Fast Money Businesses

:: Home » Library » Home Based Business Ideas Part 1

Businesses that make you rich quick are few and far between,
but there certainly are businesses which can make you a
modest extra income in a very short period if operated
correctly.

Maybe these businesses won't make you thousands of pounds,
but the fact that they take very little investment and time
makes that unimportant. If you can raise a few hundred for a
few hours work, then what could be better.

This guide covers, and briefly, describes, three such
business ideas. Each has been selected because it is not as
such a firm business, but something you can operate now and
then for the money. Worth looking at!

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES

The idea of our 'quick cash' businesses is not a full time
permanent business. They're not something you can operate
day after day, or rely on for a full time income. These
projects are more things you can operate now and again - when
you need the money.

For this reason, you should spend an absolute minimum on
overheads. You'll always work from home and you shouldn't
have need of much equipment to speak of. A home telephone
will be useful.

Most of these projects can in fact be started with œ50, but
this is a very basic budget price. If you can spend more -
anything more - then this will be a bonus and will probably
increase your profits.

Now - on with the projects!

PROJECT 1 - PARTIES/DISCOS

A good original idea. Pubs are more frequently offering
entertainment these days, but the landlord doesn't always
have the time or inclination to organise it.

So, your business idea is this. Find an attractive pub, and
offer to organise a weekly party or disco (perhaps a barbecue
in summer). The arrangement would be that you organise the
party and charge admission. The landlord rents you the room
free, but he keeps all the profits from the extra food and
drink sales.

Once the agreement is made, the work is easy. Provide music,
etc, perhaps by a mobile disco. Promote the event locally
and have tickets sold in the bar.

If you sold 50 tickets at œ5, that would be œ250 profit. The
landlord would, no doubt, be happy with the extra takings.
Not all will be interested in this arrangement, but some
will, and pub entertainment is generally a growth area. Late
night events (subject to licences) are very popular. One
restaurant/pub organised a meal for parents while their
children were entertained to a junior party in another room.

This event could be a regular, but it could be a one-off at
very little risk to see how it goes. It undoubtedly works
because it is merely a way of sub-contracting something out
to the mutual benefit of the customer and the contractor
(you).

PROJECT 2 - SCHOOL PHOTOS

This is a good idea for anyone with an interest in
photography, or someone who knows someone interested in
photography.

Quite simply, school photographers are still very popular
with parents, if not with their children, but nowadays they
can be quite expensive. As a part time business, you can
offer to do it cheaper.

Contact schools, both private and state, in your area and put
your proposition to them. The usual arrangement is that you
will photograph all of the children and offer the
photographs, on approval, to the parents. On any that are
bought, you will give a commission to the school funds - this
is usually the selling point. Commission offered is usually
in the region of 25%.

Some schools will already have this arrangement, as you may
know, but there is no regular commitment. They will no doubt
sign up the company (you) which offers the best rate, though
repeat sales go to the one who does the best photographs, so
that is also important if you want further sales.

On the appointed day, it is the responsibility of the school
to arrange for all the children to attend the photo session.
You, or your amateur snapper, takes a photo of each. These
need to be good, but not real works of art. One school
allowed children to dress in fancy dress for the photos!

Have the photos processed. Contact a photographic
development laboratory beforehand and they may offer reduced
rates for a bulk order.

Pack the photos - you'll probably do four of each child in
different sizes - into an envelope with details of prices.
These are usually quite high. Deliver these to the school
for them to distribute to the children.

Obviously, if parents won't want to buy the photos, they
don't have to. There may be many returns, which will be
covered by the sales, but, dependant on the quality, you can
expect a profitable number of sales since the costs involved
are only very low.

When the school gets the money, they deduct their commission
and forward the rest to you. Even if you only make œ100 to
œ200 for each school, that's not bad going!

This business lends itself to regular operation. You may be
called in every year, and that leads to a regular income,
perhaps nationwide. But you don't have to, and you could
just do a few schools now and then for intermittent income.

Obviously, a large school offers the best profits, but if you
are on a limited outlay, just choose a small school, or
propose an experiment with only a few of the year groupings.

PROJECT 3 - A MARKET STALL

A market stall is not one of the most innovative businesses,
but it is long standing and can be relied upon to work. It
is ideal as the type of business you can operate when you
want the money. In the right place, with the right goods,
you can also make a fair bit of money for a day's trading.

The best potential is in regular markets, but if this is too
formal, or they are full, then car boot sales are a good
second best.

Your first step is to invest your starter cash in some stock.
You can do this at a local wholesale warehouse. The type
that import cheap consumer goods are ideal. You will find
many advertised in the 'Stock' pages of 'Exchange and Mart'.
You can get a lot for your money.

What you buy depends on you, but it's generally best to buy
things that make good impulse sales. That is toys, gifts,
novelties, jewellery, books etc. Avoid essential items like
food and bulky items like clothes.

With a source of stock lined up (but not bought until you
need it), you are ready to find a market to attend. This
shouldn't be too difficult as there are plenty in most areas.
Often it's a question of finding the very best in your area.

Contact the market superintendent for the markets concerned.
Ask about rent and availability. Sometimes it may be that
there are already enough stalls of the type you want and you
will have to go somewhere else, or choose something else.

Book an initial stall as a trial. One will do. You may need
to try several venues to find a good one. Don't pay more
than about œ20, at most, less if possible.

Obvious, there's a certain knack to market trading, and it's
not something you can learn from a book. Try to follow other
traders. There's a certain technique to chatting up
customers and getting them to buy.

The point of the idea is that if you're selling impulse sales
priced under œ10, ideally around œ5, who can refuse you? It
may be junk and not really very interesting, but everybody
likes to treat themselves now and again.

Takings may fluctuate sharply, as many a trader will tel you.
On a good day, you can do very nicely thank you, but on a bad
day, when it's cold and raining, and you're hidden away in a
corner next to the wet fish stall, it can be a different
story! You'll just have to keep on trying!

You'll probably want to turn market trading into a regular
business, but you don't have to do this. Really, it is the
classic business to operate - on a shoestring - as and when
you want.

FINAL SUMMARY

For any type of good "now and then" quick money business,
remember:

Minimum capital
Part time only
No commitment to customers
Often some sort of 'entertainment