Making the Economic Crisis Work for You

There is no denying that times are rough. Money is in short supply and everything (except gas?) is costing more. However, there are a few ways that all of this can be to your advantage.

1. Ebay
No, not to sell. To buy! Northern Cheapskate posted about Ebay being a buyers market. Everyone is trying to sell they excess and it's a great opportunity to get a few things you need for less.


2. Giveaways
Everyone is blogging now, and most are trying to make a few bucks doing it. One of the ways bloggers are trying to attract attention to their site is by offering giveaways. While I'm not willing to do much for the virtual equivalent to a raffle, I am willing to leave a comment. It only takes a few seconds and it is not as much a waste of my time as watching The View. Some blogs even host space for other bloggers to post their giveaways. You can access lists of giveaways here, here and here.

3. Door Busting Deals
My heart races with thought of those 2 magic words: Black Friday. We've had great success finding deals on tv's and when shopping for items for a large group or charity (if you've ever adopted an entire class of students to provide Christmas gifts for, you'll give me a big 'AMEN!' here). Many sites list Black Friday ads as they are released (or leaked), but here's one of my favorites. Toys R Us has had 2 day sales the past 4 weekends and each one gets a little bigger. With retailers hoping to stay afloat, deals are bountiful. If you need something, there's a great chance you can get it for a good price.

4. CDs
While many banks are going under, others are also looking for you to invest your cash to help them out - while paying you for it, of course. Citibank and AIG are both bouncing between 3-4% interest rates for a 6 month CD. If you aren't going to need all of your savings immediately, why not earn a little bit more off of it? Worst case scenario, you have to withdraw the money from the cd early and you loose a month's interest. Even if your money has been in the cd a month, you'll still at least break even. Check on the rules with your bank, and make sure your bank is FDIC insured.

5. Etsy

With a possible return to DIYing, many are trying to sell their handmade goods on Etsy. If you're looking for a special handmade gift, but don't have the skills (or time or desire or...) Etsy shops might be able to help you and your wallet out.

Have you found other ways to make the economic slump work for you? If so, let us all know!