7 crazy money-making schemes that could actually work

Nadia Krige 1st Apr 2020 4 Comments

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Have you ever tried any crazy money-making schemes? They can sometimes be so far-out that they actually work!

Such money-making schemes are considered crazy because they sound unrealistic. But history has proven that some can, and do, pay off on occasion.

Don’t believe us? Here are 7 crazy money-making schemes that have actually paid off:

• Undercover bridesmaid 
• Dating app coach
• Professional cuddling
• Facebook girlfriend
• Selling your used tights online
• Selling toilet roll inners
• Stand in line for someone else
• Share your money-making tips

 

Undercover bridesmaid

If you pride yourself on your ability to connect almost effortlessly with other women, you could do well earning some extra cash by being an undercover bridesmaid.

Weddings often come with their fair share of drama, which means that sometimes a bridesmaid can drop out at the last minute. Or perhaps, the bride in question has no close friends or family members to be part of her big day. You never know what the story might be.

An undercover bridesmaid is someone who can fill that empty space for a bride in need. Offer some extra support and get paid for it.

In 2016, Tiffany Wright became the UK’s first Undercover Bridesmaid and has been running her own flourishing business ever since. She offers different packages, including virtual assistance, maid-of-honour support and a comprehensive deal where she helps pre-wedding and during the big day.

Her packages are priced from £250 upward, and you’d be surprised just how many people are in need of this service. What started out life as one of Tiffany’s crazy money-making schemes turned into a profitable business.

 

Dating app coach

Do you consider yourself an expert at the online dating game? If so, you probably know a few things others may benefit from. And best of all, they’d be willing to pay you for your expertise.

This is another idea that was once just one of somebodies many money-making schemes that become profitable. Would you be suited to training other people on how they can improve their digital dating life?

You could offer your services privately, but you may want to gain some experience first by doing it through BidVine.

The freelance site recently added ‘Tinder Coach’ as a job and that people who meet the criteria can start bidding to help people develop their online dating game.

Depending on both of your schedules, the client will be able to opt for coaching sessions once a week, 2-3 times per week or more. BidVine recommends at least 3 sessions for clients to see the benefits of the coaching service.

The site recommends that you charge around £30 per hour. This means if you do three sessions with a client, that’s a £90 for simply sharing your dating app knowledge.

Read our article about this here.

 

Professional cuddling

If you’re a known hugger, you may want to consider putting your liberal tactility to good use by offering professional cuddling services. (Note: this is NOT a job for during the coronavirus crisis! Perhaps put it on your ‘when all this is over’ to-do list though).

We know it sounds a bit strange, but it really is a legitimate service. We live in an era where loneliness is one of our most lethal epidemics. And it’s not at all strange for some people to go without meaningful human contact for days or weeks on end.

Bearing this in mind, it’s probably not entirely surprising that touch has become something of a commodity. Which means, your hugs could be making you some money.

Because you wouldn’t want to put yourself at unnecessary risk, we suggest you sign up with an agency like Cuddle Professionals. They also offer training and set up appointments between you and clients.

While rates may differ, you can expect to make £30 per hour session. The more experience you gain, the more you can charge.

Read our article about this here.

 

Facebook girlfriend

As the name suggests, a Facebook girlfriend is someone who conducts a relationship with a significant other entirely online. However, unlike traditional online dating, the whole idea is to keep the relationship purely virtual, without the promise of ever meeting in-person.

Also, there’s no need for anything even slightly sexy. Many Facebook girlfriends focus their business on providing emotional support services rather than sexual satisfaction.

A woman who calls herself Hayley shared her story about being a Facebook girlfriend on Reddit. This is what she charges:

Daily: $15 (recommended if you just want to chat for a day)

Weekly: $40 (recommended for those who want to chat on and off)

Monthly: $130 (recommended for those want to chat consecutively)

She requires first-time clients to pay upfront to ensure that she doesn’t lose out. All payments are made through PayPal.

Read more here.

 

Selling your used tights online

Love them or hate them ladies, at some point in your life you’re going to have to wear a pair of tights. And you may not realise, but there are actually people out there who will pay good money to get their hands on a pair that’s been thoroughly worn!

Yes, that’s right. There’s a whole world of used tights fetishists out there, whom you can find in various corners of the internet.

The easiest place to start your dirty little business is on eBay, but you can also try Craigslist, Reddit or even start your own shop.

With the average price on eBay being about £12 for a pair of used tights, you’re probably not going to make a killing. However, if you really are desperate for cash and have a few pairs of well-worn tights lying around, it’s probably worth a try.

Read more.

 

Selling toilet roll inners

While most of us might throw the end of the toilet roll into the recycling bin without a second thought. But a lot of people actually treasure them for the infinite DIY possibilities they hold.

The thing is, most crafters would need more toilet rolls than they can realistically get through to see a project through. Therefore they welcome the opportunity to invest in a few extra wherever they can. Once again, your go-to spots for making the most of this money-making scheme will be eBay, Facebook groups or Gumtree.

You’re unlikely to make a significant amount of money from this, but it could be a near effortless way to start a little savings fund for something special. You can make an average of £7 per bulk package of 50 rolls, for very little effort.

Read more.

 

Stand in line for someone else

If you have some time on your hands and enjoy people watching, you may be the perfect candidate for substitute queueing. Again, with all the shops closed at the moment due to coronavirus, this is another ‘backburner idea’ for when the lockdown is lifted! (Unless you want to stand in line to do people’s grocery shopping!).

Bidvine.com now offers a queuing service for anyone who needs someone to stand in line for them.

Once you’ve signed up as a line queuer, people will start bidding on your services. It’s expected bids will be around £15 per hour but, it’s up to you what you want to quote per hour, or per job.

But if you think about it, £15 an hour for doing nothing is more than many jobs offer for hard graft!

Read more.

Share your money-making tips

Do you know any other crazy (but legal!) ways to make extra cash? Share your ideas with our Magpies and you could win a £25 Amazon voucher!

The new MoneyMagpie Messageboard is the perfect place to share more tips about making (and saving) money – and meet other Magpies like you! Your questions will be answered by the MoneyMagpie team, community members, and even vetted experts for the tough ones.

Each week, the best post wins a £25 Amazon voucher, too!