I’ve shared bits and pieces of my life within these blog posts in order to relate to our readers. Our home page says, “We Are You,” and that is the truest thing we can say. Our office is staffed with college kids, single moms, young entrepreneurs, parents of a multi-child household, seniors, and every type of consumer you can think of. Almost all of us have struggled with low credit scores and being sent to the “dreaded” collection agency; which is why we at the Planting Seeds blog, have made it our mission to provide advice, stories, and tips to help our readers out of these situations.
This week I want to steer away from the endless advice on budgeting the money you already make and talk about ways to make more. I researched this topic myself in college when I needed some extra cash, and I was met with advertisements for programs that didn’t actually work or took forever to generate the type of money I was looking for. This is not like that. I’ve narrowed down 3 legitimate options for making more money to help you avoid that same trial and error.
- Sell your Stuff
This may seem cliché but it’s common for a reason. In my early 20’s I moved A LOT. I’m actually surprised I have family members left that haven’t sworn me off because boy were they there every year through another stressful move. With this constant moving from apartment to apartment, I had to quickly come up with security deposits, pet rent, etc. I started this trend every year of just selling my things. Sometimes, I would have a yard sale at a friend’s house, and sometimes I would put photos up on apps like Offerup or Facebook Marketplace. It didn’t cover the entire security deposit, but I was able to come up with anywhere from $100-$300 each year just by selling things I no longer used.
- Donate Plasma
Full disclosure, I’ve never actually done this one. I add this because I know it’s legitimate and I’ve had friends donate plasma and leave with cash in hand. The process itself is similar to donating blood, but you are actually compensated. The amount you can make per month varies by facility but I’ve seen anywhere from $200-$400 a month. If you can handle needles, go for it!
- Become a Secret Shopper
In college, I did some secret shopping for extra money around Christmas time. You can make some cash if you devote the time to do multiple shops each week or month. I made anywhere from $14-$25 per survey I completed, but there is potential for more money depending on the different shops you review. I want to warn you though, be careful of scams! The company I used was Best Mark, which is well known and trusted. The only downside to this is the money wasn’t instant, but there is no limit to the number of shops you can do so the potential for extra money is endless.
Obviously, none of these options can replace a full-time job, but it can definitely supplement your existing income or help you out of a temporary financial bind. I sold my things to help with moving expenses, I shopped (secretly) so that I could purchase presents for my loved ones around the holidays; but I’ve also done these things to help pay medical bills or to pay my student loans in a month that was more of a struggle. Now go make more money and if you have some left over and decide to pay a bill or two, call me!
