How To Raise Money 10x Faster Without Borrowing A Dime

Do you want to raise money for your next goal or project? And without the hassle of borrowing and putting yourself in debt?

Perhaps it is to further your education or relocate abroad. It could be money you need to start a business, make a capital-intensive purchase, or pay for a medical emergency.

Whatever the reason, it’s understandable to feel discouraged when the money isn’t readily available for you to use. Don’t let that get you down though. There are multiple ways to raise the money you need which doesn’t involve borrowing. So breathe easy.

I am laying out these great methods in groups, starting with the general ones and ending with the purpose-specific ones. The ones you choose to employ should suit the urgency and peculiar circumstances of your need. Now let’s go!

Raise money for anything 

The best place to start raising money, especially for personal reasons is, you guessed it. YOU! You can do this by;

1. Spending less

This is a great time to be as frugal as possible. Depending on the nature of what you are raising money for, do well to scrutinise your bills and work with a budget to ensure you are keeping your expenses to the bare minimum.

Make necessary sacrifices and desist from participating in things you cannot afford. Do things yourself where possible and save money you otherwise would have spent. This might seem obvious but now is not the time to be giving out loans either.

I don’t mean cut out fun completely and suffer though. You can still enjoy your life and create your own entertainment. For example, watching Netflix doesn’t hurt anyone and you don’t need to pay the price to see that movie in 5D. Just prioritise and save money however you can for your project.

2. Saving more

In addition to the above, another means you can use to raise money is by digging up unused gift cards and coupons. Think back really hard to any gift cards, vouchers, or coupons you’ve ever received. Chances are, you have something you haven’t cashed in on yet, or completely. Do a search and see. Every penny counts.

Should you come into any extra earnings and windfalls like cash gifts, inheritances, and the like, such monies can prove very helpful towards your project.

Raise money by making more money

3. Sell your stuff 

Peruse through the things you own and see which you can sell off to make some money. Truth is, a good number of us have clutter lying about that we can trade in for some cool cash. From clothing to gadgets to furniture to books, we have these things just taking up space and piling dust!

You can sell them directly to buyers through a yard sale for instance, or have vendors do so on your behalf online or offline. You might be surprised at the kind of mini-fortune what has been lying dormant in your house can yield.

4. Rent/lease out your property

So maybe you don’t want to completely get rid of certain items you own. These are good things you can lease out or rent out. Doing so is another great option to use to raise some money. Explore how it works best in your environment.

5. Earn more

Increasing your income is always a good idea, especially when you need money for projects. You can do this by working overtime with pay, taking up a second job, doing freelance work, running a business, and so on. The possibilities of what skills you can get paid for are endless. 

Things like graphic designing, content writing and copywriting, photography and videography, catering, ushering, event planning, and event performances yield well. Hair-making, tailoring, teaching and tutoring, sales of digital products, digital marketing, web development services, and the like are just a few examples of services you can earn from.

There are different ways you can make some more money right now if you’re smart about it. So assess your skills and look into the options.

6. Create and sell a product or service 

Raising money by setting up one or serial events like a bake sale, a lemonade stand (at a sports or other event), mobile car washing services, etc are methods even kids utilise. You can do so also and provide something in your community that people would freely pay for.

Now that you’ve explored the ways to raise money by yourself, you can move on to getting help from others.

7. Crowdfunding 

Crowdfunding means asking the general public for financial contributions towards a specific cause and it is a popular way to raise good funding, particularly for social issues. It can be a really successful tactic because of the magnitude of reach the internet provides. It has the added advantage of being quick to execute and efficient.

With crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe and JustGiving, you can target thousands upon thousands of people who might specifically be interested in the cause you’re raising money for. Crowdfunding is therefore a great way to make a large amount of money, and fast. 

8. Use of influencers 

You can enroll your influencer friends to help your cause via a special fundraising exercise for you within their communities. If you’re well connected to people of influence and have been someone of value to them, they could help you out with this, especially when your project aligns with their personal interests. 

This approach might feel a little strange at first, but don’t be so quick to ditch the idea. Said influencer friends and their audience might just be willing to help you out significantly if you ask.

Raise money for school

10. Scholarships

Many schools come with scholarship opportunities for higher education which you can explore and apply for. The application process and paperwork involved can get a little tedious sometimes, but think of the end result and how worth it it would all be should you secure that funding.

11. Grants and bursaries 

Less emphasis seems to be given to grants and bursaries which is another great way to fund your schooling. They are awarded on a needs basis as opposed to a merit basis. You would need to speak with the necessary parties of the intended school and apply early as these are given out typically on a first-come-first-serve basis.

12. Sponsorship

A corporate body like your current employer for instance may assist with funding for your education. Even a sole individual like a benefactor or relative might be willing to help you out. You won’t know this for sure until you ask.

Raise money for business 

13. Products pre-sales

This is a common tactic deployed by business owners who are ready to launch a product in the market but need enough funds for its production. It is also in a sense used to gauge the likeability and demand of the anticipated goods by the market. 

By getting people to pre-order your goods (usually at a discounted price to incentivise the purchase before it hits the shelves), you can raise the money you need for your business goals.

14. Angel investors 

If you are looking for a way to raise money for a business that has evidence of growth, seeking out angel investors is a good option. They can provide capital for your start-up in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.

15. Venture capitalists

These also provide capital to start-ups, early-stage, and emerging companies that show high growth potential. The key difference is that they generally provide financing that often has higher rates of return rather than taking a share of the company.

16. Raise money for medical (or another) emergency

Social media and traditional media outlets are very effective at helping you spread the word about the emergency you need funding for. Making use of the various platforms and crowdfunding sites earlier mentioned to do this would serve well. 

Soliciting for the help of other stakeholders like NGOs that assist with such causes can also pay off. Of course, this comes at the cost of divulging personal information and details you might want to keep private otherwise. 

Due to the unfortunately high frequency of scamming out there with fraudsters using all kinds of false stories to take advantage of people’s generosity and rip them off, providing enough evidence of the reason for your fundraising and how the funds eventually get spent is in order.

17. Raise money for non-profit organisations’ agendas

Events such as charity balls, fund-raising dinners, music concerts, fashion shows, and golf tournaments, are commonly used by non-profits to raise money for their agendas. Occasions that gather philanthropists and high-net-worth individuals can provide these organisations with the funding it needs from a single event! Explore how to make this possible for yours.

And there you have it. I hope you succeed in creatively raising the money you need for all the projects you desire.

What new methods did you learn here? I’d love to know in the comments. Thanks!