15 Fun Ways to Make Money Fast

As industries and economies change, increasingly more of us are looking for new ways to survive. Some of us are driven by hardship, others simply want more freedom. While there are millions of possible ways to earn a buck, it seems like we always need it quickly and easily.

While this does limit your options, it is well within the possible realm. So without further ado, here are the simplest fun ways to make money fast.

Make Money In Your Local Community

We'll start off our list with making money the old fashioned way: without the Internet. And while that may seem boring to you, it can actually be very interesting. There are very effective ways to earn money while enjoying many benefits that can not be had online.

1. Small Gigs (a.k.a. Odd Jobs): First up is a classic for all ages: performing basic chores for cash. You may be tempted to think there's no demand for this anymore, but not so fast. Fact is people are busier than ever and desperate to pay for help. Just check your local newspapers or ask around. Here are a few of the growing possibilities:

• Perform Outdoor Work: - This includes any outside job that someone might want completed for them. Yard work of all types, handyman work, pool maintenance, gutter cleaning, painting, light construction, waste removal, driveway resealing, car washing, and much more.

• Apply at Local Events: - We don't commonly think of this, but local events often pay for temporary help. Look for fairs, antique and craft sales, dance and dinner events, even local sporting events. These occur throughout the summer in most communities.

• Away from Home Services - Anything which someone may want kept up while they're away at work, vacation, wherever. Could be gardening, pet sitting, baby sitting, or even house sitting.

2. Sell Your Stuff - Many of us have extra 'stuff' laying around the house we don't need anymore. This could be appliances, clothes, video game consoles and other entertainment, furniture, cars, etc. Alternatively, you can find items for resale, or make your own. Just pick an interest to focus on. Antique furniture, crafts, or jewelry for example. You can sell your items in a garage sale, local TV radio or newspaper ad, craft sale, or even to local flea markets and pawn shops.

3. Sell Other Stuff - Selling is one of the quickest and simplest ways to make money in our society. If you have the courage, there are endless products available to make a quick sale. I won't go into the many options, but try going door to door, road sales, posting or mailing flyers (check local regulations), setting up a small stand, hosting a 'business' party... just be creative.

4. Donate Body Parts - Another simple way to make money: donate plasma, sperm, or hair to a local clinic. You'll be compensated generously, as much as four digits for a long lock of hair. You can even do this regularly earning money over a period of time.

5. Temporary Work - Day labor brings the quickest returns - often cash at the end of your work shift. Find a local agency or speak with contractors directly by going to their 'pickup' place or using the phonebook.

If you're looking for a wider variety or something which could lead to a permanent position, try a conventional temporary job. Companies often recruit new labor through temp agencies. Being reliable greatly increases your chances of being hired permanently.

If you're after something with a little more variety, seasonal work might be your best option. There are many options here. 2010 is the year of the federal census. Or else, administer tests for Praxis - the teacher certification company.

Other seasonal work includes:

• Retail
• Landscaping
• Carnival employee (carny)
• Construction
• Cruise ship employee
• Farmhand
• State or national park employee
• Theme park employee

And more. For a whole list of fun, unique seasonal jobs, click here.

6. Recycling This is a simple, reliable way to make money quickly. You can find scrap metal everywhere - just look for it as you drive around your community. After you have about 50 pounds bring it to the local scrap heap for cash. Prices vary depending on location and type of metal, but expect anywhere from $10 to $20 for that quantity (and it's very easy to get more).

Another option is finding and selling used tires to retreading shops. Some people have reported earning as much as $100 a day recycling tires. They can be found at gas stations, tire dealers, car dealers, along the roadside, and many other places.

Other things you can recycle for money include:

• Grocery Bags (at supported stores)
• Printer Ink Cartridges (Staples & other locations)
• Packing Materials (By selling on Craigslist)
• Paper (at local churches as a donation)

7. Simple Home Business: While this may not seem like a quick and simple method, some home businesses are actually easier to operate than most other methods of earning income. Keep it part time and track your income & expenses - that's really all there is to it. Here are a few examples:

• Home Delivery Service - Offer pickup and delivery of groceries, furniture, appliances, newspapers, or anything else someone might require for a small fee plus mileage.

• House Cleaning - A very common and successful business revolves around the fact that people like clean houses but not the work involved. A simple newspaper classifieds ad (2 sentences plus your phone number) is enough to bring as much as $30/hr. All you need for equipment are basic cleaning supplies - vacuum, cleansers, paper towels, bags.

• Vacation Services - Another simple in demand business idea: provide plant, pet, house, or baby sitting services in your local area. Place an ad, wait for phone calls, charge by the hour.

• Offer Your Skills - If you have a special skill it's easy to turn into a part time business. Computer repair, small engine repair welding, carpentry, cooking, et cetera. You need but create an offer, advertise it, and wait for calls. Performing the tasks will be simple with your pre-existing knowledge.

Make Money On the Internet

Among other things, the Internet has brought with it revolutionary new ways to earn a living. For the first time you can wake up in the morning, click buttons for an hour or so, and earn a 'full time' income. Real success stories are everywhere - it's not just a hoax. But you absolutely must know what to look for, and how much work you're willing to perform. You must also realize that earning your living online will dramatically change your social life. Here are a few relatively easy, reliable ways in which even Internet novices can earn some spare change.

8. Enter Contests and Sweepstakes: There are millions of 'opportunities' to earn money online. If you happen to be an expert video gamer, try entering some competitions - you can earn thousands. Or if you don't mind parting with some personal information, try entering online sweepstakes. For tips on finding legitimate online sweepstakes, click here.

9. Domain Parking: There are many variations, but essentially you buy a domain name (Example: www.domainname.com) and put up a traffic counter. If your statistics show people coming to your domain in the first few days, you have a winner! Now put up a very simple page with advertisements, and repeat. If you get no traffic in the first few days, you can either sell the domain or just hang on to it. Some registrars even let you 'return' the domain in the first 5 days if you don't like it, although the practice is quickly being abandoned due to abuse.

10. Sell Your Stuff Online: This is just like our 2nd and 3rd tips except with online classifieds websites. More ways to sell are appearing online everyday. Here are the most common:

• ebay - The original online auction site, founded in 1995 (only 2 years after the Internet was commercialized). Ebay allows buyers and sellers to come together in an 'auction' format, or as a regular sale with 'Buy it Now'. Create a free account, create a placement for your item, set an auction or price point, and watch it sell. Many thousands of people make an enjoyable living this way.

• Craigslist - Craigslist took the online sales world by storm when they started their free online local classifieds service. There are categories for everything you can imagine: physical products to services. Simply choose your geographic location, place a small ad, and wait for a response by email. Just like the newspaper only free and fast.

• Amazon - In addition to millions of new products, Amazon also lets you list your own new and used merchandise for free! Their interface is simple and let's you access millions of potential viewers.

• Facebook Marketplace - You can now sell cars and merchandise to Facebook's over 350 million registered users. It's free to use and doesn't require Paypal - the buyer and seller contact each other directly to arrange payment.

• Etsy - This is a relative newcomer in the online world, intended for handmade craft items. It's great if you seek an audience who will appreciate your unique items, as unlike ebay or craigslist you won't be competing with every product under the sun.

11. Find an Online Gig

There are literally thousands of places to find short term telecommuting work online. Amazon's Mechanical Turk provides a way for companies to hire temporary labor to perform computer tasks. Just check their list to see what's available.

Others are essentially online help wanted classifieds. These include Craigslist's gigs section and hundreds of industry-specific freelance sites (including web design, graphic design, writing, data entry, and more).

There are many other sites which offer unique work, such as:

• eJury and TrialJuries.com - Get paid to perform mock jury trials for lawyer practice.

• Paid to Write - Website which pay you to write articles for your choosing, either per article or by sharing revenue.

• Paid to Review (products) - Some websites actually pay you to post written or video reviews of various merchandise.

12. Flip Websites

A slightly more complex but still relatively quick method of earning online is by 'flipping' websites. Similar real estate flipping, you buy established websites for a low cost, fix them up, and make a profit. This may involve:

• Placing advertisements
• Internet Marketing Campaign
• Website Redesign (keeping content and directory structure)

In any case, the outcome is uncertain as the Internet is still an unstable medium. But if you have the skills already, it can be a very good option.

13. Ask for Donations Some people might immediately think of panhandling, but asking for donations online is very socially acceptable under the right conditions. There have been numerous stories of personal hardship which have resulted in the saving of houses, even lives. If you have a website already, just place a button where it's most visible (see the top right sidebar of this site).

14. Start a 'Microblog' Writing a 'micro' blog takes significantly less time than operating a normal website. You simply post a quick message, link, or other media. Soon you'll have a list of loyal followers to whom you can display advertisements related to your topic. This can be done in as little as 5 minutes a day. See a list of microblogging services here.

15. Foreign Exchange Trading (Forex): With the advent of the Internet, Forex trading exploded in popularity. It is now easier than ever to conduct trades and manage campaigns. Software programs assist newcomers and experts alike with important decisions. While there is definitely risk, you can start small to minimize potential loss. As you increase in skill there is significant money to be made, and it can be made very quickly.

What I do not Recommend: Anything which requires you to pay a fee before making money - it's almost certainly a scam. Nor do I recommend anything which involves looking at or clicking advertisements of any type - You'll get nothing but email spam (and possibly a canceled account). Finally, activities like filling out online surveys are essentially a waste of time - hours of your time, for only pennies. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. But don't take my word for it, try asking a community of Internet Marketing experts (click here).

Remember that there are no 'instant money makers', despite all the scientific marketing to persuade you otherwise. If it looks too good to be true, it likely is. But by following through with any of the previous ideas, you can make money faster and with more fun than most conventional jobs.