Start a 'cottage industry'... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

princesspoppypop

Yeah tend to agree with the Dawn Bibby comment :rotfl:

If you look at her stuff on Ebay its selling for peanuts! Id never buy it from QVC!

To send a hamper safely the best way is to use a courier, then this becomes expensive around £10.50. People on Ebay are looking for a bargain or a niche item and arent going to pay the carriage charge.

If you add up the costs of the baskets, wrappings, and contents, then add on your own personal costs- ie time to make, profit, if using Ebay you also have selling fees and final value fee, then selling on the internet isnt really worth it at all. :mad: :mad:

Where I work we often have people coming in selling handmade bits and pieces, last year, there was Fudge( I have a great recipe to make my own) Soap ( some fab fruit and cake shaped soaps but was expensive) Cards ( the woman way over- charges) and jewellery sellers( who also way over-charge for wholesale rubbish you can but for pennies!)

I cant sell my cards at work cos there is a man there who`s wife makes cards for charity due to losing their son from illness and I dont want to step on anyones toes! ( This is in addition to "Mrs Rip Off Cards" who only appears for Valentines Day and Christmas)

I think making one off personal items is much nicer than some mass produced so called handmade rubbish.

Also just wanted to say my Mum got me some lovely card blanks and envelopes in the pound shop. There was twenty in the pack and will make some fab bright party invites etc.

Poppypops :j

Hapless_2

If you buy stuff for cardmaking look up "angel" licensing. what that means is that the company allows their images to be used for profit as long as not more than 100 of the exact same item is produced.

Pink_Fairy_2

princesspoppypop wrote: »

Hi Pink Fairy, I was a member of freecycle and was always being offered craft bits by other freecyclers but didnt ever get any of the stuff I was offered.
I know its nice to be able to offer something in return but I dont always have something to exchange and that isnt really the point of Freecycle.

Poppypops :j

Hi Poppypops

I've never been asked for a "swap" on Freecycle. Maybe our area works differently? I've been quite lucky so far with anything either coming or going. (Just hope that works when I foster two puppies for a Rescue next week!;))

wigglebeena

princesspoppypop wrote: »

Nowadays you can get a handmade card in Primark for £1, people arent really going to pay anymore for cards made at home by small traders. :mad:



Poppypops :j

I regularly pay a fiver (or more) for beautiful handmade cards from the craft shop associated with our local art gallery. Have to say they are really gorgeous and more 'art' than craft, if I say I am looking for frames to hang the ones I have given my OH you will see what I mean. They are things to hang on to and cherish, well worth the extra. Depends how good you are and what outlets you're selling from.

princesspoppypop

wigglebeena wrote: »

I regularly pay a fiver (or more) for beautiful handmade cards from the craft shop associated with our local art gallery. Have to say they are really gorgeous and more 'art' than craft, if I say I am looking for frames to hang the ones I have given my OH you will see what I mean. They are things to hang on to and cherish, well worth the extra. Depends how good you are and what outlets you're selling from.

Im not saying I think these cheapy £1 cards are a good thing. I make my own cards so dont buy them anyway.

What a lovely idea to frame the cards to keep them nice and not just shoved in a drawer :T

princesspoppypop

Pink_Fairy wrote: »

Hi Poppypops

I've never been asked for a "swap" on Freecycle. Maybe our area works differently? I've been quite lucky so far with anything either coming or going. (Just hope that works when I foster two puppies for a Rescue next week!;))

O you are lucky. I put a wanted up on the Freecyle board for material bits, ribbon and wool ( Im wanting to have a go at making bits for the hospital and womens refuge). Anyway a got a reply from a woman who said I have some things you can have, what can you offer me....!

Sallys_Savings

Our local freecyle doesnt work like that either....
I havent heard of people swapping before.

We just put up offered and wanted and thats it and have never been asked for anything in return.
I have however given homemade jam to one lady when I collected a huge batch of empty jam jars and some christmas relish to someone just before christmas...but it was just a small gesture rather than a swap.

MrsTinks

freecycle isn't about swapping - it's about finding a good home to things you no longer have a use for
So the lady asking what you could give her in return was definitely in breach of the freecycle rules
I often offer bits on freecycle that I can't be bothered to E-bay or hasn't sold on there or just aren't practical to sell I've also had some great bits like demi johns and a couple of bags of apples for pies etc!

JCD_Capulet

I don't think 'cottage industry' is the descriptive term I'm looking for here, but I'll be creating and selling my taxidermy products. I've got lots of plans for this year, and as it's my hobby and im still years away from becoming a 'propper' taxidermist, whatever I make and sell will pay for more supplies as well as payments towards bills ect.

I really like this thread, I'll bee keeping an eye out for it
Joanne

princesspoppypop

tine wrote: »

freecycle isn't about swapping - it's about finding a good home to things you no longer have a use for
So the lady asking what you could give her in return was definitely in breach of the freecycle rules
I often offer bits on freecycle that I can't be bothered to E-bay or hasn't sold on there or just aren't practical to sell I've also had some great bits like demi johns and a couple of bags of apples for pies etc!

Thanks everyone. It must just be people in my area that insist on swapping/exchanging! Its a bit rude I think. Like I said in my earlier post I dont always have things I can offer. I give a lot of stuff to charity, such as putting books, old videos and clothes in those bags that come through the door.