Earning extra?

Minky2Slice

Hey there,

Just thought I might start doing some extra stuff to earn some more cash.
As I work overtime almost every day and I travel for almost an hour to get home, I dont have much extra time during the week to fit much of anything in.

I thought about starting to do some ironing for people... as someone suggested in another thread, charge per bin bag... now I quite like ironing so it wouldn't really bother me too much, thinking more into it, i could even pick up and collect, might be easier if i advertise for people living in my neighborhood...does anyone think there is a market for this and then again, how much would you pay to have a bin bag of clothes ironed by someone else???

illmonkey

i would say theres money in it. Theres quite a few people supporting themselves on it around where i live.

Best thing to do is find out if there are any others, if so, ask how much they charge then match it. If there arnt any others...im sure someone else here can help.

Maybe put the word out by putting flyers through letter boxes down your street and a few others.

Cariad_3

I would say, try it. Lots of people I know have their ironing done for them- just make sure you don't smoke or iron in a smokey atmosphere as the clothes soak up the smell!
If you have any business parks or private gyms nearby, possibly advertise there too, as your customers are more likely to be full time working people.
Good luck!

Minky2Slice

Sounds promising, dont have any businesses or gyms or the likes near my house, but we'll be moving soon, so this might change for the better! In the meantime i will do the advertising trough the letterboxes... easier for me to pick-up and deliver if its in my own steet i think...especially if i want to get it all done and delivered back within 24 hrs...lucky i dont smoke, so that wont be causing a problem for me...now i just need to find out how much to charge, I personally dont know anyone that gets their ironing done for them, might be worth checking out the local newspaper if anyone's advertised in there, ring them up and *sneaky sneaky* ask how much they are charging, just to give me a rough idea of where to start???

Dora_the_Explorer_5

:snow_laug :snow_laug It's not sneaky - it's market research! Ask them to send you a price list.
If you offer to iron a bin bag full for a set price you'll get loads of customers who'll stuff them as full as they can. Around here the charges are per item - shirts/blouses take longer to iron than t-shirts so the item price reflects this.
Good luck.

dora37

I have it done and I think it is worth it's weight in gold!

I started using the service earlier in the year, as I had a frozen shoulder and subsequently an op to rectify it, so found it very difficult ironing for a family of 5 - I am now quite capable, however have got out of the habit of doing it and don't miss it one bit, and would say to anybody who can afford it, and has better things to do, to go for it!!

I live in the North West, a man from the Ironing service collects the items on a Tuesday morning and delivers them back on Wednesday tea time (obviously that will differ) - at this point we pay him by cheque.

I am charged £14 for 30 items. Everything is classed a single item apart from single duvets/sheets are classed as 2 items and double duvets/sheets are classed as 4 items.

I fold the items and put them in a bin bag with hangers - they then come back hung up and folded, depending on the items.

Hope that helps. :xmassmile

Minky2Slice

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

If you offer to iron a bin bag full for a set price you'll get loads of customers who'll stuff them as full as they can. Around here the charges are per item - shirts/blouses take longer to iron than t-shirts so the item price reflects this.
Good luck.

Good thinking there! might be worth making up a price list per item then, or at least say for example X amount for X items of clothing...
suppose you have to ask your customers to throw any hangers in the bag for anything needing hanging up afterwards...
anyone got more info eg just exactly how much have you been charged per item? sorry, i know this sounds desperate, but honestly have no idea when it comes to the going rate for this!?!

Dont think anyone around my neighborhood offers a similar service, as no-one has ever offered to do my ironing for me!!

Minky2Slice

dora37 wrote:

I live in the North West, a man from the Ironing service collects the items on a Tuesday morning and delivers them back on Wednesday tea time (obviously that will differ) - at this point we pay him by cheque.

I am charged £14 for 30 items.



:rudolf: £14 for 30 items huh? so roughly it works out at slightly less than 50p per single item - does that sound correct?
Do you expect an invoice for this service and do you pay on delivery??
thanks for all the help so far...

Will have a go at creating some flyers now, not exactly the creative type!

P.S. Is it useful advertising pricelists on flyers, or do i leave the pricing for people to ring and enquire about???

dora37

Minky2Slice wrote:

dora37 wrote:

I live in the North West, a man from the Ironing service collects the items on a Tuesday morning and delivers them back on Wednesday tea time (obviously that will differ) - at this point we pay him by cheque.

I am charged £14 for 30 items.



:rudolf: £14 for 30 items huh? so roughly it works out at slightly less than 50p per single item - does that sound correct?
Do you expect an invoice for this service and do you pay on delivery??
thanks for all the help so far...

Will have a go at creating some flyers now, not exactly the creative type!

P.S. Is it useful advertising pricelists on flyers, or do i leave the pricing for people to ring and enquire about???

I don't get an invoice, I pay by cheque on return of the items.

Personally I would say keep the pricing simple, as week to week items can vary, and I certainly wouldn't like to have a large bill one week if I had a lot of shirts/blouses compared to the next or have to sort through the clothes, according to their worth!

Using the people that I do, I know that the price is going to be the same each week.

As the aim of the service is to make life easier for people - don't make it too complicated!

larmy16

I do ironing for two people. I am not very professional so its a bit relaxed. I get a bag of one of those checked type bags you get for a pound off the market, sometimes it is crammed to the brim (they give me £20.00), sometimes it is nearly 1/2 full and does not take long atall - I get £15.00 per bag generally. I agree with the other poster regarding the bin bag, you can get a mountain of stuff in one of them. Years ago they were charging £1.00 a shirt, so I don't know what it is now. I think you should get an ironing service details on this.

My other one, I go to the ladies house to do and get £8.00 per hour. She is lovely. Sets me up in her dining room, infront of the TV - get to see/listen to Doctors and Jessica Lansbury Murder she wrote. I do all her hubby's shirts - he works in the city. They are quite arduous, being of top quality generally 100% cotton, and have generally been tumble dried and left in the drier so are very creased!! - it is hard work, but she is very grateful and that makes all the difference

I enjoy ironing for other people for money!!

Jodun

I picked up a flyer in our local shop a few weeks ago, items were individually priced...

Adults
shirts £1
tops & t-shirts 70p
jeans & trousers £1.20
other 60p

Children
0-3 yrs 25p
4yrs + 50p

Hope This helps.