Earn a Little Extra Money

Face it, prices have sky-rocketed over the past few years. It's become a bit harder to make our dollars stretch especially for us seniors whose Social Security checks and retirement savings are minimal. For example, today while grocery shopping I took a look at a package of six boiled eggs. The price was nearly $4.00! It wasn't long ago that I could buy that same package of boiled eggs for under $3.00. On top of the rising prices of groceries, my auto insurance went up a whopping 60% from 2021 to now. After I panicked, I began to take action. Along with cutting down on my driving (I'm retired) I also cut out some grocery staples and treats then I began looking into ways to earn a few extra dollars.

First up, I opened a Zazzle account. Zazzle is a Print on Demand site that you can join as an associate/affiliate. You don't have to be an artist. Instead, you'll refer and sell other people's products to earn a commission of 15% which is a pretty nice commission. It's pretty simple to sign up and Zazzle is there to help. What benefits you, benefits them. How to Join the Associates Program – Zazzle Help Center.

Once I set up my account and was assigned an associate ID, I found popular products that I liked and began sharing links on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and my Google Blogger account. Most people I've noticed don't have a blog or a website but only use social media for their referral links. Within two months, I made my first sale. The next month I made two sales. That may not sound like much, but it takes a bit to rise from nothing and – honestly – every little bit helps. For the Referral Program, the minimum pay out is $50 by check or PayPal. Zazzle Royalty and Referral Percentages – Zazzle Help Center.

Along with the Referral Program, I signed up for Refer-A-Friend program (Zazzle Refer-a-Friend Program – Zazzle Help Center). For every qualified friend or family member, you'll receive $25 to spend at Zazzle. I'm thinking Christmas, birthday, and other holiday gifts for any reward I may receive. As well, your friend or family member will also receive a reward. That's it. Easy peasy.

Supplement Income

Have you ever been in a bind when you needed some quick cash? We were two years ago when my husband's doctor told him he is border-line diabetic. His insurance paid for part of the office vist and his supplies but didn't cover them 100 percent. We were left finding a way to produce more income to cover the costs and I am out of work and unable to a job.

The most immediate solution I thought of (or to stay with the theme of my blog, dreamed of) was to have a garage sale. We didn't have enough items to sell so I asked my mother and brother if I could rummage through their closets and garages explaining to them that I was having a garage sale to earn some money to help pay medical expenses for John. They were more than happy to have me go through their unused items as long as I got their permission to sell what I found. Also, they allowed me to keep all of the money I collected since - in essence - I was helping them to consolidate unused items literally cluttering their storage spaces.

Since I wasn't willing to dip into our income for the additional expense of advertising the garage sale in the local newspaper, I used Craigslist, a free service for people like me to advertise items for sale. The web site as well as the registration process were easy to navigate and in just a few minutes I was on my way to creating an ad.

I wanted to make sure I enticed not only women to the garage sale but men, too. I did this with the header or title of the listing, "Garage Sale Tools & Household items". Then in the body of the advertisement, I typed out those things I had gotten from my brother like rolling toolbox, tools, air compressor. I knew these would be the high ticket items. Below those I listed the things I had and had gotten from my mother like end tables, king sized mattress, homemade candles, etc. Making sure I had entered my address and the time of the sale, I waited for the day to come. I made no preparations like pricing items but I did set up the garage with tables on which I put my smaller, not-easily-seen items.

The ad worked. At 15 minutes to the official start of my garage sale, men began meandering in and looking. In fact, I had more men than women who didn't start wandering in until after nine. In no time at all, I had sold all of my brothers tools, tool boxes, air compressor, grinder, etc. Although the women bought nothing whatsoever, I still made a whopping $200 which was more than enough to pay for John's medical expenses.

And that's how I made some quick money.

Whatever it Takes

Recently my friend, Lauren, lamented to me that her husband's hours were cut back yet again at the printing plant at which he works. Another of several cut backs for them within the past two years which left them living on yo-yo income.

Shortly after that, Beth, a stay at home mother of one, who lives in Bonner Springs, Kansas, developed excruciating pain down her right arm. The pain left her writhing on the floor and crying one night. The next morning after a sleepless night for her and her husband, they made an emergency appointment with her chiropractor. The chiropractor examined all of the numerous x-rays then told Beth and her husband that Beth developed a compressed disc in her neck; that she was going to have to make regular weekly visits for adjustments if she didn't want to experience the pain.

The news sent Beth into a downward spiral of grief. They have insurance through her husband's work but the deductible is $500 and even then the insurance company pays only twenty percent of the cost of the visit. What was even more upsetting was being behind in their house payments due to the cut back in hours occurring several times over the past two years. Beth felt hopeless and helpless.

I assured her we'd find money for them somewhere. We'd sell collectibles she had inherited through Ebay. I would help her post a garage sale notice on Craigslist which I did but we haven't yet posted her collectibles on Ebay. She had made up her mind that she would take a job waitressing at a family owned restaurant not far from her house in the small town. As well, she managed to get two free visits from the chiropractor when she informed the doctor there was no way she could afford the weekly visits.

Beth made over one hundred dollars from the garage sale and the waitressing job is providing a bit of cash through the tips she makes. She has used her two free chiropractic visits and is nearly pain free. She seems more calm and in control these days despite the phone calls and letters from the mortgage lender.

The two of us agree that sometimes we have to do whatever it takes.