Invest in You: Part 2

Today, the most logical way to start a small business with low overhead, is to make something and sell it.  Or, you could find a product and sell it.  Or, you could sell something you already own, but this last option may be limiting, unless you happen to have a large quantity of things that other people may want.

The easiest way to sell something, is online.  It's not scary.  If you have one thing to sell, you could offer it for sale on eBay.  If you happen to have many things to sell, you could also sell it on eBay.  They'll take a small percentage of your gross sales price as a commission, and you get the rest.  You can learn how to sell on eBay here.

In a recent article, well known radio host, Kim Komando offered "6 great ways to make money online," including the 5 suggestions below:

1. Sell art, crafts and collectables online - this one is easy, assuming you can make or source something that others would buy.
2. Cash in on your photos - another simple idea.  If you have old photos of historical value, like political figures, celebrities and/or historic architecture, you could upload your pictures to sites that resell them to advertisers for a small fee.
3. Take on microjobs and quick tasks.  Perhaps you could help out at your local neighborhood restaurant in the evenings, instead of watching 'nothing' on TV? Or you could help a local business on weekends, when other employees want time off, etc.  There are 'professional' dog walkers who earn 6-figure salaries!
4. Tutor and teach.  If you're reading this, you may have a skill that millions of people around the world would like to acquire and/or improve upon... English language.  Offer classes to new immigrants for a fee; even at no charge to start, in order to gain confidence and to help you build a curriculum.  Many people do this full-time, including in some exotic locales, where the income from being a tutor covers their cost of living entirely! Or, if you are reasonably efficient playing an instrument, why not use that skill to teach some beginners.
5. Freelance.  Do you have a skill that you could develop into a second career?  How about being a freelance photographer, ski instructor, etc.?

These are very basic ideas, none which require much - if anything - in terms of start-up fees.  As we progress through the different iterations of trying to help find a Retirement Fix, we may stumble upon some more complex solutions, perhaps discuss opening a 'brick & mortar' business, even venture into a little M&A probability.

Do you have other, or better ideas?  Please join the debate by posting a comment below.