Does anyone know of a legitimate way to make money and stay home?

[Raineyrocks]

That said, I do know a legitimate way of making money while staying home. I do it (almost) every day.

What is it?  Can I do it?  I saw the webpage but I don't understand.

But.. but.. that's MY web page! It makes me all kinds of money!

I'm sorry Error, I just never understood how people can make money from having a webpage.  It does look nice and interesting!

[Kat Kanning]

How about I send you the book 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women?  I don't need it anymore.

[error]

I'm sorry Error, I just never understood how people can make money from having a webpage.  It does look nice and interesting!

It's easy. People read my web page. They click ads. I make money.

[SpeedPhreak]

I own an apparel biz & it is good.  We do airbrush, embroidery, sublimation, & are toying w/the idea of doing screen printing.  Although I work w/2 screeners now & get such good prices from them it probably won't be worth it.

You could start at a hobby level w/a screening "kit" for less that $100 I think.  Print your shirts & sell them at flea markets, events, or online.  A single color shirt should cost you less than $2 to make (depends on what you pay for the shirt)& you can sell it for $5+  This way you won't be out a lot of money if it isn't for you.  In my area at least the competition is pretty fierce & we had to really work on our niche (luckily sublimation is great for athletic apparel & we have lots of national organizations in my area).

We also tried a natural candle company.  It hasn't worked out too well... but we really haven't marketed either.  I think it would be really good if we spent the time to do it.  It was less than $100 to get set up too... & if we sold all of what we had the ability to produce at retail it would have been a %300 return.  We still have everything to make them & are going to try again when we have more time.

[mappchik]

I'm sorry Error, I just never understood how people can make money from having a webpage.  It does look nice and interesting!

It's easy. People read my web page. They click ads. I make money.

I was going to ask you about Amazon links... but then I found it. You could make it easier to find. I'd be happy splitting my Amazon shopping between you & FTL. (Just don't pay too much attention to what I order.)

Rainey -

I work from home. Have for almost 10 years, the last 7 years exclusively from home. Cartography & info. graphics for Commercial RE brokers & various travel industry clients. Several of my clients are through my former employers, but I've picked up a few new ones over the last five years.

Most weeks are about 10-15 hours, and wonderful for working around school schedules. These last couple of weeks have been 50-60 hours, with the entire time my kids are in school being spent in a client's office, plus 3-4 hours every night after they go to bed. The check I receive will be great, but it's a strain on the family for a bit.

The eBay merchant route is not so tough, if you stick with a very movable product. Children/infants clothing goes really well. I made several hundred dollars last year while emptying out the rubbermaid tubs of outgrown clothes. Some of the highest earning auctions were gymboree & other pricier items I had picked up at thrift stores for $1 each. If you can catch a bargain at the goodwill/salvation army thrift store or garage sales, you can batch together lots & make a profit. Make one or two days each week your official shipping days, and state it on your auction pages. It'll save you having to run every day for shipping, which is a pain in the neck.

[cathleeninnh]

Somebody explain sublimation to me. It sounds so decadent. Do you have to be over 21? Do I want one?

Cathleen

[Dreepa]

Make one or two days each week your official shipping days, and state it on your auction pages. It'll save you having to run every day for shipping, which is a pain in the neck.

I think now you can buy a scale and a machine and ship from home (although that is more of an investment).

[Dreepa]

Somebody explain sublimation to me. It sounds so decadent. Do you have to be over 21? Do I want one?

Cathleen

I was thinking the exact same thing when you wrote that... I even went here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye_sublimation

at the time you post came up.

[mappchik]

Make one or two days each week your official shipping days, and state it on your auction pages. It'll save you having to run every day for shipping, which is a pain in the neck.

I think now you can buy a scale and a machine and ship from home (although that is more of an investment).

True. The scale & machine can always be added later. Though if you have a scale that's "good enough" you can print paid shipping labels directly from the usps website.

BTW, Rainey, you could consider marketing vintage aprons & linens from the 20s-60s. Wait! No! Don't! I have a weakness, and should not be tempted. (That being said, if you come across any scrumptious aprons at garage sales this spring, I'll likely buy them. I'm partial to the full aprons, and the full skirt coverage half aprons. And washing day aprons with the big pockets. And tablecloths, cloth napkins...)

[SpeedPhreak]

Somebody explain sublimation to me. It sounds so decadent. Do you have to be over 21? Do I want one?

Cathleen

I was thinking the exact same thing when you wrote that... I even went here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye_sublimation

at the time you post came up.

This isn't exactly it... well there is a blurb about it at the bottom.

Using an epson inkjet printer you print your image using special ink & special paper.  You then use a heat press to press that image INto your substrate (tshirt, tile, mug, sign, plate, etc....).  I do only tshirts & am going to do tiles eventually too (I actually found the process because I wanted to buy a large format tile laser).  Under heat & pressure the ink goes from solid to gas skipping the liquid state (sublimation)... & the POLYESTER substrate opens up accepting the colored gas.  Remove the heat & pressure & the substrate "closes" trapping the color inside.  You can't feel it... it actually dyes the shirt forming a (I believe) a chemical bond.  It won't wash out or crack & newer inks resist fade as well.  You get a much higher quality print than heat transfers or screen print & the fabric remains breathable (this is why it is superior for athletic apparel).

The equipment is sensitive however... my printer is broken again & needs a $120 print head & my bulk feed system has an airbubble in it that I can't get out so I need a new one of those (about $80).  The ink is pretty expensive too... as are the polyester shirts (I am currently trying to get my own made for about %80 cheaper than what is currently available, which I plan on reselling).

[Dreepa]

That Speed.. it all makes sense now!

[Raineyrocks]

How about I send you the book 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women?  I don't need it anymore.

Thanks Kat, that sounds great!  I'll pm you my address, thank you so much!

[Raineyrocks]

 .Quote from mappchik: The eBay merchant route is not so tough, if you stick with a very movable product. Children/infants clothing goes really well. I made several hundred dollars last year while emptying out the rubbermaid tubs of outgrown clothes. Some of the highest earning auctions were gymboree & other pricier items I had picked up at thrift stores for $1 each. If you can catch a bargain at the goodwill/salvation army thrift store or garage sales, you can batch together lots & make a profit. Make one or two days each week your official shipping days, and state it on your auction pages. It'll save you having to run every day for shipping, which is a pain in the neck.

Thanks mappchik, I tried going to yard sales in Maryland and selling baby clothes but I didn't make any money at all, I don't know why.  I have a scale and in Maryland the post office was 2 doors down from my house, what a set-up, it was great, if I made money.  Then a wealthy friend of mine gave me all of her expensive plus size clothes and they sold for peanuts, I don't know what I did wrong, alot of the clothes had tags and everything. I still have somethings left over from yard sales for Ebay but don't know if I want to do it again.  If I come across any aprons I'll pick them up for you , I love tag sales!  I think I'm going to read Kat's book and see what's in there.  I really like the idea of writing a book.
I'm not computer literate so I doubt I could do what you do at home.  Thanks you for the ideas!

[Raineyrocks]

I own an apparel biz & it is good.  We do airbrush, embroidery, sublimation, & are toying w/the idea of doing screen printing.  Although I work w/2 screeners now & get such good prices from them it probably won't be worth it.

You could start at a hobby level w/a screening "kit" for less that $100 I think.  Print your shirts & sell them at flea markets, events, or online.  A single color shirt should cost you less than $2 to make (depends on what you pay for the shirt)& you can sell it for $5+  This way you won't be out a lot of money if it isn't for you.  In my area at least the competition is pretty fierce & we had to really work on our niche (luckily sublimation is great for athletic apparel & we have lots of national organizations in my area).

We also tried a natural candle company.  It hasn't worked out too well... but we really haven't marketed either.  I think it would be really good if we spent the time to do it.  It was less than $100 to get set up too... & if we sold all of what we had the ability to produce at retail it would have been a %300 return.  We still have everything to make them & are going to try again when we have more time.

The T-shirt idea isn't bad but I don't want to take Quantrill's idea.    I think I'm going to read Kat's book and see what's in there. What do you think of my book writing idea?  I'm just afraid that the market is so over-flooded with books that mine would just be another book.  Thanks for the info!

[error]

I was going to ask you about Amazon links... but then I found it. You could make it easier to find. I'd be happy splitting my Amazon shopping between you & FTL. (Just don't pay too much attention to what I order.)

Thanks. It's not a big part of my marketing (yet).

All right, who ordered the Neal Boortz book?