In the Envelope Game, you learned how to build your emergency fund by selling things and doing odd jobs. Wasn’t that a great feeling? Don’t stop, though, just because you’ve completed the Envelope Game and started your Emergency Fund! Let’s keep that ball rolling.
Do odd jobs:
- Good at Honey-do’s? Become the local handyman/woman with simple marketing. Drive around the neighborhood and offer to paint shutters, stain the fence and clean the gutters. Do a great job and the referrals will keep coming.
- Love animals? Start a dog walking or pet sitting service.
- Good with kids? What parent wouldn’t want a more experienced sitter than their 14-year-old neighbor?
- Enjoy your job? Moonlight as a freelancer and turn those valuable skills into extra cash.
- Wish you had a different job? Now’s your chance to find out what it would be like. Offer a good rate to do something you enjoy, and your enthusiasm will speak for itself. Who knows? It might be the start of a new career!
What things to sell:
- Sell a craft. Make jewelry, knit scarves or build rocking chairs? Whatever your craft, see if someone might want the results enough to buy them.
- Having the latest and greatest techno gadget is fun, but if you bought a new camera, it’s time to sell the old one.
- Your aunt bought you a sewing machine that has only one accomplishment: collecting cob-webs. Auction it off to some lucky seamstress.
- Have the rims, but can’t afford the tires? Get your money back out of that garage ornament.
- Time to end the shoe fetish or purse addiction. Sell ‘em off.
- Abandoned hobby? Sell the golf clubs or tennis rackets that are just taking up space in your garage.
- Old bicycles, gym equipment, tools…..you name it. It’s probably sitting there waiting to be turned into cold, hard cash.
How to sell things:
- Hold a garage sale. Gather up items that you don’t need or use, put up signs and have a sale. For the best results, pick a clear day, mark prices fairly and clearly, and remember to have plenty of change.
- Use eBay and Craigslist. The simplest way to learn is to just get started. Visit the site, sign up for an account, and try your hand at a simple sell. Describe your item accurately, and remember to be careful about meeting people and have clear payment terms. As you gain experience, you’ll figure out what works for you. For additional help, search online or visit your local library.
- Talk to people you know. If you’re selling something specific, ask around to find out who might be interested. Consider posting a message on Facebook or MySpace.
Each time you successfully increase your emergency fund by selling something or doing an odd job, record what you did and how much you made in your Adventure Journal. You’ll earn valuable Frugality Tokens and gain satisfaction and financial freedom from your efforts. Then don’t forget to head back to Match for Money for another quest.
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