Ideas for adding a few hundred $ in your pocket.

[freemotion]

Sounds like you need to raise your price a little....especially if it takes two people several hours....divide those hours by $38 and that is your hourly wage.....So 1.5-2 hours x 2 people should be the limit to build a stand at that price, including some time to get the supplies.

If you made, say, 5 at once using your $50 from the first one plus a few bucks, you could assembly-line them and get the per unit time down quite a bit. Then you could probably offer them for, say, $75 and make some nice cash. Then offer to do a partial trade to anyone who tries to talk your price down. Tell them you need $50 cash minimum but you will consider trading for $25 worth of......canning jars? Garden tools? Barn cleaning? Garden spading? But the trade comes first, before the stand leaves, or you will never see the trade. Learned this lesson in my early 20's.

 

[deb4o]

Thanks for the advice Free,we are making about 9.00 an hr,not to bad.
The market in this valley won't stand for much more per stand and at this price we are moving them.
We enjoy the work and being together,and have a few orders to fill,so I think in this case we will just keep doing what we are doing.

 

[Wannabefree]

we just built one a couple weeks ago for $75 and sold it quick. No money out in materials.

 

[savingdogs]

WBfree, where did you get the free materials?

 

[Wannabefree]

WBfree, where did you get the free materials?

Leftovers from the goat shed we just built a little while back. We still have a LOT left! We could do probably 5 more stanchions easily without buying the first twig of new lumber.

 

[deb4o]

the one we built for my own use was out of leftover lumber from another project,so it was all profit.
The price of lumber around here is pretty high,so we re-use all we can.
A sheet or plywood will make the base for 3 stands, we use recycled 4x4s for the legs,and it takes a couple of 2x2s. The screws and paint we already have.We put a nice new feeder on it, thats where most of the $12 goes.

The extra money Iam using for feed, and the time with my DH is price less!

 

[Wifezilla]

Awwwww

 

[freemotion]

Thanks for the advice Free,we are making about 9.00 an hr,not to bad.
The market in this valley won't stand for much more per stand and at this price we are moving them.
We enjoy the work and being together,and have a few orders to fill,so I think in this case we will just keep doing what we are doing.

Oh, that is wonderful! I think the way I read it (fast!) it sounded to me like you were working for possibly less than minimum wage. So many crafters do.

 

[Holachicka]

What about refinishing and selling furniture? I've seen a lot of quailty but shabby looking furniture for free or really cheap on craigslist and at some of the thrift shops I got to. I just recently read an article about some people who do this, and not only restore the wood, but will also use a ton of wood filler and then paint and use wallpaper for beautiful paterns and designs before finishing with clear coat. I've been thinking about doing this! I'd love to see some more ideas on this thread!

 

[so lucky]

How about making some primitive looking benches, stools, tables for outside use? Not painted up gawdy, just simple. Remember when twig furniture was the rage? SSers who have a source for wood might be able to make some money this way. I'd love to have a primitive wood bench for my garden area.