The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

How can I make $900-1000 a month?

mrshowtime3

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
5%
Oct 6, 2008
38
2
pa
I know its a very low amount to most and probably seems like a stupid question but at this point I really need to ask.

Basically I started a pool service business and also sell chemicals and equipment. I quit work to do this. I do have some business but it is slow going right now.

That is why I am looking for a way to make $900-$1000 a month to cover living expenses.

Does anyone have any ideas that may be helpful? Ive sold things on ebay before, but cant seem to find products anymore that theres enough profit margin on.

Again, any sort of ideas would be helpful, thank you very much.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

rcardin

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
10%
Oct 30, 2007
501
48
Arlington, TX
find 10 yards a week to mow at $25 each and you are there. Since you already have the pool company try to pick up a few of your customers for their lawns. Otherwise Dominoes, Pizzahut delivering pizzas at night.
 

GuestAcct-10

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
7%
Nov 9, 2009
61
4
Tbh I reckon your best option is getting a part time job whilst your business is growing. As its for your living expenses I'm guessing you cant really take risks trying to get an ebay business off the ground unless you have enough savings to live on for the next few months until you've got time to get a good product and get established. Perhaps some delivery work, or something along those lines would be a good option until your business is bring in enough to live on.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

GuestAcct-10

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
7%
Nov 9, 2009
61
4
Also another quick idea, do you have your own property? If you do, you could always rent out a spare room.
 

mrshowtime3

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
5%
Oct 6, 2008
38
2
pa
I have about 4 months of funds saved. The money was supposed to be for the winter months. However, if I could get a stream on 1K a month going it wouldnt matter. It just seems like ebay is incredibly hard to profit from these days. For instance, pool stuff is being sold on there for the price that I get it from my distributor at. I dont get how people get stuff so cheaply.
 

PaulRobert

Gold Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
146%
May 15, 2009
1,024
1,500
31
New Jersey
For instance, pool stuff is being sold on there for the price that I get it from my distributor at. I dont get how people get stuff so cheaply.

Cut out the middle man, and buy directly from the manufacturer. You save yourself quite a bit of cash there.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Oracle

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
17%
Aug 25, 2009
23
4
53
Newberg, OR
In addition to what the other guys are saying, I would read a few marketing books, like Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson.
 

WestCoast

Gold Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
311%
Jan 20, 2008
506
1,573
Rhode Island for now.
Maybe I'm obtuse, but, why not market the heck out of your pool business?

Pound the pavement (door to door if you have to) and get more customers lined up. Hell, give away a free pool cleaning if they sign on for your service. You have a nugget here, but you have to give it a fair shake, it's not just going to automatically generate $1000/month just because your shingle is out - Go Get It!!


If you have this business, and you think it is viable in your area, then pour 150% into. I don't agree with trying to do other things on the side while you are at a critical phase in achieving success or failure, your business needs your full attention right now.


Hustle hustle hustle. If you are short on cash, like others said, there is P/T work out there to bridge the gaps.

There are 24 hours in a day, many of us are hustling 18 of those to make our businesses grow. Join us!
 
A

Anon3587x

Guest
Well my friend are you a gambling man?
How sure of yourself are you?
You could go to a payday loan place, put a loan against your car and get around 2500$.
But your also paying like 35% interest on that loan, but I mean you asked for suggestions and there ya go.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

michael

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
31%
Jul 22, 2008
244
75
Australia
Maybe I'm obtuse, but, why not market the heck out of your pool business?

Pound the pavement (door to door if you have to) and get more customers lined up. Hell, give away a free pool cleaning if they sign on for your service. You have a nugget here, but you have to give it a fair shake, it's not just going to automatically generate $1000/month just because your shingle is out - Go Get It!!

If you have this business, and you think it is viable in your area, then pour 150% into. I don't agree with trying to do other things on the side while you are at a critical phase in achieving success or failure, your business needs your full attention right now.

Hustle hustle hustle. If you are short on cash, like others said, there is P/T work out there to bridge the gaps.

There are 24 hours in a day, many of us are hustling 18 of those to make our businesses grow. Join us!

This is what I came to post, if you can't earn another $900 each month from your chemical sales business then it is probably not worth putting your time into the biz at all and you ought to find another way to earn money by providing a valuable service or product. As Lamboman350k said get your chemicals from the manufacturer if you can cut out the middle man this will be an instant increase in profits and all you will need to do is make a few phone calls and orders.
 

moop

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
3%
Jun 1, 2010
62
2
Avoid ebay. Because the barrier of entry is so low, it is extremely difficult to make money. With that being said, you can still make decent money in the long term by crering recurrent customers through excellant customer service and sales skills.

Why do you need 900-1000 per month? If it's to cover living expenses, get a part time job. Use the rest of your time to create growth in your company
 

mrshowtime3

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
5%
Oct 6, 2008
38
2
pa
This is what I came to post, if you can't earn another $900 each month from your chemical sales business then it is probably not worth putting your time into the biz at all and you ought to find another way to earn money by providing a valuable service or product. As Lamboman350k said get your chemicals from the manufacturer if you can cut out the middle man this will be an instant increase in profits and all you will need to do is make a few phone calls and orders.


I do currently get chemicals straight from the manufacturer. Its the equipment that becomes hard to get straight from manufacturers.

After far as sales of chemicals and equipment. I do not have a store so everything people buy is delivered to them. Im competing with two pool stores in the area. It seems like I cant get people to buy from me instead of going to a store. I thought it would be a easier sale then its been since I personally would love not having to go to a store for large buckets of chemicals.

I have a website with a store so people can either place a order by phone or through my website and pay for it on there too. Ive made it very easy for them.

My prices are just a few dollars below the other stores. I didnt go with a rock bottom price structure because I think it would attract the wrong customers and also with them at this price I can afford to do attractive % off sales.


So in the end, the problem is getting the word out, getting people used to getting their pool chemicals this way.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

moop

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
3%
Jun 1, 2010
62
2
I thought it would be a easier sale then its been since I personally would love not having to go to a store for large buckets of chemicals.

I seriously think you need to justify that reasoning. Have you spoken to some of your customers to identify if they would actually prefer ordering the chemicals online/over the phone?

For marketing of your pool services business, create incentive for your customers to refer other people. Word of mouth is powerful in the home services industry. Also use online and newspaper classifieds as well as posters and direct mail (in the form of flyers, brochures etc). If you can attract enough interest, focus on quality customer service to create a recurrent customer base. Once you have achieved this, you can think of hiring other people and expanding your operations.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top