Need advice on how to make $800 within 2 months

[DonnainME]

Hi. I need advice on how to make $800 within the next 2 months. My ex dh's wife is being a *%#($* and not pre-purchasing the tickets for 2 of the kids to fly here for Christmas like they usually do. I wasn't expecting this, so didn't get to plan for it. I know I should have, but they have paid for all other trips and then not sent child support (for the child that lives with me) until the total amount was paid back. DH is trying to get a job, but unsuccessfully and he doesn't qualify for Unemployment and has been denied Disability (depression and anger issues). The only income coming in is from my business - that's not much as it is.

The ideas I have come up with are:
Garage Sale
Pick up bottles/cans - they are normally worth 5 cent each but we found a place that will give 6 cents for them.
DH can wash trucks for a friend - not sure how much pay.
Push my business harder.
Cut out television - that will mean NO LOCAL channels too - we are too far away from rabbit ears. We have the lowest package as it is and it includes locals.
Reduce expenses - no spending $ un-necessarily.

Do any of you have more ideas?

Last time I tried to sell books on e-bay, non sold and I ended up with the e-bay bill on that. I will try again, but not sure it will be any better.

I guess I will also have to get a part-time job. I was trying to avoid doing that again because I wasn't able to spend time with DD that lives here full time. She is 12 (almost 13) and I feel she needs more mom time - I don't want her "going bad"

Any advice is appreciated.

[Greebo]

Mow lawns.
Part time job
Advertise for errand running on Craigslist

[nodmicks]

I know you said dh is looking but could he get a pt job while looking or would that mess up unemployment or something?
Got any old jewelry, furniture, dishes etc setting around your not attached too?
Cut back on phone and internet options to basics?

[Russ]

Mow lawns.

I actually had what seems like a good idea for this. Given all the homes that are foreclosed on, around here anyway, I thought of going to the banks or real estate company and offering my services.

A "prep for sale service" or "shine and show" business.

Go in and get the abandoned home ready for sale or a showing by going in and cleaning up the grounds or repairing the minor things wrong that would be a sale stopper.

[DonnainME]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

DH can't get unemployment - he can't even find a part-time job. he's been trying. It doesn't help that he doesn't have a Drivers License. I'm just so frustrated right now.

we would mow lawns, but just tried to start up the mower and it won't start - now our lawn is growing like wildfire.

We do have a garden and I am thinking of selling some of the stuff from it when it comes in.

Phone and internet are at basics. We've cut almost everything back as far as possible due to my income being so LOW.

In our area, there aren't many homes being foreclosed on - there are TONS of places for sale but people are actively living in them while they are trying to sell.

More advice is appreciated. Thanks for what has already been mentioned.

[COUNTRYBUMPKIN]

Have you thought about selling your books on www.amazon.com? I have made some extra income doing that. Also, you could sell plasma and get paid for that, plus it is for a wonderful cause. I have also made great money on craigslist selling antique jewlery and antique furniture. Pet sitting is alway's in demand too. Good Luck!

[Ivonna]

I understand about the books because I have a whole pile I've been trying to get rid of and they just aren't selling. I think I'm going to take most of them to half-price books and see what they will give me. I know it will be low, but some money is better than nothing and I'm just sick of looking at them.

What about a newspaper route? I'm always seeing them advertise needing people in my local paper.

Do you sew? People are always needing pants shortened.

Do you have extra clothes around that you could put on consignment? You usually get better money this way than a garage sale.

Ivonna

[nodmicks]

Is there a plasma center near you? Years back we did that 2 x a week for $50 each weekly. I heard a radio add that it is now 60 a week for 2 donations. I know this one is a long shot but ya never know!

[cheles2kids]

What about after school care in your home?
Even if it's only for 2 or 3 hours a day for a couple of kids? They could ride the bus to your house and then the kids could get picked up by their parents?

Do you clip coupons? Do you have access to lots of papers, if so I know that some people clip 10 or 20 coupons of an item and list them on ebay for sale.

What about a part-time job cooking in a fast food place?
I know Hardee's biscuit makers have to be there by 4:00 and are usually off by 8:00 am.?

I'm sure you've already looked over your budget, but is there any money that could be squeezed out of your grocery budget right now?
Do you have a stockpile that you could live off of for awhile in order to stash some money from your regular grocery budget?

If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to let you know.
I'm so sorry your having this sprung on you like this.

[Wendy99]

great ideas here, i hope it work out for you that you are able to buy those tickets!!

[hugxlaughxsmilexlove]

I would definitely try Craigslist over eBay first - because it's FREE!! =)

[Mom23boys]

Is there a plasma center near you? Years back we did that 2 x a week for $50 each weekly. I heard a radio add that it is now 60 a week for 2 donations. I know this one is a long shot but ya never know!

In our area you can can make $220 a month for donating plasma!! I have seriously thought about donating it myself just to get the extra money for savings.

[IntlMom]

the plasma thing may sound weird to you....but I had boyfriend in college that did this......you really do get paid for it!
plus it's a nicde humanitarian thing to do too

[DonnainME]

countrybumpkin - thanks I forgot all about placing books on amazon.com - I used to do that a long time ago. I will do that with these books first. I also just remember mturk.com - it's an amazon site that can "pay you" I did cash in with them once for $20 towards an amazon gc.

Ivonna - newspaper route - they are all taken around here, I have looked at that already. I don't sew - I really need to learn. Well, I can barely sew. Consignment. Hmmm, I got my wedding dress from a consignment store - maybe I can get that back there. Thanks for that idea.

nodmicks - plasma center - I don't know. I only moved here like 2 years ago and am 20 miles from the nearest town with a WalMart.

cheles2kids - I am looking at a pt job at a fast food place. The only problem is the closest are 20 miles away. My car does get 30mpg so that's good. As far as saving from food budget - most of our food comes from food stamps. I treat it like cash by using coupons and stretching it as far as I can. we do have some stockpile and we do have a garden. I just asked the hardware store owner today if when our garden comes in could we put up a table in front of her store to sell excess - she said YES.

I got a check in the mail today from my business that is a $50 reward for meeting some sales goals. It is going directly into the savings account for this.

thanks to everyone - More advice appreciated.

I also am going to re-double my efforts on rewards sites and survey sites.

[AmyBoz]

Got any organs you can sell???

I kid, I kid...

In addition to amazon, you can try secondspin.com I have sold hundreds of dollars worth of dvd's and cd's there.