How to make a extra $50 per week

**Roadking** · #21 02/09/14, 10:57 AM

Presently, this is what we do, granted, not all is weekly, but when you put it together, it works out about the same;
1 day a month we volunteer at the recycle center for the township. Spend 4 hours helping folks put stuff in the proper containers. The township lets us keep as much aluminum as we want (we do it for Scouts, not personal gain)...got about 200 pounds yesterday; at $0.54 per pound, it equals $108
I use my shop for auto restoration and the occasional assist a buddy with minor problems/oil changes. On the restos, I can knock down an easy $500 per week profit. On the buddy thing, they know what local garages charge so they have no problem dropping $50 to me (I don't charge them or ask for $, they bring their own supplies, I just do the job for them...they voluntarily leave money behind).
Wife was a propagator at a very well known grower in the past...1 plant yields a plethora of cuttings for resale...just know your market.
Mow a yard, shovel a driveway/sidewalk. Auto detailing, as was mentioned prior.
Resale. Local auction house is great, tho I'd never sell there...stuff goes dirt cheap. Sell on craigslist.
Blade sharpening, welding, knife making...all possible with no additional cost as I already own the tools.
Son started a worm farm...great for summer as we are in a weekender area...this will be his first year, so I cannot say for certain $50, but there is potential.
Just a few ideas that have worked in the past...and still do.

Matt

edcopp · #22 02/09/14, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adisiwaya

I would say cut wood, around here you can buy a semi (around 10 cords) 8 foot logs of mixed hardwoods for 800$ delievered. You can turn that around to 150-175$ a cord around where I live. And with propane being high as it is and not going down so fast.... if I wasn't constantly cutting for a friends mom I would go do that.

Don't forget your supplies, tools and equipment.

You will need:

Some way to unload the semi, tractor of front loader.
Saw(s). Gas, Oil, Chains and so on.
A truck for deliveries.
A log splitter.

A first aid kit.

Start cutting, and splitting, and stacking.
OH you will need a phone too. To take oreders.

You might need to run an ad of some kind.

NOW when you get all the overhead paid off for this year, let me know and we will discuss the $50 per week profit (in your pocket).

Adisiwaya · #23 02/09/14, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edcopp

Don't forget your supplies, tools and equipment.

You will need:

Some way to unload the semi, tractor of front loader.
Saw(s). Gas, Oil, Chains and so on.
A truck for deliveries.
A log splitter.

A first aid kit.

Start cutting, and splitting, and stacking.
OH you will need a phone too. To take oreders.

You might need to run an ad of some kind.

NOW when you get all the overhead paid off for this year, let me know and we will discuss the $50 per week profit (in your pocket).

Okay to back my post up...
Well the place they get it from unloads it. If ya have a wood stove chances are you have a chainsaw don't know to much people around me that doesn't. Phone, chances are you have one this day an age. And a maul works and you could just have them pick it up.Clint and i did this when we were in school but we cut from there acreage and didnt make to much when we cut it ourselvss. Yes I wouldn't suggest this if you have to go out and buy all the stuff new. But it would pay for itself later if you did. Only big things setting back is time, gas, bar oil.

CajunSunshine · #24 02/09/14, 02:57 PM

Metal scrapping.

Even if you don't have a big ol' truck for hauling junk metal to the scrapyard, you can still scrap brand new copper wire left over from local construction jobs. Call your local electricians and ask them if they would like someone to clean up and remove all the bits of wire leftover from their jobsites. Copper wire fetches a handsome price per pound, especially after they have been stripped of their plastic coating.

Copper bracelets are fast and easy to make with new copper wire using inexpensive tools. (YouTube has excellent tutorials and can be viewed at the library if your internet connection is not up to it.) Sell them at flea markets, craft fairs, etc. Some farmer's markets will allow handcrafted items to be sold. To boost sales, provide a bit of "sizzle-to-go-with-the-steak" by including information regarding the history of wearing copper bracelets for arthritis relief. Be sure to make it clear you are not dispensing medical advice, but only historical information. (Google "arthritis relief" and "copper bracelets".)

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Oldcountryboy · #25 02/09/14, 03:28 PM

Can you do any crafts? People around here do basket weaving, pottery, bow & arrow making, etc., and sell on internet. How about building maintenance of any sort.? From cleaning apartments between renters, to electrical, plumbing, or carpenter work. "Handy man/person for hire". Do you have musical talent? Might try music lessons.Are you a hunter or fisherman? Might offer guide service. Taxidermy work! Archery Lessons! Too bad we don't still have Ken Sherobok and his E-Book of Extra Income.

oeb2 · #26 02/09/14, 04:05 PM

Cage raise a minimum of 12 or 15 pairs of breeder parakeets. The fewer greens there are the better, color means money. For purposes of the OP's parameters, that's it-- just parakeets, no other breeds. They're lots more prolific than rabbits and will bring as much or more even when the youngsters are sold at wholesale vs retail. Using round averages from feeble memory: 1 pair yields 40+ chicks per year sold at $5/bird is $200/pair/ year. After fixed and variable costs, about $100/year per pair (if you mix your own feed), leaves $100 profit. A dozen pairs will be about twice what you need, therefore, for $50/week so there's lots of room for error there. Markets are all around you. Just look around and go exploring. You can even air freight 'em. Methods and means for raising and selling can be quickly learned with a little research and through trial and error (losing a bird is of little monetary consequence). Now, if you undertake this beware the siren song effect it can have on you. The wife and I started with fifty pairs and when we sold out we had thousands of pairs of these and other kinds of hookbills. New breed stock is not a problem since they really get with the program and incest doesn't seem to matter much here. They also provide lots of non-smelly (unlike other birds) compost which can be used or sold. If you like birdies, go for it.

PlicketyCat · #27 02/09/14, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suitcase_sally

Again, stop smoking. Takes very little effort and you don't have to spend money to save money.

Or grow and process your own tobacco

Kasota · #28 02/09/14, 05:19 PM

In the past I have purchased larger lots of bare root raspberry plants, potted them up and let them grow. I use those plastic 1/2 or 1 gallon black pots you buy things in from the nursery. I get them for free when other people throw them out. I can easily double my money doing this or even more. I also divide herbs at the end of the year from my garden. They need the dividing anyway. I pot them up and sell them at the Fall craft fairs and they always go like hotcakes. I have tons of Hostas of many varieties in my yard and they regularly need splitting. I have no trouble selling those, either. I have taken clippings from house plants to make new ones and they, too, sell nicely at a craft fair or a yard sale. And it doesn't cost me anything.

This is not a regular income by any means but little bits add up.

It lets me re-invest in my garden and build more raised beds. And THAT is where the savings comes in. Food is so expensive in the grocery store - the more I can grow the better off I am. I have used Hosta money to purchase fruit trees. I make a little on the hosta but I make a LOT by having my own fruit from my own trees. The gardens also let me help other family members who are struggling.

PlicketyCat · #29 02/09/14, 05:30 PM

Sell byproducts of your normal operations... since your operating costs are linked to the original operation, then most of the income from byproducts is profit. The same goes for surplus... your operating costs are linked to producing to meet your needs, income from surplus is profit. Waste not, want not.

If you raise animals (except poultry) or hunt for meat, sell the pelts (either green to an exchange or tanned to crafters) instead of throwing them away.
If you raise animals (except hogs) for meat, compost their poo and bedding and sell it... or grow mushrooms in it and sell those.
If you raise dairy animals for home use, sell any surplus offspring as pets or finishers.
If you manage a home wood lot or maintain large acreage, sell bundles of saplings/brush and limbs for kindling or run them through a chipper and sell as mulch.
If you raise goats for meat, rent them out for mobstock brush clearing.
If you keep bees for pollination, sell the honey or rent your hives to pollinate other local farms and gardens.
If you plant flowers in your garden for insect repellant/attractant, sell some cut flowers.
Sell surplus product, byproducts, and select garden debris or surplus to other local farmers as feedstock if you don't use it yourself (eggs & whey & bruised fruit etc).
If you raise meat animals that produce fiber, sell the wool or angora to crafters.
Vermicompost (farm worms or soldier fly larva) and sell for bait, chicken feed or starter kits... and sell the compost tea and compost to gardeners.
If you raise breeding males, stud them out or supply AI semen
If you raise animals for meat already, offer finishing service for someone elses, you can also offer to custom slaughter at the end for a separate fee.
Offer workshops to teach others from your experience
Offer onsite consulting service for beginners
Set up a U-Pick plot

MichaelZ · #30 02/09/14, 05:43 PM

http://www.etsy.com/ can make you some money. At least if you can find the odd items that you have around (or in nature) that some with too much money will buy. For example: http://www.etsy.com/listing/17223133..._type=supplies A friend of mine would have her kids find things outside that brought in some easy money.

PlicketyCat · #31 02/09/14, 06:59 PM

Yep. If you're already harvesting birch for firewood, might as well ring them the year before (which kills them) and use/sell the bark for crafts or tinder. A friend of mine makes & sells baskets with birch bark strips and another fills the tubes with wax for candles.

A gent in the village makes & sells firestarters from spruce cones dipped in wax (beeswax or paraffin) with a wick. They're alredy cutting the spruce for firewood, so the cones are an easy byproduct. You normally get about a lb of cones from a mature tree, 1 lb of wax and a foot of wick to do the batch is about $6 and starters sell for $10/lb... profit $4 for each tree. Of course, you get a lot of cones when you put up 10 cords of wood every year and wax & wicking is even cheaper in bulk, so you can sell bulk for less and still make profit. He also collects tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) from the aspens and birch he cuts, and sells those too (at a premium).

big rockpile · #32 02/09/14, 08:19 PM

When I lived in the mountains all we had for Firewood was Aspen and Pine, would mix Coal in it.

We would get permits to cut on BLM Land. Around here we get same permits but we have mostly Oak.

big rockpile

big rockpile · #33 02/09/14, 08:26 PM

While I'm thinking of it around here with Pickup person can advertise buy Scrap Metal figure percentage, or just to Haul off or even have them pay to have it hauled off. Better with a Trailer so you can haul vehicles and old Farm equipment.

They take about any metal and some pay cash. Best to go with someone doing it, they should be able to show you how to separate or some Scrap Yards will take time to show you.

big rockpile

big rockpile · #34 02/09/14, 08:45 PM

Another thing. With animals you are tied down, yes can make Good money around here with Small Animals.

Truck Farm Produce takes a lot of work and yes you can make money but if it don't sell you either have to Can it or feed it to something. Had the idea of buying Produce at Mennonite Auction and Resale it in this area. Thing is people in the city 50 miles away had same idea driving up what was paid. Thing is I wouldn't do what they was doing, they was selling it as Chemical Free Amish Grown which was a flat out lie.

Firewood if you heat with wood it is better to use it than sell it unless you can cut way more than you need.

What I have found around here if you stay with standard stuff I will guarantee many more have thought of it to the point you might be doing it for nothing.

big rockpile

**clovis** · #35 02/13/14, 07:40 PM

Making $50 a week would be pretty easy, IMO.

Don't forget about having a monthly garage sale, or set up at a flea market once or twice a month.

MO_cows · #36 02/13/14, 10:08 PM

We are having a "barn sale" when the weather warms up, and hope to make enough to cover $50 a week for the whole year! We have a lot of excess stuff, plus a lot of vintage/antique items from my grandmother's estate that I can now bear to part with. If you really go thru your stuff you would probably be pleasantly surprised by what you don't need but has value.

**Roadking** · #37 02/14/14, 09:14 AM

Despite our small town having very lax regulation, one that they enforce is 2 yard/garage sales per house per year. I assume it is in part to raise vendors for it's 2 times a year flea market at the fair grounds.

Matt

Taylor R. · #38 02/14/14, 09:57 AM

I've been cleaning houses on and off for the last few years. Right now I have one regular client. I clean their house one day a week for 4 hours at $15 an hour. They provide materials, and they live about ten minutes from me, so the gas is fairly minimal. I make $60, minus $5 or so for gas. (Then I go home and feel guilty at the state of my house since I just made theirs shine, though in my defense, nobody has ever paid me to clean my own house) I got that particular job on care.com, which is free so long as you don't buy into their 'supreme ruler of the universe membership'.

Silvercreek Farmer · #39 02/14/14, 07:30 PM

Cutting a little grass in the summer and clearing a little snow in the winter will get you $50.

Cash · #40 02/21/14, 04:33 PM

If you have a pick-up truck, offer to haul away old, unwanted, broken appliances for $10-$15 each or garage/basement/attic cleaning. You'll need a hand dolly and a come-along and perhaps a friend with a strong back and a weak mind. Seems most folks have an old washing machine or freezer in the basement they need to get rid of. Check with local banks about cleaning out foreclosures or with property management companies to clean out rental units.

Key to all of those isn't just the fee for removing the stuff but also the potential salvage value. I talked to a guy who was cleaning out a foreclosed house down the street; he was making $100+ a day for the cleaning service, plus he was selling a lot of the stuff at yard sales/flea markets/eBay. He also stripped copper, brass, etc. from any old appliances before hauling them to the junk yard.