What's good to make a small side income?

[Scavenger]

I have a job, but would like to become more self-sufficient. I want to leave this job sooner or later to spend more time on my homestead. I was wondering if there was something I can do to make a little money to buy necessities with. I raise most of my own food now and I'm in the process of building a small cabin with solar power for lights and a small refrigerator. I trade for some things, but there are a few things I have to buy. I was looking to make a few dollars a week extra just in case something comes up.
Any ideas will be appreciated!

[BothFeet]

I've thought this same thing. Some of the ideas I have had are:
-renting out a room (the only one of these ideas I have actually implemented)
-running a boot camp fitness course though my property. there are a few around the suburbs here that are pretty popular and are run in public parks. maybe i could advertise a boot camp in a more private setting.
-letting a company come in with a solar farm or cell tower.
-raising goats or chickens for meat. the market for goat is pretty strong here with lots of Mexican, South American and Muslim population. Also, people are becoming increasingly worried about how their food is raised and my idea is to market food that is raised in a humane, healthy way.
-making an rv hookup and renting a space
-growing medicinal marijuana ... though "legal" in California, still too risky in my mind, but it is something I have given thought too.

[65284]

Part time minimum wage job flipppin' burgers or clerking at a C store.

[luvrulz]

We bake breads and stuff and sell it in town to offices where we've been 'invited' in. We have quite a following and did >$5,000 in December with the holiday cookies and all. Quite lucrative -

[edcopp]

Most any enterprise that was supposed to make some BIG MONEY for you, will generate a small side income if you stay with it long enough.:smiley-laughing013:

[ldc]

Scavanger, Ken Scharabok has an E-book that he wrote for free, on finding/making work in the country, that is available here on HT. His book has more ideas than any I ever read. Someone help me out: which forum is it listed on? Thanks, ldc

[Scavenger]

Thanks for the responses...
Bothfeet: I don't have enough land for the bootcamp, and the cabin I'm in the process of building only has 2 rooms so renting one is out. I did think seriously about raising chickens again for meat and eggs to sell. Marijuana is out of the question here in Va., although it would be a good money maker.
65284: Those are good jobs, but I want to get out of the public work.
luvrulz: The breads and cakes are a very good idea and something I am going to give consideration to!
edcopp: The big money ideas will be something to look into.
Idc: Thanks...if you find that link, please let me know.

[Jolly]

Pigs.

Down here, roast pigs (40-65lbs) are in high demand from the first Saturday in September through the first of the year (start of hunting season through New Year's). They go for $1/lb (and up) on the hoof, but that price includes killing and cleaning.

I helped my wife's uncle kill 27 Christmas week.

[smalltime]

I hear landmine prayer rugs are all the rave in the middle east, prophets are going through the roof!

Bill

[agmantoo]

Scavenger,
I see you are in Virginia. I know that Virginia has lots of pines. It is a simple task to make a manual pine needle baler and there is a good demand for the product. Provided you can find a source for the pine needles (lease the pines for your purpose) or pay on a per bale basis. Once you have the site ready you should be able to bale not less than 15 to 20 bales per hour. Pine needle bales will bring $3 up/bale. I am aware of a handicapped man and his two middle school grand children earning ~$150 daily during the summer school break working less than an 8 hour day. Plans for the baler are on the internet free and so is a video of the manual baler in use. I have two of the balers that I loan to folks wanting to raise money for various reasons.

[Danaus29]

Jams and jellies are always big sellers at markets here. Dried herbs, live plants, produce, nuts and berries could be sold. People always have to eat to live, you can't go wrong with foods. Soaps and candles could be good sellers. I know a woman who makes a lot of money selling knitted and crocheted baby jackets, hats, mittens, booties and blankets.

People actually sell bales of pine needles???? I would buy some of those!

[Yvonne's hubby]

What are your talents? Usually they are marketable in one form or another. Around this area anything from making goat cheese and selling it to 4star restaurants to running small engine repair shops to making fiddles and guitars have brought people the extra cash they need to get by. I have some neighbors just up the road a piece that make some very good money trading in antiquities... lots of native american artifacts and they make some very excellent reproductions. When I was able to work on a regular basis I picked up good money repairing cars for a used car lot in my spare time in my home garage.

[Oldcountryboy]

I've got about 4 different small incomes I do.

1. Bus Driver. If you have a good driving record, class B cdl, and your not a pedifile then you might could get on at the nearest public school. Every new physical year they need bus drivers. I've been driving for 3 years now.

2. Farmers Market. This is something I'm just now really getting into. Previous summers I have been selling my extra's out of my front yard. So I'm filling my freezer and pantry, plus selling extra vegetables which pays for the cost of seeds and gas for the tractor/tiller. But I hope to be getting bigger and setting up at farmers markets.

3. Junk salvage. When I got spare time and have found a good junk pile, I'll load up and take to the salvage yards. Sometime's I can make a couple hundred dollars or more in just one morning.

4. Small construction work. Since I was a journyman electrician off and on for the last 30 years, I do a little bit of it on the side. Usually during the winter months when there's not much of anything else going on. Except I do emergency calls year round if someone looses power during a storm or something. This might be something you don't do but you might be able to do something on the side that's similar to the type of work you've been doing for your employers.

[braggscowboy]

If you have the money to get started, or the items and antique mall or flea market can make you some extra money. My wife and I have been doing it for years and can at least make some money every month that is clear and I get to keep what I want to, so this helps me be able to keep what I want. You will have to hustle a lot of garage sales and flea markets, but it can be fun and you can make some money along the way and find a treasure from time to time.

[motdaugrnds]

If your country laws permit a road-side stand, you might consider selling produce you have grown. (I am going to check into this as soon as we complete the cleaning up there.)

[indypartridge]

Originally Posted by ldc

Scavanger, Ken Scharabok has an E-book that he wrote for free, on finding/making work in the country, that is available here on HT. His book has more ideas than any I ever read. Someone help me out: which forum is it listed on? Thanks, ldc

Follow this link:
Free eBook: How to Earn Extra Money in the Country

[Scavenger]

Thanks everybody...there are some great ideas here!

[seagullplayer]

Round here just about anyone can substitute teach at the HS
Mostly you just have to be available on a minutes notice.

I know a guy that makes a good income in season by mowing cemetery's.

[Esteban29304]

Selling about anything other than absolute necessities has gotten harder the last few years. How about your labor ? Simple home repairs , Cut & sell firewood , cut grass [ a push mower & a couple of yards a week can bring in $100.] , cleaning & hauling property , hauling scrap metal , house or pet sitting , helping a disable person run errands, sit with them, etc.
I make a little extra income buying & reselling ammunition , buying junk bikes, repairing & reselling.

[Wisconsin Ann]

A couple of years ago the folks here suggested that I learn to do small engine repair. It's particularly lucrative in the Spring when people drag out the lawn mower and it won't start Usually it's just that they left the gas in over winter and the mower needs a good clean and a few bolts and screws tightened up.

We have a gentleman down the road who makes a nice income with his small engine repair. The other thing he does is take in "doesn't work, I'm dumping it" mowers and the like. Rehabs them and sells for $50. He says that it's usually just a couple hours of cleaning and tightening and they're good as new.

Home baking and selling only works in areas that aren't regulated. Here, you have to have a license and inspections. (yes, we're regulated closely)