Top Ways to Make Money in 2009

1. Fix and Sell Your Junk

Need to pump up your income? Look in your closets. As you clear out the clutter, consider how, with a little bit of effort, you can turnsome of this excess into fresh cash. After all, those neglected possessions didn't come cheap, and their next owner is probably scanning Craig's List even as we speak.

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Next: Money Move No. 2

2. Teach Frugality

Not only are people starting to panic in this economy, cutting out pricey restaurant meals and packing their own lunches, but rising concern over toxic corporate food is scaring many Americans away from the grocery store. Where there is a problem (most of these Americansweren't taught how to knead bread or can tomatoes in mom's kitchen savvy), homey entrepreneurs see an opportunity to make some bread by teaching these basic skills.

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Next: Money Move No. 3

3. Argue for Tax Abatement

When real estate values were rising, so were real estate tax assessments and the associated property taxes due. Now that the value of real estate has dropped dramatically in some areas, the assessments on properties are often no longer accurate. That means taxpayers are paying too much in property taxes.

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Next: Money Move No. 4

4. Start a Side Business

Remember all those great business ideas you once wished you had time to pursue? Well, many of us now have the time, and while, sure, the economy sucks, a good idea diligently pursued can still succeed. Perhaps now is the right time to begin a side business, to pad your take-home pay and cushion you against a sudden job loss.

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Next: Money Move No. 5

5. Work for the Census

Talk about perfect timing; just as the nation's unemployment rate skyrockets, the U.S. Census Bureau begins staffing up for the 2010 nose count. If you have a curious nature and a desire to make some extra coin in 2009 and beyond, the Bureau is accepting applications now. And the Census is only one Federal opportunity.

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Next: Money Move No. 6

6. Get Training for a New Career

If being a brainiac is your thing, you'll love the list of hot jobs recently listed by Careercast.com. Working as a mathematician is at the top of the list, with actuary, statistician, and accountant nearing the top. Not fond of math? No problem -- there are plenty of other hot career options.

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Next: Money Move No. 7

7. Get More Training, Make More Money

If 2009 ends up anything like 2008, you're going to have to really stand out in your workplace to receive a raise. One way to shine is to use your slack business time to pursue additional training, and there are plenty of ways to get it at low or no cost to you.

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Next: Money Move No. 8

8. Use Investment Losses to Your Advantage

Capital losses on stock, bonds, and other investments can be used to offset capital gains that you may have had on other investments. In addition, up to $3,000 of your losses can be deducted from your income for the year. So while you may have lost a good chunk of money in the stock market, at least a portion of that can be recovered through tax savings.

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Next: Money Move No. 9

9. Take Advantage of Tax Credits

Tax credits are one sure way to put money in your pocket. A credit is a direct reduction of the amount of tax you owe, so it can be very valuable. Some of them are even refundable, meaning that you can get tax money back even if you didn't pay in.

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Next: Money Move No. 10

10. Put Savings on Autopilot

By now, you've likely automated everything from your cable bill to student loan payments, so why not automate your savings? Setting up an automated savings plan is incredibly simple and automatically paying yourself every month is a great way to avoid living paycheck to paycheck or saving for a major purchase like a house.

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Next: Money Move No. 11

11. Cut the Consumerism

This blogger's dad, always ahead of his time, starts chuckling when he sees commercials or newspaper advertisements claiming to teach you how to save hundreds, or thousands, of dollars(!!). He has a better way that can save you even bigger: don't buy the item in the first place.

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Next: Money Move No. 12

12. Get Couponing

Gone are the days when coupon clipping meant you had to cozy up to a kitchen table for an hour of hunting and cutting in order to save money. Thanks to emerging technology, you can now access coupons via your computer or cell phone, even while walking the grocery store aisles.

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Next: Money Move No. 13

13. Buy Undervalued Stock

The average crystal ball is looking quite foggy about now; nevertheless this blogger rummaged throughout the stock market to select nine stocks that he thinks offer more reward than risk. The market is priced for the worst in so many cases that he believes he could have included 50 companies without too much trouble.

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Next: Money Move No. 14

14. Buy Gold

For as long as man has recognized beauty he has been attracted to gold, the most malleable, warm and lustrous of metals. Today, to some investors, it represents something even more fundamental -- a way to hold and protect the value of their nest eggs in a turbulent market. But is it the safe investment some pose it to be? How should you play gold to build your own nest egg?

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Next: Money Move No. 15

15. Buy I-Bonds

This blogger's bank offered a one-year CD at just above 2% and the five-year hung around 3%. By comparison, putting his money into Series I US Savings Bonds at 5.64% with a minimum purchase of as little as $25, redeemable in one year, seemed like a no-brainer.

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Next: Money Move No. 16

16. Make Money With a Real Estate Purchase

If you have good credit, a job, some cash and the fortitude to stick it out as the economy recovers, now is a great time to buy real estate. Focus on these top 10 cities where property has increased in value and avoided drastic swings in price in tough times.

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Next: Money Move No. 17

17. Make Money With a Real Estate Sale

Making money on foreclosures and underwater properties is a growth industry. Why not take a clue from Billionaire John Grayken of Lone Star Funds, who first made his fortune during the S&L crisis in the 1980s? This July he bought up $6.2 billion in distressed mortgage-backed securities. Now he's just waiting for the market to recover.

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Next: Money Move No. 18

18. Make Money With Home Renovations

Unlike most other investments, your home can actually make money for you in 2009. Using energy efficiency tax credits, making shrewd decisions about home improvement projects, and taking advantage of the work shortage in the building industry can all put cash in your pocket in 2009.

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More on AOL: Biggest Money Wasters

More on AOL:
Top Ways to Waste Money

As food prices soar and the economy worsens, it's a perfect time to look at the money wasters in our life. So for the third time, we asked our readers what they think are the top ways to waste money.

Click through our gallery and see if you agree with this list that we pulled from our message board. Are there worse ways you waste your money?

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Money Wasters

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