When times are good it seems that everyone is making money. Employers seem to have money to give away, but when the economy changes and everyone is struggling, it can be very hard to squeeze a dollar out of employers. In those times it’s important to keep your options open. Be open to selling your stuff, part-time opportunities and independent contractor opportunities. This is how to make money in a recession.
You can start by selling a lot of the items that are not necessary anymore in your life. For instance some of the textbooks that your children may have laying around in the house. Feel free to get those textbooks out of those dusty shelves and into the market. There are many ways to sell these used textbooks as college students are always searching for the cheapest way to purchase their books. Feel free to do research on the best website that offer used college textbooks online such as www.Slugbooks.com. These types of services provide the most bang for your buck type comparisons.
Employers are not afraid to hire someone part-time even in a bad economy, especially for a personal assistant San Francisco. They are not obligated to pay benefits and if they hire you as an independent contractor they don’t have to pay taxes either. This guarantees you income when no one else is hiring. You must be astute however, and not accept positions that are too far away from home resulting in high transportation costs that cannot be recouped by the pay. Since pay is the only benefit you get from a position like this you need to watch your expenses. You may be able to deduct some of those expenses as an independent contractor, but you cannot deduct transportation as a part-time employee.
Try to find a job that does have some type of benefit even if it doesn’t include health care or paid vacations. Do they offer discounts or any type of incentives for work that is completed? If they do make sure you are eligible for those incentives as often as possible. You may be satisfied with the hourly wage, but any kind of increase will take care of additional expenses you may have.
Always seek positions that offer regular pay. This way you’ll be able to plan the paying of some of your expenses. This is especially possible if they offer you a regular schedule also. As an independent contractor, you want your independence, but a consistent paycheck helps the independent contractor with making a financial plan for the future. Everyone needs an operating budget.
Independent contractor work comes in many forms. Sales is one form, another is demonstrators representing manufacturers and retailers needing merchandisers in the stores. Many people are uncomfortable with sales, but many types of sales positions are not too pushy. You can sell a product that people enjoy buying like Avon or a product that people really need like medical equipment. Both are more introduction items than items that must be “sold”. Give the customer the catalog and let them tell you what they want or need.
As a demonstrator, you simply need to wear the clothing specified for the location and be there in a timely fashion. You will need to stand for long periods of time, but your job is simply showing the potential customer the product and its use. You must have a friendly manner and be able to communicate with strangers about the product and its benefits. It’s not a difficult job and pay is usually higher than minimum wage. You can accept jobs or decline them without it being a problem with most demonstration positions, which allows you to control your schedule.
Merchandising is more restrictive. You will have a part-time to full-time schedule and you will be relied upon to complete the work needed in one or more stores. You don’t have the flexibility to accept or decline work. There are very few people who can fulfill this job responsibility in your absence, so if you are not available consistently, you will probably be replaced. The work is consistent, but the pay is not very high, unless you advance in the position and work there for a year or more.
How to make money in a recession starts with being willing to give up the security of a traditional “J.O.B.” Employers a leery of making commitments to full-time staff, so the best option is to find ways to increase your income that don’t require an employer to commit more than they are willing. Work as an independent contractor or a part-time employee and earn the additional money with not obligation on your part or the employer’s.