Summer's here, and opportunities for quick money
abound. If you're a recent graduate, a teacher or student off
for the summer, or anyone else looking for some quick cash,
summer's a great time to start a business. With a little money,
some hard work, and a lot of entrepreneurial spirit, you can
start turning a profit immediately. And all of these ideas are
things you can still walk away from in September if you want to.
Here are six ways you can be your own boss this
summer:
1. Go where it's hot, and help people keep
cool
There are plenty of public places that don't have snack bars,
and even the convenience store's just not convenient enough.
Bottled water, sports drinks, visors, cheap sunglasses, and
battery-powered fans will sell anywhere there's sun. Try parks,
the beach, baseball practice field, or even a busy street corner
near popular summer destinations.
What you'll need: Transportation, a decent cooler (28
quart or larger), four bags of ice, two cases of bottled water,
two cases of sports drinks, a half-dozen sunglasses, a
half-dozen visors, and a half-dozen battery-powered fans.
Estimated startup cost: Under $100.
Buy the sunglasses, visors, and fans at your
local dollar store for starters.
How much you can make: Even buying at retail prices, you
should be able to charge double or triple your cost, or even
more for the bottled water. At a good location, you should be
able sell out every few hours, which comes out to $15-$30 per
hour.
How to grow: Once you've figured out which products are
moving best, you can order them wholesale at a fraction of the
cost.
Things to watch out for: Check into your local sales tax
requirements. Also, permits may be required at beaches, parks,
and other public areas.2. Lawn and
yard care
People who care for their own yard the rest of the year may not
want to keep up with it in the summer, when it needs to be mowed
every 1-2 weeks (at least where I live). And full-time
professional yard maintenance services want to set up regular
contracts. Offer a low price and don't try to push the ongoing
contracts. Be opportunistic. Drive through neighborhoods looking
for yards that need mowing and leave a flyer. It's hard work,
but decent money if you control your costs.
What you'll need: A heavy-duty self-propelled mower, an
edger/trimmer, blower, hedge clippers, a gas can, and something
to transport them all in.
Estimated startup cost: $1,000 new, $500 used, or you can
rent the equipment you need for about $100 a day to get you
started.
How much you can make: About $25-$40 per yard, on
average. It will take a couple of dollars of gas per yard, and
figure another dollar or so for trimmer line, mower blades, etc.
If you don't have too much travel time, you should be able to do
each yard in less than an hour.
How to grow: Own the equipment. Hire a friend to help.
Offer additional services, such as weeding, planting,
landscaping, etc.
Things to watch out for: Equipment maintenance can eat up
all your profits very quickly. Keep it well-oiled, clean, and
sharp. Also, don't chintz on the equipment. The right equipment
will allow you to work twice as fast. The wrong equipment will
make some yards impossible.
3. House sitting and pet sitting
Summer is family vacation time, and someone has to watch the
pets and take the mail and newspaper in when everybody leaves
for a week or two. If you can target your marketing to families,
that will be most effective.
What you'll need: Flyers and a couple of classifieds in
your local papers, insurance, transportation.
Estimated startup cost: $200-$300
How much you can make: The going rates on pet sitting and
house sitting range from $5 to $15 per visit, depending on the
number and type of pets, frequency of visit, and expectations
(long walks, etc.).
How to grow: Offer additional services such as house
cleaning and pet grooming that can be done while you're there.
Things to watch out for: Trust is everything in this
business. Be prepared to provide personal references. Network
with everyone you know to let them know you're looking for this
kind of work. Referrals will be your best lead source. |
