1. “Customers don't always know what they want.” - Howard Schultz
o Research
Being observant maybe is one of the first characteristics that a consumer, who wishes to make extra money from his/her surroundings, must have. He/she needs to be constantly on the lookout for the things that people around him/her need and want. Providing what the people are lacking in can turn into a great money making opportunity especially if the consumer is a “stay at home”, or is only doing a part-time job.
What can the consumer start looking out for?
- If the consumer lives in a neighborhood full of elderly homeowners, he/se can ask around for what they may need, and the consumer can be grateful for the fact that many of the elderly people appreciate visits from other people. Although it is not impossible for some of them to be cranky, more often than not they are going to be willing to at least talk.
- Another option for the consumer is to find out if there are homes for the elderly around his/her area. He/she may want to approach its staff to ask for items/supplies or services that they usually ran out of.
Once he/she has done his/her little market research, he/she can think of ways to provide for those needs. He/she can offer his/her own time, if for example the elderly is in need of a part-time care taker, or he/she may recommend other consumers like her, who are also available for such services. He/she may ask the other consumers for a small “finder’s fee” and then look for more ways to earn.
What could be some of the common things that the elderly need?
1. Grocery and medical purchases.
2. Household chores (bills, phone calls, checkups, general electrical work, plumbing, running errands, etc.)
3. Outdoor chores (lawn mowing, gardening, general carpentry, etc.)
If the consumer is living in an affluent neighborhood or at least somewhere close to it, he/she may want to ask around for services that the homeowners in the area may need like:
o Mowing the lawn (gardening)
o House cleaning and other household grooming needs.
o General home repair, electrical and various repairs, plumbing, walking the dogs, picking up groceries, and car pool.
o Baking and catering
o General art
These are examples of money making ideas that depending on what the consumer can do and how much he/she wants it to work, can be started as soon as possible.
What if the consumer cannot perform all of those skills or claims to have no talent for anything?
The consumer can play a pseudo-placement agency. Again if he/she is observant or has done his/her research, he/she would know who and what the people in the neighborhood are capable of doing, what they need, what they may need, and all the consumer has to do is propose his/her ideas convincingly and follow it through with great service.
The consumer may also need to do a little marketing by printing fliers to hand out to people, slide then under doors, deposit them in mailboxes, or going online with a simple website (websites don’t have to cost, the consumer can look for free journals that could host his/her contact details and list of services offered) . He/she can also post those fliers on local bulletin boards in nearby business establishments like restaurants, barbershops, etc.
2. “Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard” - Paul McCartney
o Sell stuff
The consumer should spend time sorting out the things that he/she needs and those that he/she no longer wanted or needed. They could be furniture, electronic equipments, records, clothes, accessories, and even inexpensive collections. The consumer may host a yard sale where he/she can make hundreds of dollars just for candle holders, picture frames, pots and pans (that he/she hardly used), also old holiday costumes and paraphernalia.
If the consumer prefers to sell them online, he/she may try Craiglist or Ebay.
The consumer may want to do the yard sale by seasons. When he/she gets the hang of it, new ideas will come in, like using a part of the proceeds from the yard sale to go shopping for more items and then resell them at a slightly higher price. People love bargains and they love convenience. If the consumer can service his/her neighborhood with his/her yard sales, he/she would have mini clientele or a small band of loyal customers who anticipates what he/she is going to put out next. Who knows, this little garage/yard sale might turn out to be a big and steady bazaar business someday.
Aside from non-edible items to sell, the consumer may want to think about hosting a bake sale or a cook fest, in which he/she can get his/her friends together and raise a certain amount of money. The consumer can also just participate in such a gathering, and again, being observant and in the know about what’s happening around town will help a lot in getting leads.
3. Claim Monetary Benefits
If consumers only know how much they are missing out on monetary benefits that certain companies and/or the government grant, then at least perhaps an attempt to collect on those would help supplement income. It is the consumer’s privilege as well as duty to do so because he/she is entitled to it. It might not be a conventional way to earn extra money but the consumer can view those benefits as the fruits of paying their taxes and contributions.
How can the consumer avail of them?
The consumer can inquire in the agency itself or the company regarding his/her rights to certain benefits and tax credits.
Check out these resources for more information: