When I was little my dad drove me and brother around to gather cans to redeem. We redeemed enough to make it possible for my dad to buy an IBM PCjr, my first computer. I’m a software engineer today because of that.

I’m very impressed with your blog… In CA, we have a bottle and can deposit… makes it easy to gain a few extra bucks in the savings. My kids and I collect the bottles and cans at their school and after tennis practice as well as whenever we see one tossed along our dog walks… We’ve saved $615 since last year just collecting and turning in them for recycling.

We also invest all found money in Real Estate Investment Trusts… We’ve found over $100 per year the last six years.

You can check us out at: http://www.foundmoneyjar.blogspot.com

ANDY

That said, my fiancee and I both work full time, so during the day there’s very little usage then. We haven’t turned on the heat (and there is no air conditioning). Considering the coldest it gets to is about 50, according to the locals, we might not turn on the heat all year. We are used to Boston’s cold winters, so it should be a lot better. Also, the number represents only 43% of the total electricity because My fiancee pays 57%.

I think it depends on what you sell on eBay. I’ve sold some things that I bought at full price, used once, and then sold it at ebay more or less new.

I’m not much of a reader, but if I were I would try to take advantage of libraries and ebay to buy books used to begin with. I’m sure you do that though.

You are right – the rental does take time. My investment condo is now a nice cash-flow positive investment, but I have owned it for 10 years. I lived in it for 5 years first – so I was lucky, but the time I was ready to move out and get a renter the market was in my favor.

As for eBay – I am not sure how to classify it. You are right – you do exchange an object you own for cash. But if it is an object you purchased for say entertainment purposes, you have finished with it – which is better? To keep it on a shelf or in a drawer or to recoup as much of your initial outlay as you can? Also sometimes the object has appreciated in value – so you sell it for more than you initially paid for it – again, it is something you used, but don’t need to hold onto.

I use my books as an example – I am addicted to reading and tend to accumulate a lot of books. If I kept them all I would quickly fill boxes and clutter up my house. So I periodically sell them on eBay. Sometimes I am surprised, and a book will sell for more than I initially paid. I will continue to buy books and read – it is a matter of keeping them until they become worthless, or turning around and selling them and recouping some of that cost.

Secondly, lenders spread your loans to many people. For instance, I have 25 loans in $50 increments. So I don’t have a big chunk of money with a total stranger. I’m diversified amongst many total strangers. I plan to continue to add more strangers. However, I suspect at some point it will be difficult to find more suitable strangers and I’ll have to start lending in $75 and $100. I’m hoping that day isn’t for some time.

I’m pretty bearish on gold. I’m 30 years old, so for a long time that I’ve been following it, it’s been a poor investment. Now that it’s high, I’m looking into it less. Plus I think the value of gold is different in the future. There’s very little I can do with a chunk of gold. I know it’s still a great conductor of electricity, but mostly people want it because it looks pretty. I think other metals look just as pretty. So I’d rather have the equivalent value in oil or corn. Oil can power cars and corn can be eaten.

I’m not really sure that 14-15% long term is likely. Once more lenders join the site, like anything, it should be a more efficient marketplace. However, I’m hoping for the next year while people are still cautious of Prosper, I will be able to earn that.

Jane, I was caught in the same tech downturn after the dot-com bust. I was out of consistant work for most of a year. That’s a large part of my motivation for being able to cover my necessary monthly expenses.

Right now I’m losing money on my rental. Overtime that will change as I’m able to raise the rent to keep up with inflation. As for selling items on Ebay, I wouldn’t consider that an alternative stream of income because I’m giving up a tangible object.

Rental income is great and is my primary alternate income source. As you mentioned income from saving account interest also trickles in. Blogging is my least profitable stream of income. Selling items on eBay brings in some scratch.

Having also gone through a period of unemployment during the dot.com bust I tend to still keep my monthly expenses low enough so I could survive for awhile on my rental income and unemployment checks.

I have not tried the Prosper path. One of these days I will take a serious look at that site.

I agree with Trent that a long term success in investing requires patience. A 14-15% return in short term is possible, but not in the long run.

Be patient and save where you can – that’s the best advice for building a secure long-term passive income stream.

Banks aren’t going to give me the return I’m looking for to reach my goal any time soon. This is why I’m looking at Prosper. Sure there’s more risk, but it’s diversified amongst more loans, and the reward is bigger. I’m getting a 17+% return on my investment after adjusting for risk according to Eric’s Credit Community. With the amount that I want to invest, I’m not going to be able to be as picky, but if I can get a 14-15% return on investment, I’ll be very, very happy.

I’m just not a very conservative person with my investing.