Sunday, Jan 29, 2006 at 17:51
Crazy Dog,
You can certainly supplement your income very nicely from the markets if you can come up with a good idea. After my folks retired with nothing more than a pension, they travelled Aust. for 13 years solid. Their pension basically paid for their groceries and HBF cover; markets paid for everything else. For many years when markets were at the height of their popularity and M&D had the good health and energy to capitalise on it, they made a very nice living indeed - many a week they netted more than I did working 40 hours. We used to meet up with the folks in
Darwin,
Broome, up and down the
Qld coast etc for years so I spent a lot of time hanging out at the markets with them. Apart from the income, they developed a lovely network of "market" friends, all travelling around doing the same as themselves. They spent most of the winter months split between
Broome and
Darwin where they did the
Broome and Mindil Beach markets. Rest of the year they just did markets wherever they happened to be travelling (usually found out about markets in advance from other market holders or information centres). Also, you'd be amazed how much stuff they used to sell in the CVP to other travellers who's curiousity often drew them over th M7D caravan to see what it was they were working on, then word of mouth...
So what did they sell? Well all sorts of things. Mum is great at sewing so initially she made shirts, skirts, boardshorts etc. Dad just helped out. Later they met a man who made glass earings and pendants using crystal glass shaped under an oxy flame (same as glass blowers use). This man taught dad and even though his early efforts left a bit to be desired, he still managed to sell them. 15 years on he is very, very good at his craft (they still do a local market selling dad's glass only). Mum has always been artsy, so eventually she gave up the sewing and starting making handcrafts using gumnuts, driftwood, semi-precious stones (purchased). They also started buying and selling other peoples craft. Also, mum's never been afraid to "steal" someone elses idea either. Since they were always moving on, she never offended anyone because they'd be hundreds of k's away in another town before she brought the "new" idea to the market. I've lost track at all the stuff she's made and sold over the years. They have had a go at many things and made a success of it.
Their friends, many of whom I have gotten to know, sell wares ranging from folkart,
fridge magnets, leather goods, T-shirts, paintings and so on. Some have no prior artistic skill (like my dad) but you'd be surprised how good you can get at something if you work at it for 6-12 months. A great idea we came across at the
Kununurra markets last June was someone who had a stall set-up selling coffee and cake. They had a some folding tables and chairs set up in the shade for their customers, their cakes obviously weren't all homemade (perhaps purchased from the local bakery), an urn powered off a honda gennie and they were making a killing. Another mob were making bacon and egg rolls. Point is, yes you can definitely make money and all you need is a good idea that appeals to people.
:o) Melissa
AnswerID:
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