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The WebSmartIdeas aims to promote and disseminate good creative ideas to improve
society.
There are a few home based opportunities and businesses that you can get up and running quickly if time is of the essence. If you’ve just lost a job (income) or you can’t take the one you have much longer, here are a couple of fast start ideas.
1. Private Tutor. To start this business, you would have to be qualified in at least one academic subject, have some teaching skills and experience (being a training instructor could qualify). The subjects usually needing tutoring help are math, foreign language and any of the sciences. It’s less demanding than full-time teaching and you don’t have to put up with the bureaucracy. It will undoubtedly be evening and (perhaps) weekend work, but you can charge anywhere from $25 to $75 per hour depending on the subject.
2. Errand runner/driver. Many businesses today are in need of a runner to bring material around from place to place. A company who does a lot of printing may need constant business to printer assistance. As long as you have your own car and are a safe driver, you’re in business. You don’t need to learn anything about computers, either. you’re simply in business. You will likely always be on call during the week (maybe Saturdays) and if you don’t like traffic, this could be a problem. You should be able to canvass local businesses for work and be paid upwards of $10 per hour. Your auto insurance agent should be informed of the new use for your car.
3. Computer services for small businesses. You’ll need a computer, laser or bubblejet printer and a fax machine to offer these services, but many small businesses need the assistance. It might be in copywriting, mailing programs, newsletters or maintaining a billing follow-up database. You can charge from $20 per hour and up depending on the work. It’s easy to get going since you’ve already got the computer in your home. Canvass businesses locally for work after you’ve devised an attractive flyer listing and selling your services.
There are other jobs that may require more set-up, but can fantastic money-making opportunities. Among these are:
1. Tax preparer/bookkeeping services. Being computer literate will help you handle several dozen clients all at once. You may need some training if you are not a CPA, but software programs today make it easier to walk through even the most complex tax situations. You will be overwhelmed during the tax season of January to April, but you can charge from $25 to $50 per hour and make enough during the first four months of the year to almost get you through the remaining months.
2. Specialty grower. Let’s say you have some land and you love to garden. You enjoy working outdoors and are tired of working inside a building for a living. Why not become a specialty grower? Gourmet stores all over the country are looking for the unusual in the way of plants and edible flowers. Herbs are also popular. You can even sell the crops you grow at the local farmer’s market on Saturday mornings. If you already have the land and the desire to do this, why wait. Start it part-time if you want, but you may find dozens of outlets for your goods if they are up to the test. The risk is bad weather naturally, but it’s a chance worth taking if you love gardening.
3. Cleaning services. You’ll need lots of supplies for this, but commercial building maintenance people are often on the lookout for good help in this area. You’ll need a lot of cleaning supplies, but if you can handle the evening hours and can find reliable assistants, this can be a gold mine business especially if you specialize in the hard-to- do work like swimming pools, blinds and windows. People hate to do windows. You can charge per house or, for commercial buildings, per hour.
4. Massage therapist. If you’re good at giving massages, consider getting a license or certification to be a massage therapist. Health clubs, running clubs, conventions all are good candidates for your work. You can earn up to $100/hour but you have to be in good physical condition. Arm, hands and back strength are particularly important. Your hours are your choice!
5. Caterer. If you like to cook, consider the catering business. If you have a good kitchen set-up and can cook large volumes well and have a few handy unusual, but tasty recipes, you can be become a local party favorite. Repeat business is the name of this game and you can charge per person for your catered meals or appetizers. Ethnic dishes are the in thing for parties these days and the more diversified you are the better.
6. Computer consultant. If you are a programmer, this is certainly a job that can lend itself to contract labor, run out of your own home. Competition is heavy, but once you have a few clients, you will likely make an excellent living at something you’re good at and probably enjoy. $50/hour is the low starting rate for programmers and you can charge more based on your expertise and the problem to be solved. The more diversified your experience, the more likely the calls coming in for your services. You will need to stay up on current technology, but most programmers do this naturally. There are a plethora of magazines and other publications about the latest and greatest technology. Canvass local businesses to ascertain their computer needs. You’re only selling your services, so the cold calling is a low pressure thing. Most businesses have some complaint about their computer system and are looking for easy answers from someone that is local and knows what they’re doing. Solid computer expertise is invaluable to small businesses.
7. Bed-and-breakfast accommodations. Wouldn’t it be great to operate a bed and breakfast in the middle of a territory that attracts thousands of tourists and other travelers each year? If you’ve a knack for hosting people on a full- time basis and have the house to convert to a couple of extra bedrooms, you can be in business. It’s truly full- time, even though you’re only serving breakfast. There’s laundry to do, there’s beds to be made, bathrooms to clean and reservations to handle, but it can often be done at a eisurely pace. Room rates are $75 per night and up, so the money can add up pretty fast. Be careful of burnout, however, as there are no holidays from this job, unless you have another person/couple take over for a couple of weeks.
8. Arts & Crafts. If you have a propensity for things arts and craftsy, you should consider selling your goods for a living, part or full-time. Have you ever walked around an art show? There are plenty of these around and you can get a booth and earn back your expenses for the day with one sale. If you love to paint, or sculpt, or make pottery or whatever, there is a lot of potential for you. You can also starve, too, but you don’t start up the business thinking that. Businesses buy lots of arts and crafts each year for their firms’ decorations or for sales contest prizes, convention awards and the like. If you are already doing this, you probably have studio space in your house plus some supplies to get going. Step it up to the next
level!
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