Back in the nineteen forties I got my first bicycle when a bunch of my young teen age friends, whom were just as poor as I was, introduced me to the city dump in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. We managed to find enough trashed bikes to make one good one. That was an eye opening experience for me. When I was a struggling young Airman in the USAF stationed in California during the Korean War, oh sorry, police action, I quickly learned that the base land fill was a veritable gold mine.
My wife and I were a very young married couple with no money. So I went back to the landfill and got bureaus, a book case and several other pieces of otherwise very expensive furniture. We always managed to put money in the bank when others around us were broke.
Now there is a new twist to this whole subject. I was reminded of all this the other day while driving through a fairly upscale neighborhood. It was trash day and I was marveling at some of the items that people had just set out on the curb for pickup. Then I spotted two ladies in their late thirties or so with a Van pulling a trailer that had been made by stripping down an old pop up tent camper. They were busily going from pile to pile in front of each home, picking off the best items, and popping them into the rapidly filling up trailer and van. At that moment I was instantly transported back sixty years to my first profitable experience at "Dump Picking" as we used to call it in those days. It also reminded me that it was not without its hazards either, as I still have the scars on my ankles where I sunk into a pit of hot ashes from coal that was still burning underground. That is a permanent memory I can assure you! I later found out that some other unfortunate kid had died that way several years before.
Well, back to the ladies who were "Curb Picking." They were neat and clean looking and dressed very nicely, and very dignified looking. considering their line of work. Their van didn't look too shabby either. I have seen a lot of this "Curb Picking" in recent years and have found that many of these items are sold at flea markets, and on sites like EBay for a tidy profit.
One more example is a guy I know who just pick up broken lawn mowers on trash day. Many of them just have a faulty wire on the kill switch and he fixes that problem and sells them for $25.00 each. Others need different parts like wheels and carburetors etc. , so he cannibalizes them from more severely damaged mowers. So even his replacement parts are free. By the way, there's nothing wrong with buying a used, repaired mower or garden tractor. You can save a lot of money, and cut down on the space taken up in the landfill.
Well "Curb Picking" is a way to start your own business with absolutely no money, and whats wrong with that? I still get tempted myself on days when I decide to drive my pickup truck!
Thanks,
Walt
http://thenextbillionaireswillbegreen.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Business opportunities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business opportunities. Show all posts
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
A GREAT LITTLE SIDELINE BUSINESS OP BY WALT BARRETT
You know, they say that "Gold is where you find it", and I'm a firm believer in that. Here's an interesting little story that happened to me in the cemetery just last week. Talk about a ground floor opportunity!
My cousin and I are both in our mid seventies and our parents are buried in the same cemetery. We took a ride there about four weeks ago to visit and inspect their graves. Considering what we had paid initially for their services, we felt that their graves were in pretty shabby condition. They really needed top soil and seeding. It seems that all those guys do is cut the grass, when they get around to it, and pick up the baskets that they sell back to you next year. That day we went to the office and asked them to straighten it out. They wrote a work order, and said they would take care of it. My cousin drove by four weeks later and nothing had been done. Now, here's where the fun begins. Being part time farmers all of our lives, we just loaded up the pickup truck with tools, grass seed and fertilizer etc. and took matters into our own hands. It only took us about thirty minutes to rake, seed, and fertilize the four graves of our parents. Now my parents graves are right near the lane that passes through the cemetery, and very convenient to get to. So while I was working there a very nice middle aged lady, and an elderly man (that means even older than me) pulled up in a car and asked me if I was one of the maintenance people. I walked over to them, and said that while I was very flattered, no I was not, but what was the problem? Of course, I already knew the answer to that.
She was practically in tears and so was her Dad as she explained that her Mother's grave had been a mess for three years, and nothing was being done about it. So I told here to just either fix it herself, or keep going back to the office until they fixed it for her like she was paying for. These guys count on you not going back to check, as I see it by my own experience. There is a fund set up like an annuity that is funded by your original payment for the space, and the inflated headstones and charges that you purchase with the grave site. Whatever these guys can save, they can cream off and pocket. Anyway, she went off to the office, and I went about finishing the grave repairs.
After I finished, and we were driving back home, I got to thinking. I told my cousin who was driving that I was sure that there was a business opportunity in that situation, and that I was going to Google it as soon as I got back to my office. Sure enough, according to Google, there are many people in various parts of the country who offer grave maintenance services. Now there are an awful lot of graves out there, and that means there is plenty of room for people to repair them, and also to set up schedules to place flowers on the graves etc. www.Google.com even has a site listed that offers a complete business plan for only $19.95. People even list the various fees to charge on their web sites. As I see it, this business is a low buck investment that to could run even from a car to get started if you could not afford a pickup. Graves take very little loam for top dressing and it can be carried in old five gallon buckets if necessary. It is also a very nice service to perform for people. You can get customers by advertising in free supermarket flyer's, word of mouth, and on your own web site. Another place to advertise any product or service for free is www.Craigslist.org .
Try to make yearly contracts and collect your money either in advance or monthly billing by Pay Pal or CC etc. Your clients may even be out of town and unable to visit the graves.
You will have to market your services to succeed. You also have to be very patient. I will write another article just on inexpensive marketing very soon. When I started our now famous web site www.chinadepot.com in 1995 I didn't make one penny for two years, but I have always had a motto that I live by, "Never give up, and never stop trying." Remember though, you must have a decent idea to start with. Fear of failure kills a lot of businesses before they are ever started. You cannot be afraid to fail. No one plans to fail, but if you do, you must pick yourself up and keep moving forward. I failed several times over the past fifty years. How do you think I learned so much about business. Another thing, don't pay some third party to "make you rich" by starting you in "their wonderful business" If it is that great, what are they sharing it with you for? Late night TV is loaded with sucker deals. The TV stations should be held responsible to everyone that gets swindled by these slick talking dudes that have no conscience, and will do anything to get your money! I believe that you should study the business that you want to be in very thoroughly, and then boot strap it. Don't let some flim flam man steal your life savings, and your dreams! Do your homework, and research these get rich quick opportunities. Find a real life example in your own state that is succeeding and not just by selling blue sky and big pipe dreams!
Any questions, please drop me a line. My advice is free! Please subscribe to our four blogs. And, please tell your friends about us.
Here's to successful business!
Walt
My cousin and I are both in our mid seventies and our parents are buried in the same cemetery. We took a ride there about four weeks ago to visit and inspect their graves. Considering what we had paid initially for their services, we felt that their graves were in pretty shabby condition. They really needed top soil and seeding. It seems that all those guys do is cut the grass, when they get around to it, and pick up the baskets that they sell back to you next year. That day we went to the office and asked them to straighten it out. They wrote a work order, and said they would take care of it. My cousin drove by four weeks later and nothing had been done. Now, here's where the fun begins. Being part time farmers all of our lives, we just loaded up the pickup truck with tools, grass seed and fertilizer etc. and took matters into our own hands. It only took us about thirty minutes to rake, seed, and fertilize the four graves of our parents. Now my parents graves are right near the lane that passes through the cemetery, and very convenient to get to. So while I was working there a very nice middle aged lady, and an elderly man (that means even older than me) pulled up in a car and asked me if I was one of the maintenance people. I walked over to them, and said that while I was very flattered, no I was not, but what was the problem? Of course, I already knew the answer to that.
She was practically in tears and so was her Dad as she explained that her Mother's grave had been a mess for three years, and nothing was being done about it. So I told here to just either fix it herself, or keep going back to the office until they fixed it for her like she was paying for. These guys count on you not going back to check, as I see it by my own experience. There is a fund set up like an annuity that is funded by your original payment for the space, and the inflated headstones and charges that you purchase with the grave site. Whatever these guys can save, they can cream off and pocket. Anyway, she went off to the office, and I went about finishing the grave repairs.
After I finished, and we were driving back home, I got to thinking. I told my cousin who was driving that I was sure that there was a business opportunity in that situation, and that I was going to Google it as soon as I got back to my office. Sure enough, according to Google, there are many people in various parts of the country who offer grave maintenance services. Now there are an awful lot of graves out there, and that means there is plenty of room for people to repair them, and also to set up schedules to place flowers on the graves etc. www.Google.com even has a site listed that offers a complete business plan for only $19.95. People even list the various fees to charge on their web sites. As I see it, this business is a low buck investment that to could run even from a car to get started if you could not afford a pickup. Graves take very little loam for top dressing and it can be carried in old five gallon buckets if necessary. It is also a very nice service to perform for people. You can get customers by advertising in free supermarket flyer's, word of mouth, and on your own web site. Another place to advertise any product or service for free is www.Craigslist.org .
Try to make yearly contracts and collect your money either in advance or monthly billing by Pay Pal or CC etc. Your clients may even be out of town and unable to visit the graves.
You will have to market your services to succeed. You also have to be very patient. I will write another article just on inexpensive marketing very soon. When I started our now famous web site www.chinadepot.com in 1995 I didn't make one penny for two years, but I have always had a motto that I live by, "Never give up, and never stop trying." Remember though, you must have a decent idea to start with. Fear of failure kills a lot of businesses before they are ever started. You cannot be afraid to fail. No one plans to fail, but if you do, you must pick yourself up and keep moving forward. I failed several times over the past fifty years. How do you think I learned so much about business. Another thing, don't pay some third party to "make you rich" by starting you in "their wonderful business" If it is that great, what are they sharing it with you for? Late night TV is loaded with sucker deals. The TV stations should be held responsible to everyone that gets swindled by these slick talking dudes that have no conscience, and will do anything to get your money! I believe that you should study the business that you want to be in very thoroughly, and then boot strap it. Don't let some flim flam man steal your life savings, and your dreams! Do your homework, and research these get rich quick opportunities. Find a real life example in your own state that is succeeding and not just by selling blue sky and big pipe dreams!
Any questions, please drop me a line. My advice is free! Please subscribe to our four blogs. And, please tell your friends about us.
Here's to successful business!
Walt
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A chance to sort things out by Walt Barrett
I recently had a friend invest $6000.00 in an Internet get rich quick scheme put on by a bunch of hucksters that travel from city to city conning people. He never asked my advice to begin with, or I could have told him that the company was currently under investigation by several State Attorney Generals offices. This is really a sad story because my young friend really could not afford to lose that money on a phony business plan. There is no easy money on the Internet. We all have to work hard for it just like everyone else! I do not work for EBay in any way shape or form, however, if you want to get an Internet business and you are inexperienced, then join EBay http://www.ebay.com/ and Pay Pal http://www.paypal.com/ , both are for free, and are the same company now, then learn the rules and start selling. We have a store on EBay and it is very profitable, and they are not paying me to say that. Never answer any emails to either of the two sites if they ask you to use your passwords etc. Just put the letter aside and go to the web site and sign in. All scam letters to do with EBay or Pay Pal can be verified by sending them to spoof@paypal.com or spoof@ebay.com Never send your pass words to anyone!!!
The purpose of this web site is to give people a place to submit legitimate business opportunities that do not charge upfront fees for one thing, and are not MLS (Multi Level Marketing Schemes) for Another. I'm not saying they are dishonest, I just don't care for them.
The idea of hundreds of other people making money for you is very attractive but mostly a pipe dream except for the folks at the top of the pyramid. If a company has a decent product or service for you to sell then they have no need to charge you fees etc. Also, don't be bulldozed into buying a ton of inventory! You have to test the waters first. There are many companies in the world that will be very happy to wholesale products to you without charging you Blue Sky Money. The other thing I would just like to touch on is if you see a business for sale, ask yourself why is it for sale? A thorough investigation is always needed in these cases. I once met a guy that was shown a set of phony books, and taken for a bundle. My advice is investigate, investigate, investigate. I have been contacted by another man who paid $12,000.00 for a dealership performing certain repairs for motor vehicles. Now he is not receiving any customer support, and the worst part of it is he could have started the same business on his own for less than $1000.00. I have had several calls about that same company. Do not be motivated by greed, and excitement into an easy money scheme! You may post your questions and thoughts on this blog. We will solicit comments and advice from other readers as this blog grows. This could save you a fortune. It is a free service from our company. We are not asking you to buy anything. We don't need dealers to sell our products.
Please send this blog site to your friends. You might save them from getting burned like my friend did.
Sincerely,
Walt
The purpose of this web site is to give people a place to submit legitimate business opportunities that do not charge upfront fees for one thing, and are not MLS (Multi Level Marketing Schemes) for Another. I'm not saying they are dishonest, I just don't care for them.
The idea of hundreds of other people making money for you is very attractive but mostly a pipe dream except for the folks at the top of the pyramid. If a company has a decent product or service for you to sell then they have no need to charge you fees etc. Also, don't be bulldozed into buying a ton of inventory! You have to test the waters first. There are many companies in the world that will be very happy to wholesale products to you without charging you Blue Sky Money. The other thing I would just like to touch on is if you see a business for sale, ask yourself why is it for sale? A thorough investigation is always needed in these cases. I once met a guy that was shown a set of phony books, and taken for a bundle. My advice is investigate, investigate, investigate. I have been contacted by another man who paid $12,000.00 for a dealership performing certain repairs for motor vehicles. Now he is not receiving any customer support, and the worst part of it is he could have started the same business on his own for less than $1000.00. I have had several calls about that same company. Do not be motivated by greed, and excitement into an easy money scheme! You may post your questions and thoughts on this blog. We will solicit comments and advice from other readers as this blog grows. This could save you a fortune. It is a free service from our company. We are not asking you to buy anything. We don't need dealers to sell our products.
Please send this blog site to your friends. You might save them from getting burned like my friend did.
Sincerely,
Walt
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