Find creative ways to make money in businesses with little competition Using interviews with unconventional entrepreneurs, the author's own wide-ranging experience with weird jobs, and extensive research, 101 Weird Ways to Make Money reveals unusual, sometimes dirty, yet profitable jobs and businesses. Whether you're looking for a job that suits your independent spirit, or want to start a new business, this unique book shows you moneymaking options you haven't considered.
Most of these outside-the-box jobs don't require extensive training, and are also scalable as businesses, allowing you to build on your initial success.
- Jobs and businesses covered include cricket and maggot farming, environmentally friendly burials, making and selling solar-roasted coffee, daycare services for handicapped children, and many more
- Each chapter features a "where the money is" section on how to scale-up and be profitable
- Author writes a popular website and email newsletter on unusual ways to make money
Whether you're seeking a new career, an additional revenue stream, or a new business idea, you will want to discover 101 Weird Ways to Make Money.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Part One Fun Ways to Make Money
Chapter 1 Stealing Cars for Fun and Profit: Auto Repossession 5
Chapter 2 Drinking on the Job: Specialty Beer Brewer 7
Chapter 3 Creating Beauty and the Beast: Makeup Artist 9
Chapter 4 Count to Twenty-One: Casino Dealer 11
Chapter 5 Magic Money: Part-Time Magician 13
Chapter 6 Exploding on the Job: Demolition Worker 15
Chapter 7 Maybe It’s Not So Funny: Rodeo Clown 17
Chapter 8 The Business of Chasing Criminals: Bounty-Hunter 19
Chapter 9 Hilarious Income: Niche Comedian 21
Chapter 10 Juggling Burning Bowling Pins: Street Performer 23
Chapter 11 Digging Up Old Coins: Metal Detecting 25
Part Two Making Money Outdoors
Chapter 12 Have Fun Frightening Geese: Golf Course Bird Remover 29
Chapter 13 Killing Small Trees: Christmas Tree Seller 31
Chapter 14 Swimming at the Golf Course: Golf Ball Recoverer 33
Chapter 15 Medicating Maple Trees: Tree Surgeon 35
Chapter 16 Chop Wood, Make Money: Specialty Firewood Seller 37
Chapter 17 Wintertime Profits: Rooftop Snow Remover 39
Chapter 18 Paid to Exercise: Bicycle-Taxi Driver 41
Chapter 19 Your Product Cost Is Zero: Worm Grunting and Farming 43
Part Three Dirty and Ugly Jobs
Chapter 20 Jiminy Cricket!: Cricket-Farmer 49
Chapter 21 Mopping Up Brains: Crime-Scene Cleaner 51
Chapter 22 Pumping Poop: Septic Cleaner 53
Chapter 23 Traveling Grease Monkey: Mobile Oil-Changer 55
Chapter 24 Another Pooportunity: Diaper-Cleaning Service 57
Chapter 25 Preparing the Way for Santa: Chimney Sweep 59
Chapter 26 Capturing Wild Animals: Animal-Control Specialist 61
Chapter 27 Clean Up with This Dirty Job: Garbage and Junk Hauler 63
Chapter 28 Work in a Sewer: Wastewater-Treatment Worker 65
Chapter 29 Perhaps the Stinkiest Job?: Maggot Farmer 67
Chapter 30 Blood-Sucking Profits: Leeches 69
Part Four Internet Opportunities
Chapter 31 A Laptop in Bangkok: Selling Writing Services from Anywhere 75
Chapter 32 Get Rich with Unreal Estate: Virtual Worlds 77
Chapter 33 Give It Away and Make It Pay: Profit from E-Books 79
Chapter 34 Automatic Profits from Writing: Auto-Responder E-Mail Newsletters 81
Chapter 35 Paid to Write about Feet: Niche Blogs 83
Chapter 36 Be Master of Your Domains: Internet Names Buyer and Seller 85
Chapter 37 What’s Your Opinion Worth?: Online Product- Reviewing 87
Part Five Green Jobs and Businesses
Chapter 38 Green Death: Environmentally Friendly Funerals 93
Chapter 39 Sleep on This Idea: Recycling Mattresses 95
Chapter 40 Computer Garbage Man: Electronic-Waste Recycling 97
Chapter 41 Be an Oil-Tank Tycoon: Old Fuel-Tank Remover 99
Chapter 42 Cash from Catalytic Converters: Scrap Metals Salvager and Seller 101
Chapter 43 Solar-Roasted Coffee: Unique Green Foods and Drinks Seller 103
Part Six Home-based Money Makers
Chapter 44 Be a Home-Based Slumlord: Room Renter to Friends 109
Chapter 45 Driving Home Your Profits: Used Car Seller from Your Yard 111
Chapter 46 Making People Pay: Judgment Enforcer 113
Chapter 47 Big Money in Metal Houses: Mobile Homes Flipper 115
Chapter 48 Judging a Book by Its Cover: Used Book Seller from Home 117
Chapter 49 Sell Your Dating, Design, or Dog Expertise: Specialty Consulting 119
Chapter 50 Staying Home Monday Morning: Virtual Assistant 121
Part Seven Working with People
Chapter 51 Handicapped Kids and Other Day-Care Niches: Specialty Day Care 127
Chapter 52 The Life of a Traveling Bartender: Drink Server 129
Chapter 53 Professor without a Degree: Noncredit College Teacher 131
Chapter 54 Coming into the Closet: Home-Organizing Consultant 133
Chapter 55 Students Pay You $50 per Hour: Specialized Tutor 135
Chapter 56 Prepping Grandpa’s Condo: Senior Services Provider 137
Chapter 57 Paid to Travel the World: English Teacher Overseas 139
Part Eight Working with Animals
Chapter 58 Hooking Up Lady and the Tramp: Dog Breeder 143
Chapter 59 Making Pets Beautiful: Mobile Pet Groomer 145
Chapter 60 Paid to Visit Animals: Pet Sitter 147
Chapter 61 It’s a Walk in the Park: Dog-Walker 149
Chapter 62 Managing Noah’s Ark: Animal-Boarder 151
Chapter 63 A Car Full of Animals: Pet-Taxi Service 153
Chapter 64 Sit, Fetch, and Roll Over: Animal Trainer 155
Chapter 65 Caging Wild Kittens: Cat Enclosures 157
Part Nine Creative and Artistic Work
Chapter 66 Bird-Poop Earrings: Unique Jewelry 161
Chapter 67 You’ll Like the Sound of This: Voice-Over Work 163
Chapter 68 Paint Yourself a Profit: Mural-Painter 165
Chapter 69 Putting Antlers on Dogs: Gadgets and Gifts Inventor 167
Chapter 70 A Burning Desire to Create?: Aromatherapy-Candle Maker 169
Chapter 71 Carving Out a Niche: Walking Sticks 171
Chapter 72 Profits from Painting People: Temporary Tattoos 173
Part Ten Buying and Selling Things
Chapter 73 I See Dead People Profits: Estate Goods 179
Chapter 74 Their Loss Is Your Gain: Storage Unit Auctioner 181
Chapter 75 The Middleman Always Gets His Cut: Liquidation Broker 183
Chapter 76 Barber Chairs and Other Opportunities: Used and Unusual Furniture Seller 185
Chapter 77 Finding New Owners for Old Shirts: Used Clothing Seller 187
Chapter 78 One Man’s Trash: Antique Treasure Hunter 189
Chapter 79 A Little Here and a Little There: Rack Merchandiser 191
Chapter 80 A Store with No Overhead: Flea-Market Dollar Store 193
Chapter 81 Profiting from the End Times: Survival Supplies and More Seller 195
Part Eleven Cleaning Jobs and Businesses
Chapter 82 Sucking Up Dirt: Specialty Carpet Care 201
Chapter 83 Get Paid by the Banks: Foreclosure Cleaner 203
Chapter 84 The Money Is in the Details: Auto-Detailing Niches 205
Chapter 85 Cleaning Up after Trash Collectors: Garbage-Truck Washer 207
Chapter 86 Cleaning Up after Carnies: Event Cleanup Worker 209
Part Twelve Still More Unusual Ways to Make Money
Chapter 87 Be a Human Guinea Pig: Medical Research Subject 215
Chapter 88 Deep-Fried Butter: Unique Food Concession Businesses 217
Chapter 89 Secretly Watching People: Surveillance Worker 219
Chapter 90 The Parts Are Greater Than the Whole: Junkyard Business 221
Chapter 91 You’ve Got Their Number: House-Number Curb-Painter 223
Chapter 92 Playing with Plastic People: Mannequin Business 225
Chapter 93 A Sweet Job: Chocolatier 227
Chapter 94 Putting It All on the Table: Tabletop Advertiser 229
Chapter 95 Small Cracks Equal Big Profits: Mobile Windshield Repairer 231
Chapter 96 Driving Other People’s Cars: Contract Chauffeur 233
Chapter 97 Making Room for More Stuff: Shed-Installation Business 235
Chapter 98 Rugs for Students: Necessities Renter to College Students 237
Chapter 99 Beating the House: Gambler 239
Chapter 100 What to Do with an IOU: Note-Broker 241
Chapter 101 Animal Poop Coffee Anyone?: Rare and Unusual Foods Seller 243
Index 245
