With some extra daylight hours on my hands, I have become SUPER thrifty and resourceful. And whether or not you are funemployed, the following are great ways I have found to make you a few extra bucks.
- Sell to Consignment Stores - I am fortunate enough to live close to a Plato's Closet which buys and sells gently used brand name clothing for young women and men. They appraise your clothing and accessories, taking only what they want, and offer you money on the spot. It's typically not much per item, however, if you were planning on giving it away anyway, might as well see what you can get it for it first! If they don't accept it, then consider donating to Value Village or handing it down to a younger family or friend in need.
- Post larger/more worthy items on Kijiji - A consignment store is great for certain items, but when it comes to furniture or tech items - use Kijiji or other apps like Varage Sale. It's super simple! Take a few pics, post the items, and watch them go! I posted all of the jewellery from exes, Coach purses, a few watches (my dainty wrists can't handle), an old bed frame. Not gonna lie I've made over $300 from Kijiji.
- Look into community garage sales - Check your local community's website to see if/when they are hosting a community garage sale. What's great about these is that you already have the foot traffic and it's typically hosted within a community centre so you don't need to worry about the weather. They also typically arrange for pickup trucks to come by to take whatever items don't sell - so you don't need to haul everything back home!
- Call around for better deals on contracts - I am a ten-year loyal Fido customer, but every so often I like to call to see what they can offer me. I pay for my father's not-so-smart flip phone that he strictly uses for phone calls (the man can't text for his life). So when I called most recently, the nice woman at Fido provided him with an additional few features for free and $5 off my next six bills. HAY! I also called my car insurance provider to see why my premium had increased, to which they explained that I was paying for a particular endorsement I didn't even know I had. After doing some thinking and research I decided I didn't need the endorsement so I called back to remove it. And BOOM! Just saved myself $49 per month.
- Flipp before you shop! - Apps like Flipp were designed to help you find the best bang for your buck so be sure to use these resources when you can! Also, if a non-perishable item that is on sale, that you might not need at that moment, but will most definitely need in a month or so - buy it then! (Think items like toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, etc). This way you're not paying full price when you're in desperate need. I love my Shoppers Optimum app for this reason, they personalize my offers so I rack up the savings and the points every time I shop.
- Get your groceries done early - I have recently started a meal plan by which I need to eat a great deal of protein. But, with the rising costs of meat and produce, it's putting a huge dent in my wallet and my goals. My mom told me however, that if you visit the grocery store in the early mornings they will have "Quick Sell" items (like chicken or ground turkey) for up to 50% off. If you're intending to cook them the same day, this is a dream! Also be sure to check the reduced produce for salvageable veggies and fruit you can use to make salads or soups!
- Make Groupon your third wheel - Dating is hard when you're broke. But sites like Groupon or Travelzoo can make date nights (even with friends) fun and interesting. Most recently, my friend and I went ceramic painting and made adorable soup mugs for $20 each. Sure beats booth and bottle service!
- Find free places in your area to explore for fun and inspiration - There are so many articles on sites like BlogTO that list where you can find free and/or cheap places to visit in your city. Whether you are passing the time there solo or with a friend, it could spark an interest in something you've never thought you had!
- Sign up to do online surveys or focus groups - My friends got me into this and it's such quick cash it's hard to pass up on these opportunities. Since you have some time on your hands, you can do a focus group during the day which tend to pay more for your time.
- (Actually) Keep track of your finances - Start off with writing down your necessary payments (car, insurance, cell phone, etc), then write your incidentals. The incidentals will vary per month, naturally, however, when you witness it all written down you can take note of what you can cut down on. Like grande non-fat Americano mistos for example.
- BONUS: Don't be afraid of doing odd jobs - I recently signed up with Upwork - a site designed to connect creative freelancers to contractual jobs. It's amazing how much is out there if you're willing to work! I intend to apply for some jobs just to keep my skills fresh until I find something more permanent. It's great for resume building. Plus! You can do most of them from the comfort of your own home (and pjs).
Remember a penny saved is a penny earned! Unless you're Canadian, in which case pennies don't even exist anymore. So...um, I'll just say GOOD LUCK instead.
