C'mon everyone! Time for a brainstorm session.

**Missy** · 10-08-2006, 09:22 PM

We all have our ways of increasing income. Wether it be consignment stores, odd jobs, part time extra work, yard sales, etc we all have our ways. What I'd like to do is find the people that work from home and see what we do to promote your businesses. Do you hold "parties", run fliers, advertise, run discounts for loyal customers? Lets brainstorm for ideas and raise some Christmas cash! So here are the questions...

1. What do you do for income boost?

2. How do you "get yourself out there"?

3. What do you do to keep customers and add new ones?

Here's mine:

1. Right now i craft and do AVON.

2. I use word of mouth and i have catalogs (for Avon that is)

3. I offer inscentives...discounts and gifts to my repeat customers.

who's next?

**sunshine** · 10-09-2006, 10:14 AM

I'm an RN - so if I need extra income, I generally just agree to work overtime at my job. It's a simple matter of looking at the bonus sheets that are posted with every schedule, that show where the open slots are, and signing my name to any places I choose to work.

If I don't want to work overtime, but need extra money? I have been known to run an ad in the local newspaper (costs about $5) offering sick child care- will watch sick children when they can't go to regular daycare, and parents need to work. Or I offer respite care for stressed caregivers of elderly, or disabled persons. I'm ventilator certified, so that makes me VERY marketable.

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 10-09-2006, 10:50 AM

well i'm a foster parent, so if i need the extra money, i will get a extra child. my dh works 3rd shift in a factory, so he will just work extra hours to make extra money.

**FrugalMomof3** · 10-09-2006, 10:51 AM

I am a SAHM but if I need extra income well I do some web designing or post an ad on craigstlist (which I did and I have a job housekeeping/dog sitting for 2 hours a day 10/20 - 10/24).

If all else fails I just dont spend and I dig in the cabinets for food lol, it's not that bad I mean for spaghetti sauce that's hidden or noodles, top ramen, etc...

**baronmom** · 10-09-2006, 11:12 PM

I have started doing mystery shops and merchandising jobs. I hope to get a few merchandising jobs each month to make enough extra money to make up for the money we are losing from dh getting a different job. I hate not having enough money.

**frugalwife** · 10-20-2006, 10:06 AM

I've thought about doing Avon for extra income, but I'm the shy type, and so I don't think it would be worthwhile for me to do it. Since you probably make most of your money at parties...

**rachelj** · 10-20-2006, 10:29 AM

I am a Mary Kay consultant. So when I need some extra $$ I will put out baskets for free facials at stores etc. The product sells itself and the comission is MUCH better than Avon!!

I also teach at a local college - when it fits into my schedule and they ask!!

**i.m.cheap** · 10-20-2006, 01:03 PM

Sometimes I will have two yard sales a year, making $300-400 at each one. I even sell some of my stockpiled heath and beauty items or cleaning products (no food) that I have gotten free or for just pennies using doubled coupons.

**Jill B.** · 10-20-2006, 06:59 PM

I work as a temporary nanny through an agency. I have had a criminal background check by them. I get $13 an hour directly from the client when I leave that day. Some jobs are once a week for a while or are just for one day. I like it but it is very irregular.

I also have done substitute teaching which is very fun but saps my energy. It was $76 a day.

**yankeegal** · 10-20-2006, 07:09 PM

I bake for those who are too busy, or who just don't like to. During this time of year, I am quite busy. I started by donating cookies and such for church fairs, DH's work, friends and family, the local bank, etc...-and it just kinda took off from there. It is a nice profitable hobby.

**Missy** · 10-21-2006, 11:15 AM

oooh baking, sounds fun. What knds of things do youbake? I am guessing cookies...but do you do meals as well?

**yankeegal** · 10-21-2006, 06:08 PM

No, not meals...just baked goods. I do mostly cookie orders but around the holidays I do a lot of platters- gourmet brownies, petit fours, truffles, fudge, that kind of stuff for office parties mostly. I have received all of my business just from word of mouth, which is fine for me, as it can get very hectic at times.

**littlemotherhaywood** · 10-22-2006, 12:29 PM

Wow, I see some great ideas here. We didn't do it last year, but we used to make chocolate covered peanut butter balls and dh would take them to work as a sample and then get orders for them. We made a bunch of money that way. I don't know that didn't occur to me. I'm getting ready to make up a bunch of jar mixes and stuff and I think I'll send some examples with dh to the school to see if I can drum up some orders. If I'm already making them, it's not like it's going to take up anymore of my time and we might be able to make a few bucks. Also, and I think this is terrible, but dh sells candy at work. He buys the snack size candy bars and sells them for a quarter a piece to the kids if they want them. He doesn't make a lot and he uses the money for his classroom.