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The thread Blogs for making money stretch here? is very good and inspired me to start one on how can someone, especially a retired person, make extra money to supplement their income.
I'll start. Since Hawaii is a big tourist state, most of what I have been thinking about is oriented toward the tourist. Some will require training, some can be self-taught.
1) Glassblowing (bead making, vases, perfume bottles, paperweights, sculptures)
2) Warm glass - slumping and fusing (beads, plates and bowls, sculptures)
3) Cold glass - stained glass (windows, sculptures, nick-nacks) Can you tell I'm interested in glass?
4) Stick carving (canes, walking sticks)
5) Pen turning (pens, pencils)
6) Wood carving (sculptures)
7) Blacksmithing (decorative and/or practical)
8) Metal casting (sculptures, practical items)
9) Electronics repair (computers, musical amplifiers, etc. etc.)
10) Make music instruments (ukuleles, guitars, drums)
Those are good hobbies to make extra income but they probably wouldn't be enough to completely support someone unless their rent was really low. Also, depending on selling things to tourists is a chancy way to live. When the price of gas goes up and airline tickets get expensive or the folks on the mainland get broke and go on cheaper vacations, then there aren't very many tourists to sell things to.
I make extra money with clock repair and selling chickens and rabbits. My DH makes extra money by getting old lawn mowers and other equipment, fixing them up and selling them. None of this is to the tourists so even though it isn't a lot of money, it's steady even if the tourists don't show up. It also sidesteps the whole access to the tourists issue. The state and the folks who's income is purely from tourists (hotels/cruise ships, etc.) are real fussy about who can sell what where. You could make stuff and sell it to a gallery to resell it to tourists, but then half the sold price goes to the gallery.
I agree totally with hotzcatz. The key to making money anywhere is to find a need and fill it. Depending on the variable and undependable tourist trade, selling something that dozens of other people are trying to sell, is not the way to go.
In our rural area of the BI, people make supplemental income by being able to offer a service or skill that is needed by their neighbors. My husband and I are not handy, so we had one neighbor build a custom desk for our office. Another neighbor does minor automotive repairs. Sometimes people pay cash, sometimes they barter for services they can offer (or fresh pineapple/lilikoi/mango).
Who knows, MickeyE, maybe one of your neighbors would be willing to take some of your nice stained glass in exchange for doing some plumbing repair?
Hmmmm, I let this thread simmer a couple of days to see what came out of it. Not much cooking I see.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotzcatz
Those are good hobbies to make extra income but they probably wouldn't be enough to completely support someone unless their rent was really low. Also, depending on selling things to tourists is a chancy way to live. When the price of gas goes up and airline tickets get expensive or the folks on the mainland get broke and go on cheaper vacations, then there aren't very many tourists to sell things to.
That's why I said supplemental income. hotzcats you are right, I shouldn't have limited it to "tourists" only. Most of what I listed could be for residents too.
Quote:
I make extra money with clock repair and selling chickens and rabbits. My DH makes extra money by getting old lawn mowers and other equipment, fixing them up and selling them. None of this is to the tourists so even though it isn't a lot of money, it's steady even if the tourists don't show up. It also sidesteps the whole access to the tourists issue.
OK, you've added a couple more. Come to think of it, my dad used to pick up small gasoline engines and repair and sell them. Made a bit of extra money.
Quote:
The state and the folks who's income is purely from tourists (hotels/cruise ships, etc.) are real fussy about who can sell what where.
How do they go about stopping, or limiting, what can be sold, and where, if all the laws are followed, taxes paid, licenses obtained, etc.
Quote:
You could make stuff and sell it to a gallery to resell it to tourists, but then half the sold price goes to the gallery.
I agree totally with hotzcatz. The key to making money anywhere is to find a need and fill it. Depending on the variable and undependable tourist trade, selling something that dozens of other people are trying to sell, is not the way to go.
In our rural area of the BI, people make supplemental income by being able to offer a service or skill that is needed by their neighbors. My husband and I are not handy, so we had one neighbor build a custom desk for our office. Another neighbor does minor automotive repairs. Sometimes people pay cash, sometimes they barter for services they can offer (or fresh pineapple/lilikoi/mango).
Who knows, MickeyE, maybe one of your neighbors would be willing to take some of your nice stained glass in exchange for doing some plumbing repair?
Very good point Dreaming. I was a computer tech for close to 40 years and could do that, or other electronic repair, but after that long I'm kinda burned out on it. I do have some handyman skills too that could be useful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by joliefille
Greeter at Walmart? My Mother is retired and does mystery shops for fun and very little profit. But she enjoys it!
I work part-time now at a "general store" in the electrical department selling lamps, chandeliers, light bulbs, etc. etc. etc. It's a pretty good job and I know the products and electrical "stuff" and it's fun helping people with their projects. We have greeters too, and I'm not sure I would like that particular job but that's just me.
The point is there is more to making supplemental income than bartending/waiter-waitress/hotel employee that may be more suited to younger people. I'm also doing a bit of suggesting of things that can be done at home in a workshop, etc.
All good ideas, and I'm sure you know that the real time consumer is finding the buyers, not making/fixing/doing the work. Being able to work from home is excellent, and it sounds like you have a very wide range of skills and experience. The tricky part then is finding customers and selling.
Plenty of folks explore the swap meet option - set up a booth on a Saturday and sell your goods. Good option for some things, you can see the repeat sellers there every weekend, so it must be working for them. But there is a lot of no-repeats too, and I think there the problem is that folks don't always realize it takes a repeated effort. One day's sales won't indicate your long term trend in selling at the swap meet. Seasons make a difference, whether a cruise ship is in town, payday weekends... you know.
Same with any marketing effort. You might make a terrific $35 glass piece, now how do you get it in front of someone who will buy it?
I do think that consignment sales can work. again if folks look at the bigger picture instead of the transaction. Yes, you give up a good portion of the proceeds, but you also aren't tied to sitting some place all day. Better to be making 4 sales at 4 places, giving up a portion, than to make 1 sale by yourself and no time to make more items, do the laundry, live your life.
The point is to try to find ways to share the labor of selling. Maybe approach a school or church about fundraising ideas. They sell, they get a portion. Probably less than you'd pay a gallery, where you have lots of competition, and the church benefits too. Same goes for other smaller retailers. Maybe a vets office would like to have a few dog/cat themed items for sale, they don't have to invest in the product initially, but you get a percentage of sales. They deal with all the sales transaction, now you don't have to take credit cards or checks, and you just check on them monthly to refresh stock, bring in new items and take away non-sellers... like that.
Don't look to the big places like galleries, who already have every street artists knocking on their door. Look to smaller folks and really non-art related businesses as your potential partners.
For fixing things, consider making regular rounds of senior homes, apartment buildings. Put up flyers or have a "fix it day" when you go there and people bring out what needs fixing. Or you make rounds to the apartments or rooms. Set it up with management, be on time and responsive, and you'll get referrals.
There's an "Honor System" box at our office. Once a week a lady comes by and re-stocks it with chips, candy, gum, popcorn, etc. They are $1 each. You leave $1 in the box, and take what you want.
She's left a note a few times saying that the box is missing money, but she always manages to get paid.
Get a few businesses in a local area signed up for something like this, and you could make some decent side money.
All good ideas, and I'm sure you know that the real time consumer is finding the buyers, not making/fixing/doing the work. Being able to work from home is excellent, and it sounds like you have a very wide range of skills and experience. The tricky part then is finding customers and selling.
Plenty of folks explore the swap meet option - set up a booth on a Saturday and sell your goods. Good option for some things, you can see the repeat sellers there every weekend, so it must be working for them. But there is a lot of no-repeats too, and I think there the problem is that folks don't always realize it takes a repeated effort. One day's sales won't indicate your long term trend in selling at the swap meet. Seasons make a difference, whether a cruise ship is in town, payday weekends... you know.
Same with any marketing effort. You might make a terrific $35 glass piece, now how do you get it in front of someone who will buy it?
I do think that consignment sales can work. again if folks look at the bigger picture instead of the transaction. Yes, you give up a good portion of the proceeds, but you also aren't tied to sitting some place all day. Better to be making 4 sales at 4 places, giving up a portion, than to make 1 sale by yourself and no time to make more items, do the laundry, live your life.
The point is to try to find ways to share the labor of selling. Maybe approach a school or church about fundraising ideas. They sell, they get a portion. Probably less than you'd pay a gallery, where you have lots of competition, and the church benefits too. Same goes for other smaller retailers. Maybe a vets office would like to have a few dog/cat themed items for sale, they don't have to invest in the product initially, but you get a percentage of sales. They deal with all the sales transaction, now you don't have to take credit cards or checks, and you just check on them monthly to refresh stock, bring in new items and take away non-sellers... like that.
Don't look to the big places like galleries, who already have every street artists knocking on their door. Look to smaller folks and really non-art related businesses as your potential partners.
For fixing things, consider making regular rounds of senior homes, apartment buildings. Put up flyers or have a "fix it day" when you go there and people bring out what needs fixing. Or you make rounds to the apartments or rooms. Set it up with management, be on time and responsive, and you'll get referrals.
Yep, my big problem is setting prices and selling the product, and would rather work with small galleries - depending on what I make and so on. I love glass, but also like several other things and some of what I threw into the pot were just to stimulate ideas, and not just for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johah K
Some of my neighbors grow a little "greenery (http://www.maryjanesgarden.com/strains/pakalolo.php - broken link)" for supplemental income.
Actually, hemp used to be a great crop before it was found it could be smoked. It makes great rope, string, cloth, and a bunch of other stuff. Google it sometime to see what used to be made from pakalolo or weed or marijuana or whatever name you want it to have.
From what I've heard, hemp doesn't have the same levels of THC or whatever the chemical is that cannabis sativa (pot) has that gets folks high and when they cross pollinate that ruins the THC levels.
My neighbors grow a bit of greenery for supplemental income, but they grow lettuce and vegetables.
Oh, another neighbor makes custom wooden signs and he seems to have branched out into yard swings.
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but that's just me.
