Got Skills? Of course you do. Then use them to your advantage.
Bartering is what I'm talking about. Bartering is really easy to do. What is bartering - well it is exchanging a service for a service.
My husband has his own construction business. He really is a multi-talented handy man. He can do just about anything. About 2 years ago he joined a local bartering company. It has about 50 members+. The businesses range from restaurants to attorneys to spa services to computer services to construction to direct sales to domestic services. It is really cool how it works. Some people on do 50% on barter and 50% cash, while others do 100% on barter for their services but want to be paid in cash for their supplies.Then as you earn barter money. They have so many choices to choose from. One year I got my husband a 8 person chartered fishing trip on Lake Michigan. Another year I got him a chance to drive a Nascar at the Milwaukee Mile. You would be amazed at what you can get. Do all your gift shopping. Get your landscaping done. The options are endless.
There have been times when my husband was working on a job site not as a barter but as a job and the person he was working with couldn't finish paying for the work completed. Well something is better than nothing. One time we received a freezer full of meat. Hey we are a family of 5. Like my husband said, it is better than not getting paid anything at all. So think outside of the box. Be open to different ideas. Don't concentrate on the bad side of an issue.
I also offer barter services for my computer skills. I am not part of the barter company my husband is with. I just advertise online and offer a price list along with a barter wish list. You would be amazed at what I have received in exchange.
So think about your own business. What do you have to offer? What skills do you have? How can you turn those skills into services? Hmmm - here are a few ideas - personal chef (for the hot mama who loves to cook), horticulturalist, web design for small business (for those computer savvy hot mamas out there), freelance graphic designer/artist...If you are into photography, shopping, painting, child care, pets, etc, the possibilities for money making opportunities around your local area and online are endless.
I am sure you have something to offer. As economic times seem to be getting more difficult for people to handle, then we need to think out of the box.
Go ahead check with your friends, family, neighbors, church group, run a ad in your local newspaper, advertise online. Work has never been so fun.
Email her at julie@makemeahotmama.com
