Make Extra Money By Doing What You Love

Take on Gardening Jobs In Your Neighborhood or Town. Simple Landscaping, Weeding, Flower Garden Creations, Planting Vegetables or Mowing Lawns Can Bring You Extra Big Bucks!

THIS GARDEN GIRL IS A REAL TROOPER!

                                

Here's a fine example of a hobby gardener who turns her bad day into a good one by doing what she knows to bring extra income into her life. Maybe the kid who used to tow the lawnmower around the neighborhood in search of a lawn to be mowed for a few bucks was really laughing all the way to the bank.

Gardening is enjoyable to us hobby gardeners and we often grow a backyard vegetable garden to save money on the grocery bill. Have you ever thought about putting your talent to work and making an extra income by planting a vegetable garden for someone else or perhaps pulling weeds for an elderly person who wants the garden but, can't maintain it?

PULL WEEDS NOT YOUR HAIR - PLANT A GARDEN FOR MONEY!

If you enjoy digging in the dirt and putsing around your backyard, you're definitely not alone! Millions of people pop seedlings into the ground every spring, enjoying a bountiful gardening harvest as their plants mature; however, there's folks that want a garden but, can't get out their to dig, or to pull weeds. There's an opportunity in waiting for someone, no matter the age, to make a few extra bucks to pay that light bill or help with rent.

Why not have a part time job that you love. Sure you can head off to Starbucks or BestBuy but, why not fill your day with enjoyment and get paid for it? Think of the satisfaction in knowing that someone else is enjoying your creation.

Start by using your Facebook account to advertise and network your labor. Another place to advertise is Craigslist or Penny Saver. Another free site is to advertise on Yahoo's Groups. Look on the bottom of Yahoo's main page and click 'groups'. You'll find local groups or classifieds in your area. Vista Prints always has a free business card promotion going on too.

As always, safety first. Use working tools, have gloves, expect to feed, water and tinkle on your own time, tell another person where you're going and when you expect to be back, take a cell phone to check-in with a friend or family member every hour or so and it's always recommended to take a pal for security reasons. Better yet, make it a family affair.

HIT THE CHEF OR THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS! 

There are plenty of owners and chefs that will appreciate the higher quality and freshness of a locally grown product. Do you have tasty tomatos, squash, corn or perhaps herbs that people rave about? Why not ask a local restaurant if they'd want to buy your locally grown produce?

Chef's love to create menus from locally grown and seasonably grown vegetables. If you have flavorful pumpkins that a chef may turn into a soup, melons to die for or romaine lettuce coming out of your ears... then you're an asset to a local chef.

When a restaurant buys locally, they're cutting out the middle man. This means they save a lot of money by buying from a high producing backyard gardener who grows organically of course. That's good money put into your pocket.

FORGET THE FARMER'S MARKET.. . ROADSIDE STAND BABY!

Farmer's markets are generally full of mass producing local farmers who in many areas have a monopoly over particular farmer's markets.

If you're an organic backyard gardener who also has a lot of wonderful extra fruits and vegetables on hand.. . you're considered an organic 'mico-farmer' who deserves the same rights to sell at the local farmer's markets. Believe me, I've been bullied a bit at my local farmer's market. The big guy likes to send over moles to ward off potential buyers. The mole will stand there and loudly ask questions that can ward off business.

Besides selling alongside the big guy, another option is to set up a roadside stand. Just think about it, you're your own boss and don't have to worry about any LLC farmer competition.

My suggestion to you is to not accept anything less than a retail farm-stand prices for your fruits and vegetables. If you are offering the freshest organically grown vegetables or superior product, then your cost should reflect quality. People will pay the money for convenience and for good quality produce.

It's a great idea to work on a cash-only basis. That makes things easier for you and keeps your costs down.

If your produce is tasty or flowers are beautifull yet are not of superior quality.. . than charge a lower price. Believe me, if you build it.. . people will come.

Helpful hints are to to have quality signs made up. Don't spray paint the word vegetables or produce across a beat-up old wood or poster board and expect people to stop. Take the time to creat a simple sign with quality and easy to read printing.

Don't under estimate the power of a fold-up table and lawn chair. Mom and pop stands will always attract anyone who thinks you're peddling something.. keep their attention with a good signs and attractive displays.

Remember to have enough bags on hand. Plenty of people still are trying to work out that hole grocery tote bag thing.

Some areas may have strict seller codes or laws. If you think you need to get a reseller license.. than you probably do.

Helpful hints are to ask a property owners first before setting-up shop, good signs with prices, shallow display boxes vs deep display boxes (you can always refill), freebies for children, build a roadside stand (Google 'Free RoadSide Stand Plans'), and lastly.. . plan ahead!

Growing season is just around the corner. If you're lucky you have your own greenhouse or hothouse but, for the rest of us growing season for fresh vegetables starts in early June and ends in early September. You can definitely extend your season a month or more by selling cider, apples, chrysanthemums, pumpkins, gourds or even gift baskets in the fall. 

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS .. . BLAME IT ON THE KIDS!

Another great way to make some extra money from gardening is to load up your little red wagon and head out into the neighborhood with your kids. There's nothing wrong with door-to-door sales. If someone knocked on my door selling canteloupe or watermelon.. you betcha, I'm buying!

I reside in a community where folks do go around selling anthing from strawberries to corn.

While you're at it.. load up on garden seeds. Have your kids sell your vegetables and have some extra packs of flower and vegetable seeds on hand. They will sell like a popcycle on a hot day. Seeds are something most folks forget to buy. When you're standing at someone's door with a wagon full of goodies plus seeds.. do you really think they're going to say no? They're going to think it's a good idea.

Selling seeds along with your vegetables is a good way to clean out your seed box of older seeds, promote backyard gardening and reel in extra cash.

Sell seeds from seed packers that people will recognize like as like, Burpee, Gurney's, American Seed, Park Seeds, Johnny Seeds, etc.

Think about re-packing some of your extra seeds into home made seed envelopes. Be sure to let people know if they're heirloom seeds or hybrid. Planting instructions are always helpful.

A good hint is to Google for 'free printable seed envelopes'. Hewlette Packard hp.com/printables usually has something on hand.

Always know that times often get hard for all of us. Our nation is going through troublesome times. We've all had our moments in life. And if you haven't .. well ta da for you.

There's nothing wrong with using your love of gardening to make an extra income for you and your family. You'll definitely make good money, rack up an experience, get a tan and make new friends.

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