1 – Be an Independent Contractor. Here I’m talking specifically about being an errand runner.  You can do small jobs for the elderly, new moms, and busy people.  Jobs might be getting groceries, going to the post office, or delivering items around town.

2 – A new concept to me is having your car wrapped.  The company puts a high quality removable advertisement over your entire car.  One company that does this is Car Wraps.  There are quite a few other sites that offer this, so do your research before applying.  It may take days or months to get picked.  Some clients are picky about the size and type of car  that will bear their ad while others require you to drive a certain number of miles.  If you have a unique automobile, drive a lot, and live in a big city, you have a better chance of getting picked.  The ad may need to be on your car from a couple months to a couple years and you can get paid up to $900 per month!  Like mystery shopping, do not pay a site to give you a list of companies.

Of the five companies, I only found Better Business Bureau reports for two of them.

• Ad Smart – for those on the NE coast
• Ad Wraps – see their BBB report card here.
  
• Ad Wraps UK
• Car Wraps
• Driven Media - see their BBB report card here.
  

There are three directories that apparently list smaller, regional car wrap companies.  I’m leery of paying for directory listings since I’ve been scammed before, so I have not paid to check them out.

3 – A way to make money driving is to be a test driver for car dealerships.  I first read about this on Centsible.net.  You can make $25-$50, usually in the form of gift cards, per drive.  I signed up for a couple companies newsletters and haven’t heard anything in over one year, but I do live in a smaller town.  According to Centsible:

You will need to get on the mailing lists of these car manufacturers, and read what they send you! Be sure to enter all competitions put on by these automobile manufacturers, and keep up to date on our forums. We have two boards on test driving: one where you can sign up online for test drives, the other where you can get a heads up on offers that are arriving in the mail.

Bonus -  This last idea is not a money making idea but a money saving idea.  I still  have not fixed my car.  D’s parents mentioned recently that if we’re not driving it, to shut the insurance off until we decide to start using it again.  This would save us approximately $40 per month.  I wish I would have known about this before as we could have saved almost $200 by now.  Since mystery shopping has slowed down with the economy, I only use D’s car for the big jobs once or twice per month, so being a one car household is currently working for us.  I left a message for my insurance agent, so I’ll let you know what they say when I hear back.

I hope I’ve opened your eyes a little and given you some ideas on how to put some extra cash in your pockets.  If you have other ideas not listed here or opinions, I’d love to hear from you!

Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos.

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2. Creative Ways to Make Money Part 1: Selling
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When I went to retrieve the mail today, I could hardly get it all out of the mailbox.  A small sample that I had requested had finally showed up, but that wasn’t the problem.  Five magazines and catalogs were jammed in there.  That’s enough.  I’m tired of getting coupons and offers that are enticing me to spend money on things I don’t need!  The ones that immediately come to mind are AmericanTV, Guitar Center, Home Decorator’s Collection, Country Curtains, and JCPenney.

I went to Catalog Choice and let these companies know that I don’t want their mailings.  They do the hard work for you and the service is free.  Currently there are 1,138 merchants that participate in the program.  If a company does not participate, Catalog Choice tells you know how to contact the company directly.

If you’re worried about missing out on your favorite products and deals, there’s also an option to search through a few iCatalogs – catalogs available on the Catalog Choice website.

So then what do you do about unwanted credit card offers?  These guys usually send you a postage-paid envelope.  I’ve read about someone who sends back the envelope with nothing in it or a note to stop sending mail.  Some companies will stop after you send back the first envelope, while others will take a few empty envelopes to get the point across.

So go check out the site.  Send back some envelopes.  Get rid of some mail so you don’t have to keep throwing it away and wasting your time reading it.

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1. 3 Ways to Make Money Driving
2. 12 Ways to Get Money When You Need It
3. What am I going to do with that junk? Reduce Reuse Recycle!

I used two different prints to make the rags.  I bought one yard of each type.  The baby flannel goes on sale at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics sometimes, so I purchased two yards at about $2.50 per yard.  Two yards will easily make six burp cloths.

So… I spent $5 on materials and got 6 burp cloths for a total of $0.83 per cloth.  I used thread that I already had on hand.

To do a comparison:

• Sew them yourself – set of 6 – $5.00
• Amazon.com – set of 3 – $5.00
• Gerber at Toys ‘R’ Us – set of 4 – $8.00
• Organic at Target – set of 2 – $10.00
• Neiman Marcus – set of 2 – $26.00

Tools:

• Sewing machine and thread
• Scissors
• Drinking glass (to round the corners)
• 2 yards coordinating fabric (washed, dried, and ironed)
• Note: A long, sturdy straight edge, cutting mat, and rotary cutter definitely help!

Instructions:

1. Make a template – tape two pieces of printer paper together to make an 11″x17″ sheet.
2. Lay the fabric on your work surface with designed/right sides together.
3. Use the template to cut out 6 sets of fabric.
4. Place a drinking glass on each of the corners, mark, and cut to create curved corners.
5. Pin and sew, leaving about a 4″ opening for turning out.
6. Clip the corners.  Turn out.  Fold the opening neatly and press (this helps me with the next step).
7. Sew a scant seam allowance around the entire edge, closing the 4″ opening.
8. Trim ends and press again if desired.
9. Done!

Variations!!!

I ran into a couple different variations online.  I am not a mom yet – I have one niece who lives two hours away – and I’m learning that spit up just rolls right off the flannel instead of getting absorbed into it.

• You could alter the pattern to include a burpcatcher on one side.
• Instead of using flannel, you could decorate and use cloth diapers.

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There’s only one month between the two largest holidays of the year. Cram into that time winter weather and car repairs, the bad economy, and for my family, two anniversaries and two birthdays, with three more birthdays the month after Christmas, and you have a catastrophic monetary disaster!  However, there are ways to lessen the impact of all the special days.

Every birthday guy or gal in my family is showered with gifts, cards, a special dinner, and a professional cake – that’s the way it’s been since I was little. Now that I’m married and have to deal with purchasing these things myself, I’ve come up with some ways to cut costs.

Money-saving Birthday tips

• Purchase gifts ahead of time when they’re on sale. Think Black Friday and after Christmas sales.
• Use coupons. The main store I can think of is Bed Bath and Beyond. If you sign up with them, you get $10 off $30 coupons and also 20% off coupons in the mail every month. BBB also takes competitor coupons.
• Use online auction sites. You can guarantee that you’ll find something unique for a little bit of nothing there.
• Purchase food. For example, my grandparents will never buy shrimp on their own, so I get my grandpa a bag of frozen shrimp when it’s on sale = 2 pounds of shrimp for only $8. I save money, and my grandpa feels spoiled! You could also do cans of nuts, specialty cookies, a cheap bottle of champagne ($10), or a gift card to a restaurant ($10+).
• Make your own cake. Watch the ads and you can get a Betty Crocker mix for less than 99 cents. If you have the basic kitchen staples and a little time, you can make the cake and frosting from scratch.
• Hire a talented friend to make the cake. ¼ sheet at the local grocery store is $16.99 plus tax. Through a friend and ex-baker, an even better tasting cake of the same size cost $12 even.
• If you’re wanting to dine out, check out the list below. Casinos, Country Buffet, Country Kitchen, Fire Mountain, Home Town Buffet, Old Country Buffet, and Ryan’s Buffet all offer a complete free meal on your birthday! At Arby’s, Blimpie, and Red Robin, you get a free sandwich!

I have either found the information below online or personally called the restaurant. Please check with your local restaurant for any local deals before going. Also, many of the restaurants require you to join their online club in order for you to get birthday coupons. Please sign up a few weeks in advance as it takes time to process your new registration.

When you click on the name of the restaurant, you will be taken to their e-club signup page. Those listings with (*) indicate that I called the restaurant and asked about their birthday deals.

• Applebee’s – free birthday dessert shooter* (called three locations)
• Arby’s – free sandwich with purchase of drink and fries, kids get a free kid’s meal on their birthday – details coming soon on their site
• Baskin-Robbins – free 2.5 ounce scoop of ice cream
• Bennigan’s – free dessert (Brownie Bottom Pie)*
• Biaggi’s – free dessert with purchase of an entrée
• Blimpie – free 6” sub (sign up at the restaurant)*
• Boston Market – birthday offer
• Buffalo Wild Wings – free dessert w/ $5 purchase (rumor, Cedar Rapids, IA location does not honor that)
• Carlos O’Kelley’s – free dessert
• Caribou Coffee – free drink
• Ced-Rel Supper Club – free dessert*
• Chili’s – free dessert
• Chuck E. Cheese – birthday surprise and coupons
• Cold Stone Creamery – free “Creation”
• Country Buffet – free buffet
• Country Kitchen – free adult meal, free kid’s meal not to exceed $8, just show ID
• Cracker Barrel – free birthday or anniversary dessert*, just show ID
• Dairy Queen – free ice cream cone
• Dave and Buster’s – $10 in free game play*, sign up 2-3 weeks in advance
• Fazoli’s – birthday surprise and coupons
• Fire Mountain – free buffet
• Fuddrucker’s – birthday and anniversary specials
• Happy Joe’s – free ice cream sundae*
• Hard Rock Café– an embarrassing moment*
• HomeTown Buffet – free buffet
• Hooter’s – birthday song*
• IHOP – free sundae and song*
• Joe’s Crab Shack – free appetizer (rumor, West Des Moines, IA location does not honor)*
• Krispy Kreme– spoke with corporate office: birthday bargains are at the discretion of the individual store*
• Old Chicago – free dessert or free shot*
• Old Country Buffet– free buffet
• On the Border Mexican Grill – free appetizer or dessert*
• Orange Julius – B1G1F drink
• Outback Steakhouse – free sundae*
• Papa John’s – free breadsticks and free pizza coupons
• Papa Murphy’s – coupons
• Perkin’s – free stack of pancakes (rumor), also anniversary offer and Perkin’s kids Club, slice of pie*, kids get a free meal
• PF Chang’s– free mini dessert*
• Quizno’s Subs – free Sammie on with new signup, free cookie on birthday
• Red Lobster – $5 off two adult dinner entrees
• Red Robin – free gift for signing up, free burger on birthday
• Ruby Tuesday – free sundae*
• Ryan’s Steakhouse/Buffet– free buffet
• Sonic Drive-In– birthday surprise, free “wacky pack” for Kid’s
  
• Taco Bell – free combo meal
• TGI Friday’s – free sundae*
• Texas Roadhouse – free brownie*
• Wendy’s – free kid’s meal to all kid’s club members (rumor)

Other Businesses to Check Out!

• CASINOS!– The casinos in Iowa let you eat for free and give you game money*, Click your state on the right-hand side to find the nearest casino to you.
• Disneyworld and Disneyland – free admission on your birthday for both children and adults!
• Sephora – free gift: such as body wash, bubble bath, or body butter. You have to be part of their Beauty Insider Club. If you want the gift sent to you, you have to make a purchase online. Otherwise, you can stop into your nearest Sephora and pick it up without an additional purchase. The birthday gift is not available at the Sephora’s within JCPenneys.
• Strip clubs – free lap dance
• Tanning salons – free tan
• Toys ‘R’ Us – party planning booklet, a phone call from Geoffrey, birthday card, $5 gift card, and $3 off coupon. When you visit the store, your child also gets a crown, birthday balloon, and an intercom birthday announcement! People seem to have better luck receiving the gifts by signing up in the store and not online.
• Victoria’s Secret – free Birthday Angel $10 gift card. You have to have their Angel Credit Card and keep it active.*
• Video rental places – free movie rental

Local, family-run restaurants may also do special things too, from free slices of pie or ice cream, to a special Happy Birthday chorus and free balloons.

Remember:

• Many chain restaurants and businesses require you to join their birthday club to get a discount.
• The discount may only be valid on your birthday or may be valid up to a couple weeks afterwards.
• Call the business beforehand to find out what birthday specials they have before you show up.

The photo used in this post is courtesy of FreeFoto.

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You can see the original instructions and forum on Martha’s website.  Unlike those instructions, I have included photos of the process!  You can also click on the photos to see a blown-up version.

You’ll need to gather the following materials:

• Sew-on Velcro – I used about 1″x1″ on each side of the towel
• Towel – I used 16″x26″ hand towel, but you can probably apply this technique to other sized towels
• Preshrunk, washable ribbon – Martha suggested 2.5″ grosgrain, but I couldn’t find any that wide, so I used 1.5″, approximately 36″ long for the hand towel size
• 2 circular handbag handles – Hobby Lobby has these on sale every once in a while
• Binder clips
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Pins
• Sewing machine and thread

Instructions:

1. Prewash ribbon and towel.
2. Gather materials.
   

   Materials gathered

3. Attach the Velcro to the towel. If you are using 2.5″ wide ribbon, use 2″x2″ Velcro squares; if you’re using 1.5″ wide ribbon, use 1″x1″ Velcro squares.  Machine-sew a square of female Velcro to the center of each end of the towel.  This will be the inside of the bag, so make sure that the tag is on the inside, too!
   

   Velcro attached. This will be the inside of the bag.

4. Attach the Velcro to the ribbon. Cut the ribbon – if you’re using a hand towel, cut a 36″ length.  Sew a square of male Velcro to each end of ribbon.  I didn’t understand the whole folding the ribbon instruction’s on Martha’s site, so I made up my one.  Fold over one end of ribbon 1/4″ twice, so that the raw edge is concealed.  I then shoved the Velcro down in the fold.  It helps to hold it together with the binder clips.  Sew.  Repeat on other side.
   

   Velcro and ribbon held in place by clip

   

   End of ribbon folded over twice.

   

   Velcro inserted into folded over ribbon

5. Attach the ribbon to the towel. Pin the ribbon down the center of the towel.  Make sure the Velcro is on the underside/facing down.  There should be an even amount of ribbon hanging off each end of the towel, about 4 inches.  The ribbon will be wrapped around the handles, attaching them to the bag.  Sew the ribbon onto the towel.
   

   Centering the ribbon and prepping to sew

6. Turning the towl into a bag. Fold the towel in half so the two top ends meet and the ribbon is on the inside – the bag will be inside out.  Sew up the two sides, leaving a 1/2-inch allowance.  Wrap the ribbon hanging off each side around each handle attachment, and attach the Velcro to the bag.
   

   Towel folded over and inside out, ready to sew

Finally, turn the bag right side out.  Wrap the ribbon hanging off each side around each handle attachment, and attach the Velcro to the bag.

Bag turned right side out with one handle attached

Now you have an all-purpose bag made quickly and easily.  When it’s dirty, just take off the handles and wash it.  If you have any questions, I’ll try to answer them!  See you soon!

The finished bag!

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2. A Beginner’s Guide to Making a Kentucky Derby Hat
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