Finding Work In A Recession
How To Make Money
Ideas For Starting A Business

Many are starting their own business.

If you decide to try starting your own business, we recommend:
   1. Do something you know.
   2. Don't invest your life savings on a gamble--be prudent.
   3. Don't give up! Do not allow yourself to become despondent!

Job Hunting:
Polish your resume and distribute it as widely as possible.
A search at google provides numerous tips for resume writing.
Employment911 can post your resume on numerous sites.
You can also Search Jobs from over 100 employment sites there.

Job Searches :
Part Time Jobs
Sales Management Jobs
Alabama Jobs
Los Angeles Jobs

Job Search From Throughout The Web:

what job title, keywords where city, state, zip jobs by

Odd Joba :
Advertisie your availability at OddJobAds.com (it's free).

Networking:
Oftentimes, information about available jobs comes from friends, family, acquaintances. Network. Be sure everybody you know is aware you are looking for a job.

Freelancing:
Many companies hire freelancers. Web design, writing, engineering, and other freelance jobs are available on a per-job basis. There are several freelance websites. One of them: GoFreelance.com

Reselling Online:
There's lots of merchandise available now for cheap prices: People being evicted, people pawning valuables, people in distress selling personal stuff. If you have the time and opportunity, you can find deals which you can resell online (at ebay.com, for example).
Where to look for deals:
   - Garage sales
   - Estate sales
   - Classified ads (web and in the newspaper)
   - Leave your contact information at self-storage businesses--let them know
      you may be interested in buying if they sell the contents of somebody's
      storage unit.
Another possibility: Sell the stuff at flea markets.

Writing Articles (Freelance):
Associated Content will publish your aticles and pay on a per-view basis. Freelance writing: Demand Studios, FreelanceWriting.com.
Related: Squidoo.

It May Not Be Legal, But:
According to lifeasanescort.com, increasing numbers of women are using the web to earn money as escorts. "Escorting" (simple companionship) itself is not illegal, but selling sex for money is.

Property Preservation (Cleaning Up Foreclosed Homes):
With the tremendous numbers of foreclosures, there's an increased demand for companies which clean up foreclosed homes--it's called "Property Preservation". There's more info at PropertyPreservationForum.com.

Painting:
If you have any painting experience, you might consider starting a painting business. The startup cost is not very high, and there's still some demand for painting, even during a recession: People fixing up houses to sell, people fixing up some of those foreclosure deals, and there's commercial painting for businesses and companies. More info at StartAPaintingCompany.com.

Cleaning Business:
A cleaning business can be easily started from your home. There's a market both for residential customers (maid service) and commercial customers (janitorial services). Commercial bidding can be competitive and may require working night shifts. However, little money is required to start if you start small. More Info.

Window Cleaning:
You need a couple of ladders, some clean rags, window cleaner and a squeegee. There are many people out there who hate cleaning their windows. You can do this for residential customers (getting into commercial window cleaning is another story, requiring liability insurance, etc.). Distribute flyers and business cards. Repeat as necessary.

Lawn Care:
You can make money with a lawnmower, a rake, a broom and some trash bags. Distribute flyers offering your service. Include "we provide and spread mulch". Distribute flyers and business cards. Repeat as necessary.

Plant Care:
Businesses and some homeowners will pay to have someone attend to their indoor (and outdoor) plants. If you have a green thumb and know something about plant care (or can use Google to learn about it), you can start a low-cost business.. Distribute flyers and business cards. Repeat as necessary.

Pet Care :
People love their pets and are willing to pay for their care. Some money-making ideas: Dog walker. Poooper scooper (there's actually a franchise that does this--they visit peoples' homes once or twice per week and clean up the poop). Pet sitter: Go to peoples' homes when they're on vacation to feed the pets. If you undertake work with pets, you should be a pet lover. Distribute flyers and business cards. Repeat as necessary.

Elder Care:
Increasing numbers of the elderly are remaining in their homes and many of them need assistance: Shopping, bathing, house cleaing, meals, etc. Elder assistance may not require any special licensing (check your state's websites). Get started with business cards, flyers, maybe a web site, and networking with elder care providers (hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, community centers, homeowners' associations).

Web Site or Blog:
If you can find the right niche, or if you are knowledgable about something, or if you can sell an appealing product, you might consider establishing a web site or a blog. A few people have earned money from popular blogs. If you can make hand-made items, you might establish an online store. Even if it's just interesting content, you can make moniey from ads on your web site. It can take time to develop a successful website but it may help. Related site.

Buy A Franchise?
Some people have invested their termination pay in a franchise. Is a franchise a good idea? Maybe, maybe not. Contrary to the popular myth, a franchise does not have a better chance of succeeding than an independet startup. You won't really "be your own boss" because there will be a franchisor (bureaucracy) telling you what to do. A franchise works for some, but don't expect miracles.
Related: Franchise forum
Related: MyFranchiseExperience.com
Related: CertaPro Sucks

Sell Yourself
There are ways to make money from your body:
   - Human hair (preferred: long, uncolored, not perm'ed).
   - Blood plasma donations ($40-$50 per week).
   - Human breast milk ($1 to $2 per ounce)
   - Human eggs ($5,000 to $10,000 - you should be young, smart, healthy).
   - Human sperm ($40-50 per week - you should be young, smart, healthy).
You can use a search engine to find buyers.

Community College Training:
Local community colleges can provide training for specific jobs. For example, CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), and health care workers.

If you're marketing a business or service, consider these marketing tactics:

Get Paid For Online Participation: Sign up and earn money taking surveys, etc. Amazon Turk Affiliate Marketing: You build a website and include links to products and services. The key is obtaining hits at your website. An often-used tactic: Google ads.       Affiliate Marketing Program   Affiliate Marketing - Using Google   "Legit Online Jobs"   "Super Affiliate Marketing" Drop Shipping: You offer products for sale but don't have to stock or ship them. Stocking and shipping is handled by the drop shipper.   Sign up for a Drop Ship Access Free Trial       SaleHoo drop shipper e-bay: Some people are able to sell their own crats, antiques, jewelry, etc., on e-bay. Some look for suppliers who offer merchandise they can resell on e-bay.   The ebay Newbie Course       Profits From Prints   Auction Profit Streams   1001 Killer Ebay Marketing Tactics   Wholesale Designer Handbags   Reselling Garage Sale Stuff on e-bay   Wholesale Suppliers' Guide for ebay   ebay Auction Watcher amazon.com You can register as an amazon.com affiliate and create your own online store. You need not have merchandise to sell--you can select from existing amazon seller and add their products to your store. You are paid a commission for sales. Selling Your Own Stuff If you have products or services you'd like to sell online, you'll need a website. If you'll have several or many products, you'll need "shopping cart" software. If you plan to establish a web site to market your product(s) or service(s), you can find some helpful marketing tips here.

Survival:
Your most important consideration is survival. If you are out of work and in financial distress, consider how you can best take care of yourself, financially. Consider the following:

• Prepare to file for bankruptcy--you may have to.
• Save cash on hand. Don't leave a money trail in banks, etc.
• If you own a house, be prepared to let it go. Foreclosure proceedings can be stretched out by replying to letters from the bank near the end of the deadline for responding. They'll have to respond. Doing this repeatedly can stretch out foreclosure for months or more. In the meantime, you're not paying mortgage payments--stash the cash. Remember: This is about you and survival, not about the bastards at the financial institutions that caused this mess.
• Don't use credit cards unless you must. If you think you'll be filing for bankruptcy, go ahead and run up the cards (but stop using them a few months before you file). Again--don't worry about the bastards who caused this.
• You can delay filing for bankruptcy by simply stopping paying your credit card and charge account bills. You'll receive countless calls on the phone, of course, so simply turn the phone off or get a cell phone to use for personal purposes and have your existing phone turned off. Or let them talk to an answering machine.

Save Money
Consider ways to reduce your living expenses:

• 20% of your electric bill is for lights. Change to compact fluorescents. You can calculate your energy savings here.
• Put a water heater insulation blanket on your hot water heater.
• Buy car tires from Costco, Walmart or other discounter. They're much cheaper than tire dealer stores.
• Keep tires properly inflated: It really does help your mileage.
• Change furnace filters (clean filters improve efficiency).
• Install a programmable thermostat for your furnace/air conditioner.
• Cut entertainment spending. Instead of going to the movies, get a Netflix subscription or, even cheaper: Check out DVD's from the library (many libraries carry DVD's). For a night out (we all need them), have dinner at home and go out for dessert and coffee.
• Reduce or change your telephone service. If you have a number of add-on features, drop them. If you have cable internet, you can probably obtain VoIP (telephone over the internet) service cheaper than from a landline.

Related:
   - Article (Washington Post): Senior Citizens Describe the Crash the struggles, the
              recovery -- and parallels to today.   Video
   - Spam sales increase
   - Article (N.Y. Times): Home Health Care Aids