101 Weird Ways to Make Money:
Cricket Farming, Repossessing Cars, and Other Jobs With Big Upside and Not Much
Competition
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 CapturingWild 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
STILLMORE UNUSUALWAYS TOMAKEMONEY
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
288 pages, Paperback