). Stick a price on them, and there you go! This could be an ongoing project - just clear out a closet somewhere and let people shop there whenever they please.

Haunted House

Fun to set up and participate in, a haunted house can be a great fund raiser. Have your guests walk through it and end up in a party. Sell tickets for a profit.

Car Wash

Another oldie, car washes keep popping up everywhere because they work! A sunny day, a little elbow grease, a hose, a bucket of soap and a sponge, and you’re in business. Try setting up in a gas station parking lot for more business. Also, ask for donations rather than charging a set price. You’ll earn more that way.

Tournaments

You can set up a tournament for just about anything. Golf, chess, running, shooting hoops, scrabble, whatever you can think of. Sell tickets for participation, offer a prize for the winner (such as a trophy, ribbon or gift card), and watch the people sign up to participate.

Talent Show

Let people showcase their talents from singing and puppetry to sign language and jumping rope. Banjos and bad skits are welcome here! No audition necessary. This could also be billed as something more specific such as Battle of the Bands or A Night of Barbershop Quartets. Sell tickets for your good cause.

Photography

Bring your digital camera to any event, such as a basketball game or dance. Let people have a glimpse of the picture before asking if they’d like to buy a print. Keep scrupulous records of who ordered what! Keep in mind the cost of printing the pictures when determining your price.

The fact of the matter is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a profit. If you’re raising money for a good cause, people will understand and want to help you out. It’s better to offer a service of some kind than to just ask for straight out donations, so take one of these ideas and get creative. Make your fund raising event fun for everyone.