You have seen every episode of Hustle and now you want to make a killing like Mickey, Danny, and Emma. Maybe you’re planning to rob a bank with nothing but a toothpick and a smile, or talk your way into getting your hands on a Van Gogh. Before you and your crew start planning your vacation in the Bahamas, however, you should read this advice and make sure you’re playing the hustle game right. After all, it only takes one multi-million dollar job gone awry to land you in the slammer instead of the cabana.

Everyone Is A Target of the Hustle

When you are walking down the street, are you sizing every possible person you see as a possible target? If you aren’t, then you aren’t thinking like a true hustler. Not everybody has something to offer you, but not every single person has a shirt that says ‘I Collect Fine Art’ on their chest. Always be looking for the next hustle, because as PT Barnum famously said, ‘There’s one born every minute.’

Know The Hustle Lingo

You have figured out the best way to hustle some poor sap out of a dozen paintings that you are going to be able to turn around for for big numbers. Do you know the difference between Monet and Manet? If the answer is no, then don’t act like an art critic. Any specialized hustle is going to need specialized knowledge. Just because you are an oratory artist with a natural gift of gab doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do a little research.

In Your Hustle, Have A Way Out

A hustle game is only as good as the rules. The best hustle may not be foolproof, but the exit strategy should be. Even if the pull out factor includes popular phrases like ‘run like hell’ or ‘move to Alaska’, at least you gave it some thought. Needless to say, having a stash of fake passports, a plane ticket to another continent and some good connections in key places all across the world is always a plus.

Don’t Grift Where You Eat

You may not realize that every day you run into the supermarket and pass by a very nice old couple. They probably don’t notice you either. It is a guarantee that they will remember your face after you’ve tried to heist their pensions, though. Not only that, but it’s a sure bet that they will spread the word to friends, associates, family members and the like.  Facebook and Twitter are great for spreading good and bad news, so make sure your hustle stays far away from these resources if it’s less than noteworthy.  Who really wants to end up on TMZ opposite yet another story on a heist gone wrong (cue Lindsey Lohan).

Make sure your marks are far from where you live, in places that you don’t even want to consider visiting again afterward. You will never eliminate the possibility of running into the poor sap you took down for six figures, but as in all things, you should at least lower the probability.

Be Greedy, But Not Too Greedy

When you hustle, you always have to have the hunger for more.  This is what drives and motivates you to go after the ultimate capers.  When in doubt, take a cue from the Oceans 11 gang.  They knew when to strike and when to lay low, but they always kept an eye out for bigger and better hustles.

In the end, a successful hustle — like a team — is the sum of its parts. You have just figured out a way to play well with others, but you shouldn’t keep more than you deserve. Everybody gets their share with no exceptions.

You got the talent and the tools. It’s time to get down to the hustle. (Just watch out for those pesky FBI guys. I hear they don’t like it when you con people out of millions.)

Miles Walker is a freelance writer and blogger who usually compare car insurance deals over at CarinsuranceComparison.Org. He knows how to hustle, and his most recent review looked at the best car insurance quotes.

Click the image above for your chance to receive a $1,000 Wal-Mart free gift card !  (Who couldn’t use a gift card for one of America’s favorite shopping destinations?)

Free Gift Card Only the Beginning

Today it’s a free gift card to shop for groceries, clothing, automobile supplies and more, tomorrow, who knows?   Think of all the things you could purchase with this free gift card:

• Gift cards to the Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and other restaurants that are on the gift card rack
• Services for your car, such as oil changes and battery replacements
• Shop early for Christmas gifts
• Everyday groceries that you normally buy
• Gas for your car at Wal-Mart Gas Stations (Murphy’s Oil)

Use Your Zip Code to Receive Your Free Gift Card

To get on the path to receiving your free gift card, all you have to do is supply your zip code, and follow the instructions from there.  Really simple, isn’t it?

This Free Gift Card is Available for a Limited Time

The publisher may take down this offer at any time, so I would not waste much time in submitting your zip code to get started.  Especially with the price of gas going up so high, Da Hustler always is on the lookout for things to help alleviate the price at the pump.  Who knows when the unrest in Libya and the global recession is going to get better for regular people like you and me?  And who has time to wait for that anyway?! This free gift card for Wal-Mart may be just what the doctor ordered!

It’s been AGES since I last added a blog post, a victim to the pressure of blogging. I became another statistic.

Or did I?

When I started blogging back in 2007, I saw a lot of blogs, visited a ton of sites, and made a few blogging buddies along the way. We were all focused on making money, the glitz and glamor of leaving your day job and sitting at home in your PJ’s playing PlayStation all day. Sad to say, I didn’t quite reach that goal.

A recession hit, housing prices tanked, unemployment rose higher than Gary Coleman’s height. I kept a bunch of links to the sites I used to visit, and that landscape has changed immensely! It seems like a TON of people who used to be here have moved on to other things, and I’m guessing it’s mostly because of the pressure to write valuable posts and the time and expense involved in doing so. It’s much easier to just walk away versus trying to truly figure out a way to making a living with this thing.

Well, turns out the da hustler succumbed to the pressure as well. No $10k months, no expensive trips to Vegas, none of that. Just normal, everyday life where you work for the man and do what he wants you to do in exchange for not being homeless. And I have to say, I am quite content with not being homeless!

One thing I am very happy about though, is keeping the site here in cyberspace. Yes, I paid my hosting fees and preserved the space here over the years, but that was about it. I can’t tell you how much I really MISSED you guys and being able to really connect with the different people out there in the world, sharing common goals and providing great ideas to make some cash. Sometime in the last few months it occurred to me how much site like these were really needed, (uh oh, here it comes…) especially in times like these. (Yes, da hustler is sick and tired of hearing that phrase too!) if nothing more than to truly give hope to lots of people out there who need it.

So what does it mean to be “back?” Well, quite frankly after such a long hiatus, I feel like I have to get back into the swing of things. The years have brought changes in technology and the number of feasible ways to make money. For instance, I hear that Google AdSense & AdWords is either dead or dying, and Facebook is the new land of milk and honey. Sucks for da hustler, because he refuses to get a FB page, no matter what.

That just means more $$$ for you guys!

But before I end this post, I will say that I am so surprised that the site looks the way that it does! So there will be a change in that as well. Many of you may have just lucked upon this site somehow (I’m sorry to hurt your eyes like this), and some of you may have received a notice of a new post from a guy who was long thought to be dead & decaying. Not so! In any event, welcome if you are new, welcome back if you have been here before, and let’s get back to doing what we do best here…

Hustlin…

WARNING: Video contains a video girl, PG-13 content.

They say Reading is Fundamental. Well, I don’t know who “they” are, but “they” are right. Da Hustler — in spite of all that you see on this site — does not know everything about saving money and getting deals, and as a result, I have to continuously read and research to stay on top of my game. One way that gain knowledge on the inexpensive side is to scour the internet, find relevant and interesting articles, see how it could fit into my life or the lives of others, then tell everyone that I know. In doing this, I often come across references to books, and instead of going to Amazon or eBay to see how cheap I can get them for, last year I dusted off my library card and went there instead.

This approach to furthering your education is often overlooked unless you are in public school or college. It seems that once you become a member of the “real world,” you are taught to buy items at retail so your local shopkeeper can take expensive vacations on your dime (then give you the honor of viewing the photos, how thoughtful). This extends to groceries, cars, dining out, and even reading. Take a look at how advertising has bamboozled all of us over the years:

• Common belief: Need food? The supermarket is your best bet (processed, preservatives added, higher cost)
• Overlooked reality: Your local farmers market is often cheaper and has truly fresh produce, a larger selection of organic items and meats with no hormones added

• Common belief: To get to work, you need a car.
• Overlooked reality: Public transit goes farther than you may think, just take the time to do a little research. Also, check into express buses that serve remote areas, car & van pools, or get some much needed exercise and ride a bicycle or walk to work! You save on gas and aren’t polluting the environment as much as the next guy!

• Common belief: Want to read a good book? Buy one at Barnes & Noble or Borders, and you might even save 30% off the newsstand price
• Overlooked reality: Your local library has many of the same bestsellers, and you’ll save 100% off the newsstand price.

• Common belief: Want to see a good movie? Head on over to an AMC, Regal or Loews cineplex. You’ll even pay less when you go see a matinee ($7.25/ticket is still $29 for a family of four, and you haven’t even bought the concessions yet!)
• Overlooked reality: Forget Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, the new place to get your movies is RedBox for $1/day rentals. Even better, check your local library for good and independent titles you never knew existed, and pay nothing!

These are just a few examples of what can be accomplished when you do not accept what society deems as “standard” and you challenge the status quo. When i found out about the wonders of the library and how it has evolved from when I was a kid, I was simply amazed. Libraries are starting to become your central location for anything media, and the best part is that you don’t have to pay for it! Check out some of the other benefits of using your library card:

• Access to prescription drug discounts and other health care benefits
• Help with taxes (some will even help you file your return for free)
• Access to technological resources (computer equipment, projectors, media readers) with on-site technical staff
• Get discounts at some retailers when you show your card
• Meeting rooms available just for the asking
• Prepare for presentations much cheaper than using a place such as FedEx Kinkos
• Assistance with your child’s schoolwork (or maybe even yours!)
• Download audiobooks, music and eMovies
• Play games and get involved in gaming tournaments
• Have books mailed to you if you cannot get to a branch
• Get free prom dresses for girls (could wedding gowns be next?)
• Learn a new language
• Learn to read
• Vote
• Wireless internet hotspot
• Check out materials in an adjacent county/library system
• Take computer learning courses

There are many others, but some are specific to your local system, so check with them to be sure of all that’s available to you. in addition, don’t limit yourself to just one library system! These entities often work with each other, and there may be ways to get access to another system without having to pay a non-resident fee. The combined services of the library network can lower the total cost of living, while still providing you with the same quality of life that you have now (or better!). So yeah, you still may have to be quiet (and please place your cell phones on silent), but in the end, silently saving money this way is a hustle that many of us will want to shout about!