12 things I'm doing to raise cash for food, rent, bills

November and December have always been lean months and this year is no exception. My gross income for November was $236. That's about 10% of my basic living expenses including 3 loan payments, so you can imagine how stressed I am. I woke at 5 this morning with a raging stress headache.

I'm not averse to work. I work 7 days a week, 14 hours a day offering my services to people. It's just that people won't hire me or don't pay me for work I do.

Yesterday, for example, I gave a woman a free email consult (value $16.95) to help her with her personal crisis, and not only did I receive no answer to my questions, but she didn't even acknowledge my help or that she didn't have to pay for it. And her income is 7 times what mine is and she doesn't have to do any work to receive it.

Perhaps I'm too soft-hearted because I treat people the way I want to be treated. When I am assertive and ask to be paid the amount I quoted them in advance people get nasty. I guess I will have to stop being nice to people who don't have the same values I hold.

So here's what I'm doing to reduce expenses and raise some cash before Dec. 31.

1. No celebrating Christmas this year: no tree, outdoor lights, Christmas cards, gifts, baked cookies, Christmas dinner, open house, drinks with friends.
2. Shutting down 3 web sites which will save $30 a month in hosting fees, $360 a year, which equals 1 car payment (only 9 more payments to go).
3. Offering my home staging services to local realtors to help them sell clients' homes at greater profit. (Will write the brochure today.)
4. Sending invoices to former neighbors who decided they didn't have to pay me for professional services I provided because we were "friends". (Friends don't knowingly let you go homeless without food.)
5. Advertising my family heirloom china, 3 web sites, and never-used camping equipment for sale.
6. Asking university home economics department if they want the last copies of my 365 Questions booklet.
7. Promoting most of my electronic books and booklets at nearly half-price.
8. Writing and sending a news release to generate book sales and bookings to speak to companies on Kindness in Business.
9. Writing letters to obtain refunds from companies who I've overpaid.
10. Offering to write or re-write press releases for anyone, or edit book manuscripts. (I'm quite good.)
11. Looking for a lawyer to represent me in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against my former condo board and management.
12. Offering to do almost anything for $20 an hour: cleaning, cooking, sewing, shopping, delivering, pet sitting, etc.

I applied for part-time work at my local food store as a Helping Hand (loading groceries into cars, corralling shopping carts in the parking lot, cleaning up aisle accidents). The interview was fun, but I haven't heard whether there is a position for me.

Wish me luck! I really need it.

Andrea