It figures. Just when you need cash the most, it's the hardest to come by.

In spite of all the gloom and doom, there are ways to come up with cash fast -- and none of them involves taking out a payday loan at a ridiculous interest rate. (Well, one of them comes close.)

Here are some ideas for coming up with cash in a jiffy, whether you need a few hundred, or a few thousand, dollars:

If you need less than $200...

Redeem credit card points.

If you have a credit card that has been racking up rewards points, consider cashing them in. You can redeem points for gift certificates for things like gas, clothes, dining and entertainment -- all things that wouldn't have to come out of your household budget.

In some cases, you can even get actual cash. Citi cards offer cash rewards of $50 or $100 and even mortgage payment rewards of up to $1,000. American Express will give you gift cards or gift cheques, and they're as good as cash.

Ask a social-service group.

There are many options if you need help with rent or utility payments.

Start by calling your municipal or county government and asking for social services. If they can't help you directly, they can point you in the right direction. Other organizations that can provide financial assistance include walk-in ministries and food pantries, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities.

You also can call your utility company, which may be willing to establish a payment schedule you can meet. (If you need to miss a payment as a last resort, now is the time to do it, because many states have laws preventing gas and electricity from being cut off during winter.)

Sell your stuff.

You see a lot of TV commercials these days for outfits that will buy scrap gold, so let's start there.

Gold has been selling for more than $25 per gram recently, so that's promising. Before you send your old jewelry off to the smelter, though, consider selling it as jewelry -- not scrap.

By some estimates, you lose 75% of an item's value by selling it for its gold content. So consider shopping your baubles around at auction houses and jewelers or offering it on Craigslist.com or eBay.

And since we're talking about Craigslist and eBay, think about selling other stuff -- books, CDs, old albums, collectibles, comic books.

If you need $200 to $1,000...

Ask friends or family.

This is a source that's often overlooked or dismissed out-of-hand, but it shouldn't be. We know it can be embarrassing, but a few hundred bucks isn't hard to part with if you have it.

Uncomfortable with borrowing (or lending) on a handshake? Virgin Money, from the same people behind Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic airline, facilitates loans between family members and friends, for a fee starting at $99. You set the amount of the loan and the interest rate; Virgin Money gives you a promissory note and sets a repayment schedule.

Ask your employer.

If you have proven yourself to be a reliable employee, you may be able to get an advance on your salary or a loan from your employer. Larger companies often offer loans, which you would then repay through small, regular payroll deductions.

Ask a stranger.

ModestNeeds.org works much like peer-to-peer lending sites, but instead of a loan, you can get a philanthropic grant. The Web site, founded in 2002, helps "hard-working, low-income households" find money to cover living expenses, from rent to car payments to medical bills.

The maximum amount a household can apply for is $1,000 or the monthly mortgage or rent, whichever is more, and the money goes straight to the landlord, business or bank that needs to be paid. ModestNeeds points out that the smaller the request, the more likely it is to be funded.

If you need more than $1,000...

Go to your bank or credit union.

Even during a credit crunch, banks and credit unions have a lot of options for their customers.

Many offer unsecured personal loans and lines of credit of $2,000 to $20,000. With a loan, your bank will write you a check and set up a regular repayment plan. With a line of credit, you can tap it as needed.

(It's not a bad idea to open a line of credit even if you don't need it right now. You don't have to use it, and it will be there in case of an emergency down the road.)

These loans carry interest rates of 10% to 20%, depending on your credit, and you can get access to the money almost immediately.

In some cases, you can get smaller amounts from your bank. Some, including Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank, offer short-term loans that are similar to payday loans -- essentially giving you an advance on your paycheck at an extremely high interest rate.

If you have been directly depositing your paychecks for at least six months, your bank may be willing to front you up to half of the amount of your regular check.

We don't like the fact that these banks charge a fee plus 10 percent per month. While that interest rate is painfully high -- remember, you can get a personal loan for 10% per year -- it pales in comparison to payday loans that can cost 400% to 800% year.

Just think of this kind of loan as a last resort.

Take advantage of peer-to-peer lending.

You don't have to go to a bank or credit union to get a loan. You may be able to find an individual willing to invest in you. It's happening through peer-to-peer lending Web sites such as Lending Club, Prosper and Loanio, where borrowers connect with individuals who have money to invest.

You can make your pitch for a loan to pay for pretty much anything -- debt consolidation, tuition, wedding expenses. Loan limits vary, and you can have cash within two to three weeks of posting your loan request.

The fee runs about 1% of the loan total, and interest rates run the gamut. At Lending Club, rates range from about 7% to 20%, depending on the borrower's Lending Club grade. At Prosper and Loanio, the rate depends on how many lenders bid on your loan; the more bids, the lower the interest rate may be.

Not all loan requests wind up being funded, but it's worth a try.

If you need more every week...

Get a second job.

This isn't as easy as it once was with the economy struggling out of a serious recession. But if you're chronically short of cash, it can't hurt to hit the pavement.

Don't discount going into business for yourself as a second job. A few ideas: become a handyman, do some landscaping, shovel snow, clean houses, babysit, walk dogs, run errands for senior citizens in your neighborhood.

The upside to this approach? You can work on your schedule, so it doesn't have to interfere with your real job, and you should be paid quickly and potentially in cash.

Boost your take-home pay.

If you get a tax refund every year, it's only because you're letting the government take too much money out of your paycheck. Adjusting your deductions could boost your take-home pay. You just need to visit your human resources office to file a new W4 form to change the number of allowances you're claiming.

Each allowance you claim decreases how much tax is withheld from your check every week -- and increases your take-home pay. You can't just make up how many deductions you want to take; there are some restrictions.

Try an online calculator to help figure it out. There's a simple one at Kiplinger.com or you can go the more complicated route with the IRS.

By Mary Yanni

Interest.com Contributing Editor