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The Leisurely Way To
Make Money
The fastest, easiest way to make
money is by doing something you enjoy and are good at. Often we look
to "proven" opportunities to generate fast money when all
we really have to do is take a good look at ourselves.
So with that in mind, let me ask
you this: how do you relax? Do you garden? Play cards? Watch old movies?
What if you could find a way to
turn how you relax into something that makes money? I know what you
may be thinking: "My down time is off limits!" But it's
precisely for that reason that it's a great way to make money. It's
also why it's often overlooked.
Futurist Faith Popcorn (www.faithpopcorn.com)
concludes that with today's hectic pace, people would rather spend
money than time. If you could combine your love of your leisure time
activity with the knowledge that people will pay to have things done,
you could find yourself with some potentially lucrative ideas on your hands.
Here are some examples of what I'm
talking about:
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Several years ago, I was having
lunch with a group of women I worked with. We started to talk about
how we liked to unwind. One woman read books. Another liked to walk
her dog. Cooking and watching television were also high on the list.
But one woman just chuckled. "I know you're going to think I'm
crazy, but I like to iron clothes." It was obvious. Everything
she wore was always neatly pressed.
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By the end of the meal, she had
herself some clients. Before long, her quick, precise skill had won
her an army of regulars-that had her netting several hundred dollars
a month. All for a few hours a week of doing something that she
enjoyed that helped her to unwind.
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My husband's grandfather loved to
mow lawns. It was how he could be by himself, think about nothing,
and make money to boot. He mowed for several churches and schools and
had private clients as well.
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One of the men who works with my
husband is a visiting scientist from Japan. After they'd been here a
few months, his wife wrote a long letter to one of her friends back
home, detailing her life in America. The letter found its way to the
local newspaper editor, who asked for permission to print it. Now the
wife is a regular contributor, chronicling her life in the States.
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Love to wrap gifts? It's a
lucrative sideline for one woman I know. With her specialty papers
and unusual ribbons, she can transform a mere package into a
beautiful work of art.
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Her talent first caught the eye of
one of her superiors when she wrapped a group gift that went to a
co-worker. The boss paid her to wrap a birthday gift for his wife,
who in turn hired her to wrap all of their Christmas presents. Word
of mouth spread quickly, and before long, she had herself a fun way
to earn enough to regularly indulge another past time: travel.
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Another woman I know loves to cook,
with holiday baking being a particular passion. The orders she fills
during the holidays from friends, family, and co-workers regularly
end up as hostess, teacher, and business gifts, and she usually makes
enough money to cover all her own Christmas expenses.
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Finally, my own grandmother, a
regular social butterfly, used to love to host product parties for
her business opportunity friends. Tupperware, Shaklee, Beeline
Fashions-you name it, Grandma would have her girlfriends over for a
look. Never interested in becoming a distributor herself, she'd
settle for the hostess gifts and a percentage of the sales made
during her parties. That way, she could enjoy the variety of things
offered without ever having to handle products herself.
So how do you relax? Sew? Assemble
photo albums? Tinker with cars? If it's something you enjoy and are
going to do regardless, why not make some money? A little word of
mouth or even a classified ad could create enough steady business to
put a whole new spin on relaxing. After all, people would rather
spend money than time. Why shouldn't they spend their money with you? |
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