Making a few quid

[Stereo]

In a bit of a pickle at the mo cash wise. Ridiculous situation really as I own a 50 acre farm with house and a small mortgage. So, I'm very lucky. Screwed my credit file 5 years ago trying to save my company so everything is a 'NO'. Can't even get a phone contract or seem to raise money against the farm. Wife changed jobs so didn't get paid in Aug and is now on a lower wage. I am building a business on the farm which is very much seasonal and it's slowing dramatically now Autumn is nearly upon us (expected this). A couple weeks ago we headed off to our only holiday of the year (a weekend of camping!) and our car blew it's turbo on the M5. Result, expensive recovery which we had to pay up front and looking like a £600 bill to fix which probably means I'll have to sell the car to pay it. Plus, no holiday. Bah.

 

Anyway, crux of it is, ideas to make some cash. Don't need a lot. £100 a week would help until we get to next spring. Can't really look at too many jobs as I need to be here for the kids getting home and see them off in the morning.

 

I was wondering about doing a few logs over the winter to tide me over. Got a saw etc. What I wouldn't want to do is undercut the market and then clear off. I also don't have any seasoned stuff down but have been looking at ideas for building a kiln (oil drum over a fire) as I need to dry my own logs anyway. I do have a 5 acre wood, various copses etc. Also a few big trees already on the deck.

 

I am used to hard work but lately seem to mope around a lot feeling sorry for myself, which is pathetic. I'm kind of getting sick of myself and it makes me grumpy with the kids. I've got a million blessings to count but can't seem to get off my arse.

 

So, from standing trees to selling logs in mid Oct. Any good?

[BARNSLEY BOB]

you sound a bit down.

 

loads of opportunities out there.

 

critical shortage of skilled reliable labour in ag industry.

 

what part of the world are you in.?

[Stereo]

Yeah, I am a bit down. Massively P'd off at myself as I'm sort of wasting my life away when I've really got it all but I can't seem to change. It seems everything I want to do is just beyond my fingertips but I know others would just make it happen. I used to be like that too. Need to snap out of it. I'm in South Devon.

[Ashes_Firewood]

Can you do walling, fencing, hedging etc.? Maybe a neighboring farm wants a bit of work doing. Worth asking if they've any hours for you?

[Lucan]

If you're only after £100 a week then maybe put an ad in Gumtree for unseasoned, unsplit logs, buyer collects. Maybe the wrong time of year but there are plenty of people interested in cheap logs and cutting them themselves.

 

£60 for a 2ton pile of soft, £100 for hard, you might make more profit as well as no need for vehicle, website, bags, etc and it will save you a lot of time.

[Bigfellers]

dont know the layout of the farm, but couldnt you hire out areas for paintball, bbqs, harvest boozeup, satanic sacrifices or parties etc.

If not advertise yourself out as a diy dan.. loads of single women (and men) need shelves putting up etc.

 

what can you do to make the land pay you over the winter. could an arb use some space for storage etc.

 

good luck and i hope you get out of the rut.

[Stereo]

Thanks fellas. You are right, there are opportunities everywhere. I need to cut out the booze, get some early nights and start to be alive again.

 

We already do satanic sacrifices so that's something. Farm is stunning and we are looking at Glamping but although I get excited when we talk about it, it all seems so far away. I just need to stop being a dick, get out of bed and go for it.

[Tom87]

What about car boot sales. What's the surrounding area like and are you located on or near a busy road? If so get a sign up, big but legal obviously or someone will take it down. Give it two weeks notice and work out what you need to charge.

 

Same with logs, get a sign up! If you've got timber down log it up and flog it, you should be able to shift more than £100 worth a week and you're not paying for timber to come in which is a bonus. There's a bloke not far from me who I wholesale too, he was in a similar position a few years ago and his self esteem was as low as a snakes belly. I gave him a decent wholesale price and it ticks him over and I'm earning a bit too. That being said, he still needs to be articulate when it comes to bringing money home, diversify and try anything.

 

Go and cut some swedish candles, if you've got a spare half hour chop some kindling and bag it up to sell with your logs.

[dan494]

How about something simple like a bit of hedge cutting? Ad on gumtree and a few newsagents windows?

[Bigfellers]

Farm near us does stuff especially for christmas, gets some reindeer and does sleigh/carriage rides for kids, who then meet santa.....