Unemployed? Get Free Stuff, Make Money, Find a Job Online

Free Napkin gives it away

Someone in Washington is giving away a big screen TV on Free Napkin.

Yes, the unemployment rate is still rising, a trend that has been going on for more than a year. Along with the growing rate, web sites and services that help unemployed and low income people are growing, too.

Take Free Napkin, for instance. It’s like Craigslist or eBay, but everything is free.

Give and take

Free Napkin has everything from full-sized sheds to empty boxes. And it’s all free! I visited the site recently and saw baby clothes, coffee, tools, tarot card readings and computers games. There are even pets.

You can click on your state to find the stuff people around you are giving away. Or, if you have stuff to get rid of you can list it. So before you take out that payday loan for a new couch, check this site.

Get a job

If you’ve already tried Career Builder, Monster and Hot Jobs with no luck, don’t give  up yet. Another, lesser-known site called Simply Hired is highly recommended by Consumer Reports.

Besides your usual job categories, Simply Hired also lists volunteer opportunities and some freelance gigs.

Make a little green

If you’re comfortable with freelance gigs and are seeking other ways to pull in whatever cash you can until you find a steady job, check out Desperate Dollars.

Some of the “opportunities” are pretty out there — like getting tattoos for money — but it also lists more run-of-the-mill fund-raising ideas. Contests, online surveys for money and selling your blood, sperm and eggs are all on there. It even lists recycling centers that pay and temp agencies.

There’s also a section called “entertain for dollars.” It lists voiceover work, being an extra in a movie and has advice for getting your music discovered. It’s a great site for anyone whose low on cash because it also lists people looking to buy things and sell things for cheap.