Advice Needed For Making Extra Money

**cmdarlin** · 04-14-2008, 10:41 AM

With me not working and DH having health issues I've been racking my brain for ways to make a little income. We live on a small farm, raising goats, chickens and rabbits. Two weekends ago, the local Farmer's Market has started up and I've been able to put out what extra rabbits or chickens we have to sell. I don't have an egg license so I can't sell those down there but I can sell them from my home. I have 3 ladies that buy eggs from me so I can make a little extra every week from those sales. (Do you think $1.25 is too much for a dozen of farm eggs?) My son has said he'll help me make a roadside sign to advertise eggs and rabbits for sale.

I'd love to have a yard sale but don't think I'd get many customer's living out in the boonies. And then I have all the chickens running around so it would be a fight keeping them away from everything.

I also do alot of crafts but right now have been focusing on my sewing/embroidery. I'd like to get that going as a business and maybe begin selling online. I've been making burp cloths, bibs, blankets, diaper covers and little diaper bags. I've taken them down to the Farmer's Market and get lots of compliments on my work and display but have only managed to sell a few items. I didn't expect to but at least I'm getting my things seen. If anyone has any suggestions on how to go about getting a business started with this stuff, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I've got a Precious Moments collection and a rack of 200 country music cd's I've decided to try and sell but wondering which site would be best. Ebay charges a fee to post and I've been trying to check out Craigslist and keep getting kicked off. Any suggestions there?

I have to figure out something. With being behind on the mortgage and all the doctor bills we're going to get for DH, I'm really getting scared. I want to find a job but if the past two weeks are any indicator of what's going on with the doctor appts. I don't know who will want to hire me. He can't drive and I've had to run him everywhere. He has three appointments this week and the neurologist has him off work for a week which means no income at all.

I've rambled enough.... though its nice to know your all here and understand.

Take Care,

Debbie

**Cricket1** · 04-14-2008, 10:55 AM

Maybe try selling your crafts on etsy.com? I love that site. Have you tried selling anything on here?

**stinkbug** · 04-14-2008, 11:21 AM

1.25 around here would be dirt cheap for farm eggs! They run 2.50 - 3.00 doz.
Don't know where you live, but could you find a night job, stocking, etc. so you are available during the day to drive dh? Also...the old stand by----donate plasma!

Why are you getting *kicked off* Craigslist?

**tbs727** · 04-14-2008, 11:30 AM

My suggestion for getting your embroidery business going would be to make up some samples to display at your farmers market, then when someone makes a comment, hand them a business card and let them know you do custom orders. You can make business cards cheaply with your home printer. Open a store at etsy.com and put that info on your card.

Check to see if any stores near you buy used CD's. Look for places that sell CD's, movies, or video games and give them a call. We have a couple of places nearby that bill buy our CD's for $2-$5 depending on the popularity of the artist. It would be much easier than selling online.

I also think $1.25 is dirt cheap for eggs when they are at least $2 at the store.

You might also try to find out if there is a place nearby that has an open flea market where you might be able to set up your yard sale stuff. Usually you have to pay a little bit of a fee to set up, but your guaranteed traffic.

These are just a few suggestions, I'm sure there are others with better ideas. Good luck to you! hugs!

**cmdarlin** · 04-14-2008, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by stinkbug

Why are you getting *kicked off* Craigslist?

Have a crappy old computer with a dial up connection. I've been kicked off/froze up at least twice in the past hour. You try to upload a picture and your guaranteed to reboot! *lol*

Debbe

**mommy4ever** · 04-14-2008, 01:01 PM

Getting booted off.

Hmm.. are you resizing your pictures? It could be you're uploading directly from the camera, and then the file size is huge. Try resizing them, then uploading, it should be fine then.

**sunshine** · 04-14-2008, 01:10 PM

When I was in college, I used to do mending for people, and I'd get good money for custom made patches. You could make up some with scraps of denim and your embroidery machine. Things for local areas of interest (make a sample and take to a tourist shop or local store) Advertise at the school for sports teams, etc. . . churches. . . . golf course. . . what ever is available in your area.

**Dancing Lotus** · 04-14-2008, 01:11 PM

I second etsy. And go for 1.50 at least on the eggs. How many eggs do you get on any given day?

I am wishing you all the best luck and don't worry things always have a way of working out.

**cmdarlin** · 04-14-2008, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by mommy4ever

Getting booted off.

Hmm.. are you resizing your pictures? It could be you're uploading directly from the camera, and then the file size is huge. Try resizing them, then uploading, it should be fine then.

Pictures had already been downloaded from the camera and resized before I even signed on to our dial-up connection. That's one thing I know how to do on this thing. I think its just my old computer.

Debbie