Backup home-based work plan

[the-gnole]

And better get that other greenhouse up on the allotment for bringing on seedlings - and more outlets for everything!

A friend some years ago was a landscaper, gardener and a lot of other things besides.

What he used to do was grow bedding plants in his greenhouses, a pack of seeds was just a few pence back then, but a yard of border flowers was a couple of quid, so he used small guttering sections and grew yards and yards of the stuff.

I probably have a few hundred runner bean seeds from last years crop, so they cost me nothing, if I grow them into small plants I can sell them on for 25p each, if I grow a lot of plants to full size I can sell them at about 75p+ a lb, or half a kilo

Eggs cost 5p each to produce, but sell for £1 for six.

I don't think I'll match my regular income, but every little helps

[hobo]

Quick additional thought.... I'm a musician, so that's a skill I could use. I remember in a Laurie Lee book where he's travelling round the south and Spain in the early 1930's (VERY BAD TIMES!) - he survived by busking with his violin!

[hobo]

Eggs cost 5p each to produce, but sell for £1 for six.

I don't think I'll match my regular income, but every little helps

That's good thinking!

[the-gnole]

Quick additional thought.... I'm a musician, so that's a skill I could use. I remember in a Laurie Lee book where he's travelling round the south and Spain in the early 1930's (VERY BAD TIMES!) - he survived by busking with his violin!

Might get you a few quid Hobo, but there is a thing about "supply and demand" and also a street entertainers licence to consider

[hobo]

That would have to be a major EOTWAWKI, surely? I dunno if I could see that happening...

Ok, then maybe something like there's mass unemployment, you get too poorly to work in your profession and benefits don't pay enough? That's more likely than a TEOTWAWKI event....

[hobo]

Might get you a few quid Hobo, but there is a thing about "supply and demand" and also a street entertainers licence to consider

I'm thinking that's how my future is looking anyway - a few quid here and there!

[itsybitsy]

That would have to be a major EOTWAWKI, surely? I dunno if I could see that happening...

Ok, then maybe something like there's mass unemployment, you get too poorly to work in your profession and benefits don't pay enough? That's more likely than a TEOTWAWKI event....

OK, well in that case I would continue with the writing. I would advertise as a 'Girl Friday' - cleaning, ironing, running errands, etc. I would walk dogs. I would also ramp up my business again, do markets and fairs, selling ladies accessories. I started that off when I got made redundant a few years ago!

[TwoDo]

My job's an artist. Times are VERY tough in this line of work! I will continue but I need to diversify from simply making pics to exhibit.

Suggest getting good at doing portraits. I'm thinking that people will pay money for a nice drawing of their children. You have a market stand already - post a few examples on the stand along with a price list and see if you get any bites. Can't hurt and your costs would be low and you can use your existing infrastructure to promote it.

[hobo]

My job's an artist. Times are VERY tough in this line of work! I will continue but I need to diversify from simply making pics to exhibit.

Suggest getting good at doing portraits. I'm thinking that people will pay money for a nice drawing of their children. You have a market stand already - post a few examples on the stand along with a price list and see if you get any bites. Can't hurt and your costs would be low and you can use your existing infrastructure to promote it.

Excellent idea! Sod all this modernist cr*p I've been doing and get some pencil practice in. I'll do it! Especially with my seaside location/visitors etc.

Cheers!

[TwoDo]

When I purchased a rotavator for my own garden. I deliberately chose one that has a plow attachment.

It is my belief that a lot of people are suddenly going to get _very_ interested in gardening when the supermarkets run low. Following that thought on its logical progression it would seem likely a lot of new gardens will be started. I think there will be a market for small scale plowing services as it is quite difficult to break turf into a veggie garden by digging it* and even a rotavator struggles on turf unless it is powerful.

I will use my snorting great beast of a rotavator to plow and then till the soil, thus providing a valuable service to the community and I will take my fee in barter if need be.

* yes, I know it is perfectly possible to manually dig a garden this way, and I have done it but I am focusing on the average sheeple who thinks working the remote on a TV is exercise.