Have a plan. Finding money for a film should never be your first step in making a movie. Write a script (or get together with someone and have them write a script for you) that you want to make, then go over every page in detail and decide how much money you will need. Look over details such as sets, props, equipment rentals and even food catering and know exactly how much money you will need before you head out looking for money.
Make it perfectly clear to any potential investors that there is a very good chance they'll never see their money again. Don't sugar-coat it. Very few independently produced movies ever make money. While this prospect may turn off a few people, it'll save potential lawsuits in the end over false promises made to secure cash.
Don't pressure anyone. The quickest way to get someone to never speak to you again is to make it seem like they owe you the money to make a movie.
Ask your friends and family. Contact every friend and every relative you've ever met and ask them for money. Make it clear that they don't have to donate a lot to the production--every little bit counts. Even $100 could rent a camera for a day or buy a few rolls of film.
Start soliciting local business owners. Successful business owners with high annual incomes tend to have a lot of disposable cash, and if you just make the right presentation, you may be able to convince some of them to give a little to you. When Sam Raimi, director of the "Spiderman" movie franchise, was just starting out, he made a low-budget horror film called "Evil Dead." It was partially financed by a group of dentists who had tens of thousands of dollars to donate simply because they decided to not take their annual trip to Las Vegas.
Have something to show investors. Print out extra copies of your script, draw storyboards, film a short scene--do anything to give potential investors an idea of what they would be bankrolling. Even a PowerPoint presentation will go a long way compared with someone who has nothing asking for money.