How to make more money? A strategic long-term investment or business plan is a good idea, but you may also want to make more money in the coming weeks and months. There are ways you can do this, using what you already have.

First of all, there are two essential ways to accomplish what you really want - which isn't to make more money. Money is just a means to various ends. If you want a million dollars you want it for something. You want a secure retirement, travel, a boat, home, freedom, or whatever. If you could get all of it with half of a million dollars, you would accomplish the same thing, right?

In regards to money, then, the two ways to accomplish your goals are to make more money or spend less. If, for example, you find car insurance for $500 less per year than your current policy, you have effectively made $500 more. With that in mind, here are four basic areas to look at, and some ideas on how to make more or save more money in each of them.

Make More Money With Your Job

- Get a raise. Asking for one is a good start.

- Work more hours (if you're paid hourly). Stay late, volunteer to take shifts.

- Work better hours. Volunteer for Sundays, holidays, or any hours you are paid more for.

- Get a higher paying job. Why not look?

Make More Money With Your Business

- Find ways to reduce half of your expenses, at least a little. Savings go straight to the bottom line.

- Find any small improvement for each part of your business process. Small changes add up.

- Find and try low-risk ways to increase sales. An idle employee could call past customers with an offer.

- Test prices. You can make more money selling less if the profits are higher. Do the math.

Make More Money With Investments

- Divert some fun-money into investments. Take it from the activities that weren't really that fun.

- Check interest rates at various banks. An hour spent this way may yield $100 more - every year.

- Don't pay commissions. Mutual funds with commissions do not outperform those without them.

- Make active investments. Real estate takes time and effort, but the return can be much higher.

Make More Money At Home

- Find ways to reduce the cost of half of the things you buy and do. Do it right, and nothing is lost.

- Use your home. Rent rooms, create a duplex, rent space in yard for RV storage, etc.

- Sell things. Not really a way to make more money, but a way to convert unused stuff into usable cash.

- Make money from hobbies. Sell handicrafts, ad space on your web site, or start a consulting business.

There are hundreds of ways to make more money, and you can find several good ones if you really try. The ways listed here may seem mundane. They are. On the other hand, suppose you did the following five things:

- Work one Sunday or holiday per month at time-and-a-half pay.

- Got a fifty-cent per hour raise.

- Started a web site that made $160 per month.

- Spent $20 less per week on groceries.

- Put your money into investment that made you $50 more per month.

If you banked the money you made or saved, it would add up to more than $12,000 within two years. This is enough to start looking at small real estate investments, or other business opportunities that can eventually lead to real wealth. These are also all low-risk ways to make more money, so what have you got to lose?