I know times are tough, so I did a little web-surfing and found some conventional and some desperate ways to make some fast money. It may not bring you much money, but if your options are limited and you’re short on time….

1. Know how to do something people need? Put an ad on Craigslist.org and offer to do it! Do you know how to clean, paint, fix things, translate, elder care… almost anything you can do can make you money on Craigslist.org… and the ads are FREE!

2. Sell something you don’t use much on Craigslist.org… (no, I don’t work for Craigslist), I just think it’s a great place to make money fast.

3. Consider A Pay-By-The-Day Job Agency. There are employment agencies that specialize in this type of arrangement, and you can get paid at the end of each workday. The jobs you find through this type of agency can vary, but they are usually in construction, factories, offices, and manufacturing. You Can Try Going to go where other day laborers meet (street corners or hardware store parking lots) and wait for building contractors, landscapers, home owners and small business owners, but it’s usually pretty crowded these days… and with people who will work for less than what you might need… so try an agency first if you can.

4. Check help-wanted ads in your local newspaper (it’s most likely on your porch). Classifieds are a great place to find quick labor gigs, like painting, mowing, or moving work. keep in mind that less formal arrangements could result in you not getting paid or worse, you getting injured without any kind of compensation!

5. Pawn something. If you don’t want to sell your precious guitar, and you just need cash till you get your paycheck, you can go to a pawnshop and hopefully buy it back.

6 Do a yard-sale or make a quick sign (thick red or black letters on a white page is best). Go to a busy street corner and display the item. Put a good - even ridiculously low price (depending on your desperation). Items priced at half of what somebody would be able to buy them at a store is a good place to start. With this strategy, you may be able to sell them within an hour or two.

7. Become a street performer. If you can sing or dance, play music, or tell jokes, you can probably get some cash by performing in public. Don’t do this unless you are actually good at it. Put together a good act and find a place to perform. Give people a dose of live entertainment, and hopefully they’ll reward you with tips.

8. Panhandle (remember these are tips for the DESPERATE!). A panhandler is a person who depends on the spontaneous charity of strangers for their survival. If you REALLY need cash FAST, you might swallow your pride and decide to ask for help. Make a sign, find a good location, ask politely for money, and say thank you. Don’t make-up a story… just explain your need.

9. If you have a few days and a bank account you can try Cyber begging: (setting-up a free blog on blogger.com or wordpress.com). This is becoming increasingly popular with students and artists. There have been some amazing success stories, but these are the exception rather than the rule. While there are some sites on which you can beg just by putting up a brief ad… but if you’re looking to make any substantial money you’ll need a few days and a Pay-Pal account to make it successful.

10. “Donate” plasma. Plasma is a component of blood, and the process is similar to donating blood. You’re not permitted to actually sell your plasma, but you can be compensated for your time spent donating (and essentially, it’s like selling your plasma). Your blood is drawn, the plasma is separated, and the red blood cells are returned to your body. You can make US$20-30 per visit and give plasma twice a week, but you must weigh at least 110 pounds, be between the ages of 18 and 59, and be in good health.[1] Many college students do this to make extra cash.[2] If you haven’t been to the doctor in a while, this may be a good way to get a free health checkup.[3]

11. Recycle. Broke because you bought too much soda? Turn the old cans into cash by bringing them in to be recycled. If you don’t have your own cans, go looking for them in trash cans or along busy roads, parks, especially rural roads. Call up several recyclers to compare prices. If you live in a state with a bottle or can deposit system, you may be able to get 5 or 10 US cents per container. Other scrap metals are also worth something, so if you’ve got a big pile of scrap in your backyard or you know of an legal dumpsite, you can pick it up in your truck and anywhere from 1 or 2 cents per pound for scrap steel to considerably more for metals such as copper or aluminum.[4]

12. Fill out surveys online. Companies who want to know what’s on the minds of their customers are willing to pay for your opinion. Online surveys won’t make you rich, and won’t allow you to quit your day job, but you can make a little extra cash. When choosing between surveys, read the fine print. There is usually an asterisk near the “you won” part. This means you have to do something like buying stuff before you even get to talk about your prize. Don’t fall into these sorts of traps, they’re ridiculously difficult and not worth it. In general, the more companies you sign up with, the more survey requests you’ll receive in your email and more opportunity you’ll have to make money.

Lastly: offer to write product reviews. If you’re knowledgeable about some subjects and can write well, sites will pay you to offer product or site reviews…

If you have any other ways to make quick cash (legally), please post a comment.