15 Crazy Ways People Made Money Proving Anything Is Possible

Happy man holding money in one hand giving a thumbs up sign with the other.Photo byProstock-studio via Shutterstock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why do we pay some people so much money? These professions earn big bucks but they’re not worth the high cost.

This article was produced and syndicated by Partners in Fire.