101 SURVIVAL IDEAS
Produced by Craig Lock
2 Elm St   Gisborne
Ph:(06) 867-4312
e-mail: C.Lock@xtra.co.nz
Click Here for the SiteMap

SOME GENERAL NOTES FOR SUCCESS IN WHATEVER TRACK YOU CHOOSE.

     Always remember that there are fully fledged companies already doing some of the listed jobs. However,
 you have a big advantage in that... 

>>> YOU can offer a much cheaper and more personalized service.

>>> Many people do not like selling, but remember even if you are providing a service, you still have to 
sell yourself to the potential customer.

>>> Be polite, understanding, and sympathetic to your customers needs. Be prepared to make compromise
in all areas of your business. Particularly regarding negotiating a fair price for your services.

>>> Lastly, try and keep accurate records of your activities as this will also form a foundation for when you
apply for a regular job and this will definitely impress a prospective employer.

GOOD LUCK!!

100 WAYS TO SURVIVE
BY: CRAIG LOCK

1. Free Lance Debt Collector - Commission Based.
     Many different companies have large outstanding debtors of which most are just slow payers and some
bad. Your job will be to chase up all the debtors. You will charge a commission of between 5 and 10 Os of
all debtors who pay as a result of your efforts. Furniture retailers and suchlike are good places to start
offering your services.

2. Market Research.
     Offer yourself to virtually any company to research a given product or idea. Companies are always trying
to establish whether their product has a market. Also offer to test different household products on your
friends and family on behalf of a company.

3. Typing.
     There is a continuous need for documents, letters, thesis, etc. to be typed for lawyers, students and
small companies. Advertise yourself at universities and in your own area.

4. Informal Shops.
     Set yourself up in an area not close to cafes or shops. You can work out of your car or out of your
garage. Even put up a stand or umbrella to sell basic goods like sweets/chips cigarettes/cool drinks etc.
Firstly, check out the local regulations with your district council.

5. Basic Car Service - Oil and Plugs.
     Many people who are not mechanically minded will be happy to pay for this essential yet simple job on
their car. They save by not having to take their car to a garage and you can charge a small fee to do this oil
change for them.

6. Direct Selling.
     This is probably the least attractive part time alternative and yet many people make good money from this.
There are many companies offering commission based direct selling. Mostly household products which are
in daily use and therefore have to be re-ordered regularly. The best here is to concentrate on small areas
around where you live and slowly expand as you gain confidence in direct selling. Aim small to start and
you won't be disappointed.

7. Telemarketing.
     This involves much the same as item 2 but you work at home using your own telephone. Many companies
require their marketing to be done by phone at night between 6pm and 9 pm. The main purpose of this is to
get leads for their sales people to follow up.

8. Driving 
     This is so obvious it is often overlooked. Motor dealers etc. are always moving cars from one province
to another and require drivers to do this. Even local companies need extra or standby drivers at odd times.

9. Make simple picture frames.
     This is easy! Every family has posters/awards/certificates that need a simple and cheap frame. A simple
hardboard or masonite backing and possibly glass on the front makes an affordable and attractive frame.
Keep your prices low and you will get plenty of business.

10. Run small After School Care at your home.
     With the necessity of both parents working these days, school going children need supervision in the
afternoons to do homework and stay out of trouble. Use your house or flat and create a safe environment
and make it affordable for the parents. Check out the regulations.

l l. Simple furniture repair.
     Every household has the odd table or chair or bed with wobbly legs or broken rimpies etc. etc. You 
don't have to be a carpenter to make these basic repairs. Start in your immediate neighborhood and make
a name for yourself.

12. Basic garden service.
     If you enjoy gardening than this is for you. Keep lawns neat and flower beds weed free. Do a budget
service and charge budget prices. Most people cannot afford the established garden services so keep this
in mind when quoting prices.

13. Home Maintenance.
     With all the single mother families around it is very expensive to call a builder just to fix a few wall tiles or
fix a leaking tap or gutter or lay a brick pathway and so on. Use your most basic skills and offer your
services around.

14. Rubble and rubbish removal using a Ute or trailer.
     This does require your own transport to remove from most properties some form of rubble/junk/scrap etc.
Do not ignore business properties while looking for business.

15. Individual Computer Training.
     If you have a computer at home you can offer training on a one on one basis to people who want to
become computer literate or be trained on a specific software package. Going training rates start at 
$10 per hour and up.

16. Cleaning service after events.
     At every rugby/soccer/cricket//fetes/motor racing and in fact any gathering of people their is always tons 
of litter to be picked up. Offer your services to the organizers at these events. Keep an eye on news etc. to
locate forthcoming events.

17. 'House minding while owner is away.
     Taking care of somebody's house or flat while they are away and looking after the pool/pets/post etc.

18. Extra Lessons for schooling, e.g.. math and English etc.
     Lots of children battle with math and second languages and need extra mural help in this regard. No 
special skill is needed to supply this valuable service. Charge low rates and enjoy busy afternoons.

19. Make murals on walls.
     Brighten up your suburb by painting colorful murals on the walls instead of all the ugly graffiti. Get together
with individual streets and discuss what murals are wanted and charge for the paintings. Remember all
members of the suburb should contribute as they will benefit directly and indirectly.

20. Become a personal trainer.
     Help various people in developing their physique with regular training programs and ongoing support to
keep them fit. Especially good for those who lack motivation to keep fit.

21. Recycling waste i.e.. aluminum can etc.
     Collect cans/bottles etc. especially after a function and sell them to recycling businesses. This can be done
in conjunction with job 16.

22. Make and sell your own compost.
     This is a very popular item as few people really like to make compost heaps. Get your ingredients free
from local shops or from the Market. Sell the compost in used supermarket bags to further save money.

23. Mediate in friends and neighborhood disputes.
     Their are always disputes in a suburb such as the neighbors dogs or the teenagers loud music and so on.
Your function will be to step in and mediate between arguing neighbors or friends. Charge a commission to
amicably solve these disputes which are generally too small to take to court.

24. Counseling families on various matters - teenagers etc.
     All families have a crisis at some time or another, whether it is a teenager problem or a struggling marriage.
It really helps if an outsider can come in and talk to the parties involved and offer solutions and advice for a
small fee.

25. Buy and sell secondhand clothes.
     This is a tried and trusted method of bringing in some money. Every family has a few old clothes lying
around to start you off selling out of your garage and at flea markets and any place you can think of.

26. Teach music at home.
     Teach basic musical instruments such as saxophone/piano/guitar/flute/violin/drums etc. Obviously you
should have at least some skills in this regard.

27 Sell lunch snacks etc to office workers.
     Make delicious sandwiches and rolls and sell them at nearby office blocks. Keep your prices fair and your
quality high and you will soon have a loyal following. Also make sure your food is clean, fresh and interesting.

28. Remove unwanted bees and hornets.
     Only the brave should attempt this. Make sure you wear protective clothing. Other unwanted animals can
also be removed at a price.

29. Kiddy tours.
     Take kids on outings that kids love but parents are tired of. For example, zoos/bunny parks/beaches etc.
This requires a lot of responsibility but you can charge accordingly and parents love to have a break from the
kids on a weekend.

30. Wedding service organizer.
     For a nominal fee offer to do all the many detailed work needed to get a wedding to run smoothly both
before, during, and after the big event.

31. Grow and sell vegetables.
     This will take time to get going but once established you will always have a ready market to sell fresh
vegetables. Concentrate on a small variety and high quality. You will only need a small area to grow an
amazing amount. You  can even grow them in pot plant holders if you are short of space. Do this in 
conjunction with job 22.

32. Pick and sell fruit from private homes.
     This is an amazing money maker. Tons of fruit go to waste in private gardens. Arrange with the owner to
pick and sell lemons/plums/loquats/peaches/pears and many others are just waiting to be picked by you.

33. Frail care. Look after the elderly. Outings etc.
     A huge demand exists to take the elderly on outings movies and so on. Many elderly have no way of 
getting around as they are no longer able to drive or to walk etc. Also those senior citizens who are not in
nursing homes but still need some outside help to do everyday type of tasks.

34. Sewing and Knitting - Repair garments. Make Barbie doll clothes etc.
     More suited to females this everyday kind of job to repair clothes and knitted garments especially for
bachelors and others who cannot sew. An obvious thing to do is make fancy Barbie doll clothes as these
are very expensive to buy in shops.

35. Language Translator.
     If you have a second or third language especially an African language you can sell your services to the
many that require this. E.G.. the courts/attorneys/government etc. his fruit to the benefit of both parties.

36. Telephone Answer Service.
     Use your telephone as an answering service for anyone who may require it. All you have to do is take
messages and pass them on to the person that wants them.

37. Painting small paint jobs in your area.
     There is always a need for the odd paint job in the average household that nobody likes to do. Keep 
your prices low and you will get a steady stream of work.

38. Do night watch patrol for the residents in your area.
     This is becoming an essential service as the amount of crime increases. Get your immediate suburb to 
club in less than $10 per family per month and this will pay you to do night watch duty in your area and 
keep it free of crime.

39. Telephone reminder and wake-up service.
     Remind people to pay essential bills on time like telephone/electricity/rent etc. Also for people who need
to be woken up a certain time or people who need to be reminded to do a certain thing at a given time.

40 Pay bills for people who can't get around.
     Especially for the elderly who can't get to shops and also those parents who work full days and don't 
have time to run around and pay bills.

41. Basic plumbing, ie. drain cleaning.
     This is not to replace a plumber but just to do simple things like unblocking drains, changing tap washers,
etc. This can be particularly useful to the elderly.

42. Basic electrical work- fit plugs - repair light switches etc.
     This is not to replace an electrician but you can do simple things like fix light switches, replace bulbs, 
fit plugs etc.

43. Swimming pool maintenance.
     Keep your suburb pools sparkling by providing basic cleaning and monitoring of PH levels. Also leaf
skimming and backwashing. Not only the wealthy have swimming pools in New Zealand!

44. Lifeguard at kiddies swimming parties.
     Hire yourself out at municipal pools and local swimming pools and beaches to prevent any possible
drownings which are quite frequent in summer.

45. Use your car as a bus to take working parents kids to school and back.
     With more and more working parents a lift to school for school kids becomes a valuable service for 
those parents who simply do not have the time.

46. Organize and hold garage sales for others and take a commission.
     Most families have a surprising amount of saleable junk in their garages. Work with them and make a
commission to hold sales for them.

47. Window cleaning - few people can afford cleaners to do this any more.
     This is a tedious job for many people and so leaves a gap for you to step in and do houses, flats and
shops. Using the right equipment you can clean an average size house windows in less than an hour.

48. Car washing and valet at your customers' homes.
     This is another time consuming job but also a necessary one to avoid rust at the coast. You would be
surprised as to how few people enjoy wasting their precious leisure time washing their car.

49. Round up and selling firewood (winter only).
     The cold and wet winters certainly require tons of firewood to be made available at cheap prices and
preferably delivered as well.

50. Pet service - offer to wash and walk dogs. 
     You must be very comfortable with dogs for this job. Not many dog owners actually bother to walk their
dogs or wash them very often either. Step in and offer to walk/wash dogs on a regular basis for a small fee.
Only do this if you are totally unafraid of dogs.

51. Professional babysitting.
     This is particularly valuable over weekends. Start by doing it for friends and family and soon you will
have more than you can handle.

52. Beauty services.
     Ladies, this is for you! Offer manicures / face packs / pedicures / leg waxing / makeup and all the many
different options you have to make your customer look and feel good.

53. Whenever there is a strike, there is casual work available.
     As long as there are strikers there will be casual work available. Put your name down at supermarkets /
airports / municipalities etc. and all the places that seem to be always striking. Or when you hear of a strike 
on the news make yourself immediately available to step in even for the most basic of labor.

54. Neighborhood cleanup.
     Some suburbs somehow always look scruffy or have litter all over the place. Offer yourself to a suburb
to clean and neaten up the place for a nominal monthly fee per family. This should be less then $5 per month
per household.

55. Organize and motivate get-fit walks and classes.
     Form a fitness club to motivate people to get fit/lose weight etc. Charge a small monthly subscription and
accumulate members young and old, fat and thin.

56. Discounts. Act for your area in a notice of all discounts.
     Canvass the shops in your area for their specials and discounts. Make a small newsletter with this weekly
information and get either weekly subscribers or sell your newsletters individually.

57 Photography - Pets, children, homes etc.
     You do not need a fancy camera to do this. Do keep your prices low. Combine this activity with job 9.
Remember when taking a picture of something take at least 3 or more of the same to be sure you get a 
good result. If you are using a cheapish camera take special notice of the lighting.

58. Magazine swap service (all types).
     Magazines are so expensive these days especially imported ones. Every household has a stack of different
magazines lying around just waiting to be swapped for something else. Charge a small subscription fee to join
your newsletter which will list all the different secondhand magazines available via your subscribers.

59. Cleaning of mail list service.
     Junk mail can be a real nuisance. However you can have your name removed from the mailing lists but few 
people ever do so. Charge a small fee to remove names from mail lists for other people.

60. Rubber stamp maker.
     Everybody likes to have customized rubber stamps. Make up rubber stamps for others and sell them for
a modest profit. A stamp making kit costs approx $130. The yellow pages have various suppliers of the kits.

61. Make candles - all shapes and sizes.
     This is an old favorite and always has buyers especially if you make different and interesting shapes and
colors. No special equipment is needed other then a supply of wax and coloring to mix into the wax. Sell at
flea markets or to gift shops, chemists etc.

62. Shaping and polishing driftwood.
     The most beautiful shapes can be created from driftwood found on beaches and riversides. This wood can
be polished and made into lamps, ornaments, or any other decoration you can think of.

63. Pebble stone and rock decorative work.
     This garden decoration is very popular as it really adds beauty and order to the average garden. Fancy
paving can also be done using pebble stone. You do not have to be an artist, just use your common sense.

64. Grow Bonsai Plants.
     This a fairly long term project but once up and running will bring in a very healthy income as high prices
are paid for these plants. Start off with fast growing varieties and also young plants to minimize any capital
outlay. The local library has lots of specific information as to how to grow and trim the plants.

65. Grow special herb plants.
     Herb plants especially fresh herbs are expensive to buy and difficult to get hold of. Grow and sell your
own herbs. Very little space is needed to grow them. They are usually grown in seed trays which are very
cheap. Buy your seeds direct from a seed supplier like Agricol, Hygrotech, Kirstenhof or any other seed
supplier. Some typical herbs in demand are: Ginseng, Caraway, Rosemary, Calendula, Marjoram, Fennel 
and many others. Health shops in particular will buy from you.

66. Develop a Recipe Newsletter.
     Every housewife battles to find new recipes to keep her family happy at night. Supply a recipe newsletter
with simple and cheap recipes. Have your housewives subscribe for a weekly newsletter where you list the
various recipes for that week. Recipes can be found in many places including the local library. Make sure
you only provide tried and tested recipes.

67. Fun for seniors' club.
     Some of the loneliest people are senior citizens. Form a social club to get them together to play cards,
have tea parties, debates etc. Charge a small membership fee to organize these events.

68. Lawnmower and knife sharpener service.
     Some years ago gents used to come around to suburbs an sharpen knives, scissors and so on. These
gents have disappeared but the need still exists. A few simple tools is all you need to offer this service.

69. Run competitions in your area with small entry fees and attractive prizes.
     Run small raffles and competitions asking for small entry fees (R 2-00 or less) and have interesting prizes.
Sometimes businesses will sponsor a prize if you use their name for publicity. Look at entering competitions
in the newspapers and local radio stations.

70. Promote small business products in your area for a fee.
     Most small businesses cannot afford to do their own advertising or promotional work. Offer your low cost
part time help in many ways including delivery of pamphlets and generally promoting a given business.

71. Give classes in your specific area of expertise.
     This is an often overlooked area of income. You must have been trained in something no matter how
insignificant it may seem. That knowledge can now be sold to other persons in the form of training. Use your
experience now to teach others. English, writing, Maori, cooking. Anything at all!

72. Hire tools and other equipment from your garage.
     Most men have a surprising variety of special tools depending on their interests. Put this investment to 
good use by making them available for hire. Easy to hire out are things like welders / torque wrenches / 
socket sets / grinders and many others. Check the prices at the local hire shop and slash them by half.

73. Build budget furniture out of wooden pallets, etc.
     Yes, you can build simple and surprisingly attractive tables, chairs, benches and so on. Collect any scrap
wood you can, especially old pallets and packing crates. Make the furniture simply but sturdy and you can
obviously sell for way below the price of normal furniture.

74. Start a friendship club.
     Loneliness is the biggest curse of modern society. Make a business out of helping people to meet each
other. Not just people from opposite sexes, but families and same sexes with similar interests. Organize get
togethers, outings, barbeques, etc. Ask for a small subscription and connect people to each other for the
purpose of making friends.

75. Building minder.
     Hire yourself out to monitor building sites, etc. Building sites always have problems with petty theft of
bricks, sand, stone and other items. Offer your services at the smaller building sites to look after them over
weekends and at night.

76. Rust repair.
     If you stay near the coast rust is a silent destroyer of any metal object. Offer a repair service using easily
obtainable rust retarding products. This is perfect to use on cars which are particularly susceptible to rust.

77. Bicycle club - organize rides, prizes, special events.
     All families enjoy riding bicycles and it is especially fun when the whole family do it together. However the
usual clubs cater more for races and long distance which is unsuitable for the average family. Set up a club  
and organize short safe fun rides and special events and prizes. Remember you are catering for ages from 
3 to 90 years of age.

78. Organize a small tea garden at the local park on the weekend.
     Set up and run a tea garden at your local park. Serve tea, coffee and light snacks. Get permission from 
your local council.

79. Food and sweet trolley in large factories, hospitals, auctions or any event.
     At any large event or place their is always a need for food and drink. Take a trolley or similar and sell
sweets, cool drinks, homemade goodies or anything that is edible. You can diversify, but try and stick to just
a handful of products to make it simpler and more successful.

80. Make up lucky packets for children.
     Children just love lucky packets, probably because they can always expect a pleasant surprise. Make 
homemade packets and sell them to your local school tuck shops, dairies and such-like.

81. Set up and run poker and or bridge clubs.
     Great for the older set to keep mentally active. Organize round robins and tournaments and have special
poker gambling nights with prizes.

82. Put stories on cassette tapes for small children and for those who cannot read.
     What a pleasure it is to see a child listening in fascination to a story. Record stories onto tape and supply
them to everybody who cannot read, not just small children but elderly or blind people. Also create a library
where the tapes can be borrowed for a fee.

83. Do Private Investigation work for companies or families.
     Not all PI work involves chasing other cars at high speed. The kind we recommend simply involves tracing
the whereabouts of people or equipment that has gone missing or research on a family tree and similar work.

84. Speech writer and research for speeches.
     Make it known that you can do research for information to go into speeches. Your local MP will advise
you on who you can offer your research to. They are always looking for facts to run down other MPs.

85. Pest control.
     Do basic pest control in gardens and in houses. The most common are snails and flies outside, while inside
the tiny ants, cockroaches and mice need control. Try and use environment friendly methods of pest control.

86. Cat litter removal and replacement service.
     Nobody likes to change the cat litter. This is a popular service in blocks of flats. Charge a weekly fee for 
removing and replacing the cat litter.

87. Collect old Christmas / birthday cards and remake them and sell them.
     Have you seen the price of birthday cards etc. from your local stationers? Use old cards and make them 
reusable and sell them off at a much cheaper price.

88. Rent out a room or garage for storage etc.
     Clean out that back room or garage and hire it out for storage space or for a tenant to live in it. Be 
selective as to whom you allow to live on your property.

89. Offer tidy up service for garages,, cupboards and tool sheds.
     What garage or shed is tidy? For a small fee offer to tidy up your suburbs garages and sheds and even
cupboards.

90. Making preserves, pickles and jam to supply the local shops.
     This is an old standby, yet ever popular. Make up your own recipe of jams, etc. to sell and at flea
markets, home produce shops and even your local supermarkets.

93. Provide nappy service.
     Especially a useful service in blocks of flats. Take away dirty nappies and exchange them for clean ones.

94. Queue stander - rugby\shows etc.
     Not often required, but nevertheless a very useful service when tickets are required for popular shows or
sporting events. Negotiate with people who want tickets and then stand in queues (often right through 
the night) to get the best seats.

95. Chocolate moulds and sweet making.
     As with job 90, supply unusual chocolate shapes and make interesting sweets like toffee apples, fudge, etc.
Take a basket of fudge out one late afternoon and take them door to door. It will be a pleasant surprise to
see how quickly they sell.

96. Make meals for the elderly and sick, etc.
     It has always been a problem for the sick and elderly to cook or make healthy meals for themselves.
Supply them with pre-cooked meals at a reasonable price.

97. Create a drama group.
     A lot of people really enjoy doing small plays in their immediate community. Set up a drama group and
perform at the local school and charge a small entrance fee as well as for tea and cake at intervals.

98. Laundry service.
     Supply a fetch, carry and wash service for the local restaurants, retirement homes, small hotels and similar
places. Do not ignore the possibility of washing curtains which are always difficult to do by the average
homeowner. Flats are also a source of business to fetch and carry and wash other people's laundry.

99. Cleaning service for businesses and shops.
     You can be a 'fill in' here for those places of business which always seem to be overcome with litter and
other cleanliness problems. You can also offer a night office cleaning service for businesses.

100. Do mail order work at home - filling envelopes etc.
     There are many of these advertised in the smalls which involve sending SASE envelopes to other parties
for approx $ 25.00 . This is essentially a pyramid system. 

and finally,

101. Collect motivational and inspirational quotations, the ones which have real meaning for you.
     Type them on a sheet of paper. You can sell them to neighbors or door-to-door. If you have a PC you
can decorate them by turning into posters with pretty pictures. I have done this and been very well received.
Some people have said, "what a good idea!' and the words served to encourage some when they were down.

§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§
Copyright ©  Craig Lock

     I am still revising this publication...so please bear with me as I update it. I have used some of the ideas
mentioned in this publication to survive for four years, whilst being out of the formal work force here in Gisborne.
But I also used some other ideas to supplement my income from my formal job back in my country of birth,
South Africa. Enough to get me to this beautiful country.

     I hope this little booklet is of help. Remember: no matter, how bad your financial problems or situation, just
do your best and hope. Trust in your creativity. Then look ahead (forwards and upwards) to the unlimited
promise that the future may bring you.

EVERY PROBLEM OR CRISIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE
To perhaps try a new track.

GOOD LUCK,
CRAIG LOCK*

* Craig Lock is the author of numerous books and articles on money management and life assurance, 
as well as  how to make the most of your life. He is presently living on "a shoestring/the breadline",
DROPPED OUT IN GODZONE (beautiful and tranquil New Zealand), 
where he has the time, space and peace of mind to write full-time.

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