15 Crazy Ways People Made Money Proving Anything Is Possible

People throughout the ages have found fascinating and ingenious ways to make money. These 15 stories prove that where there’s a will, there’s a way, and a savvy business sense can turn any idea into a profit-making machine. 

Tumble Weed Sales

A tumble weed on an empty road.
Photo Credit: Vladimir Konstantinov via Shutterstock.com.

One genius found a way to make money from the annoying plants rolling around desert highways. He collected them, brought them to Hollywood, and sold them to studios needing authentic props for their movies. 

Niche Imports

A woman thinking while holding a stack of money in her hand to represent how much is six figures and a six figure salary.
Photo Credit: Masson via Shutterstock.com.

If, while visiting one country, you see them all enjoying something super cool, why not buy a bunch and sell them in your own country? People make tons of money importing niche products, ranging from handicrafts to trampolines. Be sure to check your country’s rules on customs and importation before diving in. 

Horse Sculptures

Rider jumping a horse.
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An artist makes a full-time living creating full-sized sculptures commemorating a horse’s big win. He doesn’t need all the owners to bite. Just a few per year is enough to pay for all his expenses. 

Rewrapped Candy

Assorted hard candies in a bowl.
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Make extra money by buying candy, then rewrapping it with special occasion designs. Make custom wrappers for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and birthdays. Don’t unwrap the candy, though; just replace the outer packaging. 

Pick a Name

Sleeping infant wrapped in light blue bear blanket on a blue grey background.
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Some Asian families want English-sounding names for their kids, so they pay people in English-speaking countries to help them pick a name. 

Residential Upkeep for the Wealthy

exterior of a large, pretty grey house
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Rich folks own multiple homes and vehicles in numerous cities and countries. They can’t be everywhere at once, so they pay people to do simple tasks, like flush toilets and drive their cars, while they’re away. 

Rich College Kid’s Junk

smiling man wearing college graduation robes and holding a diploma
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Rich college kids just throw stuff away at the end of a semester. The scrappier folks roam the neighborhoods during moving-out time, grabbing all the treasures rich kids discarded and reselling them on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. 

Medical Studies

A doctor with a warning sign on the desk between his hands.
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If you don’t mind being a human guinea pig, you can participate in medical studies. Sometimes, you need to meet specific criteria, but other times, they do psychological or physical studies and just need bodies to experiment on. 

Tire Inflation

Small tow truck towing a pick up truck by it's rear side.
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One guy realized that companies don’t do a great job with fleet maintenance, so he convinced many area companies to let him check their tires regularly. He made millions checking tires. 

Panning for Gold

person sifting through small rocks outside on larger rocks.
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You can still find real gold and precious metals in the wild. If you know where to legally look, you can make good money rock-hounding. 

Sleeping

A woman sits in bed in the morning hugging her pillow. She's wearing white and her entire room is white.
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One woman got hired to sleep at an office. The owner wanted someone there at night in case first responders needed to stop by. They never did. 

Video Game Characters

Woman holding a gaming controller and thinking.
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People will pay good money for a well-crafted video game character. Some games are more fun after the grind, and people too lazy to do the work will pay big bucks for special items and a ready-to-go build. 

3D Printing

A woman using a 3d Printer in her office.
Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images via Shutterstock.com.

If you have a 3D printer and know how to make complex designs, you can make a significant income. One person pulls in thousands monthly by selling 3D-printed model train cars. 

Jars of Air

An empty, sealed mason jar on a wooden table. A mason jar lid stands up next to the jar.
Photo Credit: Reece with a C via Shutterstock.com.

People buy all sorts of crazy things, even air in jars, in the right circumstances. Industrious sellers made money selling “Irish” air, “Hurricane” air, and even human-made air. Don’t ask. 

Working 40 Hours a Week for 40 Years

man at work looks really bored and unhappy
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The most common way people make money is actually one of the craziest if you think about it. Most of us give the majority of our time during the best years of our lives to a company so that we can afford to live. That’s madness. 

High-Paying Jobs Earning Far More Than They Should

A woman behind her desk after work stretching and cracking her knuckles.
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Why do we pay some people so much money? These professions earn big bucks but they’re not worth the high cost

12 Surprising Jobs That Pay Well

A smiling business man stands in front of his team.
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You may be surprised at how much money certain positions pay. These 12 jobs pay more than you’d expect. 

Make Your Own Job with Passion Fire

A man making it rain with a pile of money in his hand.
Photo Credit: Dean Drobot via Shutterstock.com.

Tired of working for someone else? Use Passion Fire to forge your own path

Turn Your Hobby Into Extra Cash

woman working on a cheap hobby, like making jewelry at home, to represent cheap hobbies
Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images via Shutterstock.com.

Want to make extra money on the side? These fun hobbies easily transform into money-making ventures

Earn 100K by 30 with These High-Paying Careers

Diverse crowd of workers from different industries.
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If money is your goal, consider one of these careers that will have you earning 6 figures before you tu
 

Source: Reddit

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.