Earning Money While In The Usa Take 2.

[JT!]

Been in the states for 3 and a half weeks now and i'm looking at the outgoing section on my bank acount, it's looking a bit hairy to say the least so i feel it's time to start to see if i can get some kind of income.

Here's a quick sum up of my situation if you've not read some of my privious topics. I'm out here untill the very end of September spending time with my GF, i'm then going back home for 6 weeks to sort out a tourist visa so i can come back out here for another 6 months. I do have enough savings to see me through that time and a lot to spare, however i'm just lazing round the house at the moment doing nothing, so it'd be nice to make my time turn into money.

I did make a topic like this early on last year, but people seemed to not read what i was posting and some tried to convince me what i was doing needed a 2nd thought. I'm trying not to sound demanding when i'm asking for advice, but please don't post in here at all if it hasn't got anything to do with the topic title. If you want to tell me anything else, like the situation i'm in is stupid etc, or anything regarding any other topics similar to this please just PM me or add me to msn and tell me on there.

Right, i do not have a work permit for the USA. So i can not just get a job. I will not work cash in hand, if i get found out, i'm f**ked, in the ass, dry. There's too much at stake, if i was here as a tourist, then it could be an option, but i plan on spending a great deal of my life here so working under the table isn't a possibility

I can't get a work permit unless i become a citizen, and to do that i'd have to marry, which i'm not willing to do either. Again please don't tell me to get married in this topic, PM me or add me to msn if you want to disscuss that.

I also can't get a work visa becuase i have no real 'skills', i also can't take part in the visa lottery as i'm from the UK.

I am looking into ebay which seems like a good idea, especially using my UK ebay acount to send stuff from the USA to the UK, but haven't decided what that will be yet though.

I also looked into online employment from the UK, however an internet based job doesn't seem to exsist. (That would be the perfect solution).

Any ideas on how i can earn just a bit of spending money (£20-£30 a week) would me much appreachiated.

Thanks for reading my dribble! And again, please if you want to bitch about me for making this topic or anything else just pm me.

[Ben Cox]

could start selling stuff like mountain dew and other american foodstuffs? there is a fairly big market for american soft drinks that arent available in the uk.

[JonMack]

Don't mean to be rude when I say this, but how the f**k are we supposed to know?! You're the one living out there, probably should have planned it a bit better before you made the decision to move there.

[JT!]

could start selling stuff like mountain dew and other american foodstuffs? there is a fairly big market for american soft drinks that arent available in the uk.

Haha, that's a good idea. I'd love to import lucky charms. The problem is though the postage would cost more than the actual item.

Don't mean to be rude when I say this, but how the f**k are we supposed to know?! You're the one living out there, probably should have planned it a bit better before you made the decision to move there.

I must have said like 3 times in the first post if you have something bitchy to say or something that is totally unhelpful don't bother posting and just send me a pm, i did make that clear especially becuase i knew you'd be one of the first to jump right in with your usual BS if i didn't, but you did anyway! Maybe you shoud have planned out what you were going to post a bit better befor you did?

I did 'plan out' everything, i have enough money saved up so i can live here as i said in the post if you'd have read it (which you obviously didn't), you would have also read that i want to earn a bit of money as i have a lot of time on my hands and i'm trying to hear some ideas on how to do that.

So PLEASE Jon if you have nothing remotely relevant to add to this topic, save it all for the PMs.

[JonMack]

Well for some serious suggestions, you could always consider dressing up like a tramp and going busking? Might get you a few dollars here and there. I'm not quite sure what you mean by internet job, you could try washing cars, or mowing lawns or something? Other than that it's a bit of a dead end really, you don't have a work permit, and you won't work cash in hand, so you're at a bit of a dead end.

The only thing I can think of is eBay as you said, buying cheap knock off clothes from china and selling them on eBay. A friend of mine does that with North Face jackets and tends to make about 3/4 times how much he payed for them, but it's all about knowing where to buy them from.

EDIT: Out of interest, why don't you want to work cash in hand?

EDIT 2: Get really good at online poker?

Edited July 20, 2008 by Mark King

[JT!]

Well for some serious suggestions, you could always consider dressing up like a tramp and going busking? Might get you a few dollars here and there. I'm not quite sure what you mean by internet job, you could try washing cars, or mowing lawns or something? Other than that it's a bit of a dead end really, you don't have a work permit, and you won't work cash in hand, so you're at a bit of a dead end.

The only thing I can think of is eBay as you said, buying cheap knock off clothes from china and selling them on eBay. A friend of mine does that with North Face jackets and tends to make about 3/4 times how much he payed for them, but it's all about knowing where to buy them from.

Internet job, what i mean is a job that i can do soley online. My Gf's mum is currently working online for a company where she calls people which is done soley online. If i found a job like that, but which is based in the UK, i'd be on to a winner becuase of the excellent exchange rate. And i'd still technically be working 'in' the uk.

One of my mates mentioned northface stuff i'll look into that. But yeah i am at a bit of a dead end, hence asking here.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

you're up against the population of mexico for cash in hand jobs. you've got enough money to live on, go and see the country.

[Sam Nichols]

AQA (Any Question Answered)

My cousin works for them while he's at uni, basically its piece work; you get money for each question you answer. The more you do the more money you get so for your situation this sounds ideal.

You seem like the type of guy whos got pretty good general knowledge and good googling skills too, so look into it!

[Fishy]

I think there could be a good amount of money with eBay. You can't sell foodstuff on there though, so what ben said you can't really do on eBay. Clothing/electrical products/random stuff that's half the price over there with the exchange rate then selling it on eBay to make an easy profit probably sounds like your best bet, OR make your own website and sell stuff from there?

[omgnoseat]

Were you the guy who met a girl on the web and went to america to see her?

Must have turned out pretty good if your still seeing her now, assuming that you are the person I'm thinking of.

As for jobs, I don't really got an idea. You could try to get a part time job as a waiter, restaurants are looking for them alot since al their employees are on holiday.

hope it works out for you

Edit: woops forgot about the permit, won't work then I guess..

Edited July 20, 2008 by omgnoseat

[F-Stop Junkie]

I'm sure the tax office would be interested in why a UK tax payer has an address in the US...

Ah, you think, I'll register myself at my parents house and they'll think I'm just on a long holiday. If it was that easy, wouldn't more people do it?

[chrishayton]

Digital camera stuff is a big market on ebay, but you ll need some money upfront to buy the stuff first.

[UrbanPoet]

Selling stuff on eBay could be possible, i.e Uk person buys, pays to your UK Paypal address, and then you withdraw that to your UK bank account, but still the logistics, planning and legal issues would be immense.

[Fish-Finger-er]

right, think i said a lot of this stuff last time.

only using stuff i know/know of,as opposed to talking about the growing market for american made leisure boats in the uk (which also exists, and gives you a means of coming back, possibly with several kilos of south american narcotics exports)

right extreme sports dvd's.

stuff like motocross,freestyle mx, GNCC enduro,supercross,even the red bull sponsored european enduro events(erzberg, romaniacs etc) arent really sold in this country apart from at big motorbike shops at £25 a pop, so i resort to buying off ebay, i can buy it off ebay uk, for like £22 a pop. theyre about £10 posted to your american door. providing you can send a dvd across the pond individually for less than £12, its profitable. if youve got someone in this country, who will handle the postage you can obviously send 15 off them over to them in one go for a about £10 (rough guess from my experience with shipping clothing from america) and send them on over here for about £2 a throw, and make £9 a dvd.

before you say it again, they do work in uk dvd players, because of the small market for these films, they come as Region 0 dvds, so work in any dvd player.

also look into with this, the mountain bike freeride stuff, as a lot of it comes from america/canada.

then with the extreme sports stuff i dont know, look into snowboard, surf, skate etc. (all stuff where a lot of the material, and talent, and the sports history, is american)

sticking with sports. look into protective stuff.motocross helmets that are £300 over here, are often around $100-$200 over there(troy lee stuff, should imagine mountainbike stuff to be no different), so selling it on ebay uk, gloves, jerseys, trousers, enduro jackets, are all no different, a sinsalo ktm jacket that was £220 over here around christmas time, was £95 posted from the usa, and about £55 to buy in the usa.

if you got into a pattern for doing this, and where using a local retailer in the states, i should imagine they'd start giving you a small (maybe 5-10% discount). if you where spending a couple of hundred dollars at their store every week or two.

next thing is actual clothing, loadsa people go the us for christmas shopping tips, to buy branded clothes. mate went last year, got an authentic north face jacket, from a north face store, for $140, and apparently its a £200 jacket over here (selling for about £170 on ebay) bear in mind youve got to compete with the fakers though in this market, so youll have to have pics showing authenticity, otherwise youll just look like another chinese rip off merchant.

motocross casual clothing is another biggie, i wear loads of alpinestars stuff, the t shirts are around £9-10 over there, there £20-£22 to get posted from ebay uk over here, and between £20-25 in shops over here, with a limited range. fox and alpinestars hoodies are the same, ive told you before, but ill tell you again, i got a belt, 2 tees, a beanie hat, a wallet,and 2 hoodies shipped over here for £130 for the lot. and i payed about £50 shipping, so i only payed £80 for the clothes. over here that would of set me back even on ebay £220ish, and the stuff wasnt even available in this country at the time.

camera stuff has already been mentioned, but mate got his GF to buy 3 24-70 f2.8 L lens over there when she went for 2 weeks at christmas, brought them back and he sold 2, effectively giving him a free lens himself, but could of made £500 on it.

final point, is .... mountain bikes, a friend of a friend recently got an 08 ironhorse bike over in america for £450 as the 09 bikes are out, that is apparently still £1500 over here. now if you where to buy a bike like that, ride it over there, selling it second hand on ebay when you come back, youd most likely get £800ish for it, and as its used, and your own personal belongings you wouldnt have to pay tax(at least thats my understandings on it). cant confirm how true this is, as im having trouble finding bike dealers in the us(as im currently looking for a bike myself, and if the savings are that great, im debating goin to NY shopping, and coming back with a bike and a new wardrobe at xmas time)

Edited July 20, 2008 by trials_punk182

[M-i-t-c-h]

If you have £8000 you can have one of my franchises, i would love to start going over seas?

[Hendrix]

The cool way to earn a decent living would be Ebay, but what are the chances of doing it all cash with ebay?

Mowing Lawns, Cleaning Cars, would be an alright way to earn a living.

The only time I've ever worked in the States is with a Tour, so I have no idea of how their system works out there, so I can't be of much help, haha.

[ti-mig-guy]

I'm from the states and understand your issue. There are few jobs that pay "under the table", and you are correct in thinking it's a bad idea. If you have any specific questions feel free to email me caleb@craniyums.com Where are you, and what kinda work have you done in the past?

[JT!]

EDIT: Out of interest, why don't you want to work cash in hand?

EDIT 2: Get really good at online poker?

I don't want to work cash in had becuase of the risks that i get found out. I can bearly get in this country for a decent length of time as it is with a clean slate, if i have illigal working next to my name there's a chance i won't be let back in at all!

you're up against the population of mexico for cash in hand jobs. you've got enough money to live on, go and see the country.

Haha, yeah. And maxicans can work a lot harder than me too. I've got enough money to live on, but not really enough to say 'lets pop out and see niagra falls'.

AQA (Any Question Answered)

My cousin works for them while he's at uni, basically its piece work; you get money for each question you answer. The more you do the more money you get so for your situation this sounds ideal.

You seem like the type of guy whos got pretty good general knowledge and good googling skills too, so look into it!

That looks ideal! You can have your potato back.

I think there could be a good amount of money with eBay. You can't sell foodstuff on there though, so what ben said you can't really do on eBay. Clothing/electrical products/random stuff that's half the price over there with the exchange rate then selling it on eBay to make an easy profit probably sounds like your best bet, OR make your own website and sell stuff from there?

Yeah ebay looks like a good start, i'm trying to find a decent the north shore jacket to sell on there as like a test to see how it all goes and see if it'll be profitable or just a waste of time.

I'm sure the tax office would be interested in why a UK tax payer has an address in the US...

Ah, you think, I'll register myself at my parents house and they'll think I'm just on a long holiday. If it was that easy, wouldn't more people do it?

Well, if i'm was earning money though ebay surely that wouldn't count towards tax? I can earn £5200 a year befor i start paying tax so i'd never reach that amount. And even if i was why can't i do it all though my dads house which i am a resident of. Can't see the problem.

Digital camera stuff is a big market on ebay, but you ll need some money upfront to buy the stuff first.

I do have the money up front to an extent, but there's a big risk eliment with expensive stuff. I've had a package lost somewhere between the USA and the UK. If that was a few hundred pounds worth of camera equimptment i'd be f**ked as i don't think there is any places that offerd insurance of international packages.

Also, i don't really know a great deal about camera equiptment. I'd trying to stick to what i know if i can.

Selling stuff on eBay could be possible, i.e Uk person buys, pays to your UK Paypal address, and then you withdraw that to your UK bank account, but still the logistics, planning and legal issues would be immense.

I can't see how they would be immense. I buy stuff on ebay now and get it sent to here in the USA from my UK paypal and bank. I've even recived money too.

right, think i said a lot of this stuff last time.

only using stuff i know/know of,as opposed to talking about the growing market for american made leisure boats in the uk (which also exists, and gives you a means of coming back, possibly with several kilos of south american narcotics exports)

right extreme sports dvd's.

stuff like motocross,freestyle mx, GNCC enduro,supercross,even the red bull sponsored european enduro events(erzberg, romaniacs etc) arent really sold in this country apart from at big motorbike shops at £25 a pop, so i resort to buying off ebay, i can buy it off ebay uk, for like £22 a pop. theyre about £10 posted to your american door. providing you can send a dvd across the pond individually for less than £12, its profitable. if youve got someone in this country, who will handle the postage you can obviously send 15 off them over to them in one go for a about £10 (rough guess from my experience with shipping clothing from america) and send them on over here for about £2 a throw, and make £9 a dvd.

before you say it again, they do work in uk dvd players, because of the small market for these films, they come as Region 0 dvds, so work in any dvd player.

also look into with this, the mountain bike freeride stuff, as a lot of it comes from america/canada.

then with the extreme sports stuff i dont know, look into snowboard, surf, skate etc. (all stuff where a lot of the material, and talent, and the sports history, is american)

sticking with sports. look into protective stuff.motocross helmets that are £300 over here, are often around $100-$200 over there(troy lee stuff, should imagine mountainbike stuff to be no different), so selling it on ebay uk, gloves, jerseys, trousers, enduro jackets, are all no different, a sinsalo ktm jacket that was £220 over here around christmas time, was £95 posted from the usa, and about £55 to buy in the usa.

if you got into a pattern for doing this, and where using a local retailer in the states, i should imagine they'd start giving you a small (maybe 5-10% discount). if you where spending a couple of hundred dollars at their store every week or two.

next thing is actual clothing, loadsa people go the us for christmas shopping tips, to buy branded clothes. mate went last year, got an authentic north face jacket, from a north face store, for $140, and apparently its a £200 jacket over here (selling for about £170 on ebay) bear in mind youve got to compete with the fakers though in this market, so youll have to have pics showing authenticity, otherwise youll just look like another chinese rip off merchant.

motocross casual clothing is another biggie, i wear loads of alpinestars stuff, the t shirts are around £9-10 over there, there £20-£22 to get posted from ebay uk over here, and between £20-25 in shops over here, with a limited range. fox and alpinestars hoodies are the same, ive told you before, but ill tell you again, i got a belt, 2 tees, a beanie hat, a wallet,and 2 hoodies shipped over here for £130 for the lot. and i payed about £50 shipping, so i only payed £80 for the clothes. over here that would of set me back even on ebay £220ish, and the stuff wasnt even available in this country at the time.

camera stuff has already been mentioned, but mate got his GF to buy 3 24-70 f2.8 L lens over there when she went for 2 weeks at christmas, brought them back and he sold 2, effectively giving him a free lens himself, but could of made £500 on it.

final point, is .... mountain bikes, a friend of a friend recently got an 08 ironhorse bike over in america for £450 as the 09 bikes are out, that is apparently still £1500 over here. now if you where to buy a bike like that, ride it over there, selling it second hand on ebay when you come back, youd most likely get £800ish for it, and as its used, and your own personal belongings you wouldnt have to pay tax(at least thats my understandings on it). cant confirm how true this is, as im having trouble finding bike dealers in the us(as im currently looking for a bike myself, and if the savings are that great, im debating goin to NY shopping, and coming back with a bike and a new wardrobe at xmas time)

Yeah sorry you've had to write all that out again. I am looking into DVD's at the mo and a few lots of ebay. Thanks!

If you have £8000 you can have one of my franchises, i would love to start going over seas?

I wish i could! I could even get a greencard that way if i intended to create employment.

I'm from the states and understand your issue. There are few jobs that pay "under the table", and you are correct in thinking it's a bad idea. If you have any specific questions feel free to email me caleb@craniyums.com Where are you, and what kinda work have you done in the past?

I'm in MN and all i've done is work in a store.

Edited July 21, 2008 by JT!

[UrbanPoet]

I can't see how they would be immense. I buy stuff on ebay now and get it sent to here in the USA from my UK paypal and bank. I've even recived money too.

Being a consumer is quite different to running a business, if you want to do it legally of course. It's definately not as easy as you think.

[JT!]

Being a consumer is quite different to running a business, if you want to do it legally of course. It's definately not as easy as you think.

I'd never really 'run a business'. Just sell a few select things.

[UrbanPoet]

I'd never really 'run a business'. Just sell a few select things.

I kind of get what you want to do, but items normally in the US then sell them on the UK eBay? Could work, but selecting the right product/s will be crucial, and eBay and Paypal fees may make it pointless, but you never know. Good luck!

[PaRtZ]

Ebay looks like a great option!

North face stuff is pretty valuable in the UK too! I work at blacks outdoor stuff and TNF things go flying out! Mostly topend paclite jackets like the Prophecy do well, but the McMurdo parkas will be a BIG BIG and WISE WISE investment! They sell at £250 here so Im sure you could pick up a few over there for cheaper!

Also, why not become Aspire velotech 2? Sure he's doing well for himself.

Also when you go back to USA again, Might be worth getting a list of things you want to take from the UK to sell, Trials part wise... I met a guy from New Mexico who took a few frames home with him because he couldn't get hold of them anywhere in the US

[Fish-Finger-er]

yea northface jackets have got a big market, but on ebay, theres also a hell of a lot of fakes, so youll likely get the same prices fakes are going for, unless your very good with photo's/discriptions, and even then you wont get the full price youd expect for them.

[hugh_b]

Edited April 19, 2017 by hugh_b

[ti-mig-guy]

How about farmers markets, where local people sell stuff they grew or made? You gotta be able to make something that someone wants. How about sock puppets, or birdhouses...Or maybe you could turn tricks, prostitutes don't pay taxes...

But seriously if you don't have any skills, then how would you make money at home? Is school an option? If you can't work here, and have free time, learn a skill. With grants and student loans you could go for a class or two without killing your budget.