This mantra swept Bill Clinton and Al Gore to an upset victory over a president whose popularity tanked not only because of the bad economy but also because he was viewed as being out of touch with everyday Americans. Oh yeah, and did I mention he also decided it would be a good idea not to visit hurricane victims in Florida until like a week after the storm?
As I've mentioned before, this generation has seen the worst downturn and seemingly perpetual gloomy economic outlook and environment since the Great Depression. The media and other pundits have labeled our current climate as "The Great Recession," which I think is neither cute nor great.
Every day I think to myself, when the hell are we going to get back to the good old days of the 90s and aughts (I bet you didn't know that's what the decade from 2000-2009 was called, did you?) when the dotcom boom made millionaires overnight?
But, as crummy as the economic atmosphere is and as tired as we are all of it, there are ways around it. I tire of the people I hear about who say they can't get jobs (and ergo make any money) and therefore are relying on unemployment benefits that will likely run out soon. Jobs are not the only way to make money. I'm not saying these people have easy access to jobs, because in most cases it's very difficult to get a job right now. But we need to get back to what made America: creativity, ingenuity, and self-startedness.
What happened to traditional American characteristics? We grew up learning about the American Dream: the ability to do anything and do well for yourself regardless of where you started socioeconomically. So you can't find a job. There are millions like you. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be thinking of other ways outside the strictures of the work-get paid-pay bills cycle. So here is a list of a few ways to earn some extra cash in this rotten economy.
Don't throw it away if you can make money off it!
When I lived in Worcester, every now and again I would clean out my apartment. Any old furniture, books, or dvds I didn't think I would want any more, I would just leave at the end of the hall for others to take, which they almost always did. I was more concerned with getting rid of unwanted things rather than thinking about how to cash in on them.
I'd even throw away my old cell phone once I got a new one. In hindsight, especially since I was a student at the time, I could have tried to sell them on Amazon or Ebay and made some extra scratch.
I learned my lesson and began selling things I didn't want any more. Even yesterday, someone bought my Droid (who needs a Droid when you have a new iPhone 4S?) on Amazon and I netted $74.99. No, it's not going to make me rich but it's money I didn't have before. Hmm, $0 if I get rid of it and $74.99 if I sell it. Tough choice.
There are plenty of things that you probably have around your apartment or house that you might be able to sell. You may not get a ton of money for it, but if you sell a few dvds and let's say an old phone, you probably have enough money to pay your electric bill for the month.
This also goes along with my idea of getting rid of that which you don't need. If you haven't used it and don't plan on using it, sell it and make some cheese.
Selling, Part 2: Don't use Craigslist
I learned this the hard way. Initially (a few years ago) people on Craigslist were true to their word. If you had something they wanted to buy and they set up an appointment with you, they came by. But nowadays they are so inconsiderate of people's schedules that it is simply a waste of time. Plus they try to lowball you on what is probably a reasonable price you set. They're not the nicest people in the world, either.
Selling, Part 3: Consign it!
Consign-It Furniture is a store in Kennett Square, PA that I have used to unload a lot of stuff. I have made probably close to $1000 with all of the things I have consigned there. It is true that when you consign something, you are only getting a portion of the profit if it sells (60% in this case), but stores like these have experts there who know what sells and what doesn't (and they'll let you know, believe me). Most importantly, they know how to price the items.
It's also a great place to find some terrific bargains, as the price of each item decreases 10% each month until the end of your contract, which is for three months. Do you really have the time or want to spend it trying to sell furniture on CraigsList to people who are just trying to get you to lower your price and throw in something extra? Are you really going to put an ad in the paper for that old desk you inherited from your grandmother and think it's time to part with? Doubtful. Consign it. You get rid of stuff and you make money.
Be Creative!
In the United States, where is the most money made, if you can do it right? In my opinion (I have nothing to back this opinion up, but I bet these are some of the top cash cows) it's all about movies and tv, books, or music. If you have an idea, write about it. In fact just this morning on the Jason Ellis Show (Sirius Starz
Not everyone is an artist but here's food for thought: do you have an interesting story to tell? Has anything unique, death defying, ironic, hilarious, etc. ever happened to you? Write about it! The US has a ton of contests looking for short fiction. If you go on Wikipedia, you can see the long list of feature films that were made from short stories and other forms of short fiction including "Apocalypse Now," "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Blade Runner," and "Total Recall," just to name a few.
I'm writing a short novel about a week of events that took place in New York City when I was there one week 5 summers ago. It's a unique story, it only happened to me, and I've told the story only twice to a few people I am very close to. Each time, I held the attention of everyone in the room. They had so many questions and were just utterly shocked at all that had happened.
That being said, I thought why not write about it? I've seen enough movies and tv shows, and I've read enough books to know (at least I think) what makes a good story so I'm giving it a go. Again, if you are reading this and want the URL, let me know.
If you can't get a job, make one up
Back to the idea of the American dream: you can pilot your own life. I know that sounds more like an infomercial than anything else, but it is true. Create something for yourself to do. If you like antiques, spend time doing research and yard sale hopping on the weekend. How do you know when you'll buy something worth a lot of money from someone who's selling it on the cheap?
Invent a business for yourself involving something you love. You could do odd jobs on the side--selling things on ebay or Amazon, jobs around the house, and oh yeah. It doesn't matter. As long as you're doing something you enjoy and are able to turn a profit, however small, it's worth it.
Now get out there and be Americans...live the dream. It's not dead yet.
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