23 Weird Ways to Make Money
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Are you looking to add another source of income to your life but don’t want to pick up a new full-time or part-time job? Are you open to unconventional methods to make some bank? Then maybe these 23 weird ways to make money are for you.
While many of these ideas are totally doable for the average person, some items on this list may require special interests or a daring disposition. If you’re on the more adventurous side, then perhaps any of these ideas could be right for you.
Whether you’re a foodie or a natural nurturer, we’ve got plenty of unusual ways to make money that’ll suit your interests.
1. Sell Your Hair
If you’ve got a lot of hair you’re willing to part with, consider selling it! Human hair is used to make wigs and hair extensions, and you could potentially make upwards of $300. You’ll likely need hair that hasn’t been color-treated or chemically processed, and you’ll need several inches to sell. (Editor’s tip: Use these Ulta Beauty Supply coupons to get your hair as healthy and beautiful as possible before you sell it.)
2. Play Video Games Competitively
For the hardcore gamers, check out pro gaming. There are several leagues out there that host tournaments for the world’s most popular video games, and there is some serious cash to be won. To date, over $99 million has been awarded in Fortnite prize money, alone. (Editor’s tip: Start practicing for your next gaming tournament with these GameStop coupons!)
3. Taste Test Ice Cream
Did you know there are people out there who create and test different ice cream flavors for a living? This dream job can be found at Ben and Jerry’s, and these lucky people have the job title of Flavor Guru. As you can imagine, this job is highly coveted. But if you’re lucky enough to land the position, you can reportedly earn around $7,000 per year.
4. Participate in a Clinical Trial
If you don’t mind being a research guinea pig, take a look at participating in a clinical trial for some extra money. These studies help medical professionals determine whether or not new medicines, among other things, are safe and effective for widespread use. You’ll likely earn between $50 and $300 per trial, but it’s possible to find studies that pay more.
5. Make ASMR Videos
ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, seems to be all the rage these days. These videos often include people whispering, tapping and even chewing into a microphone, and they’re said to cause a feeling of relaxation and even tingling sensations among viewers. The top paid ASMR YouTubers make over $3 million per year!
6. Scoop Poop
If you’re an animal lover and don’t mind getting a little dirty, consider offering a pet waste removal service, otherwise known as being a professional pooper scooper. Most people charge around $10 per visit, and this can quickly add up if you have multiple customers.
Dog owners aren’t the only people looking for cleanup help — cat owners hire waste removal services, too! If scooping pet waste isn’t for you, you can always try out another
7. Be a Professional Bridesmaid
For those who love weddings but aren’t getting married, you can make money by offering a professional bridesmaid service. You can offer an array of services ranging from only showing up on the wedding day to
8. Sell Breast Milk
Given the health benefits of feeding babies breast milk, and the challenges some parents face in supplying their children with it, there has been a large increase in demand for breast milk. You should check with your donation site, but you’ll likely need to be in good health and undergo some sort of health screening to donate. If you’re eligible, you can sell your breast milk for around $3 to $5 per ounce.
9. Stand in Line
For those who have some time to spare, there are services available where people can hire you to stand in a line for them, sometimes called a line stander or line sitter. Whether it be for concert tickets or at the DMV, you can profit off of waiting in line on someone else’s behalf. Rates may vary, but you can make around $18 per hour.
10. Return Empty Bottles
Currently, there are 10 states that allow you to return empty bottles and cans for a small amount of money (between five and 15 cents apiece). Gather up any empty soda cans or water bottles you have at home and return them to a grocery store or redemption center. All of that change can add up quickly!
11. Recycle Ink Cartridges
Instead of throwing out empty ink cartridges and letting them fill up a landfill, try selling them online. You can earn anywhere from $20 to $35 for a set of five or six empty cartridges and also help out the environment.
12. Sell Your Plasma
Plasma makes up 55% of our blood, and it helps maintain blood pressure and boost immunity. Collecting plasma is a different process than drawing blood and it takes a bit longer, but you can make roughly $50 per donation session (and also help people in need!).
13. Become a Professional Cuddler
Among many weird services in the world, did you know professional cuddling is one? If you don’t mind getting up close and personal with strangers, then maybe this is for you. Basically, customers will pay you to cuddle with them platonically.
Research shows that cuddling and physical touch can reduce stress and lower blood pressure, and snuggling also has great effects on your mental health. As a professional cuddler, you may be able to charge $80 per hour.
14. Collect Roadkill
Did you know there are people that collect roadkill for a living? Roadkill collectors can be contractors, work full-time or be hired by local governments to clear deceased animals off roadways. The animal carcasses can contribute to unsafe driving conditions, and they can be a bit unsightly. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can likely earn $15 per hour or set a rate per animal collected. (Editor’s tip: Use these Cabela’s coupons to stock up on any outdoor or hunting supplies you may need!)
15. Donate Your Stool
This is certainly not the most glamorous way to make some extra coin, but selling your stool can actually be a very lucrative money move and you can earn $50 per donation. The samples are used to treat patients with C. diff infections by way of transplantation. Don’t get too excited about this money-making opportunity, though — only about 4 percent of people are eligible to donate.
16. Cry at Funerals
Professional mourners can be traced back thousands of years in China and the Middle East, and you can still find them today. Family members of the deceased pay you to cry at their loved one’s funeral as a way to show their status and importance in life.
You’ll have to be a good actor, and you may need to study up on the person whose funeral you’re attending so you can contribute to the conversation. Rates may vary, but it’s possible to make over $100 per funeral.
17. Participate in a Sleep Study
Sleep studies are a great way to make money, well, in your sleep! Colleges and universities are good places to search for studies you may be eligible for, then you can make some extra cash while you dream. You can expect to make between $25 and $100 per sleep study. (Editor’s tip: To help you prepare for your sleep study, use these Mattress Firm coupons!)
18. Take Surveys
Taking online surveys for money likely won’t make you rich, but it’s a good way to earn some money if you’ve got extra time on your hands. There are many websites out there that offer payment in exchange for being a respondent, and you can expect to earn between 40 cents and a few dollars per survey. But, if you make a habit of taking a bunch of surveys each week, that can accumulate quickly.
19. Be a Dating Concierge
A dating concierge is essentially a professional matchmaker. People sign up for your service and you handle all the details of creating a good romantic match, down to the place and time of the first date.
With the rise in popularity of dating apps, dating concierges can also help you create the perfect profile to attract potential suitors and handle any in-app messages that you need to respond to. Some dating concierges charge up to $600 per month for their services.
20. Sell Your Notes
If you’re a student and need some extra cash or are looking for ways to pay off student debt, selling your notes may be the answer. After you’ve
You can earn around $20 per set of notes you sell, and your hard work could help fellow students who missed class when they were sick or out of town! If selling notes doesn’t sound right for you, you can always try out another
21. Enter (and Win) an Eating Contest
Competitive eating is not for the faint of heart (or stomach). Eating contests include challenges such as consuming more than 70 hotdogs in 10 minutes and eating 265 jalapeños, but it’s now widely considered a sport and has a pro circuit. Depending on the contest you enter, you could earn between $1,500 and $4,000 per win. When not competing, most competitive eaters focus on healthy habits — play like the pros and
22. Sell Deer Urine
Hunters often use deer urine as a way to attract more deer to the area where they’re hunting. A gallon of deer urine can sell from anywhere between $60 to $110, but collecting your product won’t be very easy since deer are very flighty animals. However, if you have the time (and a herd of deer), you can make a pretty penny this way.
23. Model for an Art Class
Posing for an art class doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to be in the buff, but you should consider the possibility that you may need to be nude occasionally. If that doesn’t bother you, then you could be making about $25 per hour while art students paint or draw you.
Sources: Ranker 1, 2| Esports Earnings | Ben & Jerry’s | National Institute on Aging | Healthline | Dexerto | Angie’s List | Vox | What to Expect | CNBC | Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast | American Academy of Pediatrics | TaskRabbit | National Conference of State Legislatures | The Penny Hoarder 1, 2 | American Red Cross | Business Insider | Penn Medicine | JobMonkey 1, 2 | OpenBiome | Johns Hopkins Medicine | Washington Post | Psychology Today | U.S. News | The Bold Italic | InStyle | Mashable | Mashed | The Seattle Times | Indeed
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