. >> like a lot of us, jonathan turner is always looking for ways to make some extra cash these days. that includes checking out garage sales for used books, not to read but to resell. >> i got an app on my eye phone and i'm able to scan the ibm number on it and actually, like, pull up and it tells me right there, you know, how much is that book worth. >> reporter: he uses the smart phone app book scouter. he can find out if he will make a profit buying a book at a yard sale price. that's one of the ways people are generation creative to make some extra money these days. kyle taylor from penny horder, starting with your fridge, one company is willing to pay to find out what you're storing in there. >> they'll send you a free bar code scanner and every time you go grocery shopping you scan the groceries you buy and then it transmits the data to them and companies use that sort of feedback to tell them what brands are popular. >> reporter: whales? feel like texting people? you can always answer questions for cha cha.com. make a few bucks right from your couch. >> they get questions, ran