The Joel on Software Discussion Group

I'd like to relocate to the west  and am getting a few nice tugs on my job-fishing lines out there.    The best possibilities are with non-profit or government organizations unlikely move fast.  It may take another two months before I'd start employment.  In the meantime in Florida, I'm living on unemployement, making only enough for survival, with no savings. 

What's are practical financially effective ways to earn money in the short term to fund the upcoming relocation, first payment for an apartment, etc.  using software development (maybe along with physics, electronics and visual arts) skills?

Using that skillset, I can't think of any good short term ones unless you can get a short term contract anywhere in the country, throw your stuff into storage, and live like a college student until you get your feet underneath you.
There is always freelancing, but if you knew someone who needed your skills you wouldn't have asked.  Tutor jobs don't pay the kind of money you want.  Sologig is iffy for the same reason.  I'd go with short term contracts if you can find them but if you could find them you wouldn't have asked.  Sell some stuff?

I'm with noodling on this one; even "short-term" contracts that I usually see are for six months to a year.

As I see it, you have three options:

1) If you just need a quick infusion of capital, you can do as noodling suggested and sell some things.  Anything that would appeal to collectors can help, especially if it's on the esoteric side.

2) Find a way to reduce your living expenses so that the unemployment payments put you a little bit ahead.

3) If it will pay better than the unemployment, take a stab at flipping burgers or working retail or something, just for long enough to support yourself.  Pretty much any job is tolerable if it only lasts a couple months, and you'll probably get some good stories out of it.

Best of luck to you.

Could you start working remotely for your new employer, for lower pay, until you move?

"Could you start working remotely.." 

Hmm... maybe.  I will ask.  I have several potential employers, and connections in the field.

How about moving somewhere where you can start a new job immidietely, like NYC? All banks here are recruiting like crazy and it is very hard to find experienced people since everyone already is working somewhere.

get a job. any job. this what you want makes no sense. the economy is bad. wait tables. do whatever.

i would be careful about relocating if you don't have a job yet. the potential employers don't care about you. be real careful about relocating for a contract. I have seen contracts terminated on people who relocate and they make less than the cost of the move.

If I wanted to make money fast, I would consider finding a local big college, get a relationship with Visa, buy a bunch of candy bars, set up on the busiest place on campus, and give away a candy bar of cheap t-shirt with every registration for a CitiBank Via or Discover or whatever.    I would also give away a one-hour training on money management @ the campus computer lab, so it had integrity.


I'm not sure exactly how to get the relationship, but I'm sure you'd be an independent contractor. You can probably google and poke around websites to find it.

Second option is to put up fliers for a three-hour speed reading course and charge some fee ($50-$200) per person.  You can buy a book on it and develop your own cirricula for $50; you basically regurgitate the book plus throw in some exercises.  Do this at a college with a law school and a medical school; law and med students have to read and parse an overwhelming amount of material; you'd be doing them a favor.

Third and fourth options are delivering pizza and waiting tables, both of which can make you a living wage.  If you deliver pizza at night and work at a gas station by day and live like a college student, you can actually make some savings.  Also, the pizza will be free, and the gas station will probably provide free pop and hot dogs.  You'll be working you tail off hours wise, but you can make a living. 

Fifth option is to look for a job that is low-skill and easy but no one wants - EG Garbage Man, Wastewater treatment drain cleaner, etc.  These usually provide a pay differential because they are distasteful.

Do you have a roomate?  I'd suggest cheap life, roomate, budget + a combination of the above.

I hope that helps.  It's tough out there, man. Good luck.

>Wastewater treatment drain cleaner...

In most states, that requires a certification, but FL doesn't need one until 2011.

Garbage man jobs are hard to come by, and in many places require a special driver's license because you're moving a huge vehicle (that you don't own) on small local streets.  I have a friend with the requisite licenses and he's having trouble getting in.