BootStrapBiz…Seems everyone today is looking for ways to make extra cash.
One of our new subscribers told me that he refurbishes used washers & dryers that he finds in local classified ads and then resells them.
When I wore a much younger man’s clothes, I bought beat up VWs to refurbish and resell (they were the easiest car to work on)…until I got a letter from the state telling me if I sold one more car, I would have to get an automobile dealers license!
Scroll down & take a peek at what others
are doing to make a living. These examples
make good idea starters for times like these.
Feel free to send your ideas to: PoorManSurvivor@yahoo.com
“Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success -- only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, prosperous, progressive and free."
-- Ronald Reagan
(1911-2004) 40th US President
More free stuff to help your business, women entrepreneurs, etc.
from the Master of Free Government Benefits
Matthew Lesko
http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?poorman11/mlesko
Grass Roots economic development - something
every bureaucrat should read!
TaskRabbit: Putting Americans Back to Work, One Odd Job at a Time
Great idea for earning extra money - as seen on ABC news…
TaskRabbit gets you in touch with friendly, reliable people who can help you get just about anything you need done, and put some free time back into your life.
Currently Tasking in Boston, SF Bay Area, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Orange County… more coming soon! http://www.taskrabbit.com/
America needs to fuel small business growth
In the Netherlands, citizens can opt out of getting unemployment and instead, use that money to start a business. The only thing that will save this country (beyond getting rid of politics as usual) is to foster job growth through small business - even if it’s on a sideline basis!
Here are a few resources worth checking out. Always remember that if you don’t take a chance, you won’t have a chance.
Recycling Scrap Metal for Extra Cash
The Poor Man’s wife recycles sterling silver, which she frequently finds at thrift stores. Occasionally, she’ll find gold jewelry too which is priced at below market rates. Recently, we sold one pound of scrap sterling silver for $350; our cost was less than $25.
We took a bunch of metal which in the past, we’d have trashed, to our local scrap recycler and made another $25.
The first thing to find out when you start making money with scrap metal is where your nearest scrap metal yard is. You will probably find you have one quite nearby and it only takes a short amount of time to either give them a call or drive by to have a chat and find out what they take and how much they would pay you for it. Keep in mind prices fluctuate and as I write this, brass, copper and bronze are bringing good money.
The easiest place to start is at home, believe it or not. Have you got any old tire rims off your old car that are filling up the garage and not serving any real purpose? There’s your first item right there. How about old grill bits from that broken barbeque? Some of the more popular metals sold as scrap include:
- Aluminum
- Iron
- Copper
- Brass
- Platinum
- Bronze
- Stainless Steel
Metal prices vary on the type of metal and of course, supply and demand. Metals such as iron can earn you up to $0.10 per lb, while copper can get you upwards of over $2.00 per lb. Keep an eye on the market and call and ask your scrap dealer for current prices. Don’t forget, many of these dealers also purchase used batteries from autos and RVs. Many dealers may even advertise their paying price on their websites.
Use the chipping test. Use a chisel to remove a small piece of the metal and examine the resulting chip. Gray cast-iron chips are smooth and brittle. Cast steel chips easily, and the chips can be continuous if desired. Aluminum chips are continuous but leave a saw edge. White cast iron is brittle and breaks into small fragments. Malleable iron produces rough chips. High-carbon steel is a lighter color at edges than mild steel, and the chips can be continuous. A magnet won’t stick to brass or bronze.
Current Scrap Price Resource Sites
http://scrapmetalpricesandauctions.com/
http://www.scrapindex.com/metal.html
How to Videos
http://www.ehow.com/video_4909161_make-money-from-scrap-metal.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U50ogiENb9M
Metal Testing Site-A quick guide to determining types of metal
http://home.comcast.net/~c.scheer/Identifying_Metals.htm
How to Manual - Free PDF
http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/Recyclers/StartBiz.pdf
Thanks to Lapeer Recycling for their courteous service and explanations!
Online Jobs that really pay
Virtual Assistant - If you have excellent administrative experience and organizational skills you can expect to earn $10 to $20 an hour by working directly with clients. Here are a few sites to review:
www.HomeWithTheKids.com
www.TeamDouble-Click.com
www.VIPDesk.com
Call Center Employee - Many businesses now outsource their customer service departments via virtual call centers. Training and scripts are provided at these sites:
www.WorkingSolutions.com
www.LiveOps.com
www.AlpineAccess.com
Interview Transcriber - Journalists and writers conduct hundreds of interviews and have little time to transcribe them. This task is easily handled over the internet with digital voice files. There are many services which will connect you.
www.Verbalink.com
www.Scribie.com
Give Fashion Advice and Get Paid for it
This site allows you to share your fashion finds by creating your own free virtual store of clothing and accessories you recommend. You get a 10% commission on purchases which you’ve suggested. No cost.
www.StyleOwner.com
6 Websites Offering Odd Jobs to Earn Extra Cash
When unemployment meets frugal spending you get internet sites offering a happy median for both. If you need to make extra money and the traditional job hunt isn't working, then consider one of these 6 websites that offer more of a non-traditional approach to making money. I must warn you, some of the sites require you to be a bit on the creative side, be open-minded, and at times have a good sense of humor
http://www.doughroller.net/make-money/websites-offering-odd-jobs-that-make-money/
Googling ‘work-at-home’ when searching for job listings often produce a lot of scams. Instead, try ‘home office‘, ’virtual employee,’ ’remote office,’ or ’online work.’
>>Quirky.com - If you have a unique problem-solving idea, submit it to this site ($10 fee) and their users will vote on whether it’s a good idea. If your idea is selected, the site will manufacture and sell the item with all the community members who help develop the idea.
>>Profounder.com - If you need funding to expand your business, post the idea along with how much revenue you will share and for how many years you will share it.
>>Rockethub.com - Do you want to self-publish your first book or record a music album. This site might just be the ticket. Describe your project, set a financial goal and a timeline and then post it. This will get the word out to potential donors
Making Money Selling Used Books
Have you ever thought you’d like to start a business from home? Do you have some books laying around collecting dust? If you said yes to both questions, selling used books on the Internet may be just the ticket.
According to his biography at SellYourBooksOnline.com, Adam Bertram has been an avid online book seller for two years and has thousands of sales under his belt. He has a background in technology that has allowed him to excel in finding books to sell online. The author has generated tens of thousands of dollars buying used books that most people simply want to get rid of and has turned around to sell them for big money.
Bertram has written an ebook, Used Books: Big Business.
This ebook is one of the most comprehensive books about selling used books online that you will find. It takes you all the way from where to find books that you can sell, listing them on marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Alibris, Abebooks and Half.com, how to ship out the orders and finally how to treat the customer after the sale.
Shadow Economics-Underground Economy
…Or no visible means of support!
As you can well imagine, governments despise those who work off the books. It makes it more difficult for them to extract money from and it reduces their chances of tracking you in its various databases. If you work for someone, you automatically get placed into the governments ‘New Hire Database.” Supposedly, this is to reduce the hiring of illegal immigrants. In reality, it’s a means of tracking a parent who is delinquent on child support or someone who owes taxes or student loans.
According to the IRS, they were able to collect taxes on everyone from the underground economy, it would eliminate the national debt. At one point corporations shouldered the majority of the tax burden but starting in the 1960s, the government shifted that burden to the middle class.
Since the majority of jobs pay crap wages AND that wage is further reduced by taxes, it’s no wonder the world has seen a growth in the underground economy. Our theory has always been to not tax individuals on the first $25,000 of income…at least give them a fighting chance. Even a babysitter who earns more than $600 is supposed to pay taxes. I started paying taxes at age eleven (hey, the Poor Man was an early starter).
In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a big push in this country for everyone to use debit cards for purchases and to use direct deposit as a means of getting their paycheck. This too makes it easier for government tracking and it is another reason why off-the-books money making is an all cash transaction.
A factory worker has a second job driving an unlicensed taxi at night; a plumber fixes a broken water pipe for a client, gets paid in cash but doesn't declare his earnings to the tax collector; a drug dealer brokers a sale with a prospective customer on a street corner. These are all examples of the underground or shadow economy—activities, both legal and illegal, that add up to trillions of dollars a year that take place "off the books," out of the gaze of taxmen and government statisticians.
It's not just illegal immigrants fueling the growth of the underground economy. It's also corporate downsizing, which has forced many workers to go out on their own. "We have had an 85% taxpayer compliance rate," says Nina Olson, the IRS's taxpayer advocate. "I expect the number to decline," because the portion of employees who have taxes withheld from regular paychecks is falling. Such employees are 99% compliant with tax laws, she says, but in today's economy, "more people are being treated as independent contractors. We are losing people from the withholding environment."
The major driving forces behind the size and growth of the shadow economy appear to be an increasing burden of taxation and social security payments, combined with more pervasive state regulatory activities
The underground or “black” economy is rapidly rising, and the fault is mainly due to government policies.
Here is more proof.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said last week that 7.7 percent of U.S. households, containing at least 17 million adults, are unbanked (i.e. those who do not have bank accounts), and an “estimated 17.9 percent of U.S. households, roughly 21 million, are underbanked” (i.e., those who rely heavily on nonbank institutions, such as check cashing and money transmitting services. No surprise here given the hoops one must jump through to open a bank account, not to mention the violation of privacy and fees associated with a conventional bank account.
50 Ways to earn cash under the table
Tutoring
Writing or proofreading essays for students
Gardening
Snow removal/snow shoveling, grass cutting, landscaping
Selling online, drop shipping, affiliate marketing
Building websites, computer repair
Cartoonist
Babysitting, nanny
Personal assistant
Artisan/crafter
Building trades, plumber, electrician, etc.
Bicycle repair
Appliance repair
Personal trainer
Jeweler/silversmith
Accounting/Tax preparation
Mover
House painter
Yoga or dance instructor
Martial arts instructor
Interpreter
Tour guide
Selling firewood
Street vendor
Street musician
Tattoo artist
Junk removal.
Computer data recovery
Furniture refinishing.
.
Selling produce roadside.
Handyman
Marine mechanic
Auto repair
Rent your home or apartment to tourists
Maid service, home or office cleaner
Bicycle messenger
Computer repairs/custom building
Pet sitter. Dog walker
House sitter
Upholstery or carpet cleaner
Salvage, scrap metal
Yard sales
Ticket scalping
Photography
Small engine repair
Hairdresser
Massage therapist
Private investigation
Computer data recovery
Golf lessons
Cater private parties
Bartend private parties
Disk jockey
Be sure to check Steve’s new money making site…he’s always got interesting and useful ideas and resources. I thought I was busy, but this guy has me beat!
http://www.everywaytomakemoney.com/money-making-ideas.html
5 Ways to Generate a 7 Figure Income
It’s safe to say that everyone would love to make $1 million. But is it really possible?
“Absolutely,” says Christine Clifford, CSP, CEO and president of Christine Clifford Enterprises, a speaker and entrepreneur. Clifford owns five businesses and is the author of You, Inc.: The Art of Selling Yourself. She says any average Joe can hit the jackpot if they follow these five simple rules. Read the full store at: http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/money/article/5-ways-to-generate-a-7-figure-income-katie-morell?cid=em-smartbrief
An excellent resource for at-home opportunities
www.RatRaceRebellion.com
Small Farmer & Goat Herder Creates
Successful Soap Biz
Behind every farm there is a unique story and for Mike and Shannon Wiggins it all started with a couple goats. Their daughter became involved in 4H and they soon learned what exactly would need to be done if they wanted to be seen as a serious farm. After registering with the A.D.G.A they became Galloping Goats Farm and home to a variety of different goats. After a while Shannon soon began to realize the potential behind the milk. Tapping into her creativity she launched Washington Goat Milk Soap. Made in her kitchen with only the best ingredients, her soaps are a natural choice for anyone whether or not they live in the Washington area.
Tell us a little about Galloping Goats Farm and Washington Goat Milk Soap.
Galloping Goats Farm started when one of my daughters got goats and joined 4-H. We found out that we needed to join the American Dairy Goat Association if we wanted to be taken seriously. When you join A.D.G.A you have to have a herd name. We decided it would be easier to pick one if we went outside to look at the goats and get some inspiration. When the goats spotted us they were quite away off at the bottom of a large pasture. They came running up through the field with their long ears flapping in the wind. I said, “That’s it, Galloping Goats.” Several years later when I decided to start the soap business I just kept the name because we wouldn’t have the soap without the goat milk, and also because it fits my sense of humor.
What inspired you to start making goat milk soap?
Two things inspired me to make my own soap. First, my daughters and I all have sensitive skin. I wanted to make a product that they could use without their skin breaking out or getting dried out. The second was that I had all this milk! More milk than my family could drink and more than I could make cheese with. You have to be a grade A dairy to sell milk in Washington sate, which costs a lot of money and felt to complicated for my life at the time. So it was a way for me to use up some of the milk and make a great product at the same time.
How many different scents/types of soap do you currently offer?
I carry about 35 scents of soap. I often think I should cut back but there is always a fragrance that I come across or an idea I have that I want to try so I end up trying new scents quite often. I also think it is important to stay fresh and current. Have new things to tempt my customers. Scent is a very personal thing and different people are drawn to and feel comfortable with different types of scents. I even carry scents that I don’t particularly care for because I know that someone else will love it. I also carry a skin salve that I made for my family. It worked so well that my kids finally talked me into packaging it and selling it. It has been a big hit. I sell lip balms and bath salts. I try to appeal to many people. I realized that at a lot of the gift fairs that I do women are the ones buying but they are always looking for a gift for their guy so I came up with the “Dirty Man Can” It has a couple of bars of soap and some other things in it. I only sell it when it gets close to Christmas so it is special. I am always trying to think of new things that I can make that are a natural extension of my products and that will expand my business and give people something new to be watching for.
Any new scents in the works?
I am always on the lookout for some new hot scent.
What separates you from the competition?
I am not sure what separates me from the competition. There are a lot of other goat milk soap makers out in the world and online. I think a lot of what makes a person successful in a market with so much competition is personality. Of course, the first thing is to have a good product and to belive in your prosuct. I try to make a parsonal connection with my customers. Most of my return customers are people that I have sold to at shows or festivals and they love it then give soap away to their friends and they love it too and come buy from me or go online to find me. I give soap to people I meet. My dentist, my chiropractor, my kids friends parents. They almost always come back for more. I think that if you are good at reading people you can connect. Online is a little different, you have to have things about your website that appeal to certain people and realize that you are not going to connect with everyone. It is hard to get your web site high up in the search ratings without paying for a professional to build it. It takes time and diligence. I blog, twitter and face book. If you have the capitol, hire someone to build it.
Besides online, where else do you sell your soaps?
I have a few wholesale accounts and they have all been businesses that have come to me and asked me if they can carry my soaps. I would like to spend time pursuing more but I am also a wife and mother running a farm and business. I need to have time to play with my family as well.
What are some lessons your business has taught you?
Some lessons that my business has taught me is that I never make good decisions when I feel pressured. I have to slow down a bit and think things through more. I also learned by doing markets and festivals that people are just really feeling the need to connect with other people. People like it when I remember them or remember their favorite types of scents. I also learned that there is a very fine line between being friendly and helpful and being annoying. You have to be real or it turns people off, understandably so.
Did you ever imagine you’d end up where you are now?
Never in a million years did I think I would end up where I am now. But I know that God has placed me exactly where he wants me in the time that he wants me and I am totally fine with whatever rolls my way, even if it is to give it all up.
Do you have any advice you’d like to offer fellow entrepreneurs that are just getting started?
To people just starting a business-check the laws of your state. Make sure you get a proper business license and pay your taxes. Be willing to go with the flow and have fun with it. Let your creativity flow.
Read more: http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2010/07/22/mom-turned-farmer-and-goat-soap-entrepreneur/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BusinessOpportunitiesWeblog+%28Business+Opportunities+Weblog%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail#ixzz0uVHRFvRV
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Mailbox Flag Entrepreneur
TampaBay.com:
Everybody has dreams. Steve Granade’s is more streets like his own in Countryside that’s decked out with flags sprouting from two dozen curbside mailboxes.
“I see waves of mailbox flags spreading from neighborhood to neighborhood,” said the 55-year-old hobbyist-inventor of a $4 stick-on bracket that makes it possible. “People turned to displaying the flag to feel better after 9/11. Maybe this can help bring the country together again.”
And help this would-be home marketer snag a few bucks launching what might turn into the next patriotic fad.
With a name pronounced like a handheld explosive, Granade has a history of inventing stuff you didn’t know you need. Like the suntan lotion applicator for remote corners of your back. Or in days when pay phones were plentiful, his thoughtful “call me” $1 greeting cards scripted with appropriate prose and a slot to store a quarter. And don’t forget edible Flubb’s Fishing Worms made from gummi candy.
“It took me three years to develop the quick-stick flag bracket because every part had be made in the USA,” said Granade, an Auburn University grad who sells the bracket online at Prd2be.com. “I had distributors interested early, but they all wanted it made in China.”
Social Media Marketing – New & Unique Business
My name is Scarlet and I launched Moms Wear Your Tees Social Media Marketing in December of 2009. I used to be a retail store manager for companies such as Ann Talyor LOFT, Express, and Macy's. I am now a stay at home mother of a 3 and 5 year old. I have a husband and two German shepherds as well. I decided I needed a creative source of income and I came up with social media marketing. Networking seems to part of the package with being a stay at home mom and it can be really fun! I am especially interested in natural health and going green so I have a lot of venues for sharing this with others. Learn more about her business by visiting:
http://www.momswearyourtees.com/aboutus.htm
