Income Help ideas for a struggling single father

Ok then. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
First off, can you cut back on your electricity a bit?
Can you buy less expensive food at the grocery store?
Can you take back the car and use public transportation?
Could you move to pay less rent?


Drastic..I know. But if you think of ways now, it could save disaster later on.

Electricity- for the past month i have been making sure all the lights are off in the apartment during the day time. I also have been extremly concious of limiting electricty use.

Groceries- at the grocery store besdies food for my son i have cut out buying any junk food and have been sticking to one meal a day for myself.

I'm with in walking distance from work and once the weather warms up here i fully intend on taking advantage of that.

Rent im renting the cheapest apartment in my area. I even talked the leasing office down $100.00 a month from what it should be.

I'm not at the point where i'm desperate yet. Im trying to be proactive and get some supplimental income going before that happens. Something i cand o on my days off work.

So far out of the list of things here is where i'm at:

Computer Advice Website- So far this is one of the most practical for me. I just wonder if it will bring in any cash. I mean even if it brought in an extra $100.00 a month it would be worth it.

Building Computers to sell- This one would really rely on word of mouth i guess. I think advertising would be really hard for this but this is really something i could just cast a line out on a wait for a bite. Just need to think about how i can get the word out with out blowing my cover at work.

Waiting tables- Im trying to stay away from anything that may keep me from being at home with my son or with my son. I have pretty much ruled this out.

Scrap metals- I had a friend who use to do this. He did get decent money but also had a truck/bed to haul everything in. I have a honda. Good idea but do not think it would work for me. Anyone who has a truck though i have seen people make money doing this.

Sand Glass Etching- I did some research on this tonight and from what it looks like this could not be something i could do from my apartment. It also appears i would have to purchase tools to do it. An expense i really can not afford at the moment. I really liked this idea though. I'm a huge Star Wars fan so my first thought was some Vader stuff.

Off Grid It Packages- This i'm still looking into would be really cool if i could figure something out.

Test Banks for schools- Still not sure what this was about

Splice Fiber Optic Cables- this is definitly do able but i dont know who i would market it to or how. I dont know who needs them spliced.

Dating Site- Stillt hinking the in's and outs of this one

Design a porn site- while the thought is entertaining much liek the dating site i'm thinking it over more. Problem is i would not know how to sell it to someone or who.

Well here is where i stand with what we have so far. Anymore ideas...thoughts comments on my thoughts around these?

Try to sell magazines and newspapers in the morning and evening if you can, you get some magazines from a dealer and sell them near public places like railway station(where people are always in a hurry and dont mind paying a lot)for a premium. And after selling a few books, you will see a good income.

Instead of just selling your stuff on ebay why don't you make a bit more of a business out of it?

Put aside a certain amount (£100?) and hit all the car boot sales (that's what we call em in the UK, didn't catch where your from) Or troll around ebay and snap up things that no one bidded for that time...... Don't keep throwing good money after bad, keep the accounts, factor in postage and keep putting the profits back into it. Who knows? You might have to buy a bigger note book to fit the extra zero in!

Just going to throw ideas out there, Never can have to many right!

What about things like baby sitting? Or pet sitting? House cleaning? even 2 hours a day can bring you in a good bit of cash,

Building websites for people?

Also a hot one can be finding and selling pet clothes people are mad about it now and i know i sold and made quiet a bit doing that on Ebay,


Really good luck and i its good that you are thinking ahead, Might be worth kinda chatting to people you know about it too, or people you meet,you never know who is listening or who knows someone who needs something,

So be vocal

[edit on 6-1-2009 by asala]

Collect items of good condition on your local freecycle website and sell them on craigslist for a profit.

DAMN! Why didn't I think of that?!

I have been thinking about your family over the past few days. It is vital you eat as well, you need to stay healthy. Healthy daddy means happy baby, you need to eat and sleep.

Food

helpful hints for cooking


Long term

Start a food club
A group of people could get together once a month , they order what amount they want in bulk and share the order.
example www.vantageusa.net...

get a plot to grow your own veg, you did mention Maryland, I did find one , maybe they can give you details of somewhere closer.

www.rockvillemd.gov...

your son will love spending time digging worms and you both spend time with nature, you will also be passing a skill and education for life. You may also be able to sell your veg and fruit.



bits and bobs

Freecycle have a look for baby clothes, prams, beds etc babies grow out of clothes very fast and don’t wear them out thus you could find some good quality goods.

freecycle


Jobs with no outlay

I would be more than happy to make you a website to advertise, I did leave the industry years ago and went back to my roots as an artist but can still just about fudge something together. Dating websites and porn jobbies are out of my league though.. I have sent you a u2u.



Walking dogs, this is not as crazy as it sounds, I see many cars and vans driving around for dog walking. Check the going rate for your area, print out some flyers and get a backpack for baby and come up with a catchy name. No outlay..only printing and that is what the printer at work is for..shhhhhh.. did i say that.;]



Start an eco group for kids, I set up a waldorf home school group , each week the children make boxes, bird boxes, swords etc out of recycled wood. We have used wood from skips etc, we just booked a church hall, brought the wood, nails and some hammers. If you can hammer a nail or use a saw you can do it, the children love it . We just charge for the price of the hall and the nails, maybe you could charge more. Make all the family welcome as siblings that are younger can keep baby company whilst they chew the wood.... ask church hall for rates..small outlay for hire but book the number of people first so you have the hall covered, ring local newspapers or health food store, local schools churches for free ads.. just hand out prints..



and people are making a business out of it


Social enterprise, Bristol Wood Recycling Project
Bristol Wood Recycling Project



Just for dads was/ is a london based group for ... dads and kids. It looks as if they sold the company [good sign]

Like them organise an activity and again get paid, if you had a few classes per week/ month and try and expand the concept to different areas you could have a great little business for your future and get to bring baby to work with you...

thinking of you and your family. you are doing a great job and have the respect of many. Things will work out for you .

g



just for dads