Benzine
|
| posted on 26/1/22 at 11:17 PM |
|
|
Extra income
The last few years have been hard. I've got my regular 9 to 5 but it's not close to being enough. Lots of my friends are in the same
boat. Anyone else making some extra cash on the side? Shed projects, repairing lawnmowers, welding, flipping cars?
Any ideas at all I'd be open to
|
|
|
|
|
Mr Whippy
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 12:50 AM |
|
|
When my brother in law was out of work and still looking, he was buying old site machinery like diesel water pumps, bail conveyors, large mixers etc
that needed work done to them or just getting them going again. Sorting them out and selling them on for quite a tidy profit. It was all simple
repairs and a lick of paint stuff.
Apparently there is a shortage of gardeners, maybe cos of brexit, if you're into that kind of thing. Wrong time of year obviously but once you
have fixed one of those mowers put it to use. If there's A heap of you then even better.
Offering welding or simple car body repairs use to be a thing I did and I made very good money. Mainly putting on sills and new rear arches. That just
seemed to spread by word of mouth but did take up quite a bit of my time. Much harder on modern cars though due to high strength steels and bonded
construction. But a simple ad in the paper might be worth trying. Just make sure you get the money up front first and they're prepared for
things to be worse than they first look... I always got them to buy the panels first and I would just fit them and do the filler to primer. Then leave
the rest to them.
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 09:42 AM |
|
|
Interesting post and I'm sure many would like to bring in a bit more money.
A few years back I considered mini-cabbing on Friday evenings and weekends in addition to my weekday job. When I investigated it was all "owner
driver" based - i.e. you had to provide the vehicle and be contracted to a local firm who dished out the rides to you.
COVID doesn't present a good time to be doing this, you need to be in a suitable area and you need a suitable vehicle.
Personally I didn't want my own car getting the constant battering of people in/out all the time. More importantly I didn't want to be
dealing with pi55ed people of an evening.
All the mini-cabs round my way have cameras in them filming driver and passengers for driver security. Not a dodgy area, just a basic security
measure I'm told.
Gardening seems better bet to me - outdoors, regular customers and if you can find some reasonably well off older folk with big gardens to manage
you're on a winner.
Welding could also be an option. When neighbours knew I'd got myself a welder various requests popped up.
1. Repair a broken metal bed frame
2. Repair a broken metal garden gate
3. Repair a broken metal garden planter frame
all items were brought round to me so I did the work in my garage. I didn't travel with welder and tools. The gate and planter frame got a
blow over with rattle can paint to finish.
1st was a favour, 2nd and 3rd were £20 a pop for my time and consumables.
If you've got the kit and space to work then a few printed fliers through peoples doors will probably draw out some paid weekend jobs.
[Edited on 27/1/22 by nick205]
|
|
|
cliftyhanger
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 12:00 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
The last few years have been hard. I've got my regular 9 to 5 but it's not close to being enough. Lots of my friends are in the same
boat. Anyone else making some extra cash on the side? Shed projects, repairing lawnmowers, welding, flipping cars?
Any ideas at all I'd be open to
This is going to sound harsh.
But if your job is not close to being enough, earning from a few odd jobs is unlikely to make the gap up.
You have 2 basic options.
(1) reduce spending
(2) increase income.
Or both....
Best way of increasing income is higher wages. So job change or whatever.
Plan B is to take a 2nd job, I know a few who do this, maybe clocking up an extra 10-20hrs a week. It really is a simple way to make extra cash, but
has restrictions as you are committed. But even minimum wage/simple jobs for 10hrs/wk bring in £5k a year, and are generally low stress.
My main income is consistent, but I also do a few odd jobs for others. Maybe 2k a year from PAT testing for a local letting agents (that is good, it
is about £40/hr, about half are done in the space of a few days, the rest are odd jobs) and I do a few electrical jobs, although after 2 years I am
still in the red from teh course costs and equipment, mainly because I don't want to do a lot of it or bigger jobs. But long term I expect the
electrical stuff to make a similar amount to te PAT testing, total about 4k a year. Plus a few other handyman type jobs I do for the agents. And it
keeps me out of trouble....
However, most stuff like that is expected to be weekday/daytime.
|
|
|
Mr Whippy
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 12:36 PM |
|
|
One thing I'd suggest if it applies is to invest in insulating your house as much as you can and making it as draft free as possible. I even
went to the extent of walling in the stairwell in the hall. It's made a huge difference and the heating bills are vastly smaller these days so
we have more spare cash. In the summer on the outside I'm going to clad the gable walls (with non flammable insulation).
Another thing that might be an idea and one my dad is doing just for fun is picking up unwanted pallets, pulling them apart and building big planters
with them. They look really good and just as good as the ones I see advertised for £70 - 100! very easy money there.
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 12:54 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Another thing that might be an idea and one my dad is doing just for fun is picking up unwanted pallets, pulling them apart and building big planters
with them. They look really good and just as good as the ones I see advertised for £70 - 100! very easy money there.
Good shout on the unused / unwanted pallets - many companies have wooden pallets they want rid of!
IIRC companies aren't allowed to burn them either so they're often faced with paying to have them taken away or paying to take them to a
disposal place.
Take a tour around a few industrial estates and ask the businesses. Often best to ask at the Goods In/Out door rather than a Reception/Visitor door.
That way you'll get the store person who's likely to be more amenable. You'll likely need a suitable collection vehicle though,
pallets don't go into tin tops too well!
|
|
|
Simon
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 02:31 PM |
|
|
Following being bullied at my previous job (my late father's business) by two other directors, I got bought out in September.
I've been applying for various jobs but have now started prepping garage as a workshop. Bought a Chinese bead blast cabinet, hyundai quiet
compressor, Chinese metal folder, and already have tig/mig welders.
Going to start advertising soon.
Might also suggest grocery delivery?
|
|
|
Jeano
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 03:45 PM |
|
|
What do you do for a job? Any links there?
Im a surveyor so i price tenders for contractors at weekends and also assist in implementing management systems and cost controls for them.
If you have skills sometimes best to stick with what you do?
Location: Essex
Drives: MK Indy F20c with hairdryer
|
|
|
Mr Whippy
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 04:38 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Jeano
What do you do for a job? Any links there?
Im a surveyor so i price tenders for contractors at weekends and also assist in implementing management systems and cost controls for them.
If you have skills sometimes best to stick with what you do?
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
Beetroot. I'm in the beetroot business. I'm a supplier, to M&S, Sainsbury's, Tesco, all the big stores. Both types. Crinkly and
balls. Beetroot's been very good to me.
 I still remember that reply 
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 04:46 PM |
|
|
Beetroot
If you're a wholesaler to supermarkets it may not work, but how about extending into farmers markets and other places to sell the produce?
Any scope for attracting new supermarket / big name brands you don't already deal with?
Imagine it's pretty price driven, but if you can add another decent sized customer would that increase your business and personal income?
|
|
|
McLannahan
|
| posted on 27/1/22 at 05:18 PM |
|
|
I sell a few bits and pieces on eBay. We've a large upcycling place near us and you can some massive bargains here. I bought a Denon DAB stereo
this month - still boxed but without speakers. I played down this (it's not meant to come with any) and the lack of DAB aerial (cost me £3 on
eBay) and she offered it to me for £5. I couldn't believe my excitement. It works perfectly (but I could have returned it if it didn't)
and I sold my "old" amplifier for £230 (a Marantz again I bought second hand) on Ebay.
After fees and postage I made just over £200 just swapping it for something I already had. So although not a big earner I would suggest charity shops,
perhaps even your local recycling/dump if they have a shop - many do now and see what you can pick up. Advertise back on FaceBook/Gumtree (to keep
costs down) or prepare to pay eBay fees.
These last few months I've raised about £500 in selling unwanted stuff on eBay. Not really cost me anything other than a small bit of effort
with photos/postage.
I've got some parts from my Mk2 Golf to sell next.
Good luck!
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 28/1/22 at 08:23 AM |
|
|
McLannahan - makes a good call!
SWMBO and I have been through the house and shifted a good amount of stuff we simply didn't use, want or need any more. Much of it too good to
throw out. Brings a few quid in via Ebay for not a lot of effort.
Prime example is my old seperates HiFi components that had made it's way into the understairs cupboard (replaced by Spotify & Sonos). Good
stuff that I wasn't going to throw out and some of it snapped up from Ebay for good money. Better the money in my bank than unused things under
the stairs.
Like most on here I like automotive tools, but sometimes have bought ones for a single use that really need moving on to a new owner.
There's a healthy market for useable 2nd hand bicycles right now too. Many families have unused bikes sat in sheds and garages.
What have you got you can sell on.
|
|
|
joneh
|
| posted on 30/1/22 at 06:52 PM |
|
|
If you're still in the Beetroot buisness, team up with a distillery and make rum.
|
|
|
Bluemoon
|
| posted on 31/1/22 at 10:32 AM |
|
|
Careful of the taxman - 1k extra income per year allowed without tax (note - expenses would offset this...).. at least that's my
understanding.
Dan
[Edited on 31/1/22 by Bluemoon]
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 31/1/22 at 04:26 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
Careful of the taxman - 1k extra income per year allowed without tax (note - expenses would offset this...).. at least that's my
understanding.
Dan
[Edited on 31/1/22 by Bluemoon]
Fair point, but it also depends how you get paid. Gardening jobs can often be paid out of site so to speak (a bit of cash here and there).
|
|
|
