Leading Jill Outside the Box

Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't involve
interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means thinking outside
the box.

The first idea I had was as a pet sitter. My pet sitter gets $25.00 when
she comes once a day and $40 for twice a day visits. She usually has 10
clients daily, especially in the summer and on holidays. Her expenses are
obvious - gas for her car, insurance and bonding and advertising. But she's
at a stage where most of her advertising is by word of mouth.She works hard
and she works long hours but she enjoys what she does and has a relatively
flexible schedule.

That led to dog walking. I'm not sure how many people in your area hire
someone to walk their dogs but you might check into the idea.

I also thought about freelancing restaurant reviews to your local newspaper.
That sounds like something you could do and it might pay a little at first
and then advance to something more. Afterall, Rachael Ray started in a
family restaurant. Write an "Elvis Food Tour".

Finally, I considered your love of cooking and wondered if you could create
'healthy homemade pet treats" and sell them at local farmers' markets or
craft type shows. Maybe John would let you sell them at his art booth. You
could buy seed from a locally owned healthfood store and create organic bird
treats and then offer them to the same healthfood store to sell upfront and
pay you if they sold.

You could expand by growing your own catnip and making catnip mice. I'd be
happy to send you some fabric to help with that endeavor.

These are just a few ideas. Does anyone else have ideas that fall outside
the box that Jill might consider to help supplement her income?

Purrs that things begin looking up really soon, Jill

Julie, Hobbes, Selena, Lacey, Sam and Barnabus

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:55:52 -0400, Julie Cook wrote:

Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't involve
interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means thinking outside
the box.

The first idea I had was as a pet sitter. My pet sitter gets $25.00 when
she comes once a day and $40 for twice a day visits. She usually has 10
clients daily, especially in the summer and on holidays. Her expenses are
obvious - gas for her car, insurance and bonding and advertising. But she's
at a stage where most of her advertising is by word of mouth.She works hard
and she works long hours but she enjoys what she does and has a relatively
flexible schedule.

That led to dog walking. I'm not sure how many people in your area hire
someone to walk their dogs but you might check into the idea.

I also thought about freelancing restaurant reviews to your local newspaper.
That sounds like something you could do and it might pay a little at first
and then advance to something more. Afterall, Rachael Ray started in a
family restaurant. Write an "Elvis Food Tour".

Finally, I considered your love of cooking and wondered if you could create
'healthy homemade pet treats" and sell them at local farmers' markets or
craft type shows. Maybe John would let you sell them at his art booth. You
could buy seed from a locally owned healthfood store and create organic bird
treats and then offer them to the same healthfood store to sell upfront and
pay you if they sold.

You could expand by growing your own catnip and making catnip mice. I'd be
happy to send you some fabric to help with that endeavor.

These are just a few ideas. Does anyone else have ideas that fall outside
the box that Jill might consider to help supplement her income?

Purrs that things begin looking up really soon, Jill

Julie, Hobbes, Selena, Lacey, Sam and Barnabus


I know it doesn't sound appealing at first, but there are many people who
would pay good money for a thorough, reliable house cleaner.
MLB

Julie Cook wrote:


You could expand by growing your own catnip and making catnip mice. I'd be
happy to send you some fabric to help with that endeavor.

If you decide to try making catnip mice, I have a
suggestion. The best I ever had (meaning the ones the cats
liked best) I used to buy at Trader Joe's, but they stopped
carrying them. They were made of burlap with embroidered
eyes, nose and whiskers. Actually, I suppose you could call
them "catnip rats", because they were about twice the length
of "standard" catnip mice, and had long tails consisting of
a strip of burlap fabric (which became shredded strings in
no time, but that apparently only made them MORE attractive
to the cats).

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
Julie Cook wrote:


You could expand by growing your own catnip and making catnip mice. I'd be
happy to send you some fabric to help with that endeavor.

If you decide to try making catnip mice, I have a
suggestion. The best I ever had (meaning the ones the cats
liked best) I used to buy at Trader Joe's, but they stopped
carrying them. They were made of burlap with embroidered
eyes, nose and whiskers. Actually, I suppose you could call
them "catnip rats", because they were about twice the length
of "standard" catnip mice, and had long tails consisting of
a strip of burlap fabric (which became shredded strings in
no time, but that apparently only made them MORE attractive
to the cats).

A woman here started a "Gourmet Pet Treats" business. She makes
beautiful gift baskets and puts homemade catnip mice in, also. She also
does horse treats. A farm/ranch supply store let her sell her products
there, probably for a percentage. She also does pet photography and
pet sitting. She's made a pretty lucrative career out of a love for
animals.

There's a couple of young female entepreneurs in the city here who had
an idea that's taking off like wildfire. They cater to the busy woman
who still wants to feed her family home-cooked meals. They hold a sort
of class, the women come, and they show them how to prepare various
full family meals that freeze well. The provide instruction, freezer
containers and the ingredients, but the participants really prepare the
food. They leave with a week's worth of dinners that can be frozen and
prepared quickly. Their classes are already all full. Don't know if
that's a viable option for Jill; but I know she is certainly qualified
for that kind of endeaver.

Mlbriggs is right about house cleaning. A whole lot of people only need
light housekeeping done, and they will pay well for someone who does a
good job and they can trust. It's hard to find someone here. The lady
who runs the shelter has a second job where she cleans two banks at
night. I was surprised at how much that pays; of course it is hard
work, not like light housekeeping.

There are people here also who take care of elderly folks who just need
a *little* help. They need to be driven to doctor's appointments and
such; light housekeeping, they cook one meal a day. I think that would
be fun and very rewarding. But I like visiting with older folks.
They're a treasure, the stories they can tell.

I used to do contract typing for an independent oil lease man. That
paid very well, but I"m not sure whether the oil business is booming in
TN like it is here.

But I can't help thinking that Jill is way too qualified for any of
this. If the job market in Memphis is that dead, would moving be an
option?

Sherry

"mlbriggs" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:55:52 -0400, Julie Cook wrote:

Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't
involve
interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means thinking
outside
the box.

The first idea I had was as a pet sitter. My pet sitter gets $25.00 when
she comes once a day and $40 for twice a day visits. She usually has 10
clients daily, especially in the summer and on holidays. Her expenses
are
obvious - gas for her car, insurance and bonding and advertising. But
she's
at a stage where most of her advertising is by word of mouth.She works
hard
and she works long hours but she enjoys what she does and has a
relatively
flexible schedule.

That led to dog walking. I'm not sure how many people in your area hire
someone to walk their dogs but you might check into the idea.

I also thought about freelancing restaurant reviews to your local
newspaper.
That sounds like something you could do and it might pay a little at
first
and then advance to something more. Afterall, Rachael Ray started in a
family restaurant. Write an "Elvis Food Tour".

Finally, I considered your love of cooking and wondered if you could
create
'healthy homemade pet treats" and sell them at local farmers' markets or
craft type shows. Maybe John would let you sell them at his art booth.
You
could buy seed from a locally owned healthfood store and create organic
bird
treats and then offer them to the same healthfood store to sell upfront
and
pay you if they sold.

You could expand by growing your own catnip and making catnip mice. I'd
be
happy to send you some fabric to help with that endeavor.

These are just a few ideas. Does anyone else have ideas that fall outside
the box that Jill might consider to help supplement her income?

Purrs that things begin looking up really soon, Jill

Julie, Hobbes, Selena, Lacey, Sam and Barnabus


I know it doesn't sound appealing at first, but there are many people who
would pay good money for a thorough, reliable house cleaner.
MLB


That's actually a good idea, assuming good health (because house cleaning
can be difficult work). I did that when I was a student to help pay my
bills. I now pay a woman to come in every other week. She gets
substantially more than many people work on an hourly basis, and it's well
worth it to me. She does an excellent job, but my two *primary criteria*
were (1) must take exceptional care that my furbabies are safe, and (2) must
be someone that I feel is honest and reliable. Actually, the two criteria
pretty much fit together. She provides cleaning supplies to most of the
homes where she works, but I buy all the cleaning products for my home
because I want to be very sure that they are safe around cats.

MaryL

"Julie Cook" wrote in message
. ..
Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't
involve interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means
thinking outside the box.


Jill do you have access to a sewing machine? With a sewing machine, and
five bucks you can make all sorts of catnip snakes like I made for Rosie and
Cinders and sell them for a dollar each. I bought flour sacking at Wal-Mart
at five towels for $5 and was able to get between eight and sixteen snakes
per towel. you can leave one end open, or put a Velcro closer on it and
they provide the catnip. You can sell them at flea markets or see if the
local pet stores would carry them.

Pam S. who's thought this out.

tanada wrote:
"Julie Cook" wrote in message
. ..
Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't
involve interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means
thinking outside the box.


Jill do you have access to a sewing machine? With a sewing machine, and
five bucks you can make all sorts of catnip snakes like I made for Rosie and
Cinders and sell them for a dollar each. I bought flour sacking at Wal-Mart
at five towels for $5 and was able to get between eight and sixteen snakes
per towel. you can leave one end open, or put a Velcro closer on it and
they provide the catnip. You can sell them at flea markets or see if the
local pet stores would carry them.

Pam S. who's thought this out.

Pam, can you send me a pic of one of your snakes, or a pattern? Thanks
a bunch.

Sherry

wrote:

Pam, can you send me a pic of one of your snakes, or a pattern? Thanks
a bunch.

I'd like to see one of those famous snakes, too. )

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

wrote in message
ups.com...

.... Pam, can you send me a pic of one of your snakes, or a pattern? Thanks
a bunch.
Sherry

The snakes are a hit with the cruising cats. Pam has a photo of Cinder
hugging one. Maybe she could make the photo available to you.

Annie, crew for Cinder and Rosie

tanada wrote:
"Julie Cook" wrote in message
. ..
Jill,
I keep thinking we need to find you a way to make money that doesn't
involve interviewing with someone who will tell you no. That means
thinking outside the box.


Jill do you have access to a sewing machine? With a sewing machine,
and five bucks you can make all sorts of catnip snakes like I made
for Rosie and Cinders and sell them for a dollar each. I bought
flour sacking at Wal-Mart at five towels for $5 and was able to get
between eight and sixteen snakes per towel. you can leave one end
open, or put a Velcro closer on it and they provide the catnip. You
can sell them at flea markets or see if the local pet stores would
carry them.

Pam S. who's thought this out.

No sewing machine. I had one once but hadn't used it in years. When my
brother Scott and his now ex-wife moved into their new house, they decided
to hold a yard sale. She asked if there was anything I wanted to sell.
Among the items I gave her was my sewing machine. Well! Her idea of my
giving items to the sale was she'd keep the money for my items! I was too
embarrassed to approach her and my brother (at the time) thought she walked
on water and I didn't want to ripple it, so I didn't mention it to him,
either. When I finally told him after their divorce what she'd done he was
appalled. Wish I'd approached him sooner; I could have used the money.

Jill