Challenge tru's house

tru

I've decided that the things in my house need to pay their way, so I need to pick your brains It MUST be OS because of our Five Year Plan and being as self-sufficient as poss

I've been looking at our house as a business (from a cashflow point of view), the aim is profit, ie. savings - whether that profit is actually money or virtual. I hope this is making sense - it's very clear in my head, I just can't get the words out properly

First, the PC and internet - I know this isn't OS but I need it for my business, which I consider OS (handmade crafts). My internet and website costs are more than covered (YAY) by my business, so it's effectively free.

Second, the garden - pays it's way by producing fruit and veg so I don't have to buy them.

Third, ermmmmm well, this is where you lot come in - I need more ideas

Seakay

Um, well having somewhere to sleep and eat saves on hotel and restaurant costs - I'm not sure that I'v got the hang of what you're after here!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i know where you are coming from about the house earning its way so to speak.....

the room where you do your 'crafting' is making you money.... so paying its way..

garden.. as you say paying its way..by producing fruit and veg..

your outside walls.... could pay their way in the way of hanging baskets... but grow tumbling toms ..herbs etc.....

your kitchen can save you money... not only baking for yourself... but also baking/ picking.. etc.. use these as gifts/ presents..... you could also try doing the dough craft stuff... and sell.....


if you have a shed or out building..... you can use this to store alu.... cans that you use or find on your travels..... and then cash them in ..once or twice a year...... not much money...but at the end of the day it is money.....

oh ye if you have a fish tank up and running.. you could allways breed guppies..... mollies etc ..( easy live bearing fish... to breed ) and sell these either to a pet shop or in the freeads etc...

cant think of anything else at mo... but will come back if i do.....

it will be interesting to see what other people's ideas are......

meanmarie

Do you have hens or the space for them?

I understand that it is quite a viable option to breed rabbits for the pot...yours and others, but not sure if they are easier to confine than the wild ones, which I have given up trying to keep OUT of my garden.

Congratulations on the thought and to COOLTRIKERCHICK on all the ideas!

Marie

balmaiden

Really interested in this one.

Since enforced early retirement for me I have looked at my house as being a source of income. Garden supplies fruit and veg and next year will sell surplus at garden gate. We rented house out for the summer for holiday lets. Keep looking at our large garage and wondering how the heck I could earn money from it.

tru are you in an area where you could rent your garage out or could someone pay you to park in your drive while they are at work ?

Both things that I have looked at but not really needed where I live.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

with the chicken theory of making extra money... to be honest be there done it got the t.shirt.....

you need to have quite a large flock.... with quite a bit of land for it to be financially viable....

i have only a few chickens now.. but this is is only to know where my eggs have come from, and the freshness.....

whatatwit

Do you have room for a lodger...I know that Hester's tales are a bit off putting, but, and I'm pretty sure this still applies....there is a tax free amount that you are allowed under the 'rent a room' scheme. As long as the room/rroms is part of your house.

I'm sure there would be more info on google if this is of interest.

Gingham_Ribbon

Good idea, tru. Let me think

Our breadmaker pays its way because we save on the cost of bread and we can have cheap meals using bread as a base for pennies any time we want.

SOME of our books pay their way because they're interesting, informative or fun. SOME don't so they should go to free us from clutter which costs us in time and emotional energy.

PC pays its way because DH needs it for his business and I use it to save money eg using this site. Keeps me busy on the evenings he's working too.

Microwave DIDN'T pay its way as we only used it for defrosting bread so when it broke we didn't replace it.

Cardmaking/scrapbooking stuff pay for themselves because it gives me a hobby, allows me to make presents and I don't have to buy cards.

Clearing some space in the cellar will eventually pay for itself as I am storing jars to make chutneys/jams etc.

Spare patch of dirt in garden pays for itself becasue I don't need to buy cat litter. :rolleyes:

Ummm, cot pays for itself because I have somewhere to dump the laundry. :rolleyes: One of these days I'll manage to get the baby to actually sleep there instead of with me.

D&DD

ooh this is going to be interesting :T I love 'the good life' sort of things have you had a look round www.downsizer.net or the river cottage forum for ideas?? My dream life would be total selfsufficiency but have not got the knowledge of livestock (or the space for them :eek: ) to realise my dreams.. I'm ok on cramming the most veggies into a tiny space *also known as my back garden* :rotfl: if you need any pointers.Can't wait to see how this develops :T

Hardup_Hester

Hi Tru
Don't let my lodger horror stories put you off letting a room out. I'm in a particular situation where I don't live in a very convenient area, so all my lodgers are associated with where I work. If I had unconnected lodgers I would sort the situation out quick enough. Also my list of house rules is changing as problems develop. The problem with her hogging my pc is because the pc she was promised at school isn't internet enabled, which she was promised.

ceridwen

Don't suppose you have a suitable house for renting out so to say to film crews/tv companies searching for locations to make films/tv programmes in - well-paid as I understand it.

No use me looking at mine for that - one tiny little house crammed full of stuff I must get round to dejunking sometime:rotfl: