How To Find Some Extra Cash

A few weeks ago, part of our advice on how to handle these tough financial times was to increase your emergency fund. Obviously this is something that most people would like to do — have more cash in their lives — but how exactly can this be accomplished? MSN has some suggestions on how to find some extra cash:

* Sell something — Household possessions, nonretirement investments, heirlooms.
* Cash out — Certificates of deposit, whole life policies.
* Earn more — A second or third job, a side business.
* Hit up Mom and Dad — Ask for a gift, ask them to pay a medical or tuition bill, ask for a loan.
* Borrow smart — Tap home equity, reverse mortgage, hit up friends or other family, consider a social lending site, talk to your credit union or bank about a personal loan, borrow from your 401(k), margin loans, use a credit card advance, pawn-shop loans.

A good list, but the one thing MSN misses is finding extra cash by cutting back on expenses. Here’s a quick round up of some decent money saving resources from around the web:

* 301 Posts On Saving Money
* Top 10 Ways to Trick Yourself into Saving Money
* 30 Easy Ways to Save Money (and No, you are not doing them all!)
* 75 Painless Money-Saving Tips
* 25 Gadgets That Actually Save Money

Sure, there’s a fair amount of overlap among these, but by reviewing them and the initial ideas from MSN, you’re sure to find at least a few ways to help you create more cash. And these days, more than ever, cash is certainly king.

The best ways to raise cash fast [MSN Money]

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