For most people, the only way to make money is to get good qualifications, and then find a regular job where they work 9-5. But even this 40 hour week is slowly being eroded as people are expected to stay longer or to respond to emails outside of office hours.
The salaried career is the only way that they know to earn a living. Of course, a career in a 9-5 job is not bad, and for many, it is the option that is most suited to their needs.
For others though, a 9-5 is not for them. They prefer a different or more unconventional way to put food on their table. This can vary from someone who starts their own business, all the way over to someone who enters competitions for a living.
Here are some of the unusual and unconventional ways in which people earn a living.
Professional “Comper”
A professional comper is someone who makes a living from entering competitions. They may choose to sell some of the prizes that they win, or keep them for themselves. Comping (the process of entering competitions) can be very hit and miss, so these professionals rely on entering a large number of them to increase their odds of being successful.
Often, businesses run a competition as a way to promote a new product or service or to collect contact details so that they can send them updates about their offerings. Other times, the competition may be used to encourage people to buy a certain product to get entries into the contest. Prizes can vary from some chocolate bars, all the way up to a luxury holiday that includes flights and accommodation.
Some people report earning quite a bit of money this way, while some journalists such as Vice’s Sam Tahmassebi only managed to win The Darkness tickets, two books, and a chocolate bar when trying to replicate some of the claims.
Metal Detecting
Have you ever been to the beach and seen someone walking along with a metal detector? Well, these people are trying to find valuables like jewelry and coins that may have been lost by beachgoers or washed up on the shore.
Most people who scour the beaches looking for buried treasure (or trash) are doing it for a hobby, with many saying it’s unlikely you can sustain yourself from selling your finds. The only way it would be profitable would be if you found an expensive ring, but the odds would be about the same as finding a needle in a haystack.
Be a Rented Friend
In the modern world our busy lives can make it hard to make friends. Especially if we have work in a different city, or we have moved away from our friends and family for other reasons. Alternatively, you might find yourself in a strange city that you’ve never been to before while travelling.
Sites like Rent a Friend help to solve these problems, by letting you rent a friend for a strictly platonic relationship. Friends can sign up to these services and be paid to attend parties to help hosts bump up the numbers, help people learn new skills, or just spend a day showing them around.
Mystery Shopper
For some people, being paid to go shopping is a dream. For others, it is a reality. Companies use mystery shopping as a way to check that their customer service is being delivered to the standard that they expect.
Mystery shoppers can be paid small or large amounts, and are often given free meals or free products as they are often required to buy things during their work.
Typically, you will be given a brief and be required to ask a member of staff certain questions or make observations about the appearance of a shop or restaurant. You’ll then have to write a report to send to your employer describing what happened, and providing your feedback.
Some people use these services to help build up their savings, while others use them as a full-time job. Regardless of your intentions, if you want an unusual way to earn some cash, these options might be for you.