6 Ways To Earn Money While Unemployed

1. Become a Pro Blogger

First start a blog (try worpress.com or blogger.com) then sell some ad space – try Google’s freeAdSense service. The better the blog, the more people that visit. The more people that visit, the more that click on the ad. The more that click on the ad, the more money we get. Another option is to sell products on the blog through CafePress. Click here for even more blog money-making tactics. Ultimately, it's not as easy as Perez Hilton would make it seem, but if you're writing stuff you enjoy anyway, a little trickle of cash is a nice auxiliary benefit to a fun hobby.

2. The Freelance Dance 

Specifically for those talented in the arts, freelancing can be a great way to earn cash. Writing, editing, web design, programming, and copywriting are all popular freelance fields. Work can be full-time, part-time, or on a project basis. Duration can be anywhere from one hour to one year. Check out Indeed.com, SoloGig.com, Mandy.com, or Craigslist for listings.

3. Get Paid to Shop

If that sounds like a dream come true, you might want to look into a job as a “mystery shopper” (A/K/A spotters, secret shoppers, anonymous audits, experience evaluators, virtual customers, etc.). Companies pay mystery shoppers to go to stores and provide feedback on the service that they receive—sometimes they even provide a script to follow. Generally, shoppers are rewarded with some combination of money, store credit, or merchandise. However, beware of online scams. If it seems shady, check in with the Better Business Bureau before proceeding.

4. Lights, Camera, Action 

Sit in a café, run away from an alien attack, cheer for 75-year-old Sly in Rocky 8: Cane Fights in Boca Raton, FL…as long as it’s filmed, there’s money to be made. Most large movie studios pay the SAG union rate of $115/day plus snacks and a meal every 6 hours. Along with the local paper and Craigslist, search postings on Mandy.com,EntertainmentCareers.net, and Backstage.com.

5. Egg Donation A New Sensation

Less conventional and more risky than sperm donation, payment for egg donation ranges from the mid hundreds to thousands. Before running off to sell those ovum, know that the procedure involves extensive medical testing, injections of fertility drugs, and a minor surgical procedure. Agencies, clinics and individual families recruit through paper and print publications or search for listings through the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.

6. Guinea Pig It 

Don’t buy one, become one. Labs, universities, and hospitals nationwide are looking for volunteers for scientific studies. Try a new flu vaccine, get a psych evaluation, or even get paid to sleep (though beware that long-term sleep studies can drive you mental). The best approach is to contact a college or university in the area to inquire about research and testing volunteers – psych departments and med schools are good places to start. Also scan the local newspaper and check the volunteer and ETC sections on Craigslist.