The Quickest (Legal Ways) to Make Fast Cash

In the early days of my freelance writing career (and if I'm being honest, some slow months even now) I've thought of abandoning the writing hustle for a hustle of a different kind -- one that comes with quick tax-free cash. A wise man by the name of Biggie Smalls once opined, "You're either slinging crack rock, or you have a wicked jump-shot" when describing the two possible career paths for black youths in the 'hood. For freelance writers it can seem like you're either slinging crack rock, or you have a well-paying article (Doesn't really roll off the tongue the same way). I sometimes look up from my laptop and imagine the bricks stashed in the vents on my wall next to stacks of unreported cash -- except there's this little thing called prison and this big thing called death that kind of negates any financial top-up that may come my way.

That's when I got to thinking, 'What are the fastest, easiest and legal ways to make money -- you know, to make sure those lean times aren't quite so lean? Better yet, why not take the WalletPop readership along for the ride...

Panhandle
A 2008 opinion piece in The Dallas Morning News complained that major cities were being overrun by professional panhandlers, but why not get in on the action when some professional beggars claim they can make up to $400 a day? There are tons of websites out there dedicated to giving advice on how to make a living at it. Some of the best advice includes: removing all traces of dignity; having a funny or ironic explanation for your begging and putting it on a sign; and collecting the dough where there are lots of people, because lots of people means lots of money. Don't be too aggressive though, and be careful choosing a location, as panhandling in some areas is in violation of city ordinances.

Return Bottles and Cans
That guy with the shopping cart full of cans and bottles may actually be on to something, since you can turn your latest drinking binge or pop obsession into cash money. According to Ontario's Bottle Bill Resource Guide, returning a bottle up to 630 ml or a can up to a litre, means $0.10 in your pocket and a bottle over 630 ml or a can more than a litre doubles that to $0.20. It may not seem like much, but collect a crap load and you could be "in the money" big time. Check your local redemption rates to find out how much a can or bottle is worth where you live.

Become a Human Guinea Pig
That's right folks, you can get paid to be a part of clinical trials. In fact, that's partially how filmmaker Robert Rodriguez funded his film debut El Mariachi. Normally, these are drug trials and they are usually given two designations, either Afflicted Person Studies or Healthy Person Studies. In Healthy Person Studies, you can be paid $20 per visit for outpatient studies and between $500 to $3000 or more for inpatient studies. All studies include exclusionary criteria such as age, pre-existing conditions and certain medications you may already be taking, but if you're relatively healthy you should be fine. Be prepared to have blood work taken and to present your medical history. Studies in your area can be found through wwww.clinicaltrialscanada.com. Not every study necessarily offers an honorarium, so make sure you phone ahead.

Join a Focus Group
Focus groups pay a fee to hear your opinion on a new product or trend for the purposes of advertising, marketing and product research. Fees range from $50 to a few hundred dollars, usually dependent on the time commitment. Basically, all you have to do is sit around a table with a few other people while the marketing firms asks questions designed to spark discussion about the product, trend or phenomenon in question. The discussion is then recorded on tape and observed through one-way glass by the company conducting the research. You can find these opportunities in newspapers, apartment or community bulletin boards and online. You can also get hooked up with market research firms like Consumer Vision because they often recruit through their website and e-mail alerts.

Sell Stuff
Selling your extra property online through sites like EBay or through ads in the paper or around your community is a tried and true method of earning money on the side. The best part about divesting yourself of your property is that you set the price, but be careful not to set the price point too high, as no one will buy it. Also, if you price your stuff too low you won't be able to make enough money selling it. Some people have created full marketplace-style businesses by selling anything and everything online, but don't forget the age-old tactic of holding a garage sale.

Perform on the Street
Maybe you're an artist with a special skill. Maybe you can play a musical instrument, sing, dance, juggle or perform magic, but before you start making it big as a local busker you need to apply to the city for a busking license that costs a nominal fee. For popular spots such as subways or tourist destinations, cities often hold auditions that determine the roster for the year. Contact City Hall in your town for more information. Special events such as festivals may require separate registration and approval.

Become a Moving Advertisement
There are two ways to become a moving advertisement: The first way is also the most extreme, but more people than you think are using their body as permanent or temporary advertising space. Joe Tamargo put an offer on EBay to permanently tattoo advertising on his body for a price, and he couldn't hold back the inquiries. Still, most people aren't willing to go that far, so there's another way to become a moving advertisement. Find a company that will pay you to wrap your car in their logo and drive around. College students can often get jobs driving the company car at events too, but if it's your car doing the legwork, make sure it's bright enough to be seen in the dark. Of course, you also have to make sure the inclusion of bright flashing lights and reflective paraphernalia doesn't make your car unsafe for the road, so check the laws where you live.

Try Day Labour
Day labour is rife with illegal aliens, but you get paid at the end of a hard day's work and all you have to do is show up. There are agencies that specialize in matching willing workers with employers, like Nasco -- a temporary staffing agency in construction and other areas. The other approach is to go where other day laborers hang out, like outside the Argo Cafe in Vancouver and wait for the next opportunity to come driving up. You might be taking a chance, but if you take this approach you'll probably get paid in cash.

Enter Sweepstakes
What's the old adage? You can't win if you don't play, right? Well, for some people entering sweepstakes is hardly just a whim -- it's their career. For secrets to cleaning up as a professional contest winner, check out our exclusive interview with The Contest Queen.

Open a Lemonade Stand
Sometimes you have to reach back to childhood to find your quick cash, so why not try the classic lemonade stand approach? For extra points you can get your little brother or sister to be the face of the business and all you have to do is make the lemonade while they kick back a percentage of the proceeds to you. Of course, even selling lemonade has its pitfalls, just ask these two 12-year-olds from Port Coquitlam, B.C. Their lemonade stand was shut down because they were selling the drink on city-owned land and they forgot to get a business license. (oops!)