raising cash in a hurry

Update May 2009: The price of aluminum and other metals has dropped precipitously, so you might want to hang onto your cans until the market recovers. If you live in a state that charges a deposit, though, cans can still save your can. 100,000 homeless can't be wrong! In states that require a...

Update May 2009: The growing popularity of farmer's markets offers another venue for selling your goods. Make sure to check the health department rules for your area, though. In my area of the country, I often see the Amish set up along busy highways selling freshly-baked goods. They do a healthy...

Update May 2009: The world's largest sperm bank, Cryos in Denmark, reports that its business is growing so quickly it can't open new offices fast enough. These are indeed hard times. When I was in college, I once visited a friend at another university. As with many such visits, I spent much of...

Update may 2009: When Illinois governor Blagojevich was perp-walked out of office, hair lost one of its greatest champions. The market is still buying, however, and what other product that you can turn into cash requires so little work? In a truly free market economy, you'd be worth a lot of money...

Update May 2009: The Wall Street Journal reports that early withdrawals from retirement accounts are up 44% over October of 2008. As more of us tap out our savings, this advice on how to raid our IRAs with the least damage is even more timely. If you need quick cash, your retirement savings can...

Update May 2009: New restrictions on payday loans have driven many locations out of business, while others scramble to find ways to skirt the laws. Notnetheless, for many people who need that one-time bridge loan, these businesses still serve as a last resort. Somehow I've managed to become...

Update May 2009: A recent study in the U.K. found that, thanks to the recession, 5 million English homeowners have considered becoming 'reluctant landlords' by renting out rooms. When my friend Michael, an inveterate couch surfer, turned up on my doorstep a few years ago, my boyfriend had just...

Update May 2009: New pennies, nickels, and quarters have elevated couch-diving for dinero from a business plan to a favorite recession recreation. Remember: change is good. When I've been broke in the past and in need of quick cash, the first place I naturally look is in my own home. Drawing on my...

Update May 2009: As cities suffer declining revenue thanks to the recession, expect more parking meters. This is all good news for anyone looking to rent out an off-street parking spot in a popular location. I had two parking spaces and one car. My upstairs neighbors had two parking spaces and...

Update May 2009: According to the Foundation Center, corporate charitable giving is expected to drop by more than 10% this year. But try looking at it this way- even in the midst of the worst economic malaise in almost a century, American companies are still giving almost 90% as much as they did...