all about the hustle: making extra $$$
Yesterday, while I nearly collapsed on the Nautilus Stair Climber, I started reading an article in the most recent issue of Time Out New York about the rather ingenious ways in which many resourceful New Yorkers are making some extra needed income. From turning the hallway of your uptown apartment into a mini boutique showcasing upgraded and sweetly embellished vintage and H&M wares, to refinishing street furniture, teaching, giving walking tours, to being a ChaCha guide, in these precarious economic times folks are getting creative in their ideas of how to earn extra (or in some cases, primary) income. Are you starting your own business? How are you earning some extra dollars? How have you turned your hobby into cash? I’d love to hear your stories and ideas.
Also, I want to thank everyone for their invaluable input on my new venture, which is happening!! Within the next few months, I’ll open an online shoppe dedicated to making local deliveries (tri-state area) from a small menu of baked goods. In an attempt to monetize a wonderful hobby, I hope to grow this venture into a small, profitable, sustainable side-venture. I’m not sure this will be successful at all (my preliminary gross-margins are trickier than I had originally thought, but I’m futzing with the numbers, and grateful that shipping & secure packaging isn’t an issue at the moment), however, I’m putting myself out there. And the act of simply doing something, or trying is pretty darn brave.
Image courtesy of Time Out New York
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Congratulations, Felicia! That’s very exciting news and I look forward to being a customer. I find it really inspiring to hear about people being creative around money and having fun with it rather than it always being seen as a huge chore.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Trying is brave indeed- creativity appears in the trickiest of times. I love it! Wish I was still around NY to taste some of the wares.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:42 am
I picked up every book on the floor, under the bed, in the corner, and looked them up on Amazon & half.com and aggressively priced them to move. I also discovered that some of the software I had (an old version of Dreamweaver, for example) was definitely in demand. I made a couple hundred dollars on stuff that was just lying around the house.
I made myself cart a pile of clothes to resale instead of just dumping them at Goodwill. Yes, I got trade-in value, but it doesn’t expire and the next time I need something to wear, or want to go shopping, I can take my store credit and go there instead.
Finally, I have things that need to go on eBay. The photographing and writing and listing is just tedious & time consuming but it’s cash just sitting there waiting to happen.
personally I want to find a way to combine Twilight and puppies and I’ll make a million bucks. But until that happens, at least I’m being frugal and productive.
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:52 am
Looking forward to following your new venture as it unfolds! I admire that you are jumping right in and getting it started. If it were me, I’d still be ruminating about it for another year or five
carma
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 am
Rachel – Thanks for the love & support, as always!
Amber – You’ll be the first to know when I branch beyond NYC.
Caryn – Terrific ideas. I cleaned out hundreds of books & got hundreds of dollars from Amazon & The Strand, too. And yes, we have to find a way to write a book about vampire dogs.
Carma – I’m usually the same way, but this year I’m trying my friend Summer’s “Screw It” philosophy.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Very brave! And so exciting. Best of luck to you!