Friday 12 April 2013

7 Ideas For A Home Business


If you are one of the  growing number of people who want ideas to set up a up a home business quickly then these practical home business ideas are for you. You are not likely to earn a fortune but you can earn some extra money quickly, grow a local business and perhaps follow your passion.

1. Personal Support Services For The Elderly

Support the elderlyOver 2 million people over 75 live alone; 1.5 million of these are women and the population over 75 is projected to double in the next 30 years. Elderly people want to stay living in their own homes longer but need help with daily chores. They don’t all want regular carers but would like to know someone they could call on for help when they need it. Many of the elderly do not have family living close by and even if they do have their families support they don’t always want to call on them. My mother is elderly and most of her friends are too. Depending on how well her health is, she needs help with shopping, simple DIY tasks like buying and changing light bulbs and turning a mattress over, sorting out a room, making telephone calls for her, cutting toe nails or repotting the flower pots. Elderly people, particularly if they are hard of hearing, find the automated telephone and call centre services very difficult to deal with. For this work you need to be patient, caring and have gentle manner. It would be best to get CRB registered. For more information read this fact sheet for AgeUK.

2. Smart Phone Glass Repairer

What do we all take with us where ever we go? Our keys and our iPhone. According to eMarketer’s forecasts, the number of smartphone users in the UK will more than double between 2012 and 2016, from 19.2 million to 41.9 million. How many of us have ever chipped or cracked the glass? I’ve did this twice last year, my husband once and my son twice. Maybe we’re a clumsy family! It can cost around £50 to get it repaired, even more if the repairer comes out to you. If you’re practical, not fazed by technology and have a good manner with people then there is a market for this service in every town. To learn what’s involved in mending the glass on the iPhone, watch this video.

3. Gardening Services

If gardening is a passion of yours then there is always a demand for gardening services, particularly in the spring and summer. So, now is the  time to start. You don’t even need to have to be particularly knowledgeable as the client often knows what they want. You do need to be happy to work outside in all weathers and it will help if you have a vehicle to take away clearings. Combine this with some easy outside handyman services like painting and repairing the fence, cleaning the gutters and cleaning the pond and you’ll be in demand. A good way to start is to put some leaflets through doors, in the library, sport centres and church halls. If you live in Bournemouth let me know.

4. Host Some Foreign Students

If you have a spare room then this is a great way to earn some extra income. Rates can be £60-80 a week. Foreign students only stay for a short period of  time, from a couple of weeks to a few months, so you won’t get stuck with someone you don’t like. You can specify whether they are male or female, smokers or non-smokers. Most foreign students are looking for a room with breakfast and an evening meal included. They are happy to help themselves to the breakfast. Ideally, most students will need a reasonably sized room with a desk and chair to work at. Internet access will be preferred, ideally WiFi. To take on a student you need to be friendly, relaxed person as you will be sharing your home with someone else. Most students like to stay in their bedrooms when they are at home but you need to be happy to chat to them when they are around. If you are interested then you will need to contact the English Language schools in your area. University-list has a list of schools in the UK.

5. Childcare

There’s always demand for childcare services in an area. Clearly for this work you do need to like children and be experienced with children. If you are working with pre-school children you will need to be a registered childminder. If working with babies and toddlers does not appeal to you then there is demand for picking up and looking after much older children (between 5-13 years old) after school for just a couple of hours  in their own home. You will need a car and might need to be willing to cook a supper and help supervise the homework. If you are looking after a child in your own home for more than two hours then you will need to register with Ofsted. It includes medical, criminal and domestic safety checks. Babysitting is another way to earn some extra money if you can spare a couple of evenings. Parents are often looking out for older more responsible babysitters and will pay well for late evening, particularly if you can drive yourself home.

6. Dog Walking

If you like animals then dog walking is a great way to earn some extra money and keep fit. Clearly you need to prepared to be outside in all weathers and it helps if you have a vehicle to pick up the dogs. As your skills develop you can offer dog walking, day care, pet visiting, dog grooming and dog training. A dog walk is normally charged out at around £12 an hour. When I go walking my own dog in the morning, I often meet Alison with her pack of six dogs. She has been successfully running her dog-walking business Barkers of Westbourne for a couple of years. As well as dog-walking services, Alison sells organic dog food to her clients.

7. Private Catering

If you love cooking then there can be great extra earning opportunity to cook at private dinner parties or prepare delicious homemade frozen food, ready to put in the oven. Home made frozen food is very popular and it is difficult to get. Cook has a number of franchise shops selling homemade frozen food that are very successful but there is still plenty of scope here. Visit one of their shops and research what dishes they sell and which are popular. For this idea you will need to spend more time on marketing to make sure customers know about you. If this sounds too daunting and you enjoy baking cakes and biscuits you can earn quite a bit of extra money selling these at local fairs and gift shops, without too much effort. With food it pays to spend a little time on creating the brand and package that will work best for your business.

This list of home business ideas might seem a little obvious but sometimes we spend too long trying to think of over creative ideas when often the easiest ideas are all around us. These business ideas work, people are making money this way every day in your local community and there is enough demand for you to add yourself, with your own brand of uniqueness. They aren’t likely to make your rich but you could get started quickly and earn some extra cash. If you are keen and dedicated there is the opportunity to grow the ideas into bigger businesses.
Comment below and share your tips on profitably home business ideas.
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Source:http://www.homeforbusiness.co.uk/

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