5 Out Of The Box Ways To Earn Money For Paying Down Debts
As much as you hate debt, your income might not be enough to pay off your credit cards. If you have a shopping addiction, or if 
you try to keep up with your friends, you might spend money that you don’t have; and when you don’t have enough cash, your credit card becomes the next best thing.
Although a credit card makes it easy to get the things you want in life, you could easily end up with a mountain of debt and no way to pay it off. Your situation might seem hopeless if you can’t keep up with minimum payments, and some of your friends may even recommend bankruptcy. However, before you take steps that can ruin your credit, brainstorm out the box ways to pay off your debt.
Your situation is not uncommon, and many people have successfully paid off credit card debt and loans by getting creative and taking extreme measures. For that matter, here are five out-of-the-box ways to get rid of debt.
1. Sell your hair
Believe it or not, but some wig makers pay good money for hair. If your hair is long and grows relatively quick — and you don’t mind rocking a shorter style — consider selling your hair for cash.
For this to work, your hair will need to be untreated — or free of chemicals. Most wig makers prefer virgin hair because it’s less damaged and has a longer life. Also, your hair will need to be at least 10 inches and healthy. Therefore, regular conditioning is crucial to get top dollars. The amount you can earn for your hair varies, with some wig makers paying hundreds or thousands depending on the condition and length.
2. Clean out your closet
If you have a closet full of designer brands, you can sell designer handbags, clothes and shoes to drum up extra cash to pay off your debt. In fact, selling your designer handbag can be very profitable, and there are plenty of people willing to pay top dollars for secondhand merchandise — as long as it’s in good condition. You can sell your bag on consignment and get up to 30% more cash, or pawn your designer bag for a temporary loan.
3. Live in one room and rent out your house
This approach is a bit extreme, but if you need cash to pay off your debt, living out of your bedroom and renting the rest of your house can generate fast cash. For example, if you have a four bedroom house, get three roommates and use the rental income (after you set cash aside for taxes) to pay credit card bills. If you bring in an extra $1,000 a month, you could pay off a $10,000 credit card bill in about one year.
4. Do the majority of your shopping at the Dollar Store
You’ll be surprised at the things you can find at the Dollar Store, such as household items, groceries, body care supplies, accessories, toys, gifts, etc. And since these items only cost a buck, you’ll significantly reduce how much you spend at grocery stores and other retail stores. You might not find the brands you like, but the money you save can put a major dent in your debt.
5. Private taxi services
If you’re at least 21 years old with an active US driver’s license and no more than two moving violations in the past three years, you might be able to find part-time work as a private taxi driver. Several companies offer services throughout the United States and they’re always looking for drivers. The concept is simple: use your car to give people rides around the local area, and make up to $35 an hour. You can set your own hours and drive your own car — it’s that simple.
Getting out of debt isn’t the easiest thing to do, but if you’re creative and think outside the box, you can drum up money to pay all your bills, and ultimately increase your credit score.
