We all want to believe that we will never be that person in the middle of an emergency… it’s always something that happens to someone else. Being prepared and setting aside an emergency fund is a wise choice, but unfortunately the majority of families never get around to executing that plan. Emergencies come when you least expect it and when you are entirely unprepared. You may find yourself in a situation where you don’t have enough cash on hand and you’re mortgage payment is due in two days. Before you go out and sell your great-grandmother’s cherished family heirloom, know that there are simple ways to get cash fast during an emergency! I have created a helpful list of ideas to help you get the cash you need during an emergency.

1. Online yard sale groups: this is great for easy and quick local sales. Head out to the garage and sell that extra freezer that just taking up space, or the hot tub that no longer works.
2. Yard Sale: Most of us know that yard sales can make good money, but we just don’t get around to doing it. Even if you only make $100 to $200 it is time well spent for a Saturday morning.
3. Trade in Your Gold: Do you have any old gold jewelry laying around? There are many places that where you can trade it in for cash.
4. Sell your old cell phones: Old cell phones are recycled for the metal content, which means you can sell them in some recycle centers for instant cash.
5. Sell your scrap metal: If your garage looks like a metal yard, you can rummage through all of your junk and find valuable metal and sell it for cash. if you have old appliances, like an old washer, dryer, or refrigerator, those can be worth between $8 and $28.
6. Auto Pawn: auto pawns use the value of your vehicle as collateral, which means your credit rating is unimportant. Auto pawns mean the company holds your car as security, this allows them to loan you up to $25,000 in less than 24 hours. They will hold you car until the loan is completely paid off.
7. Look for odd jobs: Don’t doubt the power of odd jobs, you can find them if you look hard enough and they pay in cold hard cash. Craigslist is odd job heaven.Also check with neighbors, offer to mow their lawn or do some landscaping at a cheaper price than what they normally charge.
8. Reach out to family: Use this option as a last resort! Ask a friend or family member if you can borrow money. Only do this if you are absolutely sure you can pay the money back as promised; nothing sours a once-great relationship faster like unpaid financial agreements.

I hope that this list was helpful to you during your emergency! Even if you are not currently in an emergency that requires fast cash, this is also a fantastic way to start creating an emergency fund.