Extra Money, on the side

terryandrene · Dec 2, 2007

Forum member Blaaze is a star at supplementing her income through the resale of items she bought at bargain prices.

A former Roberts Express van operator sold bootleg cassette tapes from the back of his van to help feed his family.

Another former Roberts Express driver sharpened knives with his portable equipment in the back of his van.

I met a Father/Son D truck team that spent much of their layover time shining wheels and tanks for extra pocket money.

I think there is a market in windshield ding repair for a laid over driver. What are y'all doing, if anything, to supplement expediter income while on the road?

nestor7 · Dec 2, 2007

This is an excellent question. Reading through many of the forums, it seems that people are spending lots of idle time waiting for the next load to appear. And since many have computers with them, why not use the Internet to make some extra money? Myself, I am getting back into expediting after several years and plan to eventually buy a laptop and put my idle hours to some good use. I plan on doing a bit of writing and options trading in my spare time. I am quite familiar with both. Judging from the many posts on this site, I bet there are many talented people that could add to their incomes with some kind of paying activity. The Internet certainly presents many opportunities to create some extra online income. Tom

ejtrucker · Dec 9, 2007

what about tattoo's, I do tat's also permanent make-up. What do you think? I have thought about it but not sure how to qualify a customer, going into their cab or them mine. If my box is empy I might can set up in there?? Feed back plz

cheri1122 · Dec 9, 2007

Sounds like a very good way to supplement your income, provided you never have to take off in the middle of the work - I could see some pretty dissatisfied customers, then.
One caveat: find out what permits, licenses, etc are required, before you hang out a shingle, and whether you can even do the job "out of state" - I know tattoo artists need to be licensed.

arkjarhead · Dec 10, 2007

I have a bunch of tats, but I wouldn't get one from a traveling artist. Especially not in a truck. It just doesn't seem that sterile to me. Plus what if I need a touch up. Most of my tats had to be touched up after they healed, and most shops do the touch up for free within and certain amount of time.
Me I polished wheels and tanks. Some weeks I made more money doing that than I did haulin freight for the fleet owner. I had a battery powered grinder that my buffing wheels went on. The only thing is you need to go in the truck stop and get the managers ok before you start. Most don't mind when you tell them the situation. It never hurts to be able to pull out a fuel and meal ticket. Then you can say I gave you some of my cash so can I please make a little on your lot. Then if you frequent an area they get to know you and it's not that big of a deal. There are few that don't want anyone making any money on their property besides them. Hey it's their spot they can make their own rules. I'll leave and not come back.

Moot · Dec 13, 2007

I answered an ad in the back of a magazine proclaiming "RAISE CHINCHILLAS FOR FUN AND PROFIT". I found chinchilla raising to be just that; fun and profitable. I have installed a chinchilla pen under the bed in my van. I have 18 chinchillas, actually 17 now. One got away at a truck stop and was crushed by a truck. That wasn't fun! I brought the pelt to a fur trader and only received 37 cents because of the tread pattern embossed into the fur. That wasn't profitable!

Chinchillas are nocturnal so I always have someone to talk to on those long all nighters to Saskatoon. They are warm, fuzzy and cuddly. Greg are you reading this?

I also sell Grit Newspaper (no stories here about crushed chinchillas). The copies of Grit that I am unable to sell, which is most of them, I use to line the chinchilla cage. The soiled newspapers are then composted in the far corners of truck stop parking lots, where in a few years I will reclaim them. I will bag the composted newspaper/chinchilla bean mix and sell it as organic fertilizer.

I am also thinking about selling Ponzi in my spare time. I need to do some more research on Ponzi. Will they be compatible with my chinchillas? What the heck is a Ponzi anyway?

I will keep you posted on the Ponzi scheme when I find out more about it. In the mean time would anybody like a subscription to Grit? 50% off to all E.O. members. How about a fur hat for that special someone on Christmas morning, eh?

arkjarhead · Dec 13, 2007

Moot,
You have got to be kidding me!!!! Althogh I ROFLMAO

Pappy · Dec 13, 2007

Moot,
surely you're not making fun of the ads in backs of mags'.
Here's a little something for you to do. Find several copies of a good mag,say "Popular Science" as an example. Find a current issue, a copy 10 months old, and then a copy 2 to 3 years old. Now look at a particular section of the classifieds say Money Making Opportunities for instance. Compare the ads in all 3 mag copies.
You should not be surprised if you find a number of the same ads have been running month after month and year after year. Now at the heading of the classified section look to see how much it cost per word to insert those ads in the mag!
The people who run those ads just do'nt run them for so long a time just for their health! As a matter of fact many of those ad owners laugh on a daily basis on their way to the bank.
Mail order is a good business if done right and much of it can be done with a lap top from a truck sleeper or cab.
In 1978 I placed a then$40.00 ad in a national mag and actually cleared $30,000.00 in only 90 days. And in case you're wondering---yes I still have ads in magazines! THEY WORK!

Pappy

Moot · Dec 13, 2007

Pappy is that your add for the toilet that flushes up? If so can I run my add for Teflon Ceiling Tiles next to it?

greg334 · Dec 13, 2007

Moot, Yes I read what you do.

I am wondering if they talk back to you?

Moot · Dec 13, 2007

Sometimes Chadette talks to me.

ejtrucker · Dec 14, 2007

I would not start one if I thought it would be interrupted. But I always do the outline then the fill in. I am a licensed "mobile tattoo artistâ€ My biggest thing is qualifying the customer to not get kinky with me. I know kind of smug of me, but some guys
I have a myspace site http://www.myspace.com/art_on_you
that shows my work. I have done it as a hobby for a little over 10 years. I opened a shop last may and was doing well but when the economy really went down I stopped getting customers. I was doing mainly permanent make-up, eyeliner, eyebrows, lips. I went to training for this, pigments instead of ink are use and I use lidocaine for numbing.
I really like doing it. My home time I usually do a few, I set up appointments when I am driving. Sometimes I make in one day what I would in a week driving. But it just is not consistent.

EJ
www.myspace.com/ejtrucker
D/solo

http://www.expeditersonline.com/img/5star-7.gif

Moot · Dec 16, 2007

Pictured below is Gwen getting measurements from a client for our new line of fur lined lingerie - ARCTIC NIGHTS. We guarantee you can set your thermostat back 3 to 5 degrees while wearing ARCTIC NIGHTS thus saving energy and qualifying you for a carbon credit and a coupon for an Al Gore Freeze Pop. Please place your orders soon.

mrgoodtude · Dec 17, 2007

Moot · Dec 17, 2007

Raise my rent and tickle my funny bone. Mike you're sick, but thanks for the early morning laugh.

Moot · Dec 17, 2007

Below is a picture of two of my chinchillas, Benito and George playing leap frog.

sybild · Dec 18, 2007

Are you sure Benito and George are playing leap frog.

Packmule · Dec 18, 2007

They could be......Nawwwww!!!!
Look at the expressions on their faces....Or maybe they've been married a long time.
Now I understand Mundane!!!

Danny

Packmule · Dec 18, 2007

WHOOOAAAAA THERE LITTLE FELLA!!!!
I just reread their names!! Forget what I was thinking at first, but now I'm sure they are playing Leap Frog!!! Right MOOT?!?!?