caitlinsmom Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I need to earn 7k within the next 2 months. The bad: I have very few items of value ( maybe a dresser and a box of books) that could be sold. We only have old junker cars that aren't worth much. I am 30 min from the nearest town with job prospects. Most pay about $7.50-$8 I have few marketable skills in this economy (I'm a librarian) I am in a rural area (pop 400) The good: I can sew I can type er...I'm sure there is more but I cant think of them right now. I need ideas to earn the cash and I'm thinking my best bet may be the internet? I tried selling skirts that I make on a special deal site but I didn't sell one (my friend sells 250 a week. grr) What can I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosyne Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Are you any good at writing or proofreading? You could try freelancing in those fields. Maybe sew things and sell them through Etsy? Is there a need that people have that you think you can solve for them? You can start a business with nothing down, if you have the time and are willing and able to put in the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Is this something you can take a loan for, or more like repaying a debt where you need cash in hand? Can you tutor online over Skype? There are some online ways to make money with transcription and such, but they pay usually pay minimum wage at best. Edited to add: Is sewing going to earn you more than minimum wage? I don't know what you're planning on sewing, but you have to price things pretty high to make reasonable pay per hour after paying for materials. Is there anything further away than 30 minutes that would pay better, or is that it for your area? Gas is expensive too though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 AMDG Can you teach? I pay $30/hour for sewing lessons. Now, we have a really great teacher . . . and I don't know how that could work logistically in a rural setting, but that might be one route. We LOVE our sewing lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinsmom Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Are you any good at writing or proofreading? You could try freelancing in those fields. Maybe sew things and sell them through Etsy? Is there a need that people have that you think you can solve for them? You can start a business with nothing down, if you have the time and are willing and able to put in the effort. I have an Etsy shop but I don't get much traffic. Right now I don't have the money to stock it either. I am a terrible proof reader. :) My mind doesn't recognize mistakes it corrects them and moves on to quickly. Is this something you can take a loan for, or more like repaying a debt where you need cash in hand? Can you tutor online over Skype? There are some online ways to make money with transcription and such, but they pay usually pay minimum wage at best. Edited to add: Is sewing going to earn you more than minimum wage? I don't know what you're planning on sewing, but you have to price things pretty high to make reasonable pay per hour after paying for materials. Is there anything further away than 30 minutes that would pay better, or is that it for your area? Gas is expensive too though. It is a debt/bill type situation. I hadn't thought of tutoring, I will look into that right now. The sewing I was planning on doing was a wholesale situation. I would have cranked the items out for a small profit margin but the amount I would have made would have been worth it. If I were to sell the items on say Etsy, I don't think I would make my goal. I live in a pretty rural area so anything past 30 min away is hours away. :) Not a lot of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlinsmom Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 AMDG Can you teach? I pay $30/hour for sewing lessons. Now, we have a really great teacher . . . and I don't know how that could work logistically in a rural setting, but that might be one route. We LOVE our sewing lessons. I tried that but didn't get a single call. I found out the college charges $50 for 6 week courses and includes access to their machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Overnight home healthcare? That might earn you $10-$15/hour before taxes and SS. If you could get 40 hours/week right away you'd earn about $4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 You said rural...does anyone need farm, orchard, planting help? Are you in a relationship? If so, what are your partner's skills? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Can you change the withholding on your paychecks to keep more of your money temporarily? Then change it back? I don't know if that is legally possible but I just thought of it bc many people count on a tax return at the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Put up typing flyers at the local college? Even in this tech age, some people would rather pay to have it done. Babysitting, summer tutoring camp... Without delving too personal, is it something that you can negotiate payments over an extended period of time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Do you have a friend or relative who could loan you the money and let you pay it back over several months? That would be a lot less pressure than trying to earn that amount in 2 months. You could offer them interest that would be lower than what a bank would charge you for a loan but more than they would make on a savings account or CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Could you think, "multiple streams of income?" Could you babysit, tutor, and maybe rent out a room in your home for a short term? At the same time, could you pet sit in your home? Maybe with that, you could ask a friend for a smaller loan. If it's a bill, can you negotiate a payment plan? I negotiated to settle a debt, so I know many companies will delay payments, change interest rates, or give you a hardship plan. Sorry--I know it's stressful as anything. I'm sorry I can't help in some way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Can you mow people's lawns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 IMHO, you getting $7K in 2 months is a very tall order. Try to get them to let you pay that out, over 12 to 24 months…. Is there something you can do, with your background as a Librarian, on Elance.com or on fiverr.com? Sewing or something related to your education? GL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Are you young enough to "donate" eggs? I am not even sure that can be done in two months, but I see billboards promising many thousands of dollars to egg donors. $7K over two months is, at 40 hours/week, over $20 per hour net, and that assumes you can start immediately. As Lanny said, that is indeed a tall order, considering your location and professional background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 That's going to be tough. You're talking about starting today at a professional-level salary, or something very unusual like donating eggs. Everything else is bits-and-pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 I can't see that this is possible. I don't know what the $ is for, but I think you will most likely need to come up with a Plan B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 My friend does day camps during the summer and charges $125 a week per kid (limit 8? 10?) She does themed ones like Harry Potter, Science, etc. and one of those days is a water day or something. And possibility of doing a few of those over the course of the summer? Hers are always full and in much demand. She only does one or two a summer to pay for vacations, etc. but it might work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Housecleaning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 It is a debt/bill type situation First thing I'd do is be on the phone trying to negotiate a payment plan. I would think places just want to know the money will come in and would be willing to do this for you. It certainly can't hurt to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 If you are at all near areas where businesses are located, you could apply at a number of temp agencies. I did that on breaks from college. The amount you could earn was determined by how quickly you could type and by which software programs you knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Kim, I'm sure you know this will be difficult. But with that being said: What about selling drinks/snacks in the parking lots of concerts and sporting events? Or detailing cars? Or flipping cars? Buying them, cleaning them up, doing basic repairs? You'd need the skills for this obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Check your state's unclaimed property division, if they have one. Every once in a while, an insurance or refund or pay check will be turned over to the state to hold on to if it's undeliverable after a certain amount of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakarimom5 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 If it were me, I would find a sewing plant that paid a piece rate. I did that for my last job, $.15 per piece. That doesn't sound like a lot but when you can sew 200-300 pieces an hour, it is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banker281 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I would say put up flyers offering to sew for people. Check with laundramats. We paid $3-4 each to have my husband's work pants hemmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Get a credit card with a 7000 limit that has zero interest for a year. Pay it back 650 a month by teaching sewing lessons. I would only advise this if the situation were very dire, and you were reasonably confident you had a way to pay back 650 a month (in home child care, cleaning homes, sewing classes for homeschoolers, organizing people's homes or garages). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Child care by day, house cleaning by night. I'd stick with it at least a year in order to build up an emergency fund of at least $10,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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