I created this make money page as a way for people to make money both online and locally within the Cedar Rapids Iowa metro area.
Below is a list its a lot easier to spend money than make it in the USA :)
It can be at a large corporation like what my current day job is at a publicly traded Big Tech frim with stock options and lots of other perks and benefits. I mostly worked at small employer's under 100 employees before my current job. I think some peoples long term goal is self employment I have a page all about that. I know for me my day job is 80% of my current income. Active duty income. Here is a page about Career info.
Work at VenuWorks & other part time gigs...
You have to work 2 events a month it pays under $10 an hour but it can get you money and some work plus you get to see events. https://www.creventslive.com/p/jobs/part-time
Getting a 2nd job
It might offer something of value but I am not sure over the long trem its the best thing to do.
I owner occupy a rental duplex. If you own property you would want it so that it makes you money. I have a page all about my duplex experience and the economics behind it. But you could also own a fourplex or tiny home or some other place that either saves you a lot of money or ideally makes you some money. Right now even in Iowa if you got a 2 bedroom rental unit If your in Cedar Rapids that is a least 1k in rent a month now, that area was always a low cost of living area too. You would need some capital and credit to get this started. But you can get 1st time home buyer loans and FHA loans etc.. Semi-Passive income
This would be for some sort of in person on site service business that would be a one person operation that could be done like cutting grass or cleaning homes. It would be an active income unlike rental or investment income.
I have been doing web design, tech support and all kinds of other things to make some money since high school. I have a page all about self employment and not working for the man ;)
Multimedia content producer aka YouTube channel and drop shipping Print on Demand T shirts etc. I have worked on a number of these sites and so far I have not hit gold or made much money hopefully at some point I will have a site that can be worth it and make some money. I would like to net 1K a month in online income in the next 36 months
I have been doing this for years but it has not been very profitable so far but I am in it for the long game :)
You could also put apps like DoorDash or Uber and other things like that you are beholden to a corporate app with no recourse or rights etc but you can get paid now and set your own hours etc... I had a buddy that did DoorDash for years he had a 20 year old paid off car and would drive all over delivering food he liked the freedom and flexibility I felt like it was a lot of waiting around and driving
I am going to cover passive ways to save money save on fees and get more cash back to you :)
You can invest with two various types of dividends. One would be The monthly dividend company NYSE:O REIT those are taxed ordinary income but I've had that company and invested in it since I was in high school and just keeps growing. Then I have AT&T NYSE:T and other index investment funds as my other one for dividends.
I have a page all about Local bank HYSA... High-Yield Online Savings Accounts Cash back credit cards and money other things to do with saving money from a finance banking side of things https://www.cjflynn.com/e/bank
Basically those cans bottles get you $0.05 each, but you're also helping clean up the environment so that does count for something and if it's easy in along the way, might as well do it.
Can Shed
Website https://www.canshed.com/ they have locations all over Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa.
Marion Iron Co
They will buy scrap metal it really depends what you have and what the market rate for it is. 319-377-1527 https://www.marioniron.com/
Finding things for free and or selling off stuff. You no longer need to stuff etc. And maybe eBay if it's worth it. But I took 4 folding, chairs and sold them for $6.50, a piece at stuff etc. I have plenty of other things that I can just dump there and get 40% without having to do shipping or any other work besides dropping it off. I live near lots of low income housing with people getting evicted and stuff getting kicked to the curb I tend to take a few things that tend to be good for flipping and look nice nothing too big to move etc.
I just do this passively when I see something that is a good deal and I think I can flip it I wil get it most things that I get are free or very very low in cost.
*** Stuff will no longer take individual chairs which is lame they use to take them but i found that out as of 5-7-2024 they no longer take them ***
info on how to do it.
https://www.curbalertblog.com/
https://cedarrapids.craigslist.org/search/zip#search=1~gallery~0~0
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/cedar-rapids/free/
In Iowa you can go to this website they also have a booth at the Iowa State Fair https://www.greatiowatreasurehunt.gov/
These are really kind of hit or miss. I've done some online. I've done the Vernon research group. It's interesting and it pays somewhat well for a few hours of work. Anywhere from $50 to well over $100, but it's somewhat hard to get on these groups and they're pretty selective on who they'll take.
Mock Trails
I have worked with both of these groups they do Jury consulting and I have been in one before and I enjoyed it
This is the local options I did these for a number of years its been really hit or miss but since COVID I have mostly done zoom ones from other companies
https://www.iowaopinionpanel.com/
https://www.vernonresearch.com/
Here are some more options that I have tried but have not made any money from yet
One of the few reason I use Facebook is that I have found some good groups and sign ups that have made some easy money mostly under $20 each time for not much work like under 15 minutes mostly pay out in amazon gift cards which is fine with me.
https://member.insight.rakuten.us/
https://userresearch.google.com/
https://adlerweiner.com/participate-in-market-research
https://app.respondent.io/r/cjflynn-aa7fa13f814a
https://www.sidehustlenation.com/consumer-research-companies-online-focus-groups/
My mother did this for a number of years when I was growing up. I did this for the 1st time in the General Election on Nov 5th 2024. I will do it again too. You get paid a flat rate for your day. My day was 16 hours it started at 530 AM polls opened at 7 AM. The day ended at 9:30 PM. Here is some more info about this... I made over $300.
Precinct election officials are (PEO) paid $225 for election day this amount may depend on the location you are based out of.
https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/402/Precinct-Election-Official-Online-Applic
https://www.powerthepolls.org/LWV
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
https://www.brennancenter.org/series/poll-worker-rules-and-constraints
Jury Duty
you get a meal you get your base pay if you are working most places and you just give up your jury duty pay. I've done a county criminal case and that's where you get the meal. The civil ones you do not. I think it's something like $30 a day. Is the base pay for jury duty?
https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/jury-service
Sports Betting has gotten really popular in Iowa
you can use apps and make hedges with the bets so you should be able to make some money if you play your cards right :)
Another odd app that I found is https://www.healthywage.com/ you can bet if you will lose weight
I have done Mystery Shopper work myself in the past and it was OK I used https://www.second-to-none.com/iowa-mystery-shopper-jobs/ I think they a have some sort of partnership with Hy-Vee I got a free meal out of it and somewhere around $20.
https://www.marketforce.com/become-a-shopper
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/mystery-shopping-scams
so blood donations before COVID you got some points and not much else. Now they are giving out gift cards which is cool its not as good as cash but its still something and I thought I would add this to my list. https://www.bloodcenter.org/donate/donor-loyalty/donor-promotions/
I did the math and you can donate up to 6 times a year and at $20-40 each time that happens that can be $120 to $240 a year not a ton of money but it adds up and saves more life that the other way below from how I understand it plus its less painful and less often. I get them as amazon gift cards.
I have never done this but have known many people who have and I found it an interesting way to make $50 or so each time.
https://www.biolifeplasma.com/
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/02/28/blood-money-inside-the-global-business-of-selling-plasma
Blood Money: The Financial Implications of Plasma
Sales for Individuals and Non-Bank Lenders this is an interesting 80 page report
https://www.fdic.gov/analysis/cfr/consumer/2022/papers/gallagher-paper.pdf
The book Blood Money: The Story of Life, Death, and Profit Inside America's Blood Industry link
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/side-gigs/ways-make-money-without-9-to-5/
Books
Making a Living Without a Job, revised edition: Winning Ways for Creating Work That You Love Book By Barbara Winter
https://theinnerentrepreneur.com/7/barbara-winter-on-living-a-jobless-life/
How to Survive Without a Salary : Learning How to Live the Conserver Lifestyle Book By Charles Long
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Easy-Money
https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/cash-back/
https://www.cardonomics.com/i/asksebby-business
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/side-gigs/ways-make-money-without-9-to-5/
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/6-ways-to-make-money-without-much-effort.html
https://khak.com/easy-ways-to-make-extra-money/
https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/how-to-make-money-without-a-job/