“I would really like to do that, but I don’t have enough money.”
Sound familiar?
There is an engrained sense of self pity in our society when it comes to making money (namely that what we earn is never good enough). Traditional thinking is to believe that our ‘day job’ should pay us enough money to afford the lifestyle that we want. In a changing world, those that think creatively and adapt to a new normal will ultimately succeed. In my experience, when I have felt short of money there are always opportunities to supplement your normal income and it is just a matter of finding the right opportunity.
Photo Credit: Bayasaa via Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayasaa/2693161493/)
Think outside the box
Last summer, I felt that I was struggling to pay for all of my activities and social life. I was facing some job uncertainty and started to sink into the self pity mindset. I convinced myself that I was not making enough money to do the things I enjoyed.
Soon after, CF forwarded an online job ad looking for vendors to work at the local fireworks festival. The vendor sold glow in the dark novelties – swords, wands, necklaces etc. I was given a bag of items, and sent out along the beach where the crowds gather to watch the show. When I returned, I received a 20% cut of all my sales for the night. Over the course of three evenings last year, I earned about $300. Not bad for 6 hours of work!
Keep in touch
It turned out that I was fairly good at selling – I kept in touch with the owner of the business and worked a local festival later that summer. I had just lost my job, but managed to make a further $1000 over 5 days at the which gave me the buffer I needed to spend a month unemployed looking for work.
The fireworks festival is back this year, and I am once again on the beaches hawking my wares. I do not need the money this year as much as I did last year, but it’s great to be able to support CF and give her a bit of extra spending money as she goes through school.
***
While being frugal is a great way to cut down expenses over the long term, quick infusions of cash from random jobs are a great way to make a little extra money. In my opinion, there is no reason to complain for lack of money. Opportunities exist, but it is up to you to find them.
The next time you find yourself feeling short – start thinking outside the box. What opportunities are out there waiting for you?
