Ways to make money fast or on the side?

[SeekingAfrica]

What are all the ways you can think of for that? I was not okay for way too long and now it has consequences. I am finally seeing a way to be better/more consistent in this and find a stable income, but depending on what I try, it will take 3-5 weeks to begin with. Which is still needed and has to happen.
But in the meantime, what can I do?

Because of my mental health, economy, pandemic and AI I've done a lot of things for a time. Transcription, Research, virtual assistant, restaurant, graphic design, drawing, writing, proofreading, private English lessons. And here we are.

Now I am looking for side things, but because I am not in the USA or any of the few major countries, many of the fastest ways don't work (say doing polls for few bucks, you can still do that, but you can only make 15$ in 3 months or something). So fastest options I've used in the past due to changed circumstances are now not working. What I have found is things that would work in couple of weeks. Still useful, not enough.

What can I do? Also how do I prioritize? If I spend all my time to resolve this and don't apply to anything else, then, I stay in the same position.
It's not even a big amount but I'm scared. There are many layers to this fear, especially after last year, but the point is it gets me in survival state. Which isn't good. I need to do better. What can I do possibly?

 

[Denial-River]

What are all the ways you can think of for that? I was not okay for way too long and now it has consequences. I am finally seeing a way to be better/more consistent in this and find a stable income, but depending on what I try, it will take 3-5 weeks to begin with. Which is still needed and has to happen.
But in the meantime, what can I do?

Because of my mental health, economy, pandemic and AI I've done a lot of things for a time. Transcription, Research, virtual assistant, restaurant, graphic design, drawing, writing, proofreading, private English lessons. And here we are.

Now I am looking for side things, but because I am not in the USA or any of the few major countries, many of the fastest ways don't work (say doing polls for few bucks, you can still do that, but you can only make 15$ in 3 months or something). So fastest options I've used in the past due to changed circumstances are now not working. What I have found is things that would work in couple of weeks. Still useful, not enough.

What can I do? Also how do I prioritize? If I spend all my time to resolve this and don't apply to anything else, then, I stay in the same position.
It's not even a big amount but I'm scared. There are many layers to this fear, especially after last year, but the point is it gets me in survival state. Which isn't good. I need to do better. What can I do possibly?

Do they pay people who collect aluminum there? When I was younger, my parents used to save soda cans to cash in, but there isn't any thing like that where I live now. Just a thought... You are trying really hard to get back up on your feet, & that's really commendable-you aren't giving up and that takes guts. I hope you can see that soon, but I imagine it's hard for you to be easier on yourself right now. Most people would've stopped trying altogether by now, but you're still pushing on. You got this, I promise the effort will pay off! You are strong. If you need necessities or food soon, please check with some community services-I don't know where you are as far as availability, but I hope you can reach out. There's more help than a lot of people realize here in the states-praying it's similar there! Let us know how you are doing, please
Roxx

 

[SeekingAfrica]

Do they pay people who collect aluminum there? When I was younger, my parents used to save soda cans to cash in, but there isn't any thing like that where I live now. Just a thought... You are trying really hard to get back up on your feet, & that's really commendable-you aren't giving up and that takes guts. I hope you can see that soon, but I imagine it's hard for you to be easier on yourself right now. Most people would've stopped trying altogether by now, but you're still pushing on. You got this, I promise the effort will pay off! You are strong. If you need necessities or food soon, please check with some community services-I don't know where you are as far as availability, but I hope you can reach out. There's more help than a lot of people realize here in the states-praying it's similar there! Let us know how you are doing, please
Roxx

There used to be something like that when I was a kid. Now it's only taken by huge companies that you need to actually drive to. And the pay is actually so insignificant I won't make anything. Thanks anyway. I think at least right now I have the bare necessities somewhat covered. It's more the ability to not constantly postpone debts and bills... Like, I had to postpone my phone bill to pay other high pressure things, and now I can't sell anything even if I had what (I can try, it's unlikely but it would have been something), because every webpage here that you can sell things needs your phone number. And the more debt I'm paying off with less funds, the more I procrastinate the worse it gets with time, as it tends to do. And the further I am from actually getting to live on my own again, not on family's couch without most of my belongings (which are with friends, literally in a different country). There are rare moments where life has made me feel this unattractive and unworthy, physically or mentally. Mentally, just the sheer frustration of postponing things, of figuring out which crisis is worse, of breaking promises, of budgeting with less than you need, of applying for things you never get. Physically anxiety gets me disregulated so less sleep, more junkfood, no energy for looking together, let alone make up or jewelry, the exhaustion to even order the room, the counting money every time you have to shower (I've been in places where as long as you pay, your water is limitless, but here I have to turn boiler to heat), the lack of weather appropriate clothes most of the time... it's like what people consider basics is unreachable or requires too much energy to figure out how to make do. Which by the way, not being able to take care of your looks, not greatest confidence booster for interviewers. It's killing me. Some days I get a lot of reach out done because I feel hopeful. Other days feel like I'm just hitting myself on a wall. Today is the latter. Sorry I'm spiraling today. Some days get a bit much. I'm not giving up, I just feel low today.

 

[arfie]

quick money schemes scare the unholies out of me, as do microwave solutions for deep-seated psychosis. in my personal portfolio, speed has ushered in more high-speed disasters than miracles. proof available.

It's not even a big amount but I'm scared. There are many layers to this fear, especially after last year, but the point is it gets me in survival state. Which isn't good. I need to do better. What can I do possibly?

in my strictly personal herstory, i focused on calming those fears and escaping that survival state. i suffer a great deal of ill logic when i am in survival mode and regaining my full capacity my top priority.

 

[Friday]

Anything that pays by way of tips, cash in hand, &/or under the table.

When I’m travelling
- I often pick up shifts in cafes/restaurants and walk out the door with 50-250 ($€£) each night.
- I often use a courier job to either get to the next city/country, or to fast-learn a new city.
- Busking in tourist areas.
- More rurally there’s usually some kind of day-labor, or farm/ranch work, going.
- Cruise ships require a 6mo commitment, for the most part, but cover room & board, and with virtually no expenses I’m 50-100k better off at the end of the term.
- The going rate for news articles is about $50
- Universities usually have tutoring & part time & gig/casual jobs posted
- If you know the bar where the professors drink, because of TA cuts, there’s usually someone excited to trade $20-$100 for grading tests/papers.
- If you have a vehicle, ride share, to taxi people.
- Companies like Amazon have flex-employees where you sign up for 5 hour shifts online, that day, when you want to work.
- etc.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

quick money schemes scare the unholies out of me, as do microwave solutions for deep-seated psychosis. in my personal portfolio, speed has ushered in more high-speed disasters than miracles. proof available.

Lol yes, I agree, microwave solutions is such a good metaphor. But as you know sometimes life puts you in need of those! And if I am concentrated and diligent and persistent- I may need ONLY few weeks more of those- but I still need that.

However there are levels to this, what one can and can't live with. What will break you VS what will be something that just helps you get through bad moment? If I am lucky and diligent, things will get better in a few weeks. If I keep working hard after, eventually, I might have savings again. But there's good pressure and I'm done kind of pressure. Today was the latter, and yes, you're right- it wasn't psychosis, but I broke. A lot, Not in any way that could help. I spend maybe a couple of hours only applying and posting and working. But then I was just so hopeless because one of the things I have to pay is connected to so much of the trauma of last year for me that it just GOT to me. In mental AND physical way, like I've been progressing for so long, and yet it was like I couldn't see forward all of a sudden. I kept having intrusive thoughts and flashbacks and just regressed MONTHS. And I kept applying for days, and today for 2 hours and I broke. And I couldn't see through.

So I took couple of hours. And then finally something happened! Maybe. I may have resolved half of my issue for next week. The half that is more immediate and most scary. Just when I had literally given up and decided to just let it be for a few hours.
If I needed a sign to keep trying- that would be it.

It's nowhere near being okay; I'm still in huge trouble, but I have more days to deal with it. To figure out solutions. And to do my best to get to a week where one of the steady long-er term things is finally paying off. Tomorrow, I have to see if it works, Also I need to work on making sure the rest of the week, I have some microwave solutions, but ALSO, to return to working on the other steadier thing applications. Because maybe, just maybe, I JUST GOT A SIGN TO NOT GIVE UP. Considering I feel worthless most of the day and how deeply this got to me, I really want to cry.
Can't resolve everything in a night, and I really do not work well in survival state as demonstrated, so... I'm choosing to be thankful, and just breathe and sleep for tonight, and pray I do better tomorrow. Here's to future of no more quick solutions sooner. (Well, emergencies are fine, if they are suuuper rare... I just mean, to be on more stable ground soon.

@Friday, thank you! Can't use them all but I am marking down those that I can. Good list! I really appreciate it.

 

[arfie]

However there are levels to this, what one can and can't live with. What will break you VS what will be something that just helps you get through bad moment?

there is that, but distinguishing those measures on long term phenom is a roll of the dice on my best days. i avoid long-term planning on survival mode days. keeping the focus on just getting through those bad moments makes the quick fixes tenable. i'm not looking to solve wars on foreign shores. just the war inside my wounded heart, one breath at a time.

If I am lucky and diligent, things will get better in a few weeks.

again, when i keep the focus on just getting through a bad moment, things can get better with my next breath. again, i save the long-term planning for days when i have my full faculties.

 

[RainbowSearchParty]

You have been working so hard. And you will get there! So many of us have been where you are.

@Friday has a very good list. I’ve also been a medical test subject when money was super tight. Obviously, it’s good to be careful with that. But (at least where I used to be) there are studies that are noninvasive. $20 for a few hours answering questions for an undergrad psychology study. Or having my eye movements tracked while playing a game. There are also consumer studies: I’ve tested medical devices and electronics, for example. None of the above payed more than a couple hundred at most to about $10 at least, but they filled the gaps when I couldn’t afford food and I’d recommend them as stop-gap measures.

Oh also — some didn’t pay in money, but in gift cards. I sold some gift cards for cash, which was an extra step but made some gigs worth it.

 

[Rose White]

The ones that come to mind for me:

Delivery driver
Lyft/uber
Plasma donor