It’s not every day you walk down the road and find a five dollar bill on the ground, sure maybe a dime or, if you’re lucky, a dollar but do not restrict your ideas of finding money fast to the spare change you find on the street. There are a few ways one can find money fast to help in a pinch.

Have you thought of going through your home for any spare change that may have subtly fallen out of your pockets or that you casually left lying around? You may be surprised how much can collect while going unnoticed. Of course there are the most common places to start such as under the couch cushions, old piggy banks, on top of your dresser, that place you throw your keys at the end of the day and under the seats of your car. It may be convenient to keep a jar or container to be used as a spare change collector. When you are short on change, go to your nearest Dollar Store and pick up some coin wrappers and go to town rolling up all your spare change. You might be surprised how much you will have.

There are always the odd jobs, selling of unused items and online surveys but what about getting money for something you will already be doing? Driving to work every morning? Why not carpool? Instead of paying for your full tank of gas have some shared bodies in your car to help out after all, there are usually four seats, might as well take advantage and keep some of that hard earned cash in your pocket.  Carpooling is not limited to co-workers, posts some adds on your favorite social media sites to see if anyone is headed in the same direction as you and go from there. Maybe you will not be chatty in the morning but it will be more money in your pocket at the end of the day. Here are some pointers to set you on the right track:

  • Decide on a pick up and drop off point
  • Work out a schedule
  • Set some general rules to avoid any conflict – these can vary from the time allotted to waiting if someone is running late to deciding if the car is a smoking or nonsmoking vehicle
  • Figure out the costs – this is not limited to gas but includes wear and tear as well as  maintenance on the vehicle
  • Set up a payment schedule and keep track of payments – perhaps a daily spreadsheet is a good idea

Another simple way to find money fast is recycling old jewelry that you are never going to wear anyways. Still have that ring from that old fling? It could get you some cash! Cash for Gold is a simple and easy way to get some quick bucks. The amount you will get is affected by the market supply and demand but your items will be tested for purity as most jewelry contains other metals for added strength and color.

There are so many ways to find money fast, the trick is to broaden your horizons and not limit yourself to the everyday ‘I have to work for it’ notion. Unused items can be someone else’s treasures. Get out there, clean out your garages, closets etc. and make some fast cash!