Ingenious ways to pay the bills
Hank Moreno
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Opinion
Well, Western, the long-awaited summer is nearly upon us, and many of you are likely thinking about what you are going to do during your time off.
Some of you will travel, some will sleep all day and stay out all night and there are those who will sit hunched over a gaming console for hours on end, combating heavy-lidded eyes with 44-ounce caffeinated beverages and microwave burritos. However, for most of us, summer is a time to make some extra money for the next school year.
The usual opportunities abound: a plethora of fast food and retail jobs, night shift factory work, theme park or local parks and recreation jobs, or, if you're comparatively lucky and have the gods of fate and/or nepotism on your side, an office mail or filing position. However, you don't necessarily have to become a wage slave to make money.
There are several creative ways to make money that don't involve working for someone else.
For example, for those of you with green thumbs and/or wicked baking skills, you could set up a stand at your local farmer's market and sell produce or homemade breads and pies. People love to buy fresh produce, and many people also love the taste and quality of homemade baked goods, but don't have the time to make them on their own.
Many people are also either physically unable or unwilling to mow their lawns. You could post ads in local papers to get the word out, as well as signs on posts and bulletin boards at local businesses, and once you have worked for a few clients, word of mouth is a great way to garner publicity. Adding extra services such as cleaning and mulching flowerbeds will also help you win and retain clients, and spending all that time outside is a great way to work on your tan.
You could also stretch your creative muscles this summer and make handmade items such as jewelry, purses/messenger bags, and altered T-shirt items such as skirts and swimwear and offer them for sale on sites such as www.etsy.com or eBay.
Sites like www.deviantart.com offer artists focused on photography, drawing, painting and printmaking a place to sell prints to the population at large, and www.cafepress.com and www.mysoti.com offer graphic artists a place to create and distribute T-shirts and other merchandise. Details on percentages and fees can be found on each of the Web sites mentioned. Exposure on these sites can also provide the opportunity to receive commissioned work.
There are many other ways to make money that don't involve a uniform or a fixed schedule. You just need to play to your strengths and figure out how to market yourself and your abilities. Don't be roped into spending your summer caked in a film of grease doing somethings you hate.
Some of you will travel, some will sleep all day and stay out all night and there are those who will sit hunched over a gaming console for hours on end, combating heavy-lidded eyes with 44-ounce caffeinated beverages and microwave burritos. However, for most of us, summer is a time to make some extra money for the next school year.
The usual opportunities abound: a plethora of fast food and retail jobs, night shift factory work, theme park or local parks and recreation jobs, or, if you're comparatively lucky and have the gods of fate and/or nepotism on your side, an office mail or filing position. However, you don't necessarily have to become a wage slave to make money.
There are several creative ways to make money that don't involve working for someone else.
For example, for those of you with green thumbs and/or wicked baking skills, you could set up a stand at your local farmer's market and sell produce or homemade breads and pies. People love to buy fresh produce, and many people also love the taste and quality of homemade baked goods, but don't have the time to make them on their own.
Many people are also either physically unable or unwilling to mow their lawns. You could post ads in local papers to get the word out, as well as signs on posts and bulletin boards at local businesses, and once you have worked for a few clients, word of mouth is a great way to garner publicity. Adding extra services such as cleaning and mulching flowerbeds will also help you win and retain clients, and spending all that time outside is a great way to work on your tan.
You could also stretch your creative muscles this summer and make handmade items such as jewelry, purses/messenger bags, and altered T-shirt items such as skirts and swimwear and offer them for sale on sites such as www.etsy.com or eBay.
Sites like www.deviantart.com offer artists focused on photography, drawing, painting and printmaking a place to sell prints to the population at large, and www.cafepress.com and www.mysoti.com offer graphic artists a place to create and distribute T-shirts and other merchandise. Details on percentages and fees can be found on each of the Web sites mentioned. Exposure on these sites can also provide the opportunity to receive commissioned work.
There are many other ways to make money that don't involve a uniform or a fixed schedule. You just need to play to your strengths and figure out how to market yourself and your abilities. Don't be roped into spending your summer caked in a film of grease doing somethings you hate.
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