Looking for possible Side Business ideas

[dtherrien]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

In my opinion i would not get into anything to do with construction...as in excavation,demo,building decks, additions, ext. because you will be in with everybody and there grandma.<br />If you have any kind of money behind you go for real estate,buying a house that needs rehab, ext.You may not need a licence to do one or two deals a year.I have been in construction most of my life and real estate and building houses is the only way to make money!

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

I know a guy who polishes chrome. He has a set of buffers and uses some kind of chrome polish compound. He travels to truck stops, hangs a sign on his van and goes to work. The truckers will pay him to polish wheels, pipes, fuel tanks, grills, horns whatever. He sometimes will make $500 a day.<br /><br />In the winter he catches work at home polishing chrome items before shipping. Last winter he had a deal with a company that made chrome intake manifolds, headers and engine dress up kits. They shipped them to him and he would polish them up and ship them on. The company paid all shipping, all he had to do was put up a deposit in case he stole the stuff. They paid around $20 per peice.<br />2 years ago he polished paint sprayers, like auto body shops used. He also inspected them for defects. He got paid $10 per sprayer, and could do an easy 50 per hour on a relaxed day.<br /><br />I worked demolition for a while. It was a good business, tearing stuff down and selling whatever we could salage. The problem comes in when you find a building with asbestos or lead paint. The hazardous materials disposal is killing the small businessman.

 

[robpoe]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

Talked to a guy last Christmas. He offers turnkey Christmas lighting. You pick the design you want, he brings out the lights, hooks em up, hangs em (uses gutter or shingle clips to hang em). Wires the extension cords, does it all up safely and can even put in a timer for you.<br /><br />After christmas is past, he will come out, take it all down, coil it up, put it in a rubbermaid tub in your basement for the next year. <br /><br />He said "Damn, it's cheap to get in to, and next year I'm gunna rent a bucket truck to make it go fast".<br /><br />He made a killing last season.<br /><br />Snow removal is always tempting, but it would almost have to be residential. Commercial snow removal is pretty packed, no pun intended, (landscaping businesses)..<br /><br />If you're handy with computers, start a home computer repair service. Go out, charge $60 for the first hour, $50 per hour after that. Take a USB key drive (write protected!) with antivirus, antispyware, Windows Service Packs, Mozilla Firefox, Java, etc etc). Even better than that, hire some college kid as a contractor (10-99 is beautiful thing) and have him collect the check from the client (have him take a laminated "price sheet"). He takes their check brings it to you, you write him a check for $35 first hour / $25 per hour aftr that and keep the profit. $$$$$<br /><br />If you can get some initial cash .. Rental houses. You have to be handy, willing to break a few legs for rent (kidding!). Be a Section 8 landlord, and be selective on who you let in (on Section 8 you can interview the potential client, just as you would as a regular land lord). Then your rent is almost guaranteed (vouchers from govt get paid).

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

ebay things for people... put out an ad in the paper... take pitures of their junk and ebay for them... they pay all costs and you take a percentage of the booty.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

Originally posted by mrloring:<br /> I did the plumbing business for a little while in college. I worked at my cousins hardware store, they also did HVAC and plumbing, and did just the small jobs(leaky toilet/faucet) that they were too busy to do. Most people paid cash for the small jobs. One rule in plumbing--poop flows downhill.

I worked at plumbing too, between high school and college. The plumber's creedo that I learned in trade school ("all you'll ever need to know"):<br /><br />Hot's on the left, Cold's on the right.<br />***t don't run uphill and payday's Friday.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

Being a machinist maybe you could make some speciality tools ex: flywheel pullers,engine lift hooks many a used on boats big market.Be a pity not to incorporate your trade in your business.<br />Sell the tools you make on e-bay

 

[Straightup]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

Update: I'm leaning mostly to real estate investing. The plus side is that I'm good at remodeling, and I have some equity in my own house to work with financially. I don't want to loose that equity tho' <br /><br />I have a pile of books from the library on the subject, and have more on order. Everything I've read is very positive - and I've successfully avoided the get rich quick crap and found some serious info. I need to talk to my lawyer, accountant, and insurance agent yet. I'm going to go slow and not rush into any properties. I want to make very certain that it is a good value before any place is considered. <br /><br />The only down side is that there's many for sale and for rent signs around in my town , so I have a feeling that the market in our area looks pretty flat now. We haven't had any major industry go out of town, I think the problem is just that the new house market is so good right now. That could be a good thing as far as buying used properties, but bad when it comes to renting and or selling if necessary. <br /><br />There's a property only 4 blocks from my house that is being sold on the courthouse steps (foreclosure) in three weeks. It doesn't look too bad. It's a little soon, but I will at least try to slip away from work and see how the proceedings go. <br /><br />That's where I'm at at the moment. Thanks again for everyones responses.<br /><br />Jeff

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

While your there check out the properties getting ready to go up on tax sales... I used to live in MO and I purchased a piece of property for $250 with electric and water to it but no buildings.. 1/2 acre... The rules there were... The owner had to be 3 years behind in taxes for it to go up for sale... could purchase for the amount of owed taxes... then the original owner had 5 years to pay back the back taxes and for any improvements to the land to get the property back... very inexpensive way to buy property.

 

[reddog349]

Re: Looking for possible Side Business ideas

Straightup - try sell online like on ebay.Go to auctions , yardsales , fleamarkets and your attic and find things and checkem out on ebay. Youd be surprised what somethings bring . I have purchased items for $1 and sold them for $170 . <br />Some thing sell great , somethings dont but overtime youll learn to get a eye for things worth buying to resell. <br />The best part is you only invest what you want and with a paypal account you can keep everything seperate from your regular money!The extra cash I get goes toward play toys , trips and such.<br /><br />Just a idea - outboards can bring good money , even blown motors and props bring top dollar .Dig around and see if you have a old tilt trim unit(great money!) , or a froze up outboard and give it a try.