[ECON] Brainstorming: Self-Employment Opportunities in Coming Depression...

This side of a total TSHTF, but while still 'just' an economic depression, aka the 30's here, what types of businesses, ideally that could be self-employment opportunities, are likely to thrive this go-around?

Amazingly, always, some few business areas are very lucrative and in high demand when the economy really tanks and many are out of work and on the skids.

Inviting here ideas from all on what might be good self-employment opportunities to explore for a future tight economy.

To start off, for instance, many repair businesses might do well cause people can't afford to buy new and try, instead, to keep and fix-up the old car, TV, refrigerator, furnace, etc.

Maybe many gadgets that might save people money on fuel for their car or heating their home or reducing their electricity bill, might become very popular.

Or, maybe as a para-legal focused in on servicing personal bankruptcies, or as a consultant to families to show how to cut living costs best, or, if you've got the stomach for it, as an agent to local banks doing their repossessions.

Or, as a private local pawnshop or as an dealer accessing and buying folks silver/gold/diamond jewelry, etc.

Or, establishing and running an inexpensive food co-op or local bartering center.

What's your idea of what'll likely be thriving (and possibly be a good self-employment opportunity) in a future depression here that'll be offering what people will most need/want then?

-Shane
ki4u

I've been to the thrift store many times. I've got all the duds necessary, plus a tin cup...........BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME.......MAKE THAT A QUARTER, O.K. BUD?

We have been kicking the idea of growing vegtables. I read you can get a lot of tomatoes per acre.

Also with the madcow thing, growing organic free range chickens.

This is more of a SHTF thing than depression. But could work both ways.

Its the ole, Food-Shelter-Heat thing.

I remember, too, from the Texas oil boom/bust days here in the early 80's, that many people were suddenly on the move and there was a serious shortage of rental trucks where they were most needed. Might be an opportunity there for a couple of strong backs and a fair sized truck to explore.

-Shane

Way back in the first year of Reaganomics the rural poverty pocket I lived in had a 33% unemployment rate. Everybody worked in spite of being laid off their regular jobs.

Firewood cutters made good money hauling to the city and bringing back recyclable stuff. Welders did very well keeping old worn out equipment in repair. The unlicensed meat cutting shop did well with -no questions asked- custom cut and wrap. I was buying junk cars off the reservation, paying a case a beer a day to a mechanic, and reselling running junkers at a hefty profit. Farm produce ALWAYS does well.

What sold well this year was fresh chicken and duck eggs, stewing hens, free range turkeys, organic vegetables and meat goats. Except for the chicken eggs, most of my customers are from the various ethnic communities and they pay top dollar for real food.

If TSHTF, I plan on raising lettuce, cabbage, turnip greens, and broccoli in the winter/early spring. In the summer/fall, I plan on raising corn, green or lima beans, tomatoes, yellow crookneck squash, and watermelon.

I'm also in the process of planting fruit trees. If TSHTF too soon, the trees will be too small to produce, since I just planted some of them this past year and will plant more this spring. But if we can delay this thing a few years, then I'll be growing peaches and plums too.

One could make money by teaching people "How to" skills. In my case that would be teaching how to knit, crochet, spin fibres into yarn/cordage, butcher meat, tan hides, cane chairs or furniture repair.

Self-sufficiency skills aren't as popular with mainstream America as they used to be, hence there will probably be a good market for teaching those much needed skills.

Deb Mc said:

One could make money by teaching people "How to" skills...

Click to expand...

Deb Mc, Yes, and especially if some could be taught via print, and for all those without an internet connection, where a simple half-dozen page 'How-To' report might could be printed up and sold could leverage one's teachings far beyond your immediate local area, too.

-Shane

I think you're right Deb. Also, I'd like to be the first to sign up for your spinning/chordage class and basket weaving if you do that. I bought a book about basket weaving but it's hard to get the gist from a book.

For my part, I think blacksmithing is going to be in demand and I'm ready for it. I'm not the best, but I'm the best (and only) smith in my area. My specialty is knives and sharp edged weapons but I can adapt to any need with enough time for practice. I have lots of scrap steel stockpiled and most likely wouldn't run out because of the opportunity for trading my skills for more steel. I guess I could even teach myself to shoe horses given the opportunity. I have a horse but don't plan on shoeing him because he'll only be ridden on pasture or dirt roads. But in a pinch I could shoe him if he'd stand still for it. It all depends on who's feeling their wild oats the most on that day.

Shane and Max,

Thanks! I supposed that'd mean getting an old Royal typewriter and ink or an old mimeograph (sp?) machine to make copies to sell. Perhaps bartering with a local print shop might be handy too. Hmmmm...

Max,

To be honest, I've not done any basketweaving, but I do have a few books on it. I suppose the difficulty would all depend on the style of the basket you want and its intended use. Keeping the splints moist or steaming them helps to keep them flexible. Tension of the weave is another important factor, especially as they dry.

Spinning is FUN! Not too hard to learn either, at least for rough yarn or cordage. The fancier or more uniform the yarn, the more skill that's involved.

Thanks again all! Great ideas - good thread!

I think a "Bartering Business" would be a good idea. I've thought about it, but not quite sure how to go about setting one up. One business I've checked out has a website that puts services/products together for a subscription fee.

Shane.....BTW I have been paging you in the BS. If you get a chance, please take a little jaunt over there.....Thanks, YT

Max and Deb, I'm a basket maker by trade) i'ts how I make my money). Don't start with rib baskets...you'll never want to do another. If anyone is interested I could make up kits and start you off with an 8' square that could be used to hold napkins and optional in the same kit the option to put in a regular cloth napkin to hold rolls or just stuff such as hair stuff or hubbys keys. Pm me if you are interesed in such a kit and instructions. Deemy

A friend of mines grandmother (long since passed on) used to make the prettiest baskets, square, oval and round out of pine needles. I have no clue how to do it but I have one that is twenty years old and amost as good as new except a small pinecone she has attached for decoration is missing. She was from Pinehurst NC and a lot of the ladies there were doing it years ago maybe still are. I am still amazed that the thread she used to put them together is still in such good shape.

Robert Waldrop is doing some great things with his
fledgling Oklahoma Food Cooperative.

One subject that I seldom see is anything related to
making shoes and shoe repair.

My work shoes cost big $$$ Were I to show up to work in Reeboks or Nike's, I'd be asked about it. A replacement heel or refinished edge makes much more sense than spending $200 for a new pair.

As for non-work shoes, I am as guilty as any of buying made in China/Malaysia/South Korea casual boots and shoes. These are mostly glued together and last an average of 6 months a pair. What happens when they're gone-or the supply dries up?
It's a little too cold and wet around here for Huarache's.

I, for one, prefer traditional barbers. They are, unfortunately,
getting scarce. My current barber has several chairs that
he 'rents' out during peak periods. A good, fast barber can make $100 + on a slow day and that's indoor work and all in cash.

Wasn't it Robert Heinlein who said that no matter how bad it
gets, there will always be a need for short order cooks and
dish washers?

Considering there has almost been a depression now for a couple of years, what businesses have been doing well?

Most of the things like "hand doing" work skills are good for TEOTWAWKI but may not be in a depression as most people will just try to figure it out themselves. I know I have been long term unemployed on very low income and paying someone to teach me something I can just take the time and figure out my self is not in the budget.

When people are out of money and scrapping so low to the bottom that they can hardly afford to buy eggs and bread to eat to get their protein then they don't buy much of anything. The only thing I have bought myself in three years is a pair of shoes and only because my others just were to worn out and stinky to wear for business interviews.
I even go without stockings and just put lotion on my legs so they look shiney when I need to dress up.

The only thing I can say you might do well in is the egg and flour business as that is something I have continued to buy. I have also tried to pay my utilities and rent. If full fledged recession comes where prices are dropping then I will move from this creeps apt. who just raised my rent as there will be more bargains many hundred of dollars less so maybe I could use the money for moving expenses which I don't have now. You could buy a house for $2,000. during the depression so the rents were cheaper.

Most average people have what 5 or 6 pairs or more of shoes so they may not even buy shoes once in three years if pressed as they have more to start so will last longer. Heck they could go 10 years without buying shoes. When you are so broke you tend to forget fashion and wearing things that look new. You just hope the holes won't show.

Another thing I have bought, even not bought as much groceries so I could get it is inkjet printer ink and paper. There have been times when I have run out weeks on end and could not get the $30. plus dollars to purchases it but as soon as I could squeeze something else out of the budget I did to buy the ink and paper so I could print resumes and letters.

The booze business will most likely do well as people will want to get away from the reality and cigs will most likely sell as those folks are addicted so need their fix. I am so glad I do not partake of either of those!

Of course there is a segment of the country who will be able to keep their jobs and get by so they will need things. IMO, many imports may disappear if we go down then other 3rd world countries will too so stop manufacturing things.

Toilet paper I think will sell most anytime. That also is what I have used my last $2.00 on several times rather than milk

I think making and selling bread might be something I could do. Although it may not seem like a needed thing like vegetables or meat and eggs. People love their bread, maybe with homemade jam . the sugar would be too expensive, but if made and canned now it would last a long time.

Interesting thread. How about a gereral handyman, carpenter,plumber,light electrical and so on. That's how I make my living, by doing the jobs that require the skills that should have been passed down from Father to Son but are no longer.

I am a Remodeling Contractor and really all it takes to get ahead in this business are the skills of many trades and the ability to talk to and understand what the customer is saying and what their not saying.

I love to put in upper end kitchens and bathrooms but also I know that I could tackle any aspect of home repair. And because I'm selfemployed, my overhead is close to zero.
Have truck and phone,will travel!

Alot of my customers don't have evenhe most basic of skills and in fact 99% of the time I work with the Wife because the Husband hasn't a clue about what has to be done. I don't think I'll starve, people will need to maintain what they have.

I would probably start some kind of clinic.
I've been in EMS for going on 12 years and have some additional medical training through college.

I may be the closest thing to a doctor some folks might have.

Maybe I'll become a midwife as well

Imnotyurmaid,

Baking bread and canning homemade jam?

Hummm... not a bad idea for somebody who is growing peach and plum trees already...

(Actually, my wife and I had already considered canning homemade jam in a depressionary situation).


Sugar keeps long term, so it would not have to be made into a jam right now. Just put it into 5 gallon buckets and seal the lid on good. Keep away from rodents. Use when needed.

Wheat also keeps long term ....

Get yo Pimp on.

<img src=http://www.pimpdaddy.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pd-hs-mv-p-l.png>

The future belongs to those that prepare for it.....

What stimpy said.

.....Son had a decent job but was hurt in an auto accident.Had bad days and could not work on those days.Nobody hires you
when you have that problem.Advised him to start his own biz and try to hire on with local tradesman.Learned plumbing,then Air conditioning/heating,electrical work,Specialty gas lines and more.
Has licenses and permits to work all these fields.
He's swamped with work.One contractor that he subs for told him that they have enough work until Aug. with new orders coming in daily.His "side" jobs make him enough money to keep him living good. His wife is a manager in a recession proof business with good pay and benefits.

Tool sharpening...saws and such. The people using them will be working many hours just to make a dollar. They won't want to stop to sharpen their saws during working hours; it'll cost them money.

Shoe repair, if the situation is long in duration, will eventually be a good trade to know.

Basically, anything you can make by hand will be a good thing to learn how to do. Anything that is cheap to make, easy to repair, and looks good as a finished product would be a good bet. And any "While you wait" business will have an edge over all the others; because folks will wait on having to spend that money until the very last minute, and will want it done right a way.

its really interesting living here in Mexico and watching them live and work. They can fix most anything with spit and baling wire. Every kind of repair shop is here. You just have to know what alley to go down and which door to knock on and holler "Hola!" More than likely the small stuff like shoe repair, starter repair, etc is in their front room. I try to watch and learn. I am a doomer from the 70s and had a self sufficient farm in the PNW for 20 years, so am pretty good at doing all the survival stuff. But I am learning here too. Like cutting ocotilla cactus and making a fence and then the fence grows. Beats barb wire or field fencing. Learning to eat cactus and stuff I have never seen in veggie and fruit lines. Learned that you cook dinner one day and the next day what ever left overs you have, be it meat and salad ,or macaroni and cheese, gets heated up and wrapped in a tortilla for dinner. Sure saves on the cooking and cost of food. Beans and rice have pretty well replaced meat. We eat all fresh veggies that we buy either at Saturday mkt or tuesday market. Lots of fish and shrimp and clams here too. We are learning and having fun doing it. If the SHTF, I kinda think we might be in the right place.

Taz

Taz, how's the tsunami warning system down there? I don't know, but you seem to be quite close to the water to be safe from a tsunami. (I hope you can tell by my smilies, I'm just digging at ya a little.)

Figure they'll need food...

One of the rare old trades, around these parts anyway, is the preparation of meats to allow long term storage (without a freezer). Back in the eighties, I chose to test my abilities to 'mentally' move out of the city (having physically moved out after the Vietnam war). In the process of mastering self-sufficiency, I learned a few skills relative to curing and smoking meats. Consider the need for long term storage of beef, pork and poultry.
I'm currently installing a new smoke house... just in case. There IS one other in the neighborhood, but considering the prices he commands, there's plenty of room for the two of us!

When I was growing up I heard many stories from my father about what it was like for him growing up during the depression. That was the reason I became a dental technician. Dad always says, "You may not have what it takes to be the doctor, but there is no shame in being the guy that sharpens the knife." O.K. O.K. I know the knives are sharpened by machine, but the same thought applies.

As long as people refuse to take care of their teeth, and still want to eat, I have a job. As long as people keep biting the steering wheel at 40 m.p.h., or finding out the meaning of "attitude adjustment hour" there will be a need for my services. When the bottom falls out, very few will be able to afford crown and bridge work, and because of that lots of folks will be needing dentures.

music...

i am a decent guitarist/singer/songwriter...

been really practicing alot for the last 6 months or so and going to begin playing live around town...in fact, my first gig is tonight (gulp)...

i still have my regular job but i am hoping to supplement my family's income with my music...

an old friend once told me, 'the tougher times are, the better they are for musicians'...

so that's at least what i'm gonna try...

o)<

mike

Onebyone said:

Considering there has almost been a depression now for a couple of years, what businesses have been doing well?

and cigs will most likely sell as those folks are addicted so need their fix. I am so glad I do not partake of either of those!

Click to expand...

Actually it's not a depression yet, not by a long shot. When Kondratieff Winter really sets in people will have to eliminate debt and then it will be a depression. As for the cigs, I have a "stuffing" machine and buy tubes and tobacco for it. I take the cigs pack them in paper and sell them under the table for $1.50 a pack. Cheaper than the store and better than the horse turds they put in the bargain basement cig brands.

If one could figure out how to produce ice that would be a hands down winner. I have heard of small steam engine powered ice cream outfits at some county fairs and such. Anybody have have any ideas along this line ?

Donald!!

I swear that's a pic of an old friend of mine!