Dream of Making/Earning Extra Money or Income

I dream about making extra money all of the time. Some questions I ask myself are, "What can I sell on Craigslist?" "What legitimate websites offer opportunities to earn extra income?" "How can I optimize my website and blogs using the tools Google (and other search engines) offer?"

Using Craigslist was easy but a hit and miss endeavor. It involves testing items to sell. Last Spring when I started my garden I decided I would test selling young, three inch tall sunflower and tomato plants. Once they were to height, I listed them in two separate listings for $2 each. The listing titles simply said, "3" Sunflower Plants", or "3" Tomato Plants".

To my surprise, I sold them all and had to plant more to sell. I concluded young plants generate interest as Spring gets underway; that next Spring I will plant other flowers in addition to the sunflowers and vegetables in addition to the tomatoes. I will also ask $3 for the young seedlings upping the price by $1.

On the other hand, I have listed two solid wood end tables. These I listed at $10 each. The post generated interest but nobody was willing to pay $10 each for solid wood end tables. I'm not willing to go down on price because they're solid wood. That people don't want to pay my asking price leads me to believe people who can afford new furniture don't shop Craigslist.

I have also tested hand painted wine bottles, new teddy bears, Styrofoam(TM), plastic vases, homemade candles, etc. None of the items sold.

The thing about test marketing is this: The success (selling the item) or failure (not selling the item) depends on many factors like the time of year, consumer confidence, if people are able to get out and about to purchase (i.e. is there a virus going around or is there flooding), if what you're selling is desirable. There are more factors to consider but you catch my drift.

But I'm not letting up testing unsold items on Craigslist. I will continue listings those unsold items but I will change the verbiage, pictures, or pricing. Any one of these changes might make a difference as to whether I sell the items or not.

The other two questions I asked myself (see first paragraph) I am still researching. I'm sure to find the answers at some point.

Whatever it Takes

Recently my friend, Lauren, lamented to me that her husband's hours were cut back yet again at the printing plant at which he works. Another of several cut backs for them within the past two years which left them living on yo-yo income.

Shortly after that, Beth, a stay at home mother of one, who lives in Bonner Springs, Kansas, developed excruciating pain down her right arm. The pain left her writhing on the floor and crying one night. The next morning after a sleepless night for her and her husband, they made an emergency appointment with her chiropractor. The chiropractor examined all of the numerous x-rays then told Beth and her husband that Beth developed a compressed disc in her neck; that she was going to have to make regular weekly visits for adjustments if she didn't want to experience the pain.

The news sent Beth into a downward spiral of grief. They have insurance through her husband's work but the deductible is $500 and even then the insurance company pays only twenty percent of the cost of the visit. What was even more upsetting was being behind in their house payments due to the cut back in hours occurring several times over the past two years. Beth felt hopeless and helpless.

I assured her we'd find money for them somewhere. We'd sell collectibles she had inherited through Ebay. I would help her post a garage sale notice on Craigslist which I did but we haven't yet posted her collectibles on Ebay. She had made up her mind that she would take a job waitressing at a family owned restaurant not far from her house in the small town. As well, she managed to get two free visits from the chiropractor when she informed the doctor there was no way she could afford the weekly visits.

Beth made over one hundred dollars from the garage sale and the waitressing job is providing a bit of cash through the tips she makes. She has used her two free chiropractic visits and is nearly pain free. She seems more calm and in control these days despite the phone calls and letters from the mortgage lender.

The two of us agree that sometimes we have to do whatever it takes.

Imperfect Dreams - Lilly illustration by Deborah A. Miller

I told you in an earlier post I enjoy being artistic. My life centers around thinking up creative things to do.

Last week, I took an old cork bulletin board, covered it with left over fabric we used to redo kitchen chairs then hung it behind our kitchen stove. It serves as a back-splash but it also adds color to our otherwise white walls. I took more of the same material and made a small valance for a kitchen window which ties into the back-splash.

I found an outdated calendar with pictures of flowers. I traced these flowers (above) onto the appropriate paper then painted them with acrylic paints. I will use this for a candy wrap or perhaps a candle applique.

In between creating paper face-plate covers, painting pictures, cleaning and caring for animals last week, I also began to experiment in making drink looking candles. They aren't perfect, the top of the chocolate drink candle is concave but who cares? I uploaded the picture to CraigsList and stated in the description that I am not a professional candle maker; I do it for fun. If someone purchases one, two, three or more, that bonus will be added to the fun I had creating them.

In the mean time, I will continue to create and building an inventory of everything I enjoy doing. I foresee a garage sale this summer in which much of the inventory will be priced and hopefully sold.

After all, the more people you show your stuff to the better chance you have of selling. Right?