We survivalists AKA preppers spend a lot of time worrying about a national or worldwide collapse scenario, giving little thought to collapse on an individual level. The fact is many things can happen to send your life into turmoil creating a personal collapse.
You can be laid off from your job or fired. Your employer could move or company close. You could become sick or injured, no longer able to work at your present capacity or industry.
You should consider starting a home business. With a home business, you have a hedge against unemployment and become an asset to your neighbors.
No doubt many of you have thought of starting your own business but lack the willpower to actually get it going.
Every home business started with an idea followed by action. You have to put your ideas to work, if not you’re guaranteed to fail.
Starting a home business need not be expensive or time-consuming. Many can be started part-time with little resources or cash outlay. A good book that has been a great resource for me is Small Time Operator by Bernard B. Kamoroff.
Ideas to consider:
- Mail order or Internet Sales
- Craft Sales (can be combined with above)
- Freelance Writing (click here to read my article on freelance writing for pay)
- Gunsmithing
- Locksmithing
- Reloading
- Auto Repair
- Computer Repair
- Knife Making
- Greenhouse / Produce Sales
- Firewood Sales
- Odd Jobs / Handyman
- Welding
- Childcare
- Start a blog (click here to read my full article on how to start a blog)
I’m sure you have many other home business ideas and I can’t wait to read about them in the comments below. Just remember ideas should have low start-up costs that the operator can run from home. I have a full-length article covering 31 home business ideas that you can read by clicking on this link.
Now the bad news. Even a home business can falter. According to statistics on average 50% of home, businesses fail within the first year. This may sound discouraging but one thing is guaranteed – if you never start you will never be included in the 50% that make it.
Steps To Success
- Consider your Skills
- Make a plan
- Avoid entering a saturated market
- Don’t go into debt
- Set a work schedule and stick to it
- Consider customer needs
- Look for a “recession-proof” business
- Prepare to work long hours for little pay
- Don’t quit your current job (if you have one) until you’re established
Having a home business is just another step toward survival and self-reliance. Think about it; how can you be self-sufficient if you depend on others for your livelihood?
Do you run a home business? What is it? What advice would you give others starting out?
I started with 2 pounds of fat head minnows and 500 night crawlers in my garage 18 years ago. I am debt free and do not have a job. Now we have a 4000 sq ft building , delv worms and tackle to 125 stores, bait to 7 other bait shops and I make many lures that we retail and whole sale. I did keep my JOB till 5 years ago.
I’m currently building a small business doing bookkeeping…with online banking and QuickBooks Online, I can work from anywhere. Of course, you need to be skilled/educated for the task, but there are lots of small businesses that need the service. I get $25/hour which is less than others charge.
On the same line as growing and selling vegetables is making and selling jams, jellies, teas, pickles, etc.. In our state we have to attend a $25 class on cottage industries in order to sell those items. I live in an area where items only sell for $4 dollars a jar but in cities that have farmer’s markets you can sell your items for $6-7 per jar. The jar (must be new) plus seasonings or sugar costs about $1.00 total for each item you sell, the rest is profit. Even buying produce and reprocessing it can still make a profit.