40 Sacrifices, 40 Blessings: A Money Challenge

True Confessions

True confession here: I'm not Catholic. But even if you're not Catholic, you probably know what Lent means. In the Catholic church, It's 40 days of sacrifice and reflection to prepare hearts for Easter.

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This year, I'm making these 40 days into a money challenge. People often find themselves feeling deprived because they are giving something up during lent. So we're going to combat that sacrifice, by doing something for ourselves financially. but as an opportunity to better myself financially through side hustles. My plan? To do 40 money-making ventures over the 40 days. The money you earn can be used to start an emergency fund, pay off a debt, or save for retirement. I’m calling it The 40 Sacrifices, 40 Blessings Challenge. I'd love for you to join me!

Let's viewing this not as work, but as a journey of small daily blessings. Things like decluttering my closet for consignment store cash, walking neighbors’ dogs, or baking treats to sell – activities that bring me joy while also putting a few extra dollars in my pocket each week.

My plan is to share my challenge adventures with you all – from success stories to I'm sure the funny (or maybe not so funny) failures along the way. My hope is that it will provide both motivation and money-making ideas you can implement in your own lives. Who knows, maybe we'll be so motivated by this we'll want to make it an annual challenge? What do you say – want to join me on this journey? Join my FREE Facebook group and whether you take on just one or all 40 of my challenges, every little bit counts.

Let's get into some ideas for 40 Money Sacrifices and 40 Money Blessings that we can work with during our challenge. If you sign up for reminders, I'll send you daily emails outlining the 1 sacrifice and 1 blessing I'm going to be working on that day. You can choose to follow along, or substitute with one from the lists below, or your own!

40 Money Blessings

Rent

Rent Your Driveway or Garage – List your unused parking space, driveway or parking spot on apps like JustPark and earn money while you're away or not using it.

Rent Your Car, Truck or RV – List your vehicle on Turo and other similar rental marketplaces and earn money while it's not in use by renting it to others.

Rent Out Your Garage – List your garage as storage space for renters through Neighbor.com or similar local platforms.

Rent Costumes or Props – List movie-ready costumes, wigs or accessories you own on sites like CostumeCrew to earn rental income.

Rent Your Storage Unit – List available space in your personal storage unit on Neighbor.com for extra rental income.

Rent Out a Room – If you have extra space, consider renting out a room in your home on a site like Airbnb or VRBO. Make it comfortable for guests.

Rent Equipment – Make money renting out expensive equipment you own like cameras, tools, or party supplies on sites like Fat Llama or Rentals United.

Rent Your Trampoline or Swimming Pool
If you have a trampoline or swimming pool, list it for rent on sites like Swimply for others in your area to book time slots and stay active. Make sure your home owners insurance has proper coverage for this though.

40 Money Blessings

Drive

Drive for a Delivery Service – Sign up to drive for DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub or another food delivery service and get paid daily around your schedule.

Drive for a Rideshare – Drive your car and set your own schedule with Lyft or Uber to earn money transporting passengers.

Drive for a Taxi or Limo Company – Partner with a local service to use your own car and drive people for fares.

40 Money Blessings

Sell

Sell Used Items Online – Declutter your home and sell used clothes, electronics, toys, books and more on platforms like eBay, Poshmark, Mercari or Facebook Marketplace.

Sell Stock Photos – Upload your photography portfolio to sites like Shutterstock or Getty Images and earn royalties when images are purchased.

Sell Gift Cards – Sell unused gift cards on sites like CardCash or Raise at a discounted price for instant cash.

Sell Crafts on Etsy – Use your creative skills to design and sell handmade items like jewelry, art or home goods

Sell Craft Supplies – Organize your extra yarn, fabrics and materials to sell bundles tailored to specific crafts.

Sell Handmade Cards – Design greeting cards, invitations or stationery and sell them on Etsy or to local boutiques.

Sell Digital Products – Create and sell downloadable eBooks, planners, templates or other materials through Etsy or your own site.

Sell Unused Gift Bags – Package up sorted gift bags by occasion and sell them through Etsy or Facebook Marketplace.

Sell Stock Video Footage – Upload B-roll footage to sites like Pond5 or Shutterstock where it can earn you royalties.

Sell Jewelry or Accessories – Showcase handmade pieces or curated finds through a site like Depop or Poshmark.

Sell Unused Event Decor – Package up items like balloons, centerpieces or backdrops tailored to specific occasions.

Sell Handmade Soap or Candles – Craft items to sell online through an Etsy shop or at craft fairs and local boutiques.

Sell Unused Gift Wrap – Organize and resell sorted wrapping paper, ribbons and bags tailored to specific holidays.

Hold A Garage Sale
Declutter your home, and sell items you no longer need on platforms like eBay, Poshmark, or Facebook Marketplace. Organize your items and market them well for optimal sales.

Sell Jewelry or Artwork
If you've already made jewelry or have some artwork/paintings laying around, get creative and sell online or at local markets and craft fairs.

Sell Baked Goods or Meals
Put the word out that you are making homemade baked goods or meals. Whatever is your speciality, ask for

Sell Craft Kits or Supplies
Put together themed craft kits or bundles of supplies tailored for specific projects and sell them online.

Curbsale Furniture
Upcycle or refinish old furniture pieces from the side of the road on trash day, and sell them for a profit online, at flea markets, or consignment shops. Give items new life.

40 Money Blessings

Walk

Walk Dogs – Offer dog walking services to neighbors through Rover or local Facebook groups.

Pet Sit
Offer your services for petsitting. Post on Nextdoor, Rover, or care.com to attract local clients.

40 Money Blessings

Teach

Tutor Online – Use your skills to tutor subjects like math, science, languages or test prep on platforms like Wyzant or Chegg Tutors.

Teach an Online Course
Create an online course teaching a skill or topic you're passionate about and sell it on Udemy or your own site.

Tutor Math or Languages
Use your skills and experience to tutor students of all ages online or in-person in subjects like math, science, or foreign languages.

Tutor Test Prep
Use your experience to tutor students in subjects like the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT or other standardized tests for higher hourly rates.

40 Money Blessings

Clean/Organize

Organize Homes or Offices
Offer professional organizing services for homes or small businesses needing help decluttering and getting organized.

Cleaning Homes – Offer cleaning services to busy families in your community. Post on facebook for free and ask friends to spread the word.

40 Money Blessings

From Your Phone

Complete Online Surveys – Sites like Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, Mypoints and InboxDollars pay you to take surveys and play games in your spare time for gift cards.

Redeem Receipt Offers – Save your receipts and redeem cash back offers with Ibotta, Checkout 51, Fetch, and other receipt scanning apps in stores.

Mystery Shopping – Mystery Shopping can be a fun way to add some extra cash into your life. I've done mystery shopping for years to add to my income, and as a way to afford events and places that I would have never been able to otherwise. I've got a huge list of reputable companies to share with you.

Merchandising – Merchandising is another way to add income to your life. I've found that by joining several companies I'm able to get the best variety to keep it fun. My favorite trick is to merchandise for more than one company at the same store, so I can save time. I've also got a list of my favorite companies to share with you.

40 Money Blessings

From Your Computer

Freelance Your Skills – Offer services like virtual assistant, data entry, social media management or online research on sites like Fiverr or Upwork.

Test Websites and Apps – Get paid $10-$60 each by UserTesting.com and other sites to provide feedback on usability.

Complete Microtasks – Sites like Clickworker, Appen or Lionbridge connect you with small online tasks for quick pay.

Freelance Your Skills
Offer services like writing, virtual assistance, social media management, bookkeeping, or web design on sites like Fiverr or Upwork.

40 Money Blessings

Watch

Babysit or Housesit – Offer your services through Care.com or local Facebook groups to earn cash quickly.

Parents Day Out
Put your fun skills to use by hosting a parents day out. Offer to watch children for 3-4 hours and have craft time, play time, game time and more! Promote your services to local parents.

40 Money Blessings

Well….you got me, I had more than 40 ways to make money in 40 days! Earning money in 40 days is absolutely possible if you’re willing to get resourceful and work hard. Whether you choose to flip items locally, drive for a delivery service, or pursue one of the many other options I've brought up, I'll help you focus your energy for to get the best to pay off. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged – with persistence and hustle, you’ll start seeing real results before you know it. I hope this list provided some inspiring ideas to help boost your income quickly.

In my next post I'll focus on 40 Sacrifices you can make to save money in 40 days. Make sure to follow along! I'll be posting daily in my FREE facebook group, on instagram and tiktok, as well as regular posts on youtube to help you focus on which task to do next. But don't get discouraged if you're reading this after the first day. Jump in where you are, and let's get started!

Here's some other posts that you may be interested in!

Check out my 3 Step Budget Made Easy System

Check out a few merchandising jobs

53 Ways to Save Money As a Stay At Home Mom