A Few Easy Short Beginner Tarot Spreads

Four-Card Spread by Skye Alexander
This spread offers advice for dealing with a specific concern. Its strength is its simple, direct approach to dealing with practical, everyday problems. Shuffle and cut the cards, then lay them out side by side in a horizontal line, from left to right.
Card 1: Situation
Card 2: Obstacle
Card 3: Action recommended
Card 4: Outcome

Basic 3 Card Reading (Push -- Pull - Advice)

Card 1—Flow or push. Less about the present state and more about the force driving you down your intended path (it may be a path you do not wish to travel).
Card 2—Obstacle or pull. Could be a very positive or guiding force
Card 3—Advice on the situation. Sheds light on the situations in its entirety.

The 3 card spread is actually more versatile than you might think. For more 3 cards spreads, check out these two links: Link 1 and Link 2

Basic 4 Card Tarot Reading
Situation, The Challenge, Advice, Likely Outcome.

General Advice Spread (7 cards)
Past:
Present:
Obstacle:
Hopes and fears:
Advice on what to do:
Advice on what not to do:
Future:
Heart of the matter:

7 cards might seem intimidating at first to the beginning tarot reader.  I know it was for me when I started teaching myself the tarot.  But this spread seems extremely helpful to me. and fairly straight forward.

Basic 5 card General Readings

Basic General Spread : past -- present - future - obstacle -- outcome

(This was my first memorized tarot spread! And the first one I performed for another person)

Basic General Spread: Past -- Present -- Future -- Reasons -- Possible Outcomes

Situation Challenge & Solution: Situation -- Challenges -- Solution -- Hidden/Unknown -- Likely Outcome

Situation Known & Unknown: Situation -- What You Do Know -- What You Don't Know -- What You Could Do (Advice) -- Outcome

Situation Spread by Moontoadie
A 5 card spread that gives you knowledge about a particular situation.
Basis -- The basis of the situation. The NOW.
Know -- What you need to know about the situation.
Remember -- What you need to remember. Something in the back of your mind that will help you with this situation.
Learn -- Something that you need to learn to be able to better deal with the situation.
Outcome -- The outcome as per the advice of the previous cards.

General Spread (5 Card)
Card 1:   The present or general theme of the reading
Card 2:   Past influences still having effect
Card 3:   The future
Card 4:   The reason behind the question (this will probably shed light on card #22)
Card 5:   The potential within the situation.

5 Card Relationship Cross
relationship cross spread by R. T. Allwin
Card 1: Your  position in the relationship.
Card 2: Other party’s position in the relationship.
Card 3: Basis for the relationship; the Past
Card 4: What lies between the parties right now .
Card 5: The future of the relationship.

X Spread
From Guneeta Dhingra’s All You Wanted To Know About Tarot.
Card 1: Something which is in favor of the situation
Card 2: Something which is against the situation
Card 3: Something which is likely to happen
Card 4: Things that are in control if free will is used
Card 5: Outcome, if free will is not used to achieve the option given by card #4.