How to make a million dollars, do you have a million dollars??

United States
June 26, 2008 5:28am CST
In times such as these when there isn't much else to do but pay for gas and set home doing without, how can you make extra money to pay for your daily needs.. both my husband and I used to work full time jobs and thought that we had a plan for our "retirement" but didn't figure in the cost of living rising so very high.. Now it is a job just to make ends meet on a daily basis.. I always worked in retail and my husband in home improvement, now neither of us can hold down a regular job, health reasons.. I did try ebay, (got scr*wed on there), and now we are trying to sell at flea markets, which we have done on a regular basis for many years, even when working every day.. But due to the high cost of living no one can afford to buy anything, even at flea markets.. So my question is, what is a person to do to make enough money to make ends meet.. It doens't have to be a million, although that would not be turned down.. How do you make up for the extra high cost of living and how can you make extra money?? Suggestions, please
4 people like this
10 responses
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
26 Jun 08
Gee Donna..I thought you had this one figured out already..we have parties and invite clowns and just forget all about everything that needs money!!..LOL Honestly..we all need to go back to communal living and share..times are heading that way..so come on over i have room!
3 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 08
Rose, you are so very nice.. I may just have to take you up on it.. Can I bring this guy instead of the clowns, he has been with me for 43 years and I can't let him stay home by himself, he might starve.. He won't bother us about the clowns, he will mind his own business.. As for the parties and the clowns, last nights party wasn't fair, I went to sleep and you had fun all night..
2 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 08
Hubby of 40 years - This was a pose suggested by the photographer and the picture was taken 20 years ago, hence the hairstyle..
Let me try again with the pic..
2 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
27 Jun 08
What do you mean he's been with you for 43 years?..What were you 2 when you met? Sure bring him along..at first without my glasses i thought he was jack Black..LOL
3 people like this
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
26 Jun 08
What do you sell? I'm just being nosy. I work extra hours to make up the money. I also sell soap- online, craft fairs, and flea markets and write for Helium and Epinions. I have sold some work to helium and that continues so I have been lucky. I also mylot but other than that I don't do much else to make money.
3 people like this
@olivemai (4738)
• United States
28 Jun 08
I have never been good at selling anything at flea markets either!
2 people like this
• United States
29 Jun 08
I like elegant junk. That is a good way to make money. Maybe you just need to find better outlets to do that. I don't know where though short of my house. :)
3 people like this
• United States
27 Jun 08
I do flea markets and Mylot, I use to do ebay but don't anymore.. I sell a variety of items and most are found at yard sales.. I have found many, many items and they have been very good money makers but I don't have one particluar item that I sell.. My husband sells sunglasses and they are a very good quality sunglass, we do fairly well with those, but I like to sell my "elegant junk".. The million was just a joke, on here, I make 1.50 on a good day.. I would love to find something that would really sell, but with the economy as it is, sales are down really bad.. Flea Market in this area aren't as much of money makers as they are in other areas or I haven't found the right one yet.. Have a great evening..
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
1 Jul 08
Nope, no millions for me. Doubt I will ever have either with my luck being what it is. Actually we cut back, way back. only run the air conditioner on days that it is over 90 out so I am doing alot of sweating using these puny fans although at times putting a jug of water frozen solid helps it cool a little bit,very little bit. We have cut back on food and we never go anywhere. I have switched to using electric skillets,crockpots,electric cookers, and toaster ovens. It has cut the electric bill down over $20 and cut back on using lights so much even no I sit in the dark typing by the glow of th computer screen
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
29 Jul 08
We try to buy the groceries while they are a sale on so we can get it cheaper. But if it isn't things you like or use then your out of luck. I went to a Sav-a-lot the other day and was shocked to find that things are higher then the last time I was here generic canned goods were 47a can while at the other store Food City the name brand stuff was only 50¢ Used to be that you could get the cheap stuff .20¢ cheaper. I am worried about what is going to happen to the kids when prices get so high that parents can no onger feed their children properly but have back breaking jobs that they work at all day. My sister is in the hospital with my niece and will be for another 3 weeks I am watching my nephew who is 16 and eats alot. I don't know what we are going to do we barely make it with what we got now we have a growing always hungry boy to feed as well.
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
29 Jul 08
Oops! Thanks for the best response I really appreciate it alot...
2 people like this
• United States
2 Jul 08
You should write a book on money saving tips for the really poor.. There are a lot of us here that could use it, me being the first one.. I don't know what people are going to do anymore, especially with the gas prices going sky high.. Most of us can't afford to buy our overpriced groceries by the time we buy the gas..
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
9 Jan 09
Hi Donna! Thanks for inviting me to be your friend! I sure hope we will be seeing more of each other here! Your discussion caught my attention and I sure wish I have millions; unfortunately I don't! haha..Not really funny though. My husband and I have been working so hard yet it was really hard to really make money. I just tried to save on as much as I could and cut down on unnecessary expenses. I do home cooked meals so as to save on food and leftovers are recycled. haha..We have avoided eating out because one meal in a restaurant can be my one week budget for food if I will do the cooking. Don't use the air condition anymore, instead we use the fan on hot days. Basically, I cut down on so many things which we can really do away with and try to save as much as we can. I just hope the economy will be better this year so that our small businesses will make money somehow. Take care and have a nice day! lovelots..faith210
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
10 Jan 09
Hi dear friend! You're most welcome. I am equally glad that we have found each other here. I wish the same thing for you and your husband. I hope and pray a better year for you and all of us. Take care and wishing you more luck and blessings in everything you do. lovelots..faith210
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Jan 09
Faith, thanks for accepting my friendship.. I also hope things get better for you and yours.. It seems as if the poor and the middle class do things like cut down to nothing and try to save every penny they get and they still find it hard to make ends meet.. I hope this New Year finds things much better for you and your family.. Maybe we can make each other a penny or two on Mylot.. Good Luck and Happy New Year.. Donna
2 people like this
@olivemai (4738)
• United States
27 Jun 08
Ido not know how to make more money, but I do know how to be careful spending it! Many products can be made at home, to save a lot of money! You can also try to grow your own food, even in your kitchen you can do it!
2 people like this
@olivemai (4738)
• United States
28 Jun 08
I grew tomatoes and lettuce in the kitchen! I know it isn't easy, but it is easier than trying to make a million out of nothing!
2 people like this
• United States
2 Jul 08
Do you really grow the tomatoes and lettuce in your kitchen?? Mine is so small that I couldn't grow more than 2 heads of lettuce and still be able to move around.. Do they taste good, like homegrown, outside in the sun??
2 people like this
• United States
28 Jun 08
Olive, I know how to be thrifty but it isn't always as easy to do as to say.. I would love to grow my own food but I am not that physically able and neither is hubby.. Sometimes it is so much easier to do things the lazy way.. Have a Great day..
2 people like this
@hdjohnson (2981)
• United States
29 Jan 09
Hi Ms. Lawson: So good to see you start a discussion today. I'm waiting on my wife to get back from her 1/2 day SPA treatment, so we can go to dinner. Celebrating the 9th Anniversary today. Well, to address your discussion, I believe that a penny saved is like one earned. So for us, we've cut back on the eating out. We cook more consistently. We've went on the budget billing with our electric and gas companies, so we don't have to be concerned about a high rise of the bills from month to month. That way with the money we have, we can be faithful over it. While the money that we make on mylot doesn't earn enough yet to make a significant difference in our daily lives. We simply let it sit in our account, until such a much needed time. Like for January, and February, we have a lot going on, like birthdays, my youngest daughter's birthday on Jan. 14th, our anniversary on Jan. 29th., my oldest daughter's birthday on Feb. 5th, Valentines day on Feb. 14th., and my birthday on Feb. 18th. So we have a bunch going on. Between the monies we earn online, we also, use "Freebieforce" to get a hold of a lot of free samples of products and snacks and things of that nature. One month, it helped us save over $63 dollars just from the things we normally purchase on a month basis. It also has a income opportunity as we share it with other friends and family. Since we started it in May 2008, we have been paid every single month. We're very satisfied with it so far. So, we also use our visa card that gives us rewards with every use. So from month to month, we earn points every time we use it. We let the points accumulate to order gift cards for places of business that are still around that is. We have over 3,500 points on there now, and we could order a $25 gift card to our favorite restaurant, movie tickets or something else. I liken it to be similar to frequent flyer miles, as we don't travel by plane. ~ LoL There are hundreds of opportunities out there, we use other online sites like CASHTROOPS, where its FREE to join, and as you complete any offer there is no limit to the number of times you can cash out. There is no minimum payout over there. I've cashed out on $0.07 just to see if it paid within the few hours like they said they would. I especially enjoy doing it's offers and majority of them only require a email address, and once complete, you're instantly paid. I simply open up a new email address, to keep the SPAM emails away from my main email account. Between being realistic with our monies and realizing where we are today in our financial situations, we have scaled back tremendously, and we splurge only when we have it to splurge based upon our situation at the time. There are ways of earning big money online and offline, as long as the person with the dream is realistic and they never give up hope or desire to do better. Opportunity is waiting on those who are seeking it (at least that's what I believe).
2 people like this
• United States
29 Jan 09
Congrats to the both of you HD, I hope for many more great years for you two, and a Happy b-day to you and the girls.. I will check out Freebieforce and Cashtroops, if I haven't signed up for them yet, I have signed up under my sister's name on quiet a few sites but I haven't used any of them yet.. I will check them out though.. It sounds to me like you guys are on strict budgets and you don't deviate from them unless necessary, that is a great plan.. I believe that if everyone watches their pennies, they can make a go of it in these rough times, we just have to be more careful.. I appreciate the response and will look forward to responding to more of your discussions.. I am not on Mylot as much as I need to be to respond to all of the ones I receive in my email notifications but I do try to catch a few every day.. Good Luck to you and to your lovely family.. You are Blessed..
@riyasam (16556)
• India
29 Jan 09
i had to leave my job for health reasons.so i am a bit tight on budget.i am now trying to live frugally,keeping my needs to the basic.we do need the computer (internet)as it is used in chatting with our relatives,who are overseas.thus,i do get to mylot.
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Jan 09
I would love to have a few million dollars as it would bring a certain amount of security.. I could pay all of my bills without the constant worry like we have now, that would be great, but I can live without it, I have for years.. We do what we need to do to get by, don't we?? I wish things were better for people that I know..
1 person likes this
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
29 Jan 09
I have quite a few websites for work online that I am doing. If anyone would like to have them. I combine all of them together each month and that has helped. I ave increased my online earnings and then cut way back on spending. Great topic....
• United States
29 Jan 09
Thanks eaforeman, I appreciate the response.. I try to do whatever I can to make a few extra cents while online but Mylot is the main one right now since I don't have that much time to be online.. I wish you well in your online earnings and hope you do very well with them.. Good luck and have a great evening..
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
11 Jan 09
I actually do craft sales....I did one in November and did really well....but the stuff I sell is kind of unique...my books...framed poetry...mostly gift items. And I really love doing them. I think you are right though...it's tough do make an extra buck.
2 people like this
• United States
11 Jan 09
I would lovet to do crafts but where I live, there is no place to sell them and at any flea market, it doesn't matter, they want it for nothing.. Have you tried Etsy, it is for handmade crafts only.. You might do good on there.. Good luck and maybe I will find a venue for the crafts and start doing what I would love to do.. Thanks for the response..
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
10 Jan 09
Heyya neighbor! I do a few things on the side but with two young girls with the prettiest pink palms you ever senn...that doesn't mean my ends always meet.lol..I do custom oil paintings on the side..I clean houses..I sell some on ebay(not alot)..I work alot of overtime..I writr articles for a couple of websites and now I'm here. I have considered a side job but I think in the long run I may be taking away more from myself and my family than I would be giving. If I were you I would consider craigs list. Good luck.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Jan 09
Hey neighbor, I think it is so nice to be able to chat with someone who lives close by.. I found a friend one evening while playing bingo on Pogo.com and it turned out that she lived close to where I used to set up at a local flea market and she also had a daughter who used to work at the very same neighborhood store where a friend of ours was working at the time.. Small world.. I have done Craigslist and there are many other free local selling site.. Did you know that Walmart and Myspace has one?? You can sell for free on them.. There is one that is owned by ebay, Kijiji, it is free to sell on also.. I have sold a couple of things on Craigslist and on Kijiji. but I do need to do more as the cost of living is getting higher and higher.. I have worked in retail almost all of my life and I do enjoy doing it, but sales are down now, even at flea markets where you know the deals are pretty good.. Maybe things will work out soon enough.. thanks for the response..
1 person likes this