Those of us who are living from paycheck to paycheck usually don’t have enough money to cover those unexpected expenses when they come flying in our direction. To cover that emergency bill, we either have to squeeze it out of the budget, sell or pawn something, or earn that fast cash in a hurry. So how can you raise that extra $50 by next Friday? Check out these ideas for finding fast cash.
Diving for coins
College students are the master of this technique which means hunting for coins buried or hidden around the house. Dig through all those coats and jeans pockets, the junk drawer, laundry room, night stands and seasonal purses. Feel around the cushions of your furniture, and don’t forget to look under the car seats and inside the glove box for loose change as well. Last time I tried this little maneuver for quick cash, my kids and I turned up about $22.
Returning something with a price tag
Is there something in your closet that still has the price tags? A CD that’s never been opened, or gifts you forget to return or exchange? Bring those never used items back and get a refund. If you still have the receipt, you should get a full refund and some fast cash.
Unclaimed Property Division of the State Treasury Department
Unclaimed money, such as insurance or utility refunds, unsold stock shares, or unclaimed bank balances are turned in to your state’s Department of the Treasury. Who knows, they may even have some of your unclaimed money sitting in their vaults. You can either call their office directly and ask for the unclaimed property division or check first with missingmoney.com using this link.
Cancel subscriptions
Do you subscribe to the daily paper or a monthly magazine? If you cancel the subscription, you will be sent back the unused portion of your payment.
Fast Cash Yard sale
Got a bunch of stuff you don’t need anymore? This Saturday, stick a Yard Sale sign out in the street and price that old stuff to move.
Write some articles
If you are good at writing, write for an on-line company such as Associated Content. At AC, writers are paid for short yet informative articles about every topic imaginable. The amount of money earned all depends on the subject matter and quality of article, with most Associated Content writers being paid within a week of submitting their articles.
The Pawn Shop
Pawn shops are last resorts as far as I’m concerned, but if you are really desperate for that cash, this alternative may work for you. Basically how a pawn shop works, is that you bring in something of value ~ for example a guitar ~ and the pawnbroker loans you money based on the value of the item. In addition to charging you interest on the loan, he may also charge handling and storage fees. In order to retrieve your guitar, you must pay back the original value of the loan plus interest plus any other fees that have been tacked on.
Recycling
Have bags of soda pop cans, an old broken down refrigerator, old pipes, used carpet pad, bundles of newspapers, or broken down automotive parts stashed around the garage? This junk can be brought down to the recycling center for some quick cash.
Selling plasma
We used to have a plasma center down the street from our grocery store, and I was always amazed at how long the lines used to be. People who sell plasma can earn fast cash for up to $70 a week; here’s a great link to explain selling plasma works.
Visit St. Vincent de Paul
The society of St. Vincent de Paul is only one of several charitable organizations that can either provide a small amount of financial help or put you in touch with another organization that can. They can help pay part of a utility bill, cover bus fare out of state, pay part of a rent bill, or help with other emergencies. You will have to be interviewed and the financial help isn’t a lot (usually less than $100) but if you’ve run out of options, this organization should be able to help.
