Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi	Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi
Processor	1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor	1GHz Apple A5 dual-core processor
RAM Memory	1GB (Win)	512MB
Screen Size	Larger 10.1-inch wide multi-touch HD display with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution	9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS multi-touch screen with 1024 x 768 pixels resolution
Camera	(Better) 5MP camera with dual-LED flash and HD video capture plus front-facing 2MP camera	720p/30fps HD camera plus front-facing VGA camera
Operating System	Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb	iOS 4.3
Connectivity	Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n	Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
Built-in A-GPS	Yes	Yes
Other Features	Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction, 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB, HDMI out, proximity, ambient light, barometer, gyroscope and accelerometer	Facetime support, 30-pin dock connector port, 3.5mm stereo port, HDMI out, digital compass, accelerometer and ambient light sensor
Size (Height x Width x Depth)	9.8 x 6.6 x 0.5 inches	9.5″ x 7.31″ x 0.34″
Weight	708 grams	(Lighter) 601 g
Battery Capacity And Usage Time	3250 mAh (24 W-hour) Lithium-ion battery delivers up to 10 hours battery life	25-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery supports up to 10 hours of usage time

From the table above, you can notice that Motorola Xoom packs a slightly better specifications than iPad 2, such as bigger memory of RAM and larger touchscreen. However, iPad 2 has gained a great reputation with its innovating team and brand, and constantly topping the list of best-selling mobile tablet.

For pricing information, the iPad 2 Wi-Fi version that offered in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB model is now available for a MSRP of $499, $599 and $699, respectively. While the 32GB Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi tablet is priced at $599.

Note: The WiFi-only Motorola Xoom also will hit Sprint stores on May 8 for around $600.

Key features of the AVG LiveKive includes:

• Automatic backup – schedule automatic backups of personal and professional data for complete peace of mind. The users also can restore any important files or folders that were accidentally deleted.
• Share with the world – share files, folders, photos and music with friends, family and colleagues via share rooms.
• Stay secure – rest easy knowing your valuables are kept safe in secure data centers which are protected with industry-leading encryption.
• Sync files and folders -merge data from all your folders and web-enabled devices into one safe location for instant and hassle-free access.
• Access remotely -access your files anytime from anywhere with AVG LiveKive apps for your iPhone, iPad, and Android.
• Save time – save time with incremental backups that upload only those documents which have been changed.

Available in there storage options such as free account with 5GB storage, $50 with 25GB storage and $80 with unlimited storage. Those Windows or Macs users who interested to try, can get a free account from AVG LiveKive with free 5GB cloud storage.

Shaped like a battery on the outside, the energy harvester is equipped with an electromagnetic induction generator and a 500-mF capacitor for storage. It generates about 100-mW of power which is suitable for small devices; the remote control, for instance, only needs between 40-mW and 100-mW of power to operate. The output of the AA-size generator is 10 to 180-mW, providing power at 1.6- and 3.2-volts, while an AAA unit that generates 2.7-V has also been produced. There is no need to keep replacing AA and AAA batteries with this environmentally-friendly kinesthetic or vibration electricity generator.

You may have heard the horror stories–job hunters who take phone calls or text during an interview, or bring out a sandwich and start chomping, or brush their hair, or worse. You wouldn’t do any of those things, would you? Of course not.

But there are tons of other job interview no-no’s you may not have thought of. Or that you’ve forgotten. The job hunting trail is long and arduous, and a little refresher course can’t hurt. So for your edification and enjoyment, here are 50 (yes, 50!) of the worst and most common job interview mistakes:

1. Arriving late.

2. Arriving too early.

3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.

4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.

5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.

6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.

7. Forgetting the name of the person you’re interviewing with.

8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.

9. Wearing sunglasses.

10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.

11. Failing to research the employer in advance.

12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.

13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.

14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.

15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.

16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.

17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio.

18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume.

19. Asking too many questions.

20. Asking no questions at all.

21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.

22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.

23. Talking more than half the time.

24. Interrupting your interviewer.

25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.

26. Yawning.

27. Slouching.

28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.

29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.

30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.

31. Saying “you know,” “like,” “I guess,” and “um.”

32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.

33. Asking to use the bathroom.

34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.

35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.

36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).

37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.

38. Becoming angry or defensive.

39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.

40. Complaining about anything!

41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.

42. Letting your nervousness show.

43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.

44. Being too familiar and jokey.

45. Sounding desperate.

46. Checking the time.

47. Oversharing.

48. Sounding rehearsed.

49. Leaving your cell phone on.

50. Failing to ask for the job.

Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at  www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com.

Back in 2007, bored and frustrated with her day job as an office administrator, New York musician, artist and writer Summer Pierre wrote and illustrated a ‘zine about her double life.

“I wanted to make something that honors the fact that most of us have two lives and that takes A LOT of energy,” the California native wrote on her blog. “I also wanted to make something that could be an easy reminder that you are living your ONE life right now (not later) — why not enjoy it as much as you can — with a day job or not.”

Pierre’s whimsical handbook was a hit with struggling artists as far away as Japan, New Zealand and Egypt. “The Artist in the Office: How to Creatively Survive and Thrive Seven Days a Week,” was published in paperback this month by Perigree. The book offers inspiration and practical tips not only to frustrated artists, but alienated workers clinging to jobs they hate, reluctant to move on because of the tough economy.

“I think a lot of people just make their living and do everything else after work and on weekends,” says Pierre, 37. “They feel a little bit dead, a little bit tired, and they think that’s how you have to do it. The book is not only for artists but anyone who feels they are cramming their real life into after-work and weekends.”

What Might Not Be the Answer

Pierre offers tips on setting priorities, making the office an object for creativity, getting a fresh perspective on work and shaking up your routine. But I was most intrigued by her thoughts on money and happiness.

While many people think money is the answer to their problems, “thinking about money can also be the source of our problems,” Pierre writes. “We equate money as a means for pleasure, and yet we put making money in front of creating or experiencing pleasure. We think in amounts of money, but not in sanity or joy. For some of us, having lots of money might mean ‘the good life’ but we never ask ourselves, ‘what does that good life look like specifically?’”

Pierre gives an example of a decision she made when she was unhappy in her full-time day job. “I was thinking about going to graduate school, which would have meant spending more money, when I realized what I really wanted from graduate school was more time to do art, and school somehow legitimized it,” she says.

Instead of investing thousands of dollars in a graduate program, she went part-time in her day job.

“As a result I actually didn’t miss the money at all, because I didn’t need to buy things to make me feel better about my life,” Pierre recalls. “Having four days off a week was such a luxury to me, I stopped needing things. If you start making larger choices based on your values and priorities, you stop needing other stuff to give you that inspiration — so I needed less money.”

I clearly recall that austere sense of joy, when happiness meant working as a writer, living in a charming Manhattan apartment and owning a good pair of running shoes. Then I married and had three kids. I realized that the paycheck that facilitates a pint-sized rental and $100 Nikes would not fund three college educations.

And since I value educating my kids without the indentured servitude of massive student loan debt, I began to take on projects that lacked a certain inherent joy. However, they did wonders for my 529 college savings plans contributions. It was a light bulb moment when I recognized that earning money doing less engaging work that supports your values is a different kind of joy, but a joy nonetheless.

Changing Perspective

Pierre makes this very point in her book for the parents, artists and others leading quiet work lives of desperation: Savor what the job offers, rather than ruminating on the negatives.

“Look to what is working for you: What are the things you are being provided with through this job?” she says. “Maybe it’s being able to pay bills on time or have weekends to yourself. There are always little elements that are working for us.” In one of her unhappy office gigs, Pierre focused on being able to walk to the ocean at lunchtime and having a boss who became an important friend and mentor.

(Incidentally, I asked Pierre if she had children, and found out she gave birth in January in a traffic jam on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway; her son Gus arrived in the back of a livery cab. She recounts the harrowing tale, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Birthing Center” on her blog. Warning: This post may not be suitable for expectant mothers.)

Among Pierre’s other tips to boost happiness on the job:

– Avoid office gossip like the plague. “I love good dirt, it’s really fun, it’s a way to get intimacy with other people — but it’s like a drug. You get a good high but nothing changes,” Pierre says. “It’s draining, and often continues to breed negativity. What’s underlying gossip is frustration and boredom, and it doesn’t actually get you to do anything about that. It sounds Pollyanna, but (avoiding gossip) is a way of training your brain to look toward the light.”

– Think small steps. “Don’t think in terms of all or nothing — think in terms of a little bit here and there, actually getting creative work done,” she says, whether it means waking up 30 minutes earlier or disconnecting the cable. “Know that you are living your priorities, and if you like watching TV every night and don’t have time to do other things, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just acknowledge that those are your priorities.”

– Find life conspirators. “The friends who make you feel most alive are life conspirators,” she explains. “I think collaborators are really key because so often we feel isolated and the world doesn’t mirror back to us who we are.” The Latin etymology of conspire is “to breathe together,” she points out, and conspirators help breathe life into our plans, “to usher us into the life we really want.”

– Finally, figure out what abundance looks like. “Often what we want from monetary wealth is really just a sense of abundance,” Pierre writes. “But abundance is not about how much money you have, it’s about how much you are enjoying your life.”

For Pierre, that can be as simple as a favorite pair of jeans and a good cup of coffee. Pierre says she’s not rolling in dough, but feels abundant, “because I know what gives me joy and meaning and that is where my energy goes.”

It’s becoming harder than ever to get your resume read by a real person.

“HR people are drowning in resumes, and despite their best intentions, many can’t keep up,” says executive recruiter Mike Travis.

Help your resume win the attention it deserves by following these up-to-date tips from industry insiders.

* “Keep it shorter, tighter, and more laser-focused,” advises resume expert Louise Kursmark. “Resumes are by necessity becoming crisper and more to the point.” With Twitter, texting, and a barrage of quick-hit multimedia messages, we’re getting accustomed to the succinct. “Readers quickly lose interest in wordy resumes that don’t get right to the point,” she says. This goes for cover letters, too.

* “Show some humor or personality,” says Jennifer Turner, of Talagy recruiting and staffing company. “I recently called a candidate, even though he didn’t match any current positions, because his online resume title was, ‘Smart and Funny Sales Guy.’”

* “Make your resume read like a news story, not an encyclopedia entry,” suggests Sam Levine, of The Buttonwood Group. Pop an eye-catching headline and lead on the top and be sure to include a summary of qualifications.

* “Be results-oriented,” advises Erin Riley, assistant director of career services at the Chapman University School of Law. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Example: Instead of simply writing “Drafted OSHA appeal,” she says, include results: “Drafted OSHA appeal resulting in 90% reduction of employer fine for employee’s serious on-the-job injury.”

* “Show what sets you apart,” says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. “I like to see some indication of personal interests. It’s a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is.”

Riley agrees. “It’s an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant,” she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions.

* “Use appropriate keywords,” suggests Kursmark. Since machines are increasingly reading your resume before people are, give the tracking systems what they’re looking for: the most significant keywords from the job description that fit your qualifications — anything from degrees to programming languages and other specialized job-related skills.

* “Let others sing your praises,” says Richard Deems, co-author of “Make Job Loss Work for You.” “We add a section at the end we title, ‘What Others Say.’ Then we list five short statements, usually without attribution, that others have said about the person.” Examples: “Sticks with it until the job gets done,” or “The most creative, prolific employee I’ve ever had.”

* “If your name is difficult to pronounce, include your nickname,” says Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended. Like it or not, “Companies are more likely to call you for an interviewif you provide a name they can easily pronounce,” she says.

Take the free resume test to see if your resume has what it takes to make the cut.

And take America’s #1 Free Career Test for help finding the best career for you.

Time to Face Your Reports

The day of reckoning has arrived. Your leadership skills need an overhaul, and I’ve detailed why in the following slides. Any of these shortcomings sound familiar?

1. Don’t Know Your Job

You’re the invisible man, the one who doesn’t delve into the details or pitch in. You insulate yourself, telling us it’s “not my job” and to “just do it.” We know your dirty secret: You’re out of touch. It’s time to step away from your precious spreadsheets and get your hands dirty. You can’t channel talent, time, and tools if you don’t know how they’re already being deployed.

2. Don’t Listen

We’ve seen it all. You fiddle with your BlackBerry (RIMM) when we’re speaking. You interrupt constantly to make your points. And you roll your eyes and grow impatient—unless you’re talking. No matter, you disregard our input anyway. So we’ve given up; we don’t come to you anymore. And we both suffer for it. If you want to succeed, rebuild that goodwill. It’ll require time and toil, but the best relationships always do.

3. Closed-Minded

You’re gifted and accomplished, the best and brightest. And that has made you susceptible to pride. Now, you’re quick to reach conclusions. Everything is one-sided, with no room for discussion, differences, or dissent. You may view yourself as all-knowing, but conditions change. And talent doesn’t stand for “my way or the highway” for long. Pride goeth before a fall. Question is, can you open up and adapt before then?

4. Poor Preparation

Another emergency meeting. Drop what you’re doing, they need it now. We’re changing direction and working late again. It’s always last minute, make it up as you go along. Maybe it fosters teamwork and creativity sometimes, but you can only cry wolf so many times. In reality, the unexpected drama reflects your inability to set expectations, plan ahead, and think it through. And it’s just wearing us down.

5. Not Building Skills

“People are our most important asset.” Well, it’s empty rhetoric here. Maybe you want to be hands-off or encourage self-reliance. Whatever the intent, you’re not helping us grow. And that’s your real job as a manager: to broaden our outlook, push us beyond our comfort zones, exemplify the corporate values, and focus us on learning, serving, persevering, leading, and advancing. Don’t take that responsibility lightly.

6. Overzealous

History remembers the tyrants but rarely the subjects who did the heavy lifting. It’s no different here. You’ve created a divide-and-conquer atmosphere, all stick and no carrot, where everyone should be the same workaholic reflection of you. Eventually, your bullying and rah-rah intensity produces one question: “Why?” You may think we should be in “for life,” but what are you giving back in return for that blind loyalty?

7. Don’t Maintain Discipline

All the workers come and go as they please, living according to their own rules. No one knows who is where or doing what, and the result is chaos. Maybe you want to be our buddy—or experience how a sweat shop atmosphere fosters only resentment. Either way, coddling does no favors to anyone. Like it or not, you need to set rules and hold people accountable.

8. Never Heard of Tact

You always remind us that we’re replaceable and working at your pleasure. Yes, it’s your legendary bluntness. Your talent and tenure shields you from scrutiny. Sadly, your lack of self-awareness results in everyone—superiors and reports—maligning or marginalizing you. Brains take you only so far; eventually, you’ll need to build and nurture relationships. And that requires people skills: listening, charming, understanding, and compromising. Think you’re up for that?

9. Lack Influence

It’s funny how we’re usually last to get face time and resources. Our mission is vital and performance exceeds expectations. You’d like to believe it’s jealousy, but maybe the messenger is undercutting the message. Look at your variables: appearance, body language, and speaking and writing styles. Do you always convey the image of a polished professional who can work in a team and get the job done? If you can’t, you’ll never get anyone’s ear.

10. Blindside Us

Ah, there’s nothing like a surprise. Whether you’re singling us out in public or ambushing us in private, you’re not afraid to render judgments and deliver lectures. Despite our advanced degrees and track records, you still treat us as servants. Instead of dropping the news all at once, give us fair warning when our performance doesn’t meet expectations. Always take action immediately—and discreetly.

Click here to see the full list of Bad Bosses

Note: all of the images is illustrated by David Foster

Pull a buck from your wallet now and prepare to be amazed.

We’re serious. Did you know a dollar bill has hidden pictures, flecks of color, and mysterious symbols? And that’s just the beginning. What do all those seemingly random letters and Latin phrases mean, anyway?

The Basics: How much is a dollar worth?

The question seems simple, but the answer is quite complex. Since 1973, the dollar bill has had no value tied to it. You cannot trade in a dollar to the government for gold, silver, or any other commodity. The value of the nation’s currency is related to the decree by the government that a dollar is legal tender for all debts. This means if someone attempts to pay a debt using dollars, the person being paid must accept the money or the law no longer recognizes the debt. This is important enough that the phrase is printed on every bill the government creates.

It is also vital for the nation’s citizens to agree that the bills have value. If the members of a society decided that they did not believe in the currency, it would quickly be worth no more than the paper it is printed on. For the record, each bill costs the government 6.4 cents to print.

What kind of paper are the bills made from?

Bills are made from a blend of linen and cotton, which is why they don’t fall apart in the wash the way paper does. If you look closely, you can see red and blue silk fibers woven throughout the bill. The threads are thought to be an anti-counterfeit measure.

Hint: Look in the white spaces on the face of the bill for little bits of the colored thread. They look like lint but you can’t scratch them off!

On the face of a dollar, what does the letter inside the circular seal mean?

The black seal with the big letter in the middle signifies the Federal Reserve bank that placed the order for the bill. A = Boston, B = New York City, C = Philadelphia, D = Cleveland, E = Richmond, Va., F = Atlanta, G = Chicago, H = St. Louis, I = Minneapolis, J = Kansas City, K = Dallas, and L = San Francisco.

The letter also corresponds to the black number that is repeated four times on the face of the bill. For example, if you have a bill from Dallas with the letter K, then the number on the bill will be 11 because K is the eleventh letter in the alphabet.

Can you find any tiny owls or spiders hidden on the front of the bill?

Many people believe they can see a tiny owl (some say it is a spider) next to the large “1″ on the upper right of the bill. If you look at the shield shape that surrounds that “1,” the tiny owl rests on the top left corner.

More than likely, the markings are nothing, just a point where the webbed design of the border varies. That won’t stop some people from associating the peculiar detail with Masonic symbols, or with more practical things, like anti-counterfeit measures.

The Great Seal of the United States

The green back of the dollar bill features the two sides of The Great Seal of the United States. The founding fathers approved its design in 1782. Ben Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all had a hand in devising it. The seal provides great insight into the values of the newborn nation and, like the Constitution, provides a direct link to its formative days.

What does Annuit Coeptis mean?

The first of three Latin phrases on the back of the bill is translated as “God has favored our undertakings.” Many founders, Franklin and George Washington among them, believed that God’s will was behind the successful creation of the United States.

Beneath the pyramid, what does Novus Ordo Seclorum mean?

These Latin words mean “New order of the ages.” Charles Thomson, a statesman involved in the design of The Great Seal of the United States, proposed the phrase to signify the beginning of what he called “the new American Era,” which he said began in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Why is MDCCLXXVI on the bottom of the pyramid?

The letters are Roman numerals for 1776. M is 1,000, D is 500, CC is 200, L is 50, XX is 20, VI is 6. Add the numerals on the pyramid together and you get the year 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and when the Novus Ordo Seclorum began.

Why is there an unfinished pyramid with a glowing eye?

Thomson explained the sturdy pyramid as a symbol of “strength and duration”. He did not explain its unfinished state, but many believe it signified that our nation remained unfinished. The pyramid also stops at 13 steps, the number of the original colonies.

The “Eye of Providence” is a visual representation of the words Annuit Coeptis, and reinforces the founders’ notion that God looked upon the endeavor of the new nation with favor. Many theorists mistakenly believe the symbolism of the eye is related to the Freemasons (a secret society whose members believed they were under the careful scrutiny of God), but the symbolism of the glowing eye is far older than any Freemason thinking. Scholars have traced versions of the symbol as far back as the ancient Egyptians.

What does E Pluribus Unum mean?

“Out of many, one.” The 13 disparate colonies came together to form one nation.

Why a bald eagle? The founders wanted an animal native to America to be the new nation’s symbol. In its talons the eagle holds arrows and olive branches, signifying war and peace.

With Marcus Aurelius Antoninus’ quote in mind, I invite you to explore these 15 Simple Ways to create happiness in 2010!

1. Be your own BFF (best friend forever). Enjoy your own company. Embrace everything about you! Without a doubt, it’s the most important step towards being a happy person.
2. Smile, giggle, snicker, or chuckle! Smiling releases serotonin in the brain, which instantaneously gives your mood a lift.
3. Dream big in every area of life. Set your life in motion and manifest your heart’s desire.
4. Shut the doors and the windows tight! And then put on your favorite song and sing out loud. Let it rip!
5. Cook a healthy, delicious meal. Serve it up pretty and savor the flavor, one bite at a time.
6. Expect a miracle. Believe that something wonderful will happen for you today. The universe is waiting to shower happy blessings on you.
7. Meditate, pray and chant. Research shows that people who are spiritual tend to be happier and healthier than those who are not.
8. Pull up your best pair of warm socks. Wiggle your toes and enjoy a cozy kind of bliss.
9. Sleep baby sleep. Seven or eight hours each night should increase your energy and decrease your moodiness.
10. Count your blessings daily. Gratitude, the emotion of thankfulness, is one of the key ingredients for living a happy life. Make gratitude a habit and happiness will be yours.
11. Wake up early! Start the day off on a happy foot, with a happy thought. The morning hours are full of spiritual energy and prana (life force).
12. Let the sun shine in. 20 minutes of sunlight per day improves mood and wards of Seasonal Affection Disorder (SAD).
13. Take a hot bath. Feel the tension melt away as you sink into a pool of happiness.
14. Say “Good Job!” Give yourself permission to pat yourself on the back. Recognize your accomplishments and positive qualities.
15. Happiness is contagious! Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values, your goals and dreams.

Jennifer Winslow wanted to earn some extra cash without giving up the flexibility of working part time.

An avid cook, she and a friend initially planned to cater meals for busy families. When that turned out to be too time consuming, she tried baking. More than five years later, she has a thriving bakery business in Winslow, Maine (her husband’s family has been in town a long time).

Now on her own, she supplies four restaurants with cakes and other sweets and makes desserts for individuals and weddings.

A growing number of Americans would like to follow Mrs. Winslow’s example. Job loss, tighter credit and a renewed appreciation for savings is persuading more people to cut expenses.

But you can cut only so far. Two full years of recession have not left many unexamined family expenses. Meanwhile, prices — from gasoline to utilities to food — haven’t fallen. And incomes, if you still have one, aren’t exactly shooting through the roof. It’s time to make some money.

Fortunately, there also are many ways to earn extra cash even when full-time jobs and extra shifts aren’t an option. They include taking in boarders, starting a small business and getting paid for your opinion. Some of this work provides only a free meal and $10 fee but others, such as tutoring or selling Grandma’s diamond broach, could be quite lucrative.

The key, according to Gail Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, is to “find your skill or what you think would be fun to do.” She says, for example, someone with computer skills may want to teach a class, install computers or create Web sites.

“Think about what are people willing to pay for,” says Ms. Cunningham. “Who do you know and how can you leverage existing relationships.” For example, does your dentist need someone to clean the office or does your accountant need someone to cater the Christmas party?

1. Sell It: One of the fastest and easiest ways to get extra cash is to sell unwanted and unused stuff. And it’s never been easier to make hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You could post a few signs in the neighborhood and sell everything at a Saturday garage sale or you could try the online route with services such as eBay or Craigslist.

Linda Lightman first tried eBay more than 10 years ago because she wanted to help her sons get more for their old videogames. It was so easy that the former lawyer started selling her old suits. Then, friends asked her to sell theirs.

Today, shoplindasstuff.com has 50 employees and expects to reach $7 million in sales this year on eBay. “The economy has been the perfect storm for my business,” Ms. Lightman says. “More people need cash, and more people are looking for bargains.”

Auction houses also are a popular place to sell potentially valuable items. Alexander Eblen, head of the jewelry and fine timepieces department at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, says people often don’t realize the value of an old watch or grandmother’s Art Deco jewelry. For example, a Tiffany broach recently sold for about $68,000.

Don’t overlook some of the more mundane items, such as books and sports equipment. Many bookstores provide cash or store credits for “gently” used books. Similarly, stores like Play It Again Sports provide cash and store credits for gently used sports equipment. Check with local stores but they often need golf clubs, ice skates, lacrosse equipment and other gear.

2. Rent It: Your home, probably your biggest asset, is a potential source of extra cash. A growing number of people are renting out a room or grabbing a roommate for extra income. It’s less difficult for residents in “destination” locations near colleges, resorts or cities to rent a room or even the house for a few weeks, months or long term.

Some homeowners prefer using a real-estate agent, others like finding renters themselves, online or through friends. Either way, it’s crucial to vet the potential tenant and spell out expectations. Rents vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands in large cities.

Another option that’s a longtime favorite of students and young adults is earning extra cash for house and pet sitting.

3. Say It: Many businesses are willing to reward individuals for taking opinion polls, testing products or being a secret shopper. The compensation varies, and it’s crucial to avoid scams. Work only with reputable companies and avoid anything that requires a membership fee. One place to start is OpinionPlace.com, which lets poll participants choose Amazon.com gift cards, PayPal credits or American Airlines AAdvantage miles. There also are stores such as CVS, whose Advisor program provides consumers who complete surveys with ExtraBucks coupons.

People won’t make much but they might have fun working in a focus group or evaluating products or services as a mystery shopper. Once again, watch out for scams. Don’t pay any fees or respond to unsolicited emails. A good place to start is Volition.com or Mysteryshop.org, the Web site for the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.

4. Do It: One of the best ways to earn extra cash is by creating a business using existing skills and interests. An artist may teach a class, a photographer may do weddings and a sports enthusiast may referee or caddy.

“What are you volunteering for that you could get paid for?” asks Ms. Cunningham. She says it could be as simple as getting paid for office work or watching your child’s classmate after school.

One of the most popular and lucrative part-time jobs is to tutor, either for a college-prep class or a specific subject. Typical pay ranges from $30 to more than $100 an hour, depending on where you live.

Mrs. Winslow always loved to cook. “People would always ask me if I could bring the dessert if I was going somewhere for dinner,” she says.

A master at multitasking, she works about 20 hours a week for Jennifer’s Edibles. Her advice: “Start small and do things that are manageable. Don’t get so overwhelmed that you want to quit.”

Write to Jilian Mincer at jilian.mincer@dowjones.com