This Woman Made $1,200 in a Season With a Home Garden Business. Here’s How

Finding myself utterly broke and apparently unemployable a few years ago, I decided that if I wanted to work, I would have to start my own business.

Since I didn’t have any startup money or business experience, I was forced to narrow down my ideas to the bare skeleton and ask myself two questions:

• What resources do I have already?
• What do I already know how to do?

Not much. I didn’t have a degree or own anything valuable I could sell.

But I was living with my parents, with a roof over my head, food to eat and a few acres of grass and trees at my disposal.

And I knew how to garden.

How to Sell Plants and Start a Gardening Business

In the Midwest, trees pop out of the ground each spring, just to get mowed over by well-meaning suburbanites, who flock to nurseries and garden centers to pay big bucks for new ones to plant.

I decided to take advantage of this cycle. Armed only with determination, a spade and a wheelbarrow, I began digging and potting.

I made a small profit the first year. It helped pull me out of “brokedom,” but it was nothing to brag about.

However, the realization of money actually can grow on trees inspired me to go full force the next season.

That year, I made $1,200.

Think you want to give it a shot? Here’s what to do:

How to Choose Plants

Chances are, if you have any kind of garden or yard, you have perennials growing out of control.

Carefully thin these out and repackage them, and you’ve got your stock.

Pro Tip

Want to give gardening a try before you buy? Hundreds of public libraries across the U.S. have seed-sharing programs free to patrons. Most programs only ask that you return some seeds from your yield.

I can almost guarantee you when friends hear about what you’re doing, they’ll offer you their own overrun gardens, too. Four of my friends did!

You can make small investments, too, such as raising tomatoes from seeds in early spring. Plus, the fruit that demands to be a vegetable also offers some of the biggest bang for your gardening buck — cherry and heirloom tomatoes offer some of the highest ROI among veggies.

Where to Get Compost

I was fortunate that my parents’ yard already had several compost piles in its corners — all I had to do was dig for limitless black soil.

If you don’t have one, here’s how to start a compost pile in your backyard.

How to Create Containers for Your Plants

Like most families who garden, mine had an arsenal of used plastic containers in our garage. I went through those first.

Throughout that first winter, I checked every container in the recycling bin to see if I could cut off the top and poke holes in the bottom.

Pro Tip

Wrap newspaper around containers like coffee canisters to form cheap seed-starter pots. Customers can plant with the pot still on — the paper will gradually break down in the ground.

I broke a knife in the process, but by spring I had enough containers for the entire season. Quite a few customers even brought me their extra containers at no cost.

Capitalize on the fact you’re only using natural methods and reused containers — customers will be happy knowing they’re helping the environment.

Fertilize for Free (Almost)

There’s no need to buy fancy, expensive supplies from a garden center.

An elderly woman taught me this simple hack: Set up an old garbage can under a gutter to catch excess rain water. Throw eggshells in and cover it with a lid.

Pro Tip

Let your fish feed your plants. Use the dirty water from a freshwater aquarium (and the accompanying fish waste, full of beneficial bacteria) to fertilize your plants for free.

Use this to water your plants. The nutrients from the shells provides them with all they need to flourish.

Make Your Presentation Perfect

My setup soon spread from a bench alongside the garage to cover the entire back porch and parking area.

I put the plants in sections and made sure there was space to walk between them so customers would feel comfortable. I set up a tarp for the shade plants.

Keep your “store” looking nice by keeping it clean and weeding out any droopy daisies (or other dying plants).

Be available and friendly to customers — explain what the plants are and how to take care of them. Do your research!

Price to Sell

I kept pricing simple: Most plants were $3, or two for $5. Large plants were $5, and nothing ever went over that price.

If people bought a lot of plants, I’d give them a few for free.

For example, if their total came to $70, I’d just ask for $60. You’ll be surprised how quickly the money adds up, even at these prices!

Don’t Forget Advertising

I advertised on Craigslist every few days, posting a detailed description of what I had in stock, how to find the store and prices.

I always added nice pictures of my best-looking plants.

Pro Tip

Connect with your customers on picture-heavy social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram. Include photos of your prize plants as well as gardening tips to create a community of loyal fans.

Be sure to provide a phone number in case customers have questions or can’t find you.

And in case you were wondering, I also hung up some old-fashioned posters around town and looked into newspaper advertising. Neither was effective.

Before You Get Started, Consider These Factors

Potting plants and taking care of your store takes time and muscle, but if you enjoy working outdoors, this could be the business for you.

You’re also at the weather’s mercy. My third year in business, it rained nonstop all spring, and I sold almost nothing.

Running your own business also can be mentally stressful. Frankly, for the number of hours you put in, you might make more money working for minimum wage as a cashier or server. You’ll have to motivate yourself to keep things running and turning a profit.

But at the same time, there’s nothing like the freedom and satisfaction of being your own boss.

Stephanie Spicer is a freelance writer, filmmaker and artist.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder http://bit.ly/2XmXNk8

Double Down on Going Green: These Green Friendly Companies Hire Remotely

Bed Bath & Beyond, Pier 1 latest retailers to announce store closures

Two more retailers have announced plans to close stores this year.CNN reports Bed Bath & Beyond will shutter 40 locations, while as many as 145 Pier 1 stores could soon go dark, according to TV station WGAL.They join a growing list of chains, [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://bit.ly/2IAEroH

Total Home Protection Review

Total Home Protection has only been around since 2016, but their reputation for great coverage and prices has grown quickly.

They are committed to excellent service and comprehensive warranties. They contract with pre-screened technicians to provide their customers with trusted professionals in any situation.

Total Home Protection prides themselves on customer service, and even in situations where your problem falls outside the scope of your contract, they’re dedicated to helping make it right.

They have a high standard of ethics and great ratings anywhere you look online. Employees at Total Home Protection are dedicated to upholding the company’s standards, which is what makes them unique.

They offer exceptional customer service with a desire to build relationships with every warranty holder.

Coverage Features

If you’re looking for comprehensive coverage for your home, Total Home Protection has what you need, even in the most basic plan. Their comprehensive coverage and quality customer experience make them one of the best home warranty companies you can find.

Their pricing varies by location, but many of their coverage items can be added on as extras to any plan, giving you more comprehensive and customizable coverage.

Ductwork

 Your ductwork flows throughout your house, delivering air and circulation when you need it. It’s a critical component to the operation of your home even though you cannot see it.

When something goes wrong with your ductwork, you’ll want to get it fixed right away.Total Home Protection can send a service agent to your house to assess the problem and fix it in no time.

Water Heater

If you like hot showers as most people do, you won’t want to live without a working water heater. Your water heater also ensures your dishwasher, your clothes washer, and any other faucet in the house has access to hot water when needed.

If you notice a problem with the water temperature in your home, file a claim with Total Home Protection, and they’ll have it figured out in no time.

Electrical System

Your electrical system is another internal system you can’t see, but it ensures you can plug in your appliances and turn on your lights.

Without it, you’d be in the dark, literally. With coverage from Total Home Protection, you can rest assured that your electrical system won’t have problems, and if it does, they’ll be easy to fix.

Plumbing System and Stoppage

If you have leaks or breaks in your gas, water, waste, vent, or drain lines, Total Home Protection can cover you up to $500 for diagnosis and repair.

They’ll also replace the broken part if it can’t be fixed. You’ll enjoy toilet tank, bowl, and joint part replacement as well.

Also, if your contractor has to cut into a wall to fix your issues, Total Home Protection will cover a rough finish of the site up to $500.

Home Appliances 

When critical appliances like your washer and dryer, built-in microwave, refrigerator, stove, oven, cooktop, garbage disposal, or dishwasher stop working, Total Home Protection’s coverage kicks in.

Your home warranty plan will cover all mechanical components that are necessary for these devices to function.

Warranty Plans

Total Home Protection offers a variety of plans including some optional items you can add if you need to customize your plan further.

While pricing varies based on location, every plan comes with a 30-day cancellation policy. If you pay for the entire year up front, you’ll receive one month free.

Gold Plan

 The gold plan provides basic coverage for the following:

• plumbing system and stoppage
• whirlpool bathtub
• water heater
• electrical system
• range, oven, stove, cooktop, and built-in microwave
• sump pump
• dishwasher
• trash compactor and garbage disposal
• ductwork
• garage door opener
• ceiling and exhaust fans.

Platinum Plan

The platinum plan includes everything in the gold plan plus the following add-ons:

• two air conditioning units
• two heating systems
• refrigerator
• clothes washer and dryer.

Optional Coverage

With Total Home Protection, you can choose to cover optional items like the following: 

• pools and spas
• limited roof leaks
• central vacuums
• well pumps and septic systems
• a second refrigerator, stand-alone freezers, water softeners, refrigerator ice makers, and free-standing ice makers
• additional air conditioning systems, additional heating systems, other water heaters
• several garage door openers.

The Good

Along with this exceptional service, Total Home Protection also provides additional benefits that add extra convenience to their customers including great customer service, average pricing, and reliable technicians.

Competitive Prices

Total Home Protection offers average prices for their coverage.

Since their pricing is on par with other services, you can focus on which coverage features you need rather than worrying about whether you’re getting a fair price.

24/7 Customer Service

Total Home Protection offers customer service that rivals most competitors in this arena. Their representatives are available 24/7 to help answer your questions, file your claims, and make the buying process easier.

You can rest assured you’ll always be able to reach someone if you have problems with any items covered under your home warranty.

This 24/7 availability includes an online chat feature, making it even easier for you to find someone to talk to quickly.

No Home Inspection

While other providers require a home inspection before they’ll cover your home, Total Home Protection doesn’t.

You can cover any home, no matter the age without needing a home inspection first. This is great news for people who live in older homes or people who are thinking of buying an older home.

It gives you the peace of mind you need no matter what condition your home is in.

Pre-Screened Local Technicians

The great thing about a home warranty plan is that you don’t have to search the yellow pages for an experienced contractor to fix your problem.

Total Home Protection already knows the best in the business, so no matter why you’re filing a claim, they’ll send the expert that’s right for you and your project.

You can trust the service technicians they send your way because they’re guaranteed to be licensed and insured.

Online Community

Total Home Protection offers a blog, maintenances tips, FAQ, and testimonials for your convenience. You can use these online resources to get additional information on anything you might want to know.

If you have questions, need advice, or want to hear more about someone else’s first-hand experience, you’ll find it all here.

You can search for articles on your own time instead of relying on someone else to provide you with the answers you need.

The Bad

There’s only one major downfall to Total Home Protection’s coverage, and it’s their limited coverage areas.

Unfortunately, Total Home Protection only covers 33 of the 50 United States. That means you can’t get their great service everywhere.

If you live in a state that’s not covered, you’ll need to shop around for a different home warranty company.

However, if your state is covered, that means the services they provide are dedicated to you and your needs, the technicians are licensed and insured, and you have access to one of the best providers of home warranties in the business.

Alternatives to Total Home Protection

As you shop around for a home warranty plan, take a look at the top home warranty companies below to see what each alternative has to offer.

The Bottom Line

While Total Home Protection isn’t available everywhere, they offer competitive pricing and coverage in 33 states.

The optional items can be added to any plan, making their plans more customizable than some competitors. This ensures you only pay for what you need.

They clearly list all inclusions and exclusions, making it easy for you to know exactly what you’re getting up front.

Terms and conditions are easy to understand, and customer service is available 24/7 for your convenience.

The post Total Home Protection Review appeared first on Good Financial Cents®.

Source Good Financial Cents® http://bit.ly/2vdcPgw

Eight Strategies for Maximum Value from Secondhand Stores

One of my favorite tactics for saving money when I need certain items is to head to secondhand stores in my area. Secondhand stores are invariably good sources for certain types of goods and, because of that, they’re often the first stop when I go shopping for those items because I can save a lot of money. (I’ll get into which items in a minute.)

There’s a catch, of course – isn’t there always? The catch is that if you go to secondhand stores without a plan, they can often feel like a waltz through a pile of junk. You look around and see a bunch of used items that you’re not interested in and, well, it just doesn’t seem worthwhile.

You have to have a plan or else a trip to a secondhand store probably isn’t worth your time.

So, what’s the plan? Here are eight key strategies I use when shopping secondhand.

Strategy #1 – Treat It As Your First Stop When You Need Something – But Know What You’ll Find There

For me, a trip to a secondhand store is the first stop in a shopping trip where I know that it’s highly likely I’ll be stopping elsewhere. I go in there with a list of things I’m looking for and those are the things I seek out. If I find things that work for me that are on my list, great – I cross them off and buy those inexpensive items. If not, it’s okay – I’ll shop elsewhere.

There are certain types of items that I always shop for at secondhand stores first. I always check clothing at secondhand stores, not because everything there is great, but because there are often a lot of gems on the racks that you might not notice first. I buy small appliances there – rice cookers, bread makers, toasters, and so on. I often buy camping gear at secondhand stores, believe it or not – things like plastic plates and cups in our camping box have come from secondhand stores. When we had babies and younger children, I’d buy lots of baby and young child items there – toys, clothes, and so on. I buy sporting goods secondhand. I buy musical instruments secondhand. I buy books there, too – I’ll often find stuff by serendipity and then wind up reading it.

If I find that I need anything like that, a secondhand store is going to be a place that I stop. There are many things that I don’t bother buying there – electronics come to mind, for example – and I don’t bother stopping there unless it’s purposeful, so secondhand stores aren’t an “every time” stop. They’re an “occasional” stop, when I know there’s a reason to go.

Remember, secondhand stores are a “first stop” on a shopping trip. It’s at least somewhat likely that you still don’t find everything you need even after stopping at a few such stores, and that’s okay – that’s part of the equation. Once you’ve looked, then you can move on to other retailers where you’ll be buying new and likely paying more. Secondhand stores just solve your problem at a low price a lot of the time, not every time; in my experience, it happens often enough that it’s well worth spending half an hour visiting a couple secondhand stores before shopping elsewhere, especially if I’m applying the other strategies in this article.

Strategy #2 – Look Beyond Goodwill and Salvation Army

Many people seem to think that secondhand stores begin and end with Goodwill and Salvation Army and don’t even consider whether there are other stores in the area. This honestly wasn’t a concept that ever crossed my mind until found myself being a more active participant in local community message boards, when people would suggest only Salvation Army or Goodwill as secondhand stores and seemed stunned that there were other options.

Most communities of any size have a wide variety of secondhand stores as well as some stores that mix secondhand goods with new items. In the two larger cities nearest me, there are independent secondhand clothing stores, secondhand sporting goods stores, secondhand bookstores, and a number of specialty stores that have lots of used items on their shelves along with the new ones.

Don’t start and end your secondhand shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army. They’re great stores for finding secondhand items, don’t get me wrong, but they can often give a limited impression of the possibilities of buying secondhand items. Do some Google searching for secondhand stores in communities near you and see what kind of shops are out there. You’ll almost definitely find more options than you expect.

Strategy #3 – Check Out Secondhand Stores Close to Wealthy Residential Neighborhoods

One great strategy for finding high quality secondhand items is to intentionally check out stores that are relatively close to affluent neighborhoods. If there’s a neighborhood or a suburb in your city that has a lot of nice houses and nice cars, make it a point to check out secondhand stores that are relatively close in proximity to those areas.

The reason is that wealthier people will quite often simply donate high quality items that are barely used because they’re buying a whole new winter wardrobe or replacing a small kitchen appliance they used twice because the color wasn’t perfect in their kitchens. It’s truly amazing how many great things you’ll find in those stores for a surprisingly low price.

You can identify such stores using Google Maps. Simply pull up a map of your city and search for secondhand stores, then see which ones are close to affluent neighborhoods. Look for used clothing stores, used sporting goods stores, used bookstores – they’ll all have good things. The Goodwill and Salvation Army stores near nice neighborhoods are often very well stocked, too.

Strategy #4 – Always Check on Items That You Can Quickly Value

Whenever I’m at a secondhand store, I always check on a few items that I can quickly value at a glance. For example, I’ll look for things like old roleplaying books, board games, old books, older video games, old trading cards, and things like that.

Most of the time, I find junk. I find scratched up PS2 games or copies of Scene It!

Every once in a while, though, I hit the jackpot. In the last four years or so, by doing two or three minutes of extra browsing while in a secondhand store, I’ve found the following:
+ Some early Dungeons and Dragons books in immaculate condition, worth about $75 a pop, on sale for $0.99 each. I bought them all, naturally.
+ A copy of the Super NES game Earthbound for $5. This was without the box or any other material. It sells for around $200 on the secondary market. This was in a HUGE box of Super Nintendo games; I bought several, but this was the jewel.
+ A copy of the board game Civilization published by Avalon Hill in the early 1980s, unpunched, which often sells in the $50-$100 range, for about $3.
+ Autographed copies of Rabbit, Run and The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike for $0.50 each.
+ A box of mixed Magic: the Gathering cards for $10. There were several cards in there I was able to sell individually for more than $10 each.
+ A Vitamix blender for $8 in great shape. I actually doubted it would work, so I asked if I could plug it in and it whirred right to life. It sells for hundreds new.

Those are just the things I can think of off the top of my head. I didn’t go shopping for these things specifically, but I just kept an active eye for bargains like this while wandering through the store and looking in a few areas where I knew I could identify bargains.

Strategy #5 – Remember Secondhand Stuff Can Sometimes Be Overpriced, Too

One might think that I view everything at a secondhand store as a great bargain, but that’s not true. There are often items that are overpriced at secondhand stores. In general, I’m not going to pay the majority of what an item lists for new at a secondhand shop.

Basically, don’t turn off your internal price detection when you’re in a secondhand store. Always look at the price tag and if it doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t right. The price in a secondhand store should seem low to you; if it seems high, don’t buy.

I should say that I don’t think such pricing happens intentionally. Most used stores want high throughput. They don’t want stuff to stick around forever because they’re always receiving donations and consignments or they’re always picking up new lots of things to sell. Often, items are priced by someone making a quick guess and a high price is just someone pricing something a bit higher than they should. You should only shy away from a used store if lots of their items are priced higher than you think. A single item or two is likely just someone making a quick estimate that’s a little high.

Strategy #6 – Planning Makes a Huge Difference

As I noted earlier, I usually don’t go into a secondhand store without a plan of some kind. Unless it’s a weird situation like I’m waiting at an office and there’s a secondhand store nearby and I’m just scanning the shelves for something to flip, I don’t go into a secondhand store without something I’m specifically looking for, and I’m usually looking for several things.

As I mentioned earlier, there are several types of things I look for at secondhand stores – clothing, sporting goods, small kitchen appliances, camping items, children’s items, and so on. When I find that I want or need one of those items and it’s not blisteringly urgent, I’ll start a “list” of things to buy secondhand. Over the next few weeks, I’ll add items to that list – maybe my son is growing fast and needs some new casual t-shirts, or maybe my daughter needs a new soccer ball, or maybe I want to try out a bread making machine if I can find one for a pittance. Once the list has three or four items on it, then I go to a couple of secondhand stores in the area and look for those items.

You should always go into any store with a plan in mind, not just to browse. Browsing means that you’re going to buy unplanned things that you probably don’t need. If you go in with the intent of looking for specific items (and leaving if you don’t find them), you’re going to be focused in what you’re looking for and be much less likely to walk out with extra items.

Go secondhand shopping with a list. Give that list some time to build a little unless there’s an urgent need. Remember, you can also use this list for yard sales, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other secondhand buying opportunities.

Strategy #7 – Be Flexible

It’s generally a bad idea to go into a secondhand store with an overly specific idea of what you want. For example, if you’re going to buy a secondhand toaster, don’t go in there with a specific toaster model in mind – rather, just go looking for a toaster and see what they have. Don’t go in there looking for a shirt from a specific company in a specific color or else you’re going to be disappointed – rather, just go looking for a summer shirt.

The more specific you are, the greater the chance that you won’t find what you’re looking for and the greater the chance that you’re overlooking a perfectly good solution for your situation. The more specific you are, the more likely it is that you’re going to end up buying that specific thing new, which means you’re going to be paying far more. It also means that you’re probably wasting your time at the secondhand store.

Be flexible. Be as unspecific as possible with what you’re looking for when you go in the door.

Strategy #8 – At the Same Time, It’s Okay To Move On If You Don’t Find Something That Works

When I say “be flexible,” I don’t mean “buy junk.” You might go in the door looking for a toaster, but if there are only two toasters and they look like fire hazards, you don’t have to buy one. If you go in the door looking for summer shirts and there are only a few in your size and they look like rejects from the rag bag, don’t buy them.

What you’re really looking for are items at a low price that actually solve your problem without creating new ones and without bringing home something that will just have to be replaced again in a few months. Take a problem-based view of all of your used item shopping. Does this fix the problem at a very low price without creating new ones or just delaying the problem for a very short time? Then buy it. If not, skip it. You can always shop elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

Secondhand stores are a great tool in a person’s shopping repertoire. They’re not going to always have what you want at the price that you want, but if you’re flexible and keep your eyes open and you go into a good store with a sensible plan, it’s quite likely that you’ll find some great discounts that are really useful to you.

Good luck!

The post Eight Strategies for Maximum Value from Secondhand Stores appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar http://bit.ly/2XnR1e4

Dear Penny: I Can Only Afford Interest on My Student Loans. What Can I Do?

Dear D.,

This lost feeling is common among new graduates facing their student loan debt payments for the first time — or anyone facing debt, for that matter. When paying the bill is a monthly struggle, it’s only natural to wonder if you’ll ever make progress or if you’ll just keep getting knocked back as interest accrues.

For some practical advice on managing student loan payments, I called on Paul Garrard of PGPresents, a student loan consultancy.

We were both confused by the five-year timeline you mentioned.

“The shortest repayment term on federal loans is ten years, and while there could be exceptions, it would be highly unlikely a private lender would require payment over a period that short,” Garrard explained by email.

If you have federal loans, an income-based repayment plan that adjusts your required monthly payment as your income changes can help ease your stress. The repayment period on these loans is typically 20 to 25 years.

Extending your payment period through one of these plans can amplify that overwhelmed feeling you already have about your debt. But keep in mind that 45 million other Americans are in a similar boat. Many of them are just starting out in their careers, too. With student loan debt averaging nearly $30,000 for borrowers from the class of 2018, many others are surely just as stressed as you are.

Remember that slow and steady wins this ugly race.

“Perhaps a realistic repayment objective is to find a repayment plan where the minimum required payment is comfortable and manageable, and then aggressively pay [extra] whenever possible,” Garrard said.

He recommends putting that payment on the loan with the highest interest rate. “While all payments on federal loans are applied to interest first, many private loan lenders allow borrowers to post additional payments against the principal balance of their [highest interest] loan, which helps pay it down even faster.”

Have a tricky money question? Write to Dear Penny and you might see your question answered in an upcoming column.

Lisa Rowan is a personal finance expert and senior writer at The Penny Hoarder, and the voice behind Dear Penny.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

source The Penny Hoarder http://bit.ly/2GxyNBi

Passionate About Beauty? Consider A Home-Based Career in Makeup Artistry

Be your own boss while helping other women feel beautiful … Whether you are just looking for some extra part-time income or you're seeking a full-fledged career in makeup artistry, starting a home-based beauty business is a rewarding career. Let’s face it, how many jobs out there make it possible to help women feel beautiful, […]

The post Passionate About Beauty? Consider A Home-Based Career in Makeup Artistry appeared first on The Work at Home Woman.

Source The Work at Home Woman http://bit.ly/2XuIBSl