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supplemental income - or, how to make your hobbies useful

So... I am seeing my job hours rapidly decreasing as it relies a lot on the student economy which is basically zero right now. It's nice because I hate spending time at work, but only working 5-6 hours a day 4 days a week is possibly not enough money for me to live off of.
I am looking both into getting a new job AND into investing into "real" skills aka certifications, etc., but in the mean time (and especially because how often do I actually pull through with my plans ::)) I'm trying to figure out how/if I can make cash on the side doing things that I find fun instead of "work".

Obviously, the first thing I though of was cooking/baking of some sort. So I am in the process of trying to cost out some recipes and see if it would be at all fruitful to sell anything to the public. I don't know what I would do... Post an ad on craigslist? Set up a stand and hope no one kicks me out? Bring a bag of cookies to bars/concerts and see if I can get drunk people to buy them?

Anyone have experience with this kind of stuff? How did you turn something fun into money, how did you do it, how hard was it, do you still do it, more/less time invested than you envisioned, etc.?

I don't really know what this thread is about, but I want some ideas from a smart, creative bunch of people.

ETA: I should add that cutting costs isn't really going to happen as the only area I could do that in is food. I already live on about 10K a year.. maybe. No car, rent+bills only about $400... yeah...

ETA2: Main reason I am worrying a bit is because my parents might be moving for a job for my dad, which means my mom won't be at her job, which means her amazing health care, that somehow I get to be on until I am 25 even though I haven't been a dependent for 6 years and have been out of school for 1.5 years, will not be available to me. Yet another expense.

Oh gee I need to get on this thread.
I was laid off from work Monday.
Hello unemployment.
Selling what I can on craigslist, applying for freelance jobs and hitting up friends for work they might need around their homes....

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Great post Hesp!

Maybe we can all get some ideas from it.  Do you like walking dogs?  You could put out flyer's to walk dogs.  For people that work full time or long hours, they might appreciate a dog walker.  

I met a guy who walks 8 dogs at a time.  Yikes!  This is what he does for a living and makes good money.  Did he ever look fit!

I know I would enjoy doing that but unfortunately, I am not available when most people need a dog walker.  They need one the same times I would love someone to walk Cali.  

We took a pay cut at work due to the recession and making some extra money right now would be wonderful.

Good luck and wishing you every success.  Baking sounds good!

Di

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I do enjoy walking dogs and I have considered it. I usually get off work around 2 right now, so it would probably be a good time to walk dogs. Maybe I will post something on CL about that.

Eric - Yes, the sad thing is I just got this jab because I was tired of my old job as there was no opportunity for advancement, I was having to wake up at 5am, the employees there were very transitory, etc., and now look what I've gotten myself into!

Unfortunately, I also have nothing in the form of "assets". Basically everything I own has already been used almost to the point of no return. The most valuable things I own 1.) bike, my transport, no way would I sell it. 2.) My vitamix... It's my baby 3.) My computer... uhhh, also kinda need that. Everything else I own is absolute crap and serves a function, anyway (I'm a woman of practicality).

Another thing I was thinking with the cooking is possibly doing a really cheap meal making thing for people -- possibly even making big batches for people to freeze. I really think my cleanliness and presentation skills would have to be better for this. I also have to take into consideration I don't have a car, so yeah...

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Another thing I was thinking with the cooking is possibly doing a really cheap meal making thing for people -- possibly even making big batches for people to freeze. I really think my cleanliness and presentation skills would have to be better for this. I also have to take into consideration I don't have a car, so yeah...

If you are a good cook and organized, there are lots of options! Some of the things I've done for income are:
*preparing food to sell around town (I used to work full-time just making my Thai Spring rolls! I would make a huge batch a few times a week and have them in every place that would carry them--health food store, bakery, coffee shop, etc.)
*Doing personal chef work. I used to spend about 2 days a week making meals for a few people. I would just make up big batches of foods, separate and organize them, and they would get their meals (lunch and dinner) for the week every Sunday. This was also weight loss oriented, but health-oriented works too (I was making meals that would help them lose weight).
*Cooking classes 
*Catering

Get creative and have fun with it...you can also sample your foods out and drum up business with a friendly local hfs (or other business)...just try to make things that are as easy and inexpensive as possible, while still maintaining superior quality and taste. It can be done! Good luck--a smart woman like you can do anything!!! :)

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Since you're a nutritionist, making food for people would be awesome.

I'm sorry to hear that, eric.

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I make my own wine, and that helps me not to buy wine that I haven't made. it sucks having to wait 6 months to a year before you can drink it. Solution? Make beer or hard lemonade in the meantime. It's drinkable within about a month, and doesn't require many extra components of winemaking.

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I saw a girl who posted a handmade sign at a coffee shop.
It said something like,

I will COOK for you.
Your kitchen, your ingredients, my spice!

That might make things easier since you don't have a way to transport lots of food for catering. But then you could end up with meaty ingredients.

One thing you will need to check into is getting your kitchen certified (if you cook there to sell stuff). Otherwise, you can get fined. Home kitchens can be certified, but they have to meet certain criteria.

There's a place here (on a campus) that has a HUGE certified kitchen and people can rent out the space to sell things they cook/bake. ITs pretty cheap. Maybe there is a resource like that. Or you could ask your local veg restaurant if you could use their space after hours.

I also know a woman who looks after old people and takes them out shopping and running errands. I don't know if this interests you, but old people always need help doing things.

I've been teaching mini art lessons at the farmers market, so that's how I'm supplementing. One week I only made $9  ::)
Its not a ton of money (I usually make $20 or so in 3 hours) but I'm networking and getting people interested in my other art classes.
:P

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I make my own wine, and that helps me not to buy wine that I haven't made. it sucks having to wait 6 months to a year before you can drink it. Solution? Make beer or hard lemonade in the meantime. It's drinkable within about a month, and doesn't require many extra components of winemaking.

Would you suggest any home brew kits?  Brewing my own beer is one of those holy grails in my life and it's really about time I get started on this whole process.

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in the various spas and salons I have worked at, people would come in at various times selling sandwiches, soups, desserts, bread, etc.  Alot of us were/are too busy to go out or forget to bring our lunch, and would be excited to see them!  We have a sandwich guy that comes 3 times a week and the bread lady comes every thursday.  sometimes we even make request and they have made special stuff for us. 

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in the various spas and salons I have worked at, people would come in at various times selling sandwiches, soups, desserts, bread, etc.  Alot of us were/are too busy to go out or forget to bring our lunch, and would be excited to see them!  We have a sandwich guy that comes 3 times a week and the bread lady comes every thursday.  sometimes we even make request and they have made special stuff for us. 

i have someone do that at my work, too! she sells tamales. if she spoke better english/i spoke better spanish i would ask her where all she goes around to.

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hairstylist are always in a hurry, eating on the go, they relied on people to bring them stuff.  we got to the point that we would call them if they missed a day. You might try baking a free batch of cookies(or anything), take it in with your cards, and tell the receptionist a little about what you could make.  Start out on a slow day(early in the week), maybe in the afternoon, when we are usually hungry and tired. I bet you would do really well

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Do you have a local farmers market you could sell at? I really wanted to do that this summer--but my problem was finding a certified kitchen to bake in. But perhaps you will have better luck with that is you know anyone!

I make extra cash as a kgb_ Special Agent. I answer questions texted to a service from home. I don't make a ton of money--but it's fairly amusing, totally easy, and hell, I'm online a lot anyways--might as well be making money right?

http://542542.com/agent

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I make my own wine, and that helps me not to buy wine that I haven't made. it sucks having to wait 6 months to a year before you can drink it. Solution? Make beer or hard lemonade in the meantime. It's drinkable within about a month, and doesn't require many extra components of winemaking.

Would you suggest any home brew kits?  Brewing my own beer is one of those holy grails in my life and it's really about time I get started on this whole process.

I've never actually brewed my own beer, so I can't comment but check your local brewshop and ask them about the beer kits they have available. I think it's usually a matter of what you're really looking to make. The equipment will probably cost you around $100-$150 initially, plus the price of grains and hops. But after that, you only have to ever buy more grains and hops to make more beer. You can check some brew forums (I like homebrewtalk). A lot of people post recipes for successful and delicious beers they've made. And for wine (I post on the winepress.us forums), you can find some good, easy recipes for making wine from grape concentrates, apple juice, even fruit preserves! The sky is the limit. And it's a lot of fun!

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I make my own wine, and that helps me not to buy wine that I haven't made. it sucks having to wait 6 months to a year before you can drink it. Solution? Make beer or hard lemonade in the meantime. It's drinkable within about a month, and doesn't require many extra components of winemaking.

Would you suggest any home brew kits?  Brewing my own beer is one of those holy grails in my life and it's really about time I get started on this whole process.

I've never actually brewed my own beer, so I can't comment but check your local brewshop and ask them about the beer kits they have available. I think it's usually a matter of what you're really looking to make. The equipment will probably cost you around $100-$150 initially, plus the price of grains and hops. But after that, you only have to ever buy more grains and hops to make more beer. You can check some brew forums (I like homebrewtalk). A lot of people post recipes for successful and delicious beers they've made. And for wine (I post on the winepress.us forums), you can find some good, easy recipes for making wine from grape concentrates, apple juice, even fruit preserves! The sky is the limit. And it's a lot of fun!

Grand!  I'll check those out!  Thanks!

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It's awesome that you posted this, hesp. I have been thinking about doing the own thing with my cooking. My vegan roommate doesn't cook a lot and when I told her about my idea she said that she'd buy my food! so we set up an arrangement in which she pays for the ingredients, I cook, and we share the food. So basically I get to eat a lot for free. But I would like to take that a step further and try to make it profitable on a slightly larger scale.  Some people have suggested selling my baked goods on etsy, others have suggested setting up my own website for people to order them from. Basically my biggest issue would be transporting the food I made to people, so just shipping baked goods makes it a little simpler perhaps.  But I don't know, it's still kind of a big question mark. 
I like lubi's sandwich selling thing. I could try something like that maybe? Anyway, I look forward to seeing other people's ideas.  This was a great thing to bring up. Thanks, hesp :)

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I had to do this when my husband's low wages became an even lower disability pension. Since I'm foreign, over 40 and have agoraphobia issues, trying to get work in a shop etc. wasn't very likely. I've done the "language school" thing, and don't enjoy it, plus things have changed and I'd have to do an expensive course to upgrade my qualifications...which if I don't have any money, I can't pay for anyway.

So I looked about me and decided to tutor Eng Lit at the college level from home. Yes, I do take adults for conversation etc. classes...but no one under the age of 15. I do NOT do kiddies. I put up flyers on the bulletin boards at the university every semester. I charge very low prices but it's because if you want classes, you come to me, I don't go to you. That way I don't waste time travelling (can't drive and it can take an hour to cross town on the bus) and if someone bails I'm already at home.
The only people who object to coming to me are the rich kids who live on Snob Hill, and I'm not interested in them anyway.

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With the recent downturn in the automotive industy and many people taking between 5% and 25% pay cuts this year quite a few people where I work have come up with some money making ideas to help them out financially. One guy got a paper round and I think that pays a lot better than the paper round I had as a kid using my bike. I think he told me he got about $800 a month and you can claim car expenses on your taxes too.

We also have some employees who have a ready made meals service. They have a menu you can choose from and need to hand in on Friday and they bring in your order on Monday. It's all very professionally handled with returnable deposits for tuppaware. Being as most of our hourly assocites are hispanic the food choices are greaed to them, but it seems to be pretty popular.

Dog sitting is a good way to make money, we pay $50 a night when we go away and have someone take care of our crew, we have a vet-tech doing this for us know which is good as they can pill the cat! But I think $50 a day to stay in a nice house and eat my food and drink my beer is an easy way to make money.

Having to pay for health insurance here soon is going to a bummer, any chance of getting job with health benefits?

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my job has health benefits, but only after working there for a year and i think she only pays half.
i really just hate insurance because i don't feel like we should have to pay for something like that.
i think i am going to go into the county medical services provider tomorrow and see if i am eligible to get that for free. it says if you have low assets (me, me!) and make less than 250% of the poverty level (me, me!) you should be eligible.

basically, with the selling stuff, etc., i am trying to keep initial investment and costs LOW, which is why i don't know how well i would do with etsy since i would have to get nice containers to ship things in and stuff. i did reply to a dog walker post i found on craigslist, which would make me an extra $50 a week if i did it. fingers crossed...

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I had a nightmare about the KGB because of Cap's post!  ;D

P and I have both thought about dog walking several times, but it seems like you should have special insurance, and stuff. It always seemed scary. I've thought about doing a lot of these things.

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wait, tell me the scary part?

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