Financial Tips

Sometimes it takes a little creativity to make a quick buck for life’s adventures. You may be trying to pay off a bill, snag some concert tickets, pay back a friend or cushion your savings Whatever it is, finding cash out of the air can be pretty difficult. Check out our creative ways of making some cash appear. 

A study released a few years ago found that half of the people surveyed had at least one old cell phone gathering dust. You can sell your old phone on sites such as Swappa and Gazelle, but to get cash today, using an ecoATM kiosk is your best bet. Consider selling old MP3 players and tablets, too.

In 2015, an estimated $973 million in gift cards went unused, according to research and advisory firm CEB TowerGroup. Most online gift card exchanges take a few days because you have to mail the card and then wait for a check or direct deposit, but Cardpool kiosks offer instant cash for cards valued at $20 or more. You’ll get slightly less there; the company pays up to 85% of the card’s value at its kiosks, while it pays up to 92% if you sell through its website.

Searching for this phrase online turns up lots of results. Jobs that can provide a quick income boost, ranging from driving passengers or packages to freelancing from home.

You can also try the Craigslist jobs or gigs sections, which often have postings for short-term work in food service, housekeeping, dog walking, babysitting, moving help and general labor.

Sites like Airbnb aren’t just for people who have vacation homes to rent out when they’re not using them. Many of the site’s listings are for extra rooms in the owner’s house, meaning you could stay put while bringing in some cash, particularly if you live in a reasonably desirable area.

Creating a listing on the site is free, but there is a 3% service fee when a reservation is made. You can easily estimate how much you might make on the Airbnb website. For example, the site estimates that a one-week private room rental in relatively rural Staunton, Virginia, could bring in $725. The company releases payment to the host 24 hours after the guests check in.

Technology is on your side here, too, with sites including Care.com and Rover, matching pet owners with dog sitters and walkers. You can choose to host the dog or stay at the owner’s house. Rates are between $20 and $60 a night in most areas, though they can skew higher or lower depending on the location and the amount of work involved.

These are jobs you can do in the evenings or on weekends, using your own car and gas. Companies such as Uber and Lyft match you with people willing to pay for a ride, and delivery services such as OrderUp and Postmates pay you to deliver takeout and other items. 

Saving up for something special? Solidarity offers separate special accounts with our Special Savings. Use payroll deduction or allocate funds from other accounts for automatic transfer to a Special Savings or transfer from checking. Here at Solidarity, we’re always looking out for you.