1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare (97 page)

600 START A GIFT-BUYING BUSINESS.
How's a mom supposed to buy a gift for her teenage son that he's not going to scoff at? Or a husband supposed to find his wife something that she's not just going to return behind his back? They hire you — that's how! If you always seem to get gifts for people that really please, market yourself as a professional gift buyer and make some money.

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601 RUN A GIFT-BASKET BUSINESS.
Skilled in the art of arrangements? Go ahead and start a service that puts together gift baskets for various occasions. Whether it's baby showers or birthdays, if you have a knack for piecing together one-of-a-kind gifts, put it to use. Just make sure you factor in the component costs as well as any shipping overheads before you set the basket price.

$ $ tried it

602 START A CARE-PACKAGE SERVICE.
With millions of students living away from home during college and thousands of soldiers deployed overseas, there is a definite need for quality care packages. Pick a theme for the care packages, put them in a hand-decorated box, and sell them to people who care enough to send your very best.

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603 DO TAX RETURNS.
Rather than let tax season stress you out, allow it to earn you a few bucks. If you're good with numbers and understand all of those confusing forms, offer to do others' taxes for a fee. You can advertise on craigslist or put fliers up at work — just make sure your “expertise” doesn't cause an audit.

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604 CANVAS NEIGHBORHOODS FOR POLITICIANS.
Can you make a difference in the world? Well, maybe you should ask Barack Obama — a successful neighborhood canvas campaign helped him become
President
Barack Obama. Also, politicians have a wealth of donations, which translates into more money to offer you to go door to door for them.

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605 HIRE OUT AS A MASSAGE THERAPIST.
You've been told you have magic hands. Well then, it's only polite to spread the magic. Place ads online — but be careful people don't think they'll be getting a happy ending. Also, you should get licensed, even if you do have the Casanova's hands.

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606 CHARGE FOR REIKI.
Now's the perfect time to capitalize on people in need of assisted relaxation and revitalization. Bring them over to your house and let the healing begin. Make sure your customers pay up front, though, just in case it doesn't work.