Some tell-tale indicators

Research shows that in the most recent recessive years, movie ticket sales have increased steadily. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, tickets have sold 9 percent more this year than they did last year the same time. Though consumers are cutting back on many other things, their movie entertainment is not one of them.

Rise in gardening

Another indicator of how the economy is doing is the number of households who grow their own produce. This year there has already been a 19 percent rise in homes with their own vegetable, herb and fruit gardens. That adds up to an estimated 43 million people gardening this year. Although “fun and recreation” are cited as motivators, most homes agree that saving on the price of food is the main reason they are maintaining gardens to their homes.

Online dating services & romance novels see more activity

During tough times, dating services see more activity. It seems that during recession periods, more Americans are looking for their significant other, or at least someone to go to the movies with. Romance novel sales pick up drastically during recession periods, as well. Consumers are looking for debt relief and if they can’t find it literally, they will find it temporarily through books. Harlequin, a leader in romance novel publishing, noted a huge increase in sales in 2008. Their revenues were up by 32 percent and on a consistent rise the beginning of 2009. Similar increases occurred during the hard times of the early ’90s

The alligator economy

Another unusual indicator of how the economy is doing is the alligator economy. Louisiana houses Savoie’s Alligator farm, one of the largest of its type in the nation. They sell gator skin hides to tanners, who in turn create high-ticket items for the likes of Louis Vuitton and D&B. Spokesperson for Savoie’s reported that they have “not sold a single hide since November.” This is another economic indicator that the economy is not doing well and consumers are cutting back on luxury items. Gator farmers are losing money quickly because of lack of sales, and they need to find innovative ways of maintaining the hides they do have.

Signs of the times

These five odd indicators are revealing signs that give economists a picture of how the economy is fairing. If consumers are seeking debt relief, it may seem odd to look at alligator farming numbers or sales in romance novels, but over time, they have both proven to be accurate indicators of the state of the economy.

With the economy in the doldrums and the holiday season fast approaching, many people are looking for ways to make a little extra money on the side. While decreasing spending and taking on extra work are the most logical actions to take, this is often not enough for many people. Some of these people are exploring the wealth of get-rich-quick schemes to be found online while others are looking into more unusual opportunities. Here are three unusual opportunities that at least some people have had success with and might be worth considering.

Donating your reproductive cells

The idea of being a sperm donor has been the subject of endless crude jokes for years, but believe it or not there is real money to be made by selling your sperm or eggs. Women’s reproductive cells, or eggs, fetch much more money than men’s reproductive cells, sperm, because they are harder to obtain. A woman can expect to get $3,000 to $8,000 for her eggs while a man can get anywhere from $1 to $200 per donation for sperm. To be a successful donor, you will generally have to be physically fit, disease free and well educated. Further, you will have to undergo a series of medical examinations and psychological tests before any reproductive center will pay for your cells. Women also have the option of becoming surrogates, or carrying the fertilized eggs of another woman until birth for women unable to carry their own children. Surrogates usually get about $25,000 for carrying the child to term.

Becoming a clinical trial subject

Like sperm donors, many jokes – and even several television comedies – have been based on the idea of volunteering to be the test subjects for medical experiments. Nevertheless, this is a legitimate way of making money which can also leave you free to do other work at the same time. A clinical trial usually runs between ten and ninety days and can pay anywhere from $50 to $5,000 apiece depending on the clinic, the drug being tested, and the risk factors involved. Although you will be asked to provide a comprehensive medical background before taking part in a clinical trial, you do not have to be in perfect health or shape to participate. In fact, some trials specifically seek out subjects with particular pre-existing conditions, so having high blood pressure or asthma may get you more money as a clinical trial subject than a healthy person.

Selling your hair

Believe it or not, your hair may be worth more than you know. There is a whole industry that uses human hair to make wigs and hair extensions and if your hair is long and healthy it might be worth quite a bit of money. A good batch of strong, healthy hair can usually get the seller between $300 and $900, and if your hair is particularly long, pretty, or otherwise desirable you can get considerably more for it. Generally the key factor is length, the longer the hair the more it is worth. Hair having vivid color or that is untreated and healthy tends to be worth more. You can find any number of businesses online that will buy your hair right away and the process is fairly simple and direct.

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