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

Anglea

RosaThorne wrote: »

Juts wondering, is the impending doom (credit crunch) affecting you all in your crafting sales?
My sales seem to have gone up! The worse the news on redundancies, bank collapses etc, the better my sales - I can't complain really.

But I've planned to get a load of stock together for a bootsale on 1st November and I'm sharing my pitch with my Mum, so only about £3 each. We're also looking into sharing a pitch at the Christmas market, but do either of us need to be a business or at least have insurance for this?
Happy Crafting

How much do you earn a year with sales? This will depend on whether you need to become self employed etc. When you ask about insurance, normally the people who put on the sales have to get insurance - or are you asking about loss of stock?

afterglow_2

im just starting on my craft making, retro string art pictures, which im sure theres a good market for, what with all things retro furniture wise doing so well on ebay and in shops.
also prob going to buy a sewing machine make some cushions, sausage draught excluder, animals, out of old fabrics. but not going to get any of this done until new year so will be mising this years xmas market!! but hopefully will have lots going on before next year!!!

Animagdon

OK I've just managed to get through all 17 pages of this thread in one go and think my brain is going to collapse.....

You've all got some fabulous ideas though and I hope all of your ventures work out for you

I'm in the process of starting up my own little 'cottage industry' doing jams, marmalades, chutneys, etc and I have to admit it has been a bit of a minefield trying to navigate through all of the red tape.

If you keep a level head though (I don't have one so I borrow my mum's ) and just double check things then it's not as complicated as it first looks.

You'll need an inspection from a health and hygeine peep from your local council and you'll also need to get some public liability insurance if you're going to be selling your wares outdoors at markets or craft fayres etc. As I work full time I'm doing this in my evenings and weekends with my partner and the hardest thing I've come up against so far is in relation to taxes....I'll be borrowing my mums head again tonight to go over all of the paperwork!!

However, if you're only doing the jams etc as a one-off at a local car boot sale for example you don't need any of this as you're not deemed as a regular trader.

Don't know about selling online.....it might sound a bit hypocritical but I wouldn't buy anything like homemade jam online from someone I didn't know so I'm not about to put my own creations on the web....unless a supermarket wants to give me a contract and put me on theirs ha ha!! Yeah right, well I can dream.....:rolleyes2

Anyway, good luck to everyone on their ventures and keep the creativeness flowing!!

Jo_F

Done a few craft fairs recently and have just about covered my table fee, sales on the website have dipped dramatically (well ok, they have hit nil, and have been so for about a month)

Have a two day craft fair booked in a fortnight, so got everything pinned on that at the moment, specially seeing as my other half is waiting for his redundancy date and I have just lost my texting job.

MissBrokeandnotfixingit

Hi, I love to bake and made my friend's wedding cake this year. Has anyone any experience of collaborating/ working with local deli's and selling cakes this way? Does anyone know of the best way to go about it and the health and safety side of things?

Thanks

picklepick

hi, i know if you are cooking to sell food made at your own home you need to have a visit from a health and safety office, food standards agency maybe? and get a certificate to say you follow safe practices. not sure about the ins and outs though. i did consider it when i was thinking of making jams and chutneys.

RosaThorne

Anglea wrote: »

How much do you earn a year with sales? This will depend on whether you need to become self employed etc. When you ask about insurance, normally the people who put on the sales have to get insurance - or are you asking about loss of stock?

I only started in August as a hobby, rather than a money-making scheme - But so far, I've made about £300.

The insurance question no longer applies, as neither me, nor my Mum, got our act together to make enough stock in time!!

I'm a bit reluctant to become self-employed in the current market as I'd need to find premises - The landlord has said no to the idea of my running even the smallest of businesses from home - I know in the long-term I could make a nice living from all my little ideas bunched into one business, but it's the start-up costs that stop it from happening, and the costs for the next year.

Debs123

Hi Jenny
Have you tried your local craft shop they run workshops on evrything from jewellery making to card making etc
Debsx

debtmustgo

Hi,
I just wanted to say, i started making hand made cards about 2 years ago, at first i wasn't too happy with the designs then i felt i got it right. It gave me the confidence to try and sell some, anyway, to cut a long story, i got myself a selling agent and was selling on average about 400 cards a week. I was doing well, but my designs at the time were very time-consuming and some nights i was up until 4am bagging and labelling. I will be starting up again in February, i can't wait as i think i have a unique design to produce but just need the time etc (we're moving house then)
If you're passionate about your product and believe in it then get it out there... it worked for me and originally it was a hobby for me..
Good Luck!!

Catwoman_Kent

I'm a very good knitter and have managed my Xmas presents for the price of wool. Thinking of knitting a load of babies/children's clothes, jumpers, hats mitts etc and having a stall at a boot fair in the summer.

I will also be digging over my lawn for veggies and hope to get some chickens for eggs.