Kickstarter, Gofundme, or homemade website?

Horse chic · #1 05/15/13, 04:42 PM

Hello everyone!
I have not been around for awhile was really busy- but it is great to be back.

My question to the community today is:
I was looking at kickstarter, gofundme.com or possibly a self made website to help kickstart the move to the homestead.
Right now I am in the process of paying off the small debt that I have and trying to save as well. I am working full time with a home business just starting up and my fiance does contract work and also has a from home job when he is not working. So we are do the maximum in that regard right now.

I would like to have an option for donations...and I am wondering the pros and cons with kickstarter, gofundme, and just paypal donations.
It seems like with something along the lines of kickstarter and gofundme you have more exposure. Kickstarter seems to be no fees but you still are responsible for taxes like it is income. For Gofundme.com it is 5% of every donation and the same transaction fees as paypal. While paypal through your website would not have as much exposure but you would not have as many fees.

Another reason I thought of doing a website or blog is becasue we have several home businesses we are working on....or services that we can offer instead of just asking for donations. I figured then there is also the option to invite sponsors and such instead of just asking for money.

What are your thoughts. I know there is so much out there right now that really could use the money more than I could to fulfill my dream- but if you do not ask you will not receive......so feel free to let me know your thoughts!

Catherine

Horse chic · #2 05/15/13, 04:45 PM

Another side note is we hope to be able to use our knowledge from the homestead- and possible natural health study courses to help others for free. So I will be giving back as well.

||Downhome|| · #3 05/15/13, 05:47 PM

Well KickStarter is more geared to the Development of creative Ideas into reality, think Art and products. The community seems to support open source alot.
They also like projects that give back to the whole of humanity, again like open source.
Kickstarter staff want to see projects that clearly set the ends to the means and offers incentives from the project.
Its not free, they charge a percent, and last I knew Amazon card services doled out the funds and took a percentage also.
Unless your Non-profit yes taxes are due, as well.

The other one not familiar.
The web site will be a lot of work in a variety of ways.

So you need to do some planning for KS and spell it all out.
Planned well you could do it.

My buddy has had several very successful projects, he's an artist.
one finished at close to 90,000 and he said they cleared about half as profit after all the incentives.

Horse chic · #4 05/15/13, 08:54 PM

Thank you for the insight into Kickstarter