by Andrea Naomi

Created on: May 06, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Thirty two cents, (.32), was all I had left in my bank account. The kicker that made me cry-I just had my check direct deposited that day. My automatic payments had been withdrawn right after that. As I held the ATM receipt in my hands, my stomach growled. Tears began to form in my eyes.

I drove home, wondering how I was going to make it for two weeks. When I arrived home, I opened my cabinet and began to cry because I had one more bag of Ramen Noodles left. I called my estranged husband and asked if I could use money to buy milk, eggs and bread. He said he did not have money in our joint account. When I hung up, I began to cry in despair. My close friend called me while I was crying. I told her about my check and cried that I was hungry. Not even an hour later, she was at my house with bags of food.

This was a CLOSE CALL for me. A few days later, I checked the joint checking account that I had with my estranged husband, and found that there was more then enough money for milk, bread, and eggs. Now, what happened next is for another article! If I knew then, what I know now, I would have done things differently.

Before we can go any further, we need to evaluate how much fast cash we need and when do we need it? Let's think of short term goals. Short term goals would be considered a week to two weeks.

Same Day Yard Sale-Take a glance over your house, garage, yard and bathrooms or unused items. Sometimes, homes are filled with materialistic items that have not been used in a year. Take these items and place them outside with a "For Sale" sign that is visible to those passing by your home. Have a tag with a higher price then what you actually want it for. This will give the potential buyer an opportunity to negotiate a lower price. At the same time, this works out for you because you have received the amount of money that you wanted for the items.

EBay Selling-The remainder of the items that did not sale can be sold on EBay. There is potential if you place it on EBay. Start out with a low price and watch the bidding take place as your potential $5.00 item has turned into $20.00 dollars. This process usually takes about 3-5 days to process. EBay does have fees. The fees are inexpensive and can be paid for after you complete your sale. What can you lose? This was money that you were not expecting in the first place.

Last week, I put a college book on EBay for $5.00 with shipping $7.00. It sold on the 3rd day for $23.50. After my first sale, I had a stack of college books piled next to my computer. PayPal made it easy to complete the sale and transfer money back into my regular checking account.

Waiting Tables-Another quick way of making cash is waiting tables. Restaurants are always in need of waiters and waitresses. The pay is usually very low. Most hourly wages are below minimum wage but the tips that the waiters and waitresses make usually make up the difference. This money can be taken home the same day. Working on nights and weekends normally bring in the most cash. My first experience was in a classy country bar. I made $80.00 dollars in one night. What can you do with $80.00 dollars?

These are just three ideas to fill your pockets with quick cash. Other ideas could include pawnshops, babysitting and lawn care. There are many different ways get fast cash. Depending on your credit you can apply for a loan, refinance your mortgage or go back to college.

Sometimes, we let pride get in the way of asking for financial help. Family and friends are always there to help. Even it if is just to buy groceries to get us back on our feet and thinking positive again.

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