Business Opportunities?

needmoney

Being a fit active 61 yr old and retired for 7 yrs I am now at the stage where my savings will run out soon leaving me on a very low income. I will probably get a yes to me application for pension credit in the next few weeks but even that won't make my income any good. I am quite bored apart from looking after graanchildren and feel I would like more to life than this.
So my question is has anyone started/got ideas for an interesting buisiness/succes stories to tell I need some motivation please.

deemy2004

Setup a money saving discussion forum

I mean what would it cost for the first year ? £56 ?
Domain name £6
1 Years hosting with preinstalled scripts £50

cheerfulcat

needmoney wrote:

Being a fit active 61 yr old and retired for 7 yrs I am now at the stage where my savings will run out soon leaving me on a very low income. I will probably get a yes to me application for pension credit in the next few weeks but even that won't make my income any good. I am quite bored apart from looking after graanchildren and feel I would like more to life than this.
So my question is has anyone started/got ideas for an interesting buisiness/succes stories to tell I need some motivation please.

Have you considered setting up a small business buying things and selling them on Ebay? I know several people who do this. One buys things from charity shops and car boot sales for peanuts and sells them for £££ ( she knows what sells ), another buys small trinkets from China ( on Ebay ) and sells them, both on Ebay and at car boot sales. I have attended a few car boot sales and one thing I have noticed is that some people buy a *lot* of books, seemingly indiscriminately ( though they look for condition). I suspect that they are selling these on at a nice profit through Amazon. Worth a try?

HTH

Cheerfulcat

needmoney

Deemy I think you are having a laugh with me be in competition with this site???Cheerfulcat I've never used ebay and wouldn't know how to begin but it seems like a good idea. I have done carboots before but the people are like vultures around the car before you've turned off the engine:D

Thanks to both for replying.

deemy2004

It could be any type of forum in a subject that you know a lot about and are interested in.. As the costs of setting up a forum are very small... somethign to consider ?

needmoney

Sorry Deemy I honestly thought you were pulling my leg. I also didn't realise and still don't know how you would make money from running a forum.

I have been thinking of starting a dating gaency in my area though but then again never got down to the mechanics of it, just let it be one of those passing thoughts.

odannyboy

Had never used e-bay myself a year ago, but i,m currently earning about 50 pound a week doing it in my spare time. I,m selling retro computer games, but just choose something you know about. Ask your grandkids what there into, buy it wholesale and sell it on there!!! Ebay walk you through the selling process.

Its a idea to consider.

needmoney

ohdannyboy I've never tired it but heard people talking about how they have been conned or haven't got paid etc, but good for you for making £50 a week

cheerfulcat

What are you retired from, needmoney? Is it something that you could continue to do now, in a part time way? Are you skilled in something? Could you teach/coach people? Are you good at DIY? And/or flat pack assembly?...is that something you could do? What about gardening jobs, hedgecutting and lawnmowing? Dogwalking? Could you retrain? I know someone who trained as a driving instructor, mid-life, and is doing very well...other people make cards and sell them through small gift shops ( ever watched Create & Craft TV?).

I know what you mean about the vultures at the car boots..you have to tell them to get lost ( nicely ) and carry on. Ebay is definitely worth a look; there are books on how to buy and sell on Ebay ( check the library - if you're interested I'll give you some titles ) and there are many forums on the subject, not least on Ebay itself.

Cheerfulcat

needmoney

LOL Cherful no I can't do most of those things have arthritis in hand now and wouldn't want to go back to what I did. hat I'd really like to do is to have a secondhand shop, not antiques but I spoke to some people yesterday and they have done this for years and said the market is not good for it at the mo because of competition from carboots charities etc.
I had a look at ebay yesterday and then found something I wnated to buy, not the idea but I'll keep thinking thanks again fr your interest.

frugal_dougal_3

How about hiring out your time on a more general basis? A "mature" lady I know of locally is available to assist people who cannot manage to do something for whatever reason.

This can be anything like someone with a new baby needing to get a few hours extra sleep, or someone with a broken arm needing to be driven somewhere.
Obviously the more "life" skills you have, the more flexible you can be.