We've all heard the phrase "money doesn't grow on trees"—meaning that it's not exactly an easy thing to come by.
That's not always the case, though...
Every now and then the money gods smile down upon someone and gift them with some seriously easy money.
Redditor Jelz asked:
"What's the easiest money you ever made?"
A Coke And A Smile
$20,000 for a Coca Cola commercial in which I did nothing but sit in a convertible and cheer like I was on my way to a college football game. I didn't get it all at once, but I added up the residuals over a 2 year period for tax purposes and that was the total.
- Okika13
GiphySold My Spot
Was first in the queue at Apple regents street waiting for the new iPhone (5 I think) sold my space for £3k. I did it consecutively for 3/4 years probably made around £12-14k, got in some documentaries and TV shows because of it. Because I'm a fan boy I would take the week off work, and queue for 7 days, would normally sell the spot 2/3 days before launch morning. I would also have the person who bought my space buy me an iPhone.
Goodwill Goodies
Bought a second-hand jacket from Goodwill for $8. There was a $50 in the pocket.
I've found $50 and $100 bills used as bookmarkers in books from Goodwill. One time, there was a $20 bill in a signed hardcover first edition of William Gibson's Virtual Light. I bought it for $2.
- MrLeHah
I was showing my brand-new jacket I had just bought at a thrift store to the head of our legal department, and when I took it off a gigantic nugget of weed fell onto the floor. It was awkward, but, thankfully, his assistant was with me at the thrift store and could vouch for the fact that I hadn't put it in there.
- ljtwork
Pushing The Power Button
Went to a clients (I did computer repair) and he hands me a laptop and says "It's dead, if you can make it work, I'll give you $100. It is new."
I look at it, push the power button and it boots. So I figure it is not connecting to the internet or something. He freaks! Cannot believe I got it working. I show him the power button on the side. He says "Huh. Didn't know where it was."
He takes out a wad of cash, peels off 5 $20's hands them to me and the gives me another $20 as a tip. I was in and out in under 5 minutes.
- Fblonk
Flipping Cars
Bought a car that "didn't run" for $250, put some fresh gas in it and polished the paint, sold it for $2000 a week later.
- volvbro
Guardian Angel
As a waitress, I served a staff party and just did well. Really connected with one man at the table and told him I was getting married in 3 months. He tipped me $1000 and told me to use it for our honeymoon. I was floored. Reacted like Dr Grant in Jurassic Park when he sees a dinosaur in the flesh for the first time.
I was working three jobs at the time. We used the money to buy our wedding bands instead so we had a constant reminder that someone out there was rooting for us & the man who gave us the money heard about it and came to our wedding where he gave us $10,000. He changed our life & made it so we could afford fertility treatment.
Still doesn't feel real to this day & we hope to name our son after him if we ever get the chance. He was so lovely that sometimes I even think he wasn't real but was like a guardian angel. It sounds nuts, but strangers just don't do that kind of thing.
An Empty Plate
500 euros for an acting job as a waiter, I didn't have to say anything. I only had to place an empty plate on a table and walk out of the frame.
- RAMI_XXL
Happy New Year's
Three hundred bucks for my spot in line for the bathroom at McDonald's. It was new years eve. I took the money, walked far enough away and peed between two cars. Three hundred bucks was enough for me to have a little public leak.
GiphyBabysitting
"Baby"sitting my mom's friend's 14 and 11 year old. We played video games all day (with their mother's consent) and I got 150 euros for like eight hours.
Manning The Beer Tent
I worked as a barman for a few years. A neighbors niece was getting married but needed someone to run the bar at the reception set on a field. The "beer tent" was huge and I was running it with 3 others.
I agreed to be paid "normal rate". I didn't ask for their definition but they paid me blind drunk and gave me cash in an envelope.
For 10 hours work I got paid £750 and was under strict instructions from the father of the bride to "help yourself" to any left over booze.
Dom Perignon crates each and we each filled our car boots with booze as a tip.
Staples And Copies
I earned $300 in 5 days when I was 14 by helping my friend's uncle remove staples from papers and photocopying papers.
The Muted Singer
I can't sing well at all but a part in a movie was for choir. I was just a normal extra but they were desperate for people to play singers. The director says $150 hourly for it which is insane of course. I said I'll do it but I'm unsure I'm good enough. I sang the only song I memorized "knocking on heaven's door."
It was late at night and the main actor said "good enough" they gave me a printout of the lyrics of "Last Christmas." I sung it in front of the camera and got about 500$ for it.
Later while watching it, they muted me and put someone else's voice over it.
GiphyThe Cookie Bozo
Got sent out on a temp agency job to help unload a semi at a local cookie factory. There must have been a miscommunication, because it turns out a company like that has a whole team of forklift drivers for that exact purpose and they don't want a bozo like me in the way. So, I got paid to stand around and bullshit with the truck driver all morning.
Being A Soccer Star
I used to play indoor soccer in the winters. For my grade I was on the younger side, so I sometimes would play my league and down one because I was young enough to qualify.
My uncle proposed that if he came to the game he wanted to see me score and us to win. So he said $20 for a goal and $20 for a win. That night I was playing down with the younger squad. At the time I was a winger, striker, attacking midfield player. I wasn't too selfish, but everything went my way that night. I made $100 in an hour.
Empty Pool
My job while I was at school. Worked at the school pool as a lifeguard, but it was almost always empty so I could sit in the office and work or watch YouTube videos and get paid £8.15 an hour for it.
Partying With Beer
Used to do craft beer tastings for conventions/events. It was a side gig through a friend. You basically stand there for an hour handing out beer and discussing it, and sometimes drinking if the patron asks to share with you. The events were always high class, so you'd get tips even though we weren't really a bar, more of a giant ice cooler. Basically I got paid to be at a party. Lots of networking too. Usually took home between $100 to $200 cash for the hour.
- Gravey9
Now look, most of this stuff is probably never going to happen to you, so don't get your hopes up ... but at the same time "never say never" right?
Maybe you'll be the next person to find money in a Goodwill coat or get paid a ridiculous amount of money just to walk past a camera!
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