Best Money Making Ideas

Safer Mailboxes for Everyone

The greatest majority of people own their own mailboxes. Introduce people to the option of owning a wonderful brick mailbox. Besides there sheer beauty, they are safer and last longer than typical boxes. Offer this service to potential customers who may have worn out, or just boring old mailboxes.

Brick mailboxes are wonderful. They are safer, last longer. Offer this service to potential customers who have worn out mailboxes. Get yours done by a bricklayer, and take before and after photo™s to show to your clients. Take photos of nice, brick mailboxes around your neighborhood to show your customers what you can offer them. When you get some jobs, you can take before and after photos of their mailboxes. Since this is a one-time deal, you could also offer a repainting service to your customers.

Get your mailbox replaced by a bricklayer and then take a before-and-after photo to show to your future clients. Take photos of attractive brick mailboxes around your neighborhood to show your future customers what you can offer them. When you get new jobs, be sure to take before-and-after photos of their mailboxes.

Since this is a one-time service, you could also offer a cleaning and repainting service to your customers after a few years. Also, offer a small discount for those that would let you display a small sign near their new mailbox for a short time, to inform passers-by of your business.

If you were able to build these designer mailboxes yourself, it would be even more profitable for you. If not, find a reputable skilled bricklayer that would like working for you, or with you. It never hurts to learn a new trade from a professional!

You may also need to research the local and state code requirements for the different areas you plan to sell in. Make sure that you build your mailboxes according to the code requirements, especially in areas that may require frequent snow plowing.

The more types and styles you offer to your customers the better. Offering various safety features are also desirable options for many different types of customers. Be sure to offer as many features as possible.

You can surf the internet for lots of different designs of brick and stone mailboxes also, so spend time looking for as many different kinds as you can. The more you find the more options you will be able to duplicate and offer your customers.

Offering a product used by the majority of most people is always a good decision. You should be able to stay busy for many years to come in this business. Be prepared to have competition follow, so always offer new and exciting ideas. Always use before-and-after pictures too, to prove the fine work that you offer and to ease the householders trust in your business.

Helpful Resources:

http://www.brickmailboxes.com/

http://www.qualitymailboxes.com/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/10888/brick_mailboxes_offer_protection_against.html?cat=6

Put Your Green Thumb to Work

Are you one of those gifted folks who can grow anything? Do you enjoy designing gardens and flowerbeds? Wouldn’t it be great to earn a living sketching out your ideas and spending days planting? Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business.

Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business. You can work your dream job and decide your hours. All you need is a basic knowledge of plants and a liking for the great outdoors. A good sense of visual design doesn’t hurt either.

Begin by taking photos of any landscaping projects you have worked on, even if it is in your own backyard. If you don’t have any examples, consider doing a small flower bed or two for your portfolio. Use the best photo to make flyers and ads to run in the local papers.

When looking for work and dropping off flyers, keep your mind open. Don’t just hit homes, anywhere that has a patch of dirt is a potential client. This includes hospitals, grocery stores, schools, etc. The possibilities are endless.

In order to suggest design ideas, you need to know what grows best in your area and what is available. Visit the local nurseries to find out and make notes on prices so you can quote your clients for projects without extensive research. You should also know how much space each plant needs when it is fully grown and what plants make good temporary fillers until shrubs and such are mature. The best way to keep this knowledge on hand (unless you happen to be a memorizing prodigy) is to buy a complete plant book for your area.

Another necessity is a vehicle that you can dirty up. A pickup is ideal, but any car that can carry small trees, shrubs and such is fine. Buy a tarp to lay down if you don’t want soil everywhere.

You will need some basic tools, which as a gardener, you probably already have. Spades, trowels, a wheelbarrow, rake, etc. You will be providing these items, not your client, so make sure you have the basics.

When quoting a project, remember to factor in all costs, such as soil, fertilizer, and transport as well as labor and plants. Discuss your plans thoroughly with the client ahead of time. Once you have the whole yard dug up, it isn’t nice to have someone start changing their minds on where the path should go.

If you feel capable, you could expand your landscaping to include paths, gazebos, and irrigation systems. If not, let your client know that these options will require hiring experts and add that price to your quote.

Landscaping is a great outside job and you will have a certain amount of freedom both in design and in hours. If you have teen children, it can be a great family business as well and it will bring in further long-term work as you return to replant and maintain the gardens you design.

Helpful Resources:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1255.html

http://www.landscapehints.com/

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf355254.tip.html

http://www.411homerepair.com/do-it-yourself/garden-landscaping/index.php

Put Your Green Thumb to Work

Are you one of those gifted folks who can grow anything? Do you enjoy designing gardens and flowerbeds? Wouldn’t it be great to earn a living sketching out your ideas and spending days planting? Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business.

Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business. You can work your dream job and decide your hours. All you need is a basic knowledge of plants and a liking for the great outdoors. A good sense of visual design doesn’t hurt either.

Begin by taking photos of any landscaping projects you have worked on, even if it is in your own backyard. If you don’t have any examples, consider doing a small flower bed or two for your portfolio. Use the best photo to make flyers and ads to run in the local papers.

When looking for work and dropping off flyers, keep your mind open. Don’t just hit homes, anywhere that has a patch of dirt is a potential client. This includes hospitals, grocery stores, schools, etc. The possibilities are endless.

In order to suggest design ideas, you need to know what grows best in your area and what is available. Visit the local nurseries to find out and make notes on prices so you can quote your clients for projects without extensive research. You should also know how much space each plant needs when it is fully grown and what plants make good temporary fillers until shrubs and such are mature. The best way to keep this knowledge on hand (unless you happen to be a memorizing prodigy) is to buy a complete plant book for your area.

Another necessity is a vehicle that you can dirty up. A pickup is ideal, but any car that can carry small trees, shrubs and such is fine. Buy a tarp to lay down if you don’t want soil everywhere.

You will need some basic tools, which as a gardener, you probably already have. Spades, trowels, a wheelbarrow, rake, etc. You will be providing these items, not your client, so make sure you have the basics.

When quoting a project, remember to factor in all costs, such as soil, fertilizer, and transport as well as labor and plants. Discuss your plans thoroughly with the client ahead of time. Once you have the whole yard dug up, it isn’t nice to have someone start changing their minds on where the path should go.

If you feel capable, you could expand your landscaping to include paths, gazebos, and irrigation systems. If not, let your client know that these options will require hiring experts and add that price to your quote.

Landscaping is a great outside job and you will have a certain amount of freedom both in design and in hours. If you have teen children, it can be a great family business as well and it will bring in further long-term work as you return to replant and maintain the gardens you design.

Helpful Resources:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1255.html

http://www.landscapehints.com/

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf355254.tip.html

http://www.411homerepair.com/do-it-yourself/garden-landscaping/index.php

Put Your Green Thumb to Work

Are you one of those gifted folks who can grow anything? Do you enjoy designing gardens and flowerbeds? Wouldn’t it be great to earn a living sketching out your ideas and spending days planting? Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business.

Well, you can do it by starting a landscaping business. You can work your dream job and decide your hours. All you need is a basic knowledge of plants and a liking for the great outdoors. A good sense of visual design doesn’t hurt either.

Begin by taking photos of any landscaping projects you have worked on, even if it is in your own backyard. If you don’t have any examples, consider doing a small flower bed or two for your portfolio. Use the best photo to make flyers and ads to run in the local papers.

When looking for work and dropping off flyers, keep your mind open. Don’t just hit homes, anywhere that has a patch of dirt is a potential client. This includes hospitals, grocery stores, schools, etc. The possibilities are endless.

In order to suggest design ideas, you need to know what grows best in your area and what is available. Visit the local nurseries to find out and make notes on prices so you can quote your clients for projects without extensive research. You should also know how much space each plant needs when it is fully grown and what plants make good temporary fillers until shrubs and such are mature. The best way to keep this knowledge on hand (unless you happen to be a memorizing prodigy) is to buy a complete plant book for your area.

Another necessity is a vehicle that you can dirty up. A pickup is ideal, but any car that can carry small trees, shrubs and such is fine. Buy a tarp to lay down if you don’t want soil everywhere.

You will need some basic tools, which as a gardener, you probably already have. Spades, trowels, a wheelbarrow, rake, etc. You will be providing these items, not your client, so make sure you have the basics.

When quoting a project, remember to factor in all costs, such as soil, fertilizer, and transport as well as labor and plants. Discuss your plans thoroughly with the client ahead of time. Once you have the whole yard dug up, it isn’t nice to have someone start changing their minds on where the path should go.

If you feel capable, you could expand your landscaping to include paths, gazebos, and irrigation systems. If not, let your client know that these options will require hiring experts and add that price to your quote.

Landscaping is a great outside job and you will have a certain amount of freedom both in design and in hours. If you have teen children, it can be a great family business as well and it will bring in further long-term work as you return to replant and maintain the gardens you design.

Helpful Resources:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1255.html

http://www.landscapehints.com/

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf355254.tip.html

http://www.411homerepair.com/do-it-yourself/garden-landscaping/index.php

Strip for Cash

Stripping just isn’t what it used to be-stripping wallpaper, that is! Today, it’s easier than ever, but it’s still a hassle. After all, who wants to spend their free time, a beautiful Saturday afternoon, stuck indoors stripping wallpaper?

A business that offers a stripping of wallpaper service is going to appeal to busy homeowners who, after a long week of work, don’t want to face the task themselves. Why not do it for them?

If you are scratching your head, thinking, “I’ve never stripped wallpaper before, so what do I do? It’s simple. Let™s take a look at some great tips for stripping wallpaper:

Step One. The first thing you want to do is strip the wallpaper’s outermost layer. This is generally a thin layer of paper or vinyl coating.

Step Two. Once you have finished stripping the outer layer, you are going to create a solution to make stripping the next layer much easier. You will need a bucket of water, a sponge, and dishwashing detergent.

Simply add a small amount of dishwashing detergent into the bucket of water. Soak the sponge with water and run the sponge over the wallpaper. Allow the water to sit for 10 minutes. (If the wallpaper starts to dry, soak again.) **Hint** you will find the more you soak the wallpaper, the easier it is to strip the wallpaper.

Note-instead of a sponge, you may opt for using a spray bottle (this will probably be faster.) Either works well and it depends on your preference.

If you find the water and detergent isn’t effective, then you’ll want to spill it out. Instead, fill your bucket or spray bottle with ˜half water and half white vinegar™. If this still doesn’t work, it’s time for a visit to your local home improvement store. Ask a salesperson for a recommendation or try ˜Safe and Simple™ or ˜Dif™.

Step Three. Now that the wallpaper has had a chance to soak, it should be much easier to strip. Take the putty knife or another flat tool and start to strip the wallpaper. If the wall is going to be painted, make sure you remove all of the glue. You can test to make sure the glue is off by wetting the wall and running your hand over it. If an area feels slimy, you have some glue you still need to get off. This time, you want to put a gallon of water into your bucket then add two tablespoons of liquid fabric softener.

Step Four. After you have removed all the wallpaper and glue, you need to thoroughly wash the walls.

Step Five. The walls are ready to paint!

Simple, isn’t it? As you can see, you will have very little startup costs. All you really need is a bucket or spray bottle, dishwashing detergent, white vinegar (just in case), a tool for scraping, and you are set. Now all you need are some clients. Follow the normal marketing routes to find clients: classified ads, flyers and word-of-mouth.

On a final note, consider combining your wallpaper stripping service to include painting. After all, you will be stripping the walls, so why not make some extra cash painting them?

Helpful Resources:

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/welcomeback.aspx?xnav=welcome

Strip for Cash

Stripping just isn’t what it used to be-stripping wallpaper, that is! Today, it’s easier than ever, but it’s still a hassle. After all, who wants to spend their free time, a beautiful Saturday afternoon, stuck indoors stripping wallpaper?

A business that offers a stripping of wallpaper service is going to appeal to busy homeowners who, after a long week of work, don’t want to face the task themselves. Why not do it for them?

If you are scratching your head, thinking, “I’ve never stripped wallpaper before, so what do I do?” It’s simple. Let’s take a look at some great tips for stripping wallpaper:

Step One. The first thing you want to do is strip the wallpaper’s outermost layer. This is generally a thin layer of paper or vinyl coating.

Step Two. Once you have finished stripping the outer layer, you are going to create a solution to make stripping the next layer much easier. You will need a bucket of water, a sponge, and dishwashing detergent.

Simply add a small amount of dishwashing detergent into the bucket of water. Soak the sponge with water and run the sponge over the wallpaper. Allow the water to sit for 10 minutes. (If the wallpaper starts to dry, soak again.) **Hint** you will find the more you soak the wallpaper, the easier it is to strip the wallpaper.

Note-instead of a sponge, you may opt for using a spray bottle (this will probably be faster.) Either works well and it depends on your preference.

If you find the water and detergent isn’t effective, then you’ll want to spill it out. Instead, fill your bucket or spray bottle with ‘half water and half white vinegar’. If this still doesn’t work, it’s time for a visit to your local home improvement store. Ask a salesperson for a recommendation or try ‘Safe and Simple’ or ‘Dif’.

Step Three. Now that the wallpaper has had a chance to soak, it should be much easier to strip. Take the putty knife or another flat tool and start to strip the wallpaper. If the wall is going to be painted, make sure you remove all of the glue. You can test to make sure the glue is off by wetting the wall and running your hand over it. If an area feels slimy, you have some glue you still need to get off. This time, you want to put a gallon of water into your bucket then add two tablespoons of liquid fabric softener.

Step Four. After you have removed all the wallpaper and glue, you need to thoroughly wash the walls.

Step Five. The walls are ready to paint!

Simple, isn’t it? As you can see, you will have very little startup costs. All you really need is a bucket or spray bottle, dishwashing detergent, white vinegar (just in case), a tool for scraping, and you are set. Now all you need are some clients. Follow the normal marketing routes to find clients: classified ads, flyers and word-of-mouth.

On a final note, consider combining your wallpaper stripping service to include painting. After all, you will be stripping the walls, so why not make some extra cash painting them?

Helpful Resources:

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/welcomeback.aspx?xnav=welcome

Strip for Cash

Stripping just isn’t what it used to be-stripping wallpaper, that is! Today, it’s easier than ever, but it’s still a hassle. After all, who wants to spend their free time, a beautiful Saturday afternoon, stuck indoors stripping wallpaper?

A business that offers a stripping of wallpaper service is going to appeal to busy homeowners who, after a long week of work, don’t want to face the task themselves. Why not do it for them?

If you are scratching your head, thinking, “I’ve never stripped wallpaper before, so what do I do?” It’s simple. Let’s take a look at some great tips for stripping wallpaper:

Step One. The first thing you want to do is strip the wallpaper’s outermost layer. This is generally a thin layer of paper or vinyl coating.

Step Two. Once you have finished stripping the outer layer, you are going to create a solution to make stripping the next layer much easier. You will need a bucket of water, a sponge, and dishwashing detergent.

Simply add a small amount of dishwashing detergent into the bucket of water. Soak the sponge with water and run the sponge over the wallpaper. Allow the water to sit for 10 minutes. (If the wallpaper starts to dry, soak again.) **Hint** you will find the more you soak the wallpaper, the easier it is to strip the wallpaper.

Note-instead of a sponge, you may opt for using a spray bottle (this will probably be faster.) Either works well and it depends on your preference.

If you find the water and detergent isn’t effective, then you’ll want to spill it out. Instead, fill your bucket or spray bottle with ‘half water and half white vinegar’. If this still doesn’t work, it’s time for a visit to your local home improvement store. Ask a salesperson for a recommendation or try ‘Safe and Simple’ or ‘Dif’.

Step Three. Now that the wallpaper has had a chance to soak, it should be much easier to strip. Take the putty knife or another flat tool and start to strip the wallpaper. If the wall is going to be painted, make sure you remove all of the glue. You can test to make sure the glue is off by wetting the wall and running your hand over it. If an area feels slimy, you have some glue you still need to get off. This time, you want to put a gallon of water into your bucket then add two tablespoons of liquid fabric softener.

Step Four. After you have removed all the wallpaper and glue, you need to thoroughly wash the walls.

Step Five. The walls are ready to paint!

Simple, isn’t it? As you can see, you will have very little startup costs. All you really need is a bucket or spray bottle, dishwashing detergent, white vinegar (just in case), a tool for scraping, and you are set. Now all you need are some clients. Follow the normal marketing routes to find clients: classified ads, flyers and word-of-mouth.

On a final note, consider combining your wallpaper stripping service to include painting. After all, you will be stripping the walls, so why not make some extra cash painting them?

Helpful Resources:

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/welcomeback.aspx?xnav=welcome

Screen Supplies and Installation

One thing that makes our homes cozy is that we do not have to worry about small animals and insects getting into our homes all of the time. That is because we have screens in our windows and on our doors. The problem is that these screens can be fragile and break, rip, or are somehow damaged and need replacing. Most people do not want to do these needed repairs themselves, so offer a service where you install/replace their screens for them. You could charge about $50 per screen.

If you have ever had a screen with a bitty little hole in it, you know that some how the hole seems to grow daily into a huge hole that lets every bug outside in. Trying to patch these holes before they get bigger doesn’t work very well. It usually pays to just replace the whole screen, but it can be a big job for someone not familiar with how to accomplish the task.

If this is a skill you are comfortable with and would like to look into doing for money, this could be the ‘business idea’ for you! All year round, our homes need their screens, we use them more when weather is warm, but that doesn’t mean that the holes start during warm weather. Offer to inspect people’s screens for free, or for a small amount of money if the inspection involves a lot of time. Explain that your business can replace or repair screens if needed and you will inspect and let the homeowner know if they may need to give some attention to any of their screens.

You will need to have a good business card and/or an informational brochure printed up to offer to your future customers. Make sure that it explains what your basic costs are for your services and if a certification or business license is required to offer your service, be sure to inform them of your credentials.

This would also be an excellent service to make all of your local reality offices aware of too. When agents go out to look at homes that will soon be offered for sale, often times these are the types of repairs needed in order to place a home on the market. You may find yourself working for realtors so often that you won’t need to advertise in any other way for new business.

It is always a good idea while you are in a neighborhood to place a sign on the front of a house while you are working on it explaining what company you are and phone numbers that neighbors can call if they also would like to use your services. If you need more business, it won’t hurt to visit the neighbors either after you have finished a home and offer to look at their screens while you are there.

Most people do not want to do these needed repairs themselves, so offer a service where you install/replace their screens for them. You could charge about $50 per screen. This is up to you and your area, and how many screens on a home that need repairs. Check your area, find out the cost of the supplies required, decide about how long it will take you to accomplish the installations or repairs and give your customers an estimate of what it will cost them. It is always a good idea to try to offer a small discount for large jobs requiring a lot of work. However, you should learn quickly what people are willing to pay, or are able to pay.

Another thought would be to offer discounts for the aged and infirm too. You may not make as much money with these projects, but the advertising is worth the effort most of the time. When others see your work in their area, they will trust you much more than a complete stranger.

Helpful Resources:

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/doors/screenreplace/scrnrepl.html

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Repair/RepScrn.html

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2workwithscreens

Make Big Money Installing Custom Putting Greens

Golf is a big game. With big names in the sport over the years making names for themselves, everyone wants to play. It’s a game of skill, demanding that the player uses the right club, and hits the ball correctly, depending on variable conditions such as the weather, the landscape and what deal he is trying to break.

The moneymen and women of America play golf weekly, some even daily and the golf course has been for many years an extension of the boardroom. For those new executives who don’t play golf, however, there’s a lot of practice to be put in to the ‘putting’.

Advances in technology however have provided the golf training aid market with the ultimate in affordable semi-portable synthetic putting greens. This is one of the fastest growing segments of the golf industry - a $5.9 Billion industry. Although in the past sand-filled polypropylene greens have been used, they are difficult and costly to install. Hi-tech greens are made from nylon, which has the advantage of “memory”. The fibers of this synthetic grass will “remember” where they were before being swept at or trodden on. Maintenance is minimal with the nylon putting green.

Different sized greens naturally command different prices; these are tailored for the buyers available space and budget. Starting price is around $300, and suppliers of putting greens have opportunities for dealers and installers across the country. For instance the ‘All Pro Putting Greens’ suggest that a daily net income of $400-$1,000 PER DAY is possible simply by selling and installing their kits. You can visit their site at the link above to register with them. Meanwhile, if you are more interested in investing in a distribution deal, visit Synthetic Turf International whose Distributorship investments begin at $7500. This company will supply you with a wealth of promotional material and demonstration equipment, as well as potential customers in your area.

Remember, this is a market teeming with money. Taking advantage of the greens simple installation procedure will increase your income in this field. Simply describing the greens as “requiring installation” will encourage your buyers to pay you extra to install them. Your Middle American customer base wants to improve their golf and meet their colleagues and superiors on the golf course - and need this product to get them there.

Installation isn’t by any means complicated. However if the user has a garden installation in mind, some rudimentary garden landscaping knowledge will be necessary. However, it should not be too difficult to hire someone with this knowledge to work with you until you are comfortable installing the greens single-handed.

It is an exciting opportunity - now is the time to get involved and profit. Remember to research your market and your product before committing, however, and learn about the game to enable you to engage with your customers. If they see that you know the game, they will be more likely to buy from you than from a competitor.

Resources:

http://www.residential-putting-green-magazine.com/

http://www.allprogreens.com/greeninfo-qanda.htm

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/os_sports/article/0,2033,DIY_14151_2271197,00.html