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[WithLoveAndJoy]

Hi all, DH and I are working on ways to pay off debt and allow me to stay home full time so we may start a family.  It would be very helpful to have extra income if possible as the cost of living in our area is quite high.

Has anyone had any success stories, perhaps some suggestions?  I have sold AVON before, but didn't find that to be very easily done.

[Keith]

Hello,
I have some success with networking companies but not longlasting.
I found you need to sell something that would pay a residual income.
Like a service that someone uses month after month.
VoIP is a new technology that shows some potential for this.
www.ineedvoip.com might be worth looking at.
Keith

[AnnaBanana]

Are you looking specifically for multi level marketing companies?  Or are you considering everything?  I have been sewing for supplemental income for our family since my first was born almost 5 years ago.  I started with my own cloth diapering line and have now begun my own design company.  (It's not as big as it sounds - it's just me, so far)  But I am very busy with orders!  THat said, find what you are good at or what you enjoy and become good enough at it that you can make money from it. 

[MomOf6Girls]

After much research, I found a business that creates residual income with an Inc. 500 health and wellness company.  I don't have to do parties or stock products.  (Woo-Hoo!!)  If you'd like more information to see if this company would be a match for what you're looking for, just contact me.  http://LifetimeBusiness.AdvancingWithUs.com or rhondadobson@yahoo.com or 478-719-9316.  We have six children and home school them.  I work this business very part time and have done quite well.  I look forward to helping others enjoy the same success. 
Blessings,
Rhonda

[jenway]

we are considering breeding our dog (hairless breed) to sell the litter.
If you have any advice about that I would apprecicate it.
thx,
jessica

[waynewhitehouse]

We are trying breeding dogs.
Somewhat new to it. We think it will be a way for the wife and home-schooled kids to help make money from home. Our goal is to save enough for Dad to be home full time and raise dogs, and other animals on a farm. We have heard of many success stories from friends and family of breeders.
We'll let you know in a year or so how this is going.

[beanepatch]

All of these are great ideas, and any of them are complementary with the things I posted on the forum at

http://www.urbanexod.us/discuss/index.php/topic,5990.0.html

Hope this is a help.
Jim

[coffeemom]

we started a small county newspaper, and it was well recieved. we also had a free blog site to follow up the paper. it cost us about 140$ twice a month to publish, plus the gas to deliver it. even so many enjoyed it and asked us to restart it. the main reason we discontinued it was gas, cost, and family concerns that didn't leave much time. the delivery during the winter can be an issue.
hubby found out we could have UPS deliver to the places we left paper at. far cheaper and easier. the paper was free and only the ads cost, and were very reasonable. everyone liked the smalltown stories and homesteading articles.
one idea we had was to open a thrift shop and include the paper there. people would have to come by the store to get the paper. the endless donations would stock the store, and there is little to any permits/licenses needed. a man in town was going to rent me a storefront for this. the store would be closed for the harshest part of the winter, so seasonal rates on taxes, which would be miniscule, were considered. heating also.
you don't have to have insurance, but unless you are an LLC, you can risk losing everything you own in case someone slipped on a rug and sued you. this seems to be a big obstacle for small businesses.
we had a general store for a summer once and had fun and stress. we didn't come near making enough to barely pay the light bill. again it would be location, insurance, and offering something the public wants/needs.
i had the idea that a thrift store which also gave a free area to locals who wanted to charge for music lessons/tutoring, etc. plus a offer a spot once a week or so to whoever had a platform they wanted to broach, would all be ways to draw people into the store, get the free paper, place an ad, get the name out, and sell items in the thrift store.
i still consider this idea. it might not ever be successful enough to fully support the family, but over time could become a profitable venture.

[Gabriel Anast]

In almost any area one of the easiest home businesses to start is a lawn care / landscaping business. All you need is a good truck and some idea of what area of that service industry you want to attack. I have done this, and one interesting thing is that most of your clients will be affluent and need other service work done... if they like you, you will get those jobs as well (presuming you can do them).

Another great business is food (obviously). Usually you can start by selling baked goods right out of your house... taking the cookies / pies / breads to local businesses. Usually you can get a permit to sell other foods too, like burritos or hot pockets or similar... I used to make maybe 100 breakfast burritos and a 5 gallon thermos of coffee, then drop by the bakery and pick up 10 dozen donuts... load it all in my bomb of a Toyota truck, and go to a bunch of construction sites at about 9am - 11am. Some construction sites would not let me on, but most would... and if I calculated carefully, I sold everything. That would usually bring me $150 profit in a morning.

I am a good seller, though... I love to talk to people, and direct selling is pretty easy for me. Selling might not work as well for others... but if you have kids, I guarantee that at least one of them is a good seller... don't let that talent go to waste!

The above idea of starting a local paper is a VERY good idea. I will guess the reason that the paper above did not work is that the publishers had no idea how valuable advertising is... never undercharge for advertising, people NEED to advertise, and even though it might seem to take longer than you expect at first, sooner or later you will always have a full complement of advertisers...

Start with the simplest thing... maybe just an 11x17 sheet of paper folded once. Reserve about half of the space for ads, and use the rest for local articles and things of interest. Many websites (almost all of them) will let you use content if you provide a link at the end of the article. Once you have your first three issues ready (layout and content), bring them to all the local businesses, tell them your ad rates, and ask them if they want to advertise. THEY DO! The most important thing is to keep going back to them to tell them what you have for them.

Once you have as many ads as you can muster, print the first issue and leave it around town at gas stations, restaurants, etc. Issue by issue the ad revenue will increase, and soon enough you will have a working business.

All in all, I guess, business is finding a need and meeting it. Some of the most successful businesses are ones that do the simplest things... like cooking a good hamburger, or cutting several lawns week after week. Others are more clever, but all are just discovering a way to meet people's needs with your skills.

--gabe

PS: One other thing is that all the business how-tos out there talk about what type of company you should form, and how to hire a bookkeeper, and blah blah... I am not saying that those people are wrong, but I am saying that the most important thing is to figure out how to make money. Figure out a business that is going to work... try a bunch of things... once you have figured out a good way to make money, then find the bookkeeper and the accountant and all that...

[Jonathan]

What about piano tuning?  I am a Registered Piano Technician and have had success with this.  Here are the details.

In 1999 my field cost me 1600.00 to get into.  8 years later I am now charging anywhere between 105 to 150.00 starting fee for a standard piano tuning.  On a good day I can schedule 4 tunings.  That's 420.00 to 600.00 a day.  This doesn't include any repair or regulation fees that would be additional.  Of course there are the usual business practice skills needed... managing a client inventory, billing, accounting etc.. but these can be learned as you go by asking the right questions to the right people. 

Piano tuning offers amazing flexibility.  You have complete control of your schedule.  There are no deadlines, and rarely a dissatisfied customer.  Everyone loves the piano tuner, and the quality of clientel is great; artistic and wealthy.  One can work only three days a week if desired, as long you have low overhead in other areas of life.  Then with your additional time you can be a father for your kids and a husband for you wife.  You can have time to teach your kids to work, and give your wife all that talk time she likes.  You can have time to change the oil on your car and fix the toilet.  As the Lord leads you'll have time to pursue areas of ministry.  If nothing else you'll be able to frequent the homes of more widows and orphans. 

The key is to have a line of employment in which you make decent money for the least time spent, that you can have time to pursue other interests, be it family, ministry... whatever. 

Every once in a while I take one of my kids with me on the job.  They love it.  And whether they decide to be piano technicians when they grow up or not, I intend to teach them how to tune when they are old enough, as this field is not regulated.  Just imagine a 16 year old making 420 to 600 a day.  That's enough to be really $$ prepared for marriage should the time come.  If nothing else they'll have the money to buy their own car and put themselves through college if desired. 

People usually ask, "Do you have to be able to play the piano?"  The answer is no, but it helps make you more money if you can.  The skills needed to tune are more scientific than musical, but a client loves it when you can play the socks off their old upright and make it sing after it laying dormant for 50 years.  When tuning in a concert setting, it's assuring to your client that you can play the piano, thus proving that it sounds good.  But again, I know some top technicians that can't play a lick to save their lives.

It's not for everyone, but it's another idea to consider.

[WithLoveAndJoy]

Thank you all for all of the GREAT replies!  I really have a lot to consider. I really love the baking idea, because that is something that is right up my alley.  I was wondering, Gabe, you mentioned permits for making hot foods...does that mean that you do not need permits for baked goods?  That would be really interesting to know...

[6Runners]

All in all, I guess, business is finding a need and meeting it. Some of the most successful businesses are ones that do the simplest things... like cooking a good hamburger, or cutting several lawns week after week. Others are more clever, but all are just discovering a way to meet people's needs with your skills.

--gabe

PS: One other thing is that all the business how-tos out there talk about what type of company you should form, and how to hire a bookkeeper, and blah blah... I am not saying that those people are wrong, but I am saying that the most important thing is to figure out how to make money. Figure out a business that is going to work... try a bunch of things... once you have figured out a good way to make money, then find the bookkeeper and the accountant and all that...

This is some great information.  I have never started a business but I am really interested.  The question that I have (I confess now is based out of fear) is: What do you do if it doesn't work? How do you start over?  I know that is probably not the right attitude to have, and if that is the answer please reply so.  But how do you deal with licenses, and stuff, if you have to start over?  Thank you in advance for your wisdom and insight.

Dennis 

[ps100vs5]

Thank you all for all of the GREAT replies!  I really have a lot to consider. I really love the baking idea, because that is something that is right up my alley.  I was wondering, Gabe, you mentioned permits for making hot foods...does that mean that you do not need permits for baked goods?  That would be really interesting to know...

I looked into selling baked goods at the local farmer's market.  According to state regulations, food prepared in the home may not be sold to the public.     So, that idea has gone out the window for now.  Check with your local health department. 

[farmgirls]

I looked into selling baked goods at the local farmer's market.  According to state regulations, food prepared in the home may not be sold to the public.     So, that idea has gone out the window for now.  Check with your local health department.

We wanted to do this too, but we had to get a separate kitchen and it must be licenced.  Let me know if you want the details on what we needed to do.  Thankfully we have that all done now, and we are just waiting for the farmer's markets to open for the year!   We are also breeding labs and sell goat milk shares (http://www.urbanexod.us/discuss/index.php/topic,16211.0.html) for our home businesses!
~farmgirls~

[jenway]

If you are wanting to prevent disease, you could look into Juice Plus. I am a distributor. It is very simple, you basically just share the info. with others. They have lots of educational cds,dvds, seminars,pamphets,etc. If you can get someone to listen to about 2 of them, then you usually have a customer. The product is awesome. It is one of those true products that sell themselves. It is backed by tons of research.
    The business does work better if you are extroverted. However, I am not extroverted and I dont find it hard to talk to people about it b/c it really something I enjoy talking about (health).  Just to give you an idea, when you have about 40 customers you will be bringing in about 500 dollars a month. The start up fee is low,too. I think 50.00 There is no stock to keep. You get a virtual office and can do all your business online or by phone.   My MIL just got back from the distributor conference. She said lots of ladies were there that were stay at home homeschooling mamas who were making 10s of thousands a year from it.

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