An estimated 10,4 million people in this country have poor credit records, and many more don’t qualify for traditional bank loans. Accordingly, more and more South Africans are looking for alternative ways to get cash quickly.

There are some legitimate methods for getting cash fast if you need it, but always be alert to the possibility of scams.

Alternative ways to get cash

Pawn your vehicle

With Pawn My Car, you can secure cash quickly and easily by getting a loan against a paid-up vehicle that’s in your name. We don’t perform credit checks and the process is efficient, fast and confidential. Once you’ve repaid the loan, your vehicle is returned to you in the same condition you left it.

Sell unneeded items online

You can free up some money fast by selling unwanted or unnecessary items online. Classifieds sites such as http://www.gumtree.co.za/, https://www.olx.co.za/ and http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/ provide a platform for you to sell items such as furniture, electronics, clothing and antiques privately, while setting your own price. When making a sale, don’t release goods until you’ve received payment in full.

Rent out a parking space or a room

If you live in a city where parking is scarce, you can rent out your bay on a monthly basis. The same goes for leasing a spare room in your home. Advertise the room or parking bay on www.gumtree.co.za or on www.olx.co.za. Alternatively, you can rent out a spare room or flatlet as holiday accommodation via https://www.airbnb.com/, http://www.wheretostay.co.za/ or http://www.sa-venues.com/.

Offer a service from home

If you can provide a service that people may willing to pay for, you can make some extra money on the side from home. Just some examples are sewing clothing, baking cakes, walking people’s dogs and teaching piano, yoga or a high school subject. If you’re skilled in web development, graphic design, writing or book-keeping, you could also do extra work as a freelancer. Look for freelance work at http://www.freelancentral.co.za/ or http://www.safrea.co.za/.

Auction your antiques

If you have any crockery, art or furniture that you think might be of value, you can get it priced at an antiques shop. Visit a few shops for quotes to get a good sense of the item’s worth. If the item appears to be of value, take it to an auctioneer to get a good price for it.

How to spot a scam

If you suspect that you are being scammed, remember the following:

• if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
• you should never respond to an email, SMS or phone call asking you for your personal or bank details, even if you think that the caller works at your bank
• emails and pop-ups stating you’ve won something are usually a scam; if you haven’t entered a competition, you probably haven’t won anything
• if you’re selling something, always ask for cash or confirm with your bank that the electronic payment has gone through before releasing the goods.

At Pawn My Car, we offer quick, discrete, hassle-free loans against paid-up vehicles. If you’re interested in securing a loan using your car, contact us for more information on 0861 112 866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.

Complete an application now