What do working stiffs do for extra income?

[maddythebeagle]

We got a little into the credit card bonus/balance transfer arbitrage...

Brewer talked awhile back about trying to get to some tax lien certificate auctions....

 

[brewer12345]

I've not had time to do the tax lien thing yet. Maybe this winter (new baby arriving in June puts paid to the summer/fall).

Rental real estate used to be the traditional working stiff thing until prices went batshit.

Dunno now. Interested in other ideas, though.

 

[mathjak107]

i sell potatoe chips at the local old age home..

"LAYS HERE,GET YOUR LAYS ,,ONLY A QUARTER"

 

[saluki9]

If you live near a larger city, I've found one that is unfortunatly starting to catch on.

Here in Chicago there are a ton of new condo buildings. What a lot of people don't know is that you can buy deeded parking spaces without buying a condo. Here in Chicago parking is like gold.

Spaces run around 18-25K depending on the building and can reliably yield 150-200 a month in rents.

 

[REWahoo]

Here is an interesting way to make some substantial exrtra income. Of course you have to have the necessary assets and be willing to invest a lot of yourself in this type of endeavor if you expect it to really pay off. :

 

[cube_rat]

Here is an interesting way to make some substantial exrtra income.  Of course you have the right assets to make this type of...investment. :

Is it me or does this woman look like a strung out Oompa Loompa from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory? So much for natural looking self tanners

 

[brewer12345]

Is it me or does this woman look like a strung out Oompa Loompa from Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory?  So much for natural looking self tanners 

We talking about Suze Orman again?

 

[Nords]

We talking about Suze Orman again?

I thought REW was talking about Anna Nicole's lawyers-- but all this talk about prostitutes, legal staff, and financial advisors just seems redundant...

 

[cube_rat]

I thought REW was talking about Anna Nicole's lawyers-- but all this talk about prostitutes, legal staff, and financial advisors just seems redundant...

Suzie "The Happy Hooker" Orman.

 

[maddythebeagle]

I can only guess that folks havent responded in force to their ideas.....is that they already make enough money and simply dont spend and would rather have their free time.. 8)

 

[azanon]

I can only guess that folks havent responded in force to their ideas.....is that they already make enough money and simply dont spend and would rather have their free time..

Exactly. I would think the type of person that hangs out here is not going to be the same type of person looking to layer one job on top of another one. That'd be going backwards. I work ~35 hrs a week counting paid leave and holidays. That is the most i'll ever work. I plan on working less someday, and earlier than the average person, but i'm definitely not looking to work more!

Azanon

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I periodically consider work on the side, but I like my free time too much.

For a while several years ago I had in mind buying houses to rent out but later realized that was work, and if I'm going to work I can probably get a better return in my profession.

 

[wabmester]

I am constantly amazed at the opportunites for making money without trying very hard.

I've mentioned my friend who collects old computers. You wouldn't think there's much opportunity for a computer collector to make money, but he's turned his hobby into a business by renting machines out as movie props, prior art for IP cases, etc.

I just sold my house to a mountain climber. This guy managed to parlay his love of mountain climbing into lucrative sponsorships and speaking gigs.

Do what you love, and the money will follow. Worst case, you'll be doing what you love.

 

[runchman]

I own an unattended laundromat on the side. Doesn't bring in a ton, maybe 1200 to 1500 per month, but I like mechanical things and fixing stuff, so it works for me.

- John (the infrequent poster!)

 

[Toejam]

I have 2 friends who are still employed full time. Both are single professional women who make a good salary. For extra income, they make and sell expensive-looking bracelets, necklaces, and earrings from swarovski crystal beads, pearls, and sterling silver. They have also shown me how to make this jewelry, and we have held several "beading" get-togethers. They thought I would be very interested in earning extra money since I am retired.

It was fun when we got together, and I made some pretty nice stuff. But I never attempted to sell any of the things I made as I am not much of a "saleswoman". I ended up giving the jewelry away to friends and relatives as gifts.

I then bought a lot of less-expensive glass beads and have been making a bunch of simpler (but still attractive) bracelets that I donate to the nursing home where my father stayed for the last 4 years of his life. About once or twice a month, the nursing home residents get to play Bingo, and the bracelets are used as prizes for the women there.

I must be getting really lazy in my ER life. I only like making this jewelry for fun or when "I feel like it". Selling it to make $$$ just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[maddythebeagle]

Ok. I thought of one of the first engineers that I worked with. He had a salvage yard business on the side and ended up just quitting his day job to run. 8) I think your points about looking for something that is a passion sounds smart.

 

[yelnad]

My husband has two vending machines in a local company he works with. He also buys computers & computer parts at the university "salvage." He strips them and sells the parts.

In my retirement (read: when I have kids and stay home with them), I might buy a long arm sewing machine and machine quilt tops for other people. You know, in my spare time.

 

[SteveR]

I know a former VP of a previous company I worked for that retired at 57 and bought a bunch of heavy equipment that he now runs for fun and profit(?). He was always a "good ol' boy" from the South so I think he is right at home. Another guy from the same company bought a cotton farm and farms part of it for fun. Beats being the the corp. world.

 

[retire@40]

I know a guy who RE and does a number of fun things for extra spending money.

In the spring, he grows hundreds (maybe thousands) of tomato and other vegetable plants from seed in his backyard greenhouse and sells them to a local retailer.

In the summer, he picks up a few one day a week jobs he thinks he would enjoy like fixing old lawn mowers, sharpening blades and worktools, and other handyman type activities.

In the fall, he makes and sells sausages, jars and sells vegetables from his own garden (more like a small farm), and even makes and sells his own wine (but only to people he knows, not the general public).

In the winter, he puts a plow on his truck and does some plowing, but generally takes it easy.

He uses this money to go on cruises, travel, and general entertainment.

 

[accountingsucks]

I"m not sure if I"m a "working stiff" but I play poker in the evenings when I get home from my corporate gig. I play anywhere from 10 to 30 hours per week and with bonuses that many sites give out I can make anywhere from $150 to $600 a month. It is actually very low risk and I love to play poker so it's a hobby that makes me money. Unfortunately the girlfriend does not see it that way and I get a hard time about my playing.

 

[HFWR]

I got a fishing boat for my girlfriend.

Pretty good trade, huh...

 

[thefed]

well, I work a 9-5 in finance.

Then I go work on the rehab I jus tbought (soon to be a rentsl. The next rehab should be in my hands within a month or 2)

I also started an air duct cleasning business 5 months ago. IT's rolling smoothly enough to bring me in 1200-1500/month with NO overhead except labor at 50/job. $1200 is about 3 jobs. I havent advertised in2 months

I also sell air filters on ebay....make about 300/month

 

[accountingsucks]

well, I work a 9-5 in finance.

Then I go work on the rehab I jus tbought (soon to be a rentsl. The next rehab should be in my hands within a month or 2)

I also started an air duct cleasning business 5 months ago. IT's rolling smoothly enough to bring me in 1200-1500/month with NO overhead except labor at 50/job. $1200 is about 3 jobs. I havent advertised in2 months

I also sell air filters on ebay....make about 300/month

What kind of air filters? $300 in profit each month? Here's what I don't get about Ebay...how can someone possibly sell something for less on Ebay than say Walmart can in their stores as they would get such a huge discount for purchasing in bulk. I"m just curious as I know one guy who quit his full time job to sell pro sports jerseys on Ebay and he makes over 100K a year doing this. He gets his stuff from Asia for dirt cheap.

 

[soupcxan]

I also started an air duct cleasning business 5 months ago.  IT's rolling smoothly enough to bring me in 1200-1500/month with NO overhead except labor at 50/job. $1200 is about 3 jobs. I havent advertised in2  months

You ARE fully bonded, insured, and licensed by the state, right? Haha, just kidding.

But seriously, why didn't you post about your other previous part-time career?

HS DIPLOMA 3.55 gpa
Marijuana Farmer
60k
Free pot
OHIO
2001

 

[HFWR]

What kind of air filters?  $300 in profit each month?   Here's what I don't get about Ebay...how can someone possibly sell something for less on Ebay than say Walmart can in their stores as they would get such a huge discount for purchasing in bulk.  I"m just curious as I know one guy who quit his full time job to sell pro sports jerseys on Ebay and he makes over 100K a year doing this.  He gets his stuff from Asia for dirt cheap.

I believe P.T. Barnum had something to say about that...