Thread: Fed up and skint!

Originally Posted by padme

pots ....would that be summit like doodlepots?

It could be (although I had to google doodlepots), or you could have a place that has 2 different activities per day, changing them per day of the week so that people could come more often without having a cupboard full of cups at home! Making snow globes or tree baubles at Christmas, glass jar painting, mini stained glass windows, painted eggs at Easter, simple bead jewellery, modelling with salt dough (could be different themes according to the season), etc, etc, etc

Originally Posted by tixylicks

Antiques....I doubt ASDA will ever start selling those!

Or a little new agey shop, crystals, incense, cards, books, jewellry, and more unusual nick nacks. There are so few around that people will travel to them, and believe me Asda won't stock this sort of stuff EVER! There is quite a big market out there for good quality stuff, and of course the shop always smells devine....

Tinkly music as well....

That is a good idea too. I love these shops

Originally Posted by potential

It could be (although I had to google doodlepots), or you could have a place that has 2 different activities per day, changing them per day of the week so that people could come more often without having a cupboard full of cups at home! Making snow globes or tree baubles at Christmas, glass jar painting, mini stained glass windows, painted eggs at Easter, simple bead jewellery, modelling with salt dough (could be different themes according to the season), etc, etc, etc

girliebiker on Arrse does this sort of stuf, I'll direct her over here to advise!!

Do you have any talents?
one woman makes 500 quid a month by baking cakes for weddings, birthdays and christenings
another makes double that with sewing, from clothes to curtains and special pillows ( name of child and birthdate kind of thing)

I can swear, alot.

Stand up commedienne?

Sorry for the bringing up the rear

I own a small independent craft and gift shop, well that's what I started out as but due to the recession, Tesco's and the opening of Dunlems, I had no choice but to change direction. Now not only do I have the shop but I also run crafting sessions for both children and adults, I run after school clubs in 3 local schools, I run two sewing classes a week between 6 - 8pm and my weekends are taken up at either craft or wedding fairs.

During the holidays I run Crafty Kids on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for 2 hours each day. 2 hours is just about the attention span of most 7 - 12 year olds!

I also run childrens crafting birthday parties.

I nearly forgot I also make wedding stationery, favours and wedding cakes.

Working on average 16 hour days can be so tiring at times. It can be thankless work and when I'm sat in the shop paying electricity and heating and I only have 1 customer who buys 2 sheets of peel off's it's soul destroying.

On the plus side, well you only need to check out my facebook page (Dragonflies) to see some the Crafty Kids projects from this summer to see just how rewarding it can be!

if you are thinking of opening up a shop there is more than just rent to think about, business rates (although most councils are now letting small business's off their rates, it's always good to check out just how much you will be required to pay), heat, light, power, water rates, telephone, internet, wages for any help you may have, any loan repayments, and bank charges (banks charge you for banking money and cheques, they charge for direct debits they will also charge you interest) credit and debit card machines cost you to use them and most people these days do not carry cash, insurance (shop arround), alarms, stock and of course your wages.

The weather can play a big part in how much business comes your way. During the snow last year and early this year I was lucky if I took £200 a week, if it's too warm people don't go shopping, if it's raining especially during the school holidays we tend to get more customers and Crafty Kids can be sold out.

Think about the area you live in when buying your stock, Ilkeston is a low income area, our max price level is around £20, although we do have a few items over that price just incase Robert Lyndsey cames in (he likes the fact we offer free tea, coffee and mulled wine at christmas).

There are trade shows in London, the NEC Birmingham and Harrogate, not sure about further north. They are well worth visiting before you start up. they will give you an idea of just how much you will need to spend on your stock. Suppliers will have minimum order values, usually around £150 to £200 per order but some times you can negoitate.

If you are prepared to put the hours in you can make it work. I employ 1 part timer and 3 saturday staff, Dragonflies earns me enough to pay thier wages, pay it's bills, pay my mortgage and bills and I have 2 holidays a year but for that I work bloody hard, it's now been 126 days without a day off. It's not easy.

Oh and it also cost me my relationship, "all you do is work", he was happy to take the holidays, fridge halogen cooker & radiator for his room, down payment on his car and other items paid for by me working all the time though! :-)

I am looking for "outworkers" people who can sew, cross stitch, knit. PM me if anyone is interested.

I also display and sell other peoples work, again if anyone is interested pm me.

Being out of worksucks,big time. I had 26 months out of work then got a job from May to December 6th last year, and then got the boot as they didn't have enough money to keep me on so am currently out of work again!! I have sort of been offered a job working for a friend, however when that's likely to start as she can't afford to apy anyone yet is anybody's guess, God I hate being unemployed!!!!

Hi, sure you have already looked at this but try Recruit for Spouses, I am working with them at the moment and they are dedicated to the cause! Make sure your cv is on every job site, also try firms like Babcocks and major construction they always have lots of interesting jobs or G4S? Anyway worth a try. Good luck!

We are on the move to caterick at the end of July I've handed my notice in at work and am worried I won't find a job when we move having 3 kids and a hubby you can't really rely on for babysitting is not the greatest start when looking for a job. I've worked since leaving school 18 years ago and due to no real qualifications I can see myself spending alot of time twiggling my thumbs and cleaning over things I've just cleaned just to occupy some time,
Not really bothered what job I do when I move I'll have a go at anything but as alot of you have said they are really picky at the moment,
Good luck to you all who are looking for work

Hi Jenny,

A little linky for you Catterick Garrison HIVE: Job Vacancies

Jenny, one thing I never had a problem with in Catterick was finding a job and a childminder/nursery. Don't worry about it!

Finding a job here isn't a problem , but people not having a drivinglicense is...it's already hard getting a job being a spouse of someone serving , but to then say at an interview that you can't do certain shifts because the bus won't run at them times , is a bit cheeky ifyou ask me......you can slate me for this opinion , but it's my opinion

No I agree padme when I did interviews for Xmas staff if they couldn't get home or bac, or wouldn't work Xmas day new years eve they went into the red pile, drivings not a problem just looking for school hours really. Thanks for link I've been looking on there for a while now and few other sites