5 ez ways to make extra money to pursue creative projects

It's the weekend. You ate good. You're sitting outside with a cup of your favorite brew and your notebook, jotting out some ideas for a dope project. It excites you more than you've expected.

"Alright sick!" You clap your hands. "Kay, I'll just have to buy some glue. Buy a pack of mason jars. Stock paper. Resin. Welp, time to go to Michael's!"

You get in your car, put $20 in gas, and head to Michael's. Sales all over the fucking place!

"Ooh! Halloween stuff!"

You start looking, getting distracted with pretty moons and skulls. But eventually you start trailing through the store, finding what you need, new ideas start popping up.

"Let's get wooden pallets!" You say, as you get a cart to put your shit in.

You start scrolling through Pinterest, taking up Aisle 4 forcing people to avoid you. You buy more shit. You sacrifice some things. You remmeber Micheals has some pretty good coupons so you scroll on your phone again.

Finally, you're at the check-out line, coupons in hand, admiring your cart full of stuff. You step up as you conversate with the cashier about your project.

"This is gonna be so sic-- WTF $170?!?!? even after coupons??"

"Yep," the cashier says.

Fuck, that's like an average grocery trip for you and your partner. Swallowing a icky lump in your throat, looking back at the long line of customers, you swipe your debit card. You sit in your car, looking at all the bags of supplies through the rear view mirror.

Now you really have to commit to this project.

And maybe sacrifice flan for desert :(

If you are a person who operates on creative energy, you might have experienced this before.

As you know, I'm on project TMM (the mystic mollusk). My paper goes to sticker paper, stock paper, presentation paper, and spiral coils for journals. Among other things >_> Cal's playing around with a new idea but eventually will need superglue, paint, and mason jars. (I'm so proud of him btw :D!!!)

We have some dope passion projects, but are in different states of our journeys. Cal's just figuring it out. I already figured it out and have shit out there, I just have to keep it up.

So obviously, I could use some extra money buying materials so I won't take out of my bank account. Slowly, I've been seeing my account going lower and lower every month. Luckily, not dangerously low because I'm a frugal spender (thx mom and dad!).

Profit is not happening just yet (remember, this is still year one of TMM! I'm learning from the hiccups). But when I started, I had some ez ways to make extra dough which I would like to share with you- because everyone should be able to pursue dope projects without financial stress ♥

As the thumbnail says Mo Money to, yes, taking that opportunity to name this post something fking amazing but also this is my "Mo Money" experience. The funds I've made from the tricks I'l share below has helped me bring to life Mo, the first character I designed in my TMM brand, turning him into stickers and prints to spread Mo love :)

So behold: 5 ez ways to rack up extra money to pursue those fun creative projects!

1) Plasma Donation

(No, that's not what plasma looks like 😂)

I understand if you're not all about selling your bodily fluids. I understand if this may make me seem desperate. But it is an OPTION and I took it. Donating plasma for me was the most effective method so I listed it first :)

In the beginning of 2024 my Cal and I carpooled five miles to the plasma donation center about 1-2 times a week. I was unemployed for over a month and this was a nice extra way to get some money and do something meaningful.

I made about $400 donating plasma, which has gone to buying materials for making stickers and journals, and even some treat money for date nights with da boo ;)

Donating plasma is not that bad. After you register and watch some poor-quality videos its ez pz from there. You enter the building, sign in and do a simple questionnaire, you wait in line for a short physical where a doctor measures your weight, iron and protein levels. Then you're chilling in a bed with a bunch of other people getting your own blood sucked out of you - muhahahaha!

When I saw the donation room, I was a little spooked because it looks like an evil experiment in the works. We were all just chilling on our phones laying in our beds as we get our blood sucked. But that's it. Cal and I had some laughs with our fellow donors and doctors :)

Tip: Plasma centers are usually PACKED around 4-5 PM, aka Rush Hour. So be prepared to wait in loong lines and be home late ;-; you might want to visit in the AM!

A little tldr about how donating plasma works; they prick your vein with a needle that withdraws the blood. But you're not just sitting there. You have to pump your hand so the tube can get blood. (If you have acrylic nails they will give you a stress ball of some sorts to squeeze) There's different cycles happening so they're not constantly drawing out blood, while the machine extracts the plasma from your blood, which looks like mountain dew for most people in your blood sack... thing.

The final cycle is the machine giving you BACK your red blood cells, and that's when a nice hoodie or cozy blanket comes in... because you will get COLD 🥶

At the end a doctor will detach you from the machine, wrap a bandage, and reward you with monies through a VISA card you get from registering 💳 From there, you can access any ATM and withdraw cash or use it as any debit card with a pin. This card has it's own account NOT tied to your bank account.

<--- honestly, accurate feeling

Tip: Idk about other plasma places but the first card transaction is free, then after that they take out a small fee of $2 some bucks D: !!! Donators withdraw ALL the money in cash to avoid this so we can get the most of our blood money :3

It was an interesting experience for sure. It also got us eating healthy to bring up our iron and protein levels so we can donate. Otherwise, you'll be rejected to donate if your levels are low, and that's a waste of a trip :( !!!

If you are okay with needles and have a cool idea that requires some materials, research plasma donation centers in your area. The extra money will be helpful to buy what you need and experiment, and if the project isn't as satisfying as you thought, then you're not losing much!

Besides your plasma, of course...

And, you are helping people with your donation ♥

2) Yard Sales / FB Marketplace

If you have a bunch of shit, clothes you don't wear, plushies you neglect, make up kits you got for Christmas that you'll NEVER use, then FKING SELL THEM!!! Stab the grass with a Yard Sale sign and see the cars pull up. Or just upload somewhat shtty photos on marketplace.

About two years ago I've sold a pair of brand new converse sneakers for $60 on FB Marketplace. (Vans ftw.) It was my first time ever selling on Marketplace and I plan to get rid of more things in the future. Surprisingly I've had multiple people interested who tried to bargain down. I managed to find one who was willing to pay the price as listed. Thankfully the girl was super nice, she pulled up to the house, tried on the shoes, and gave me cash ;D !

My first yard sale was in New York with our family friend and I racked up about $75 which I used for my first comic con ;D I sold a bunch of old sht, clothes, toys, including DESIGNER purses my mom never use. I still remember this one lady who tried to bargain down the price with big puppy eyes, and my stupid 16 year old ass said "okay fine".

So yeah, not much experience, but the little experience I did have was pretty fking good. Just be safe! If you don't prefer strangers to pull up at your house, meet up at a public park or cafe. If you live in a sketchy place or, like me, have anxiety ;-; bring a friend with you.

Tip: Not to sound creepy but do a deep dive on the person who you are meeting with. See if their Facebook page is legit. Get someone on the phone if its on Craigslist. Don't get scammed homie ;-;

Remember to bring change during yard sales! Sure, CashApp, Venmo, PayPal and Zelle exist, but many yard-sale goers are old fashioned cash keepers.

Overall, this is great to rack up extra money if you are just starting out or already have started a project. These are also good experiences to train your people skills if you are ever thinking of working with clients or opening up your own shop. Because people like things. People want things. But they also don't want to pay full price. Sometimes saying no is hard.

3) Quick "cheap" commissions

Identify one thing you can do, really really good and really QUICK. Sketch someone's beloved pet? Killer resumes? Fake doctors notes? Drawing anime babes? Something you can do that doesn't cost you anything but time. Offer it on your page, Instagram, website, FB group, Ko-Fi, you name it.

I'm not much of a commission person anymore but once upon a time from 2020 - 2021, going to art school and working part time, my little side hustle was Twitch. It was easy because I didn't need to buy anything new I already had a webcam, screen share software, and Photoshop. From there, I grew an small dope audience and had some people interested in my emotes :D

I charged $10 per emote.

This is why I said "cheap" because, well, I don't think my skills are worth $10. Not anymore now anyways. But it got me clients. I did them quick, delivering a beautiful finished product within 1-2 days. Everything went to an account which helped me pay for my Adobe Suite :>

Tip: Having a PayPal account dedicated to pay x bill, or purchase x supplies is great to have! It will keep things organized too.

I tried to advertise commissions earlier this year but either my marketing was weak or the prices were not that reasonable. Overtime, I self reflected; I think this era is running different, where I prefer creating my own art and selling my own products vs working FOR someone.

Nothing wrong with that :) I've did client work, had a good experience, built up some skills, but then I realized, respectfully, my mentality preferred to work alone. Doesn't hurt to try, because it helps determine what works for YOU.

If you DO like working for people, delivering beautiful artwork that makes them so fking happy, not minding charging your services $5 - $10 per sketch or whatever, and getting money in your pocket every week sounds good for you, then go for it!

Marketing is VERY important guys!!! How else people are going to find out you draw really hot anime girls? Show examples. Use hashtags. And if you have the balls, cold-DMs.

Tip: Use Canva to make marketable posts of your services! Super ez, even on your phone.

Like cold-emailing, you send your post directly to someone who might be interested in ordering a commission from you. This could be a twitch streamer friend, family member, or a follower. The cold-DM shows you are thinking of them, it WILL grab their attention, WILL make them "think about it", and who knows, you might just get "yeah, sure I'll support you ♥ !"

Believe me, finding clients is HARD... especially if you have some social anxiety. What's even harder is clients finding YOU amongst all the other artists with the same hashtags. Maybe offer something different and unique you can't get anywhere else.

Commissions is a great option If you have sicc skills you'd like to offer to rack up extra money for a project. And if your services start to be popping, there's no issue with raising your prices to both (a) give you less stress on your client queue and (b) give your skills more worth :)

4) Tell your folks what you want for Christmas. Or your birthday.

Duh ;u

Honestly, how else they gonna know???

It can be something simple as a gift card to Michaels so you can buy your journal making supplies (STACKS N TACKS OF 10x10 PAPER YO), or a new printer, an easel, crochet kit, subscription to Adobe suite. Your folks will do what they can to (a) support you <3 (b) buy you a gift you WILL use.

Tip: Make an Amazon Wishlist or a Giftster, and share it!

I can't count how many times I've been given MAKEUP for Christmas >_< I don't wear that sht (besides lip gloss). I look at it and think... "they could've like... gotten me a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble." But how will they know if I like Barnes and Noble if I didn't tell 'em?? Last Christmas I listed a printer and... here I am :u

So share your projects. Share your goals. Share your shopping list of supplies to make that shit happen. You'll be surprised how many people will remember that and do their part to contribute to your success and not fail the Christmas spirit. Or birthday spirit.

This method for making extra money is great for wherever you are on your creative journey. Very simple, very effective. You get what you want, they made you happy by getting you what you want, rly, its a win-win.

5) Put a donation link on your BIO, website, page, whatever.

This is simple. Here is another sample:

"If you enjoy my [work] and would like to help me keep doing this, please donate via [links] or buy me something from [wishlist]. Thank you :D"

This doesn't sound desperate at all <3 And that's the one fear I had before putting up a link: I don't want to sound desperate!!!!

On that note check out mine ;D

<---------------------

"SPARE CHANGEEEE"

"GIB ME MONEYYYY"

"URGENT: NEED RENT!!!"

"WE BROKUHHHH"

(I'm not going homeless or hungry. And even if I was, I'd probably keep that somewhere personal like FB so friend and family can consider throwing a buck.)

This is FOR YOUR PROJECT. FOR YOUR PASSION.

I have a few people who stuck around since my Twitch days who donate or buy from my shop. My friends and family know about my projects. Now its time to find new investors.

Projects have investors. Businesses have investors. Schools. Hospitals. Projects. Fundraisers. Investors are people out there who see the potential of this thing, envisions its success, obsessed with the beautiful craftsmanship, and they put money into it.... for a price.

Yes, you got to give something back too so they can keep contributing. Send over a care package of new products. Discount your services. Collaborate. HOOK THEM UP!

RainyLune got great examples on her Patreon!

Subscribers, patrons, etc. are basically investors without fancy suits and ties. For instance, using rainylune as an example, I like her frog sht. People who love her beautiful froggy frens have options to get cool froggy sht.

For $6 a month I can get some stickers, a mini print and a discount to her store. For $14 a month I'll get the same thing with a pin, access to a newsletter and a secret shop O: !!! The value keeps going up with her other packages.

Tip: I can not NOT use this as an example... but this is why OnlyFans is popular. The more you pay, the more you see. Your project is your sexy bacon. Give it to them. You don't work for free. Make your shit look good ;u

This method works its best when you're already doing your craft. SHOW THE WORK. Build a portfolio. Prove to them how dope you are, that you love what you do, will keep doing it, and you have something to contribute with your magic.

☀ Ending Thoughts ☀

Laziness and fear aside, there are ways to rack up Mo Money without juggling a second job. I didn't list craft-shows because that's where I want to make my profit with the finished craft. Some of these might take a little gas money, and, of course, time and effort.

Some other methods can include doing extreme favors for your neighbors, selling digital products and babysitting. That's when networking comes in. Knowing people. Asking "what can I do to help?".

This is usually Cal's area of making extra money once in a blue moon, helping friends move, lifting heavy sht... which is not in my skill chart ;-;

If an extra $20's will help you get more clay, let your homies know you are willing to help them out!

Selling online products is my next goal because it sounds so cozy making $$ by just uploading a thingie that can help lots of people. I know I can sell a desktop wallpaper, template, package, SOMETHING! You just gotta make the thingie, upload the thingie.... and then market the shit out of it.

What all of these methods have in common is what YOU have to offer.

Yeah, I like gifts. I like free sht. Free money. But is it really free if someone is giving it to you? Are they really paying your electric bill because they are a good friend? Or do they secretly want your nude pics of anime girls? Idk. I just don't want you guys to be fools. Straight up. ( I watch a lot of court shows. Be careful with "gifts" and "loans". People are sus.)

Humans like to exchange more than give I've noticed. Sure, there are some good souls out there who enjoy sending Amazon packages to their favorite nephew or eye candy.

But show that you appreciate them back. Send them something. Make them something. Trade!

With plasma, you get money by giving your blood 🩸

With yard sales / FB market place, you get money by giving away your shit 👜

With commissions, you get money by using your talents 🖌

With Christmas / birthday, you get a gift-card by sharing your goals and a link to your Giftster ☁

And with a link and a sweet description, you get donations by showing off your talents with a killer portfolio. Be sure to keep an eye on who are your big supporters are 👁 hook them up with something special as a thank you :)

I hope these methods become useful to you! I'm a big supporter of picking up hobbies to make life enjoyable and fulfilling. I feel like the common excuse for not perusing them is the "I'm broke" excuse. Bruh, the internet has made it so fking easy for us have you forgotten?!

We just need the secret ingredient to make it work: good energy ☀

Whether its planting, painting, building, molding, baking...

Invite it. Chase it. Seek it.

Thank you so so much for anyone who took the time reading this, who follow me on Insta, purchased my stickers and donated recently ♥ it really helps me continue doing what I love to do!

you can be like Suen here, serving tea to friendly homies

Here's to living a dope existence, doing dope things for dope reasons <3