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Post by roy on Sept 29, 2016 10:49:50 GMT -5
Hobby / Money ? Isn't that an oxymoron ? To me a hobby is just that, a hobby. A big old money pit. When you start looking at it as a money making proposition it becomes a business. i started out to do just that stop the money pit from my house income and i have managed to do that so for now im happy with that when i retire in 10 years it will be game on for the income part
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cobbledstones
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 482
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Post by cobbledstones on Sept 29, 2016 11:47:26 GMT -5
money pit for me, at least for now. I have thought about it, selling items. I just haven't gotten over that threshold to invest the additional time to create a sales outlet, as Chuck describes above. I suppose part of me struggles with it...Do I want to be an artist, artisan, crackpot, hobbyist or factory worker? Right now it is just fun to try and make things out of stone that I haven't made before. I guess that puts me in the crackpot category and I am ok with it.
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Post by greig on Sept 29, 2016 12:05:56 GMT -5
My goal is to make enough money to pay for beer and gasoline required for my rock gathering trips! Any more than that and it becomes a business.
You find and sell enough to pay for beer? Obviously, you are not Canadian, where we drink it like water and pay for it (self inflicted taxes) with our first born. LOL
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Post by greig on Sept 29, 2016 12:27:57 GMT -5
All really good answers.
My two cents is people who start any hobby for profit do not realize the learning curve and I try to explain it like fishing. Some guys have found a way to make some good coin, but they are the exception. For most, the cost per pound that they bring home is way higher than from the store. Sure it is fresh and fun to be out there. However, consider the equipment required, the days where you get nothing or lose/damage something or the time/effort to get good at it (and know where to go). If you are in it for the money, start selling the equipment. For example, in gold prospecting, the best chance of profit is to mine the miners, not dig the holes. One more observation, when it comes to cabbing, I have noticed recently that most stuff for sale might be local stones but the cabbing was done in India. Labor is so inexpensive in India, that it is cheaper to ship them stones and have them process them.
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Post by stoner on Sept 30, 2016 0:43:51 GMT -5
The money I make selling cabs has made it possible for me to buy rocks without thinking about it, it's paid for all my equipment and replacement wheels, I've gone on several short vacations that were paid for by my cab sales and I've maintained a 4 digit paypal account for a couple of years. And I still feel like it's a hobby, not a job.
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Post by orrum on Sept 30, 2016 8:05:03 GMT -5
Yep and Ed you r a prince of the Genie cabbing my friend! It's like tumbling, trash in equals trash out. Ed u pick fantastic slabs and use great equipment! I aspire to be like u and others on RTH that produce over the top cabs! That's how u make money with lapidary in my opinion !!#
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Post by roy on Sept 30, 2016 10:32:56 GMT -5
The problem with trying to make a hobby make money is that now you have to do it, instead of doing it because you want to do it. That takes the fun out of it. I think someone once said that golf is a good walk spoiled. How much is your sanity worth? That is the measure of rock work IMHO. naw if you love what you do for work you will never work a day in your life! and when it comes to rocks i love what i do!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 30, 2016 10:48:44 GMT -5
I have to agree with both roy and barclay... I was making jewelry as a hobby. I enjoyed the hell out of it and sold a couple pieces, but gave most away (which was also enjoyable). After I started selling in earnest, the business end of it became a real drag and I thought of SELLING as I job that I didn't like. I do like to MAKE jewelry, I just don't like selling it. As a result, I have cut way back. I don't want to get burned out on something I love. I hope that made sense and didn't sound too schizophrenic.
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 30, 2016 13:02:25 GMT -5
Being a maker doesn't necessarily make you a good salesperson. Elizabeth is not a fan of the Christmas bazaars, I always have a good time. She is by far the most creative and original. When I reach retirement age I wouldn't be surprised if she mostly stays home and creates, while I cut slabs, fix machines, and sell stuff.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Sept 30, 2016 13:27:42 GMT -5
I have to agree with both roy and barclay ... I was making jewelry as a hobby. I enjoyed the hell out of it and sold a couple pieces, but gave most away (which was also enjoyable). After I started selling in earnest, the business end of it became a real drag and I thought of SELLING as I job that I didn't like. I do like to MAKE jewelry, I just don't like selling it. As a result, I have cut way back. I don't want to get burned out on something I love. I hope that made sense and didn't sound too schizophrenic.
Perfectly said, Tela, and not schizophrenic. I agree with you, I absolutely hate hate hate the selling aspect of it. Prefer to give it away, but then, I would have to take money earmarked for bills/food/taxes to buy supplies. That's a no-no, it has to at least be self sustaining. Truth be known, I think I enjoy the rockhounding trips the best, collecting those elusive purdy rocks out in the wild where they live! (I am not an internet shopper when it comes to rocks.)
Of course, there is a bountiful amount of swapmeets, estate sales, garage sales, silent auctions and free rock sales where I can pick up nice rocks in this area. Much less effort/cost/energy involved when someone else picks it up and brings it home, lots of it rare nowadays. Should that source go away, I can always go get it myself. And then there are friends to trade with!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2016 15:22:18 GMT -5
I took a hobby (reptiles) and ran it thru many stages. It did end up being a solid career. But one can stop at any stage.
Stages of hobby #1) money pit, tons of fun
#2) some income happens organically, a friend wants one. way fun!
#3) income grows still have to put personal money in, travel kicks in. Totally fun!
#4) break even, are you kidding me!!
#5) profitable, fun money!!!!!
#6) quit job, now the hard work begins, fun is over. Still it's a job to enjoy.
1-6 are more of a continuum. Stop. Progress or back the truck up. Your choice.
On paper most want to stop at #4, but when they actually perceive #5 they kick it in gear.
My advice came that a dear and deceased mentor gave during my youth.
"When your hobby becomes your job, get another hobby. You have that hobby for a reason. The reason won't go away." Manny Singer, I think of you often.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Oct 1, 2016 19:17:59 GMT -5
I took a hobby (reptiles) and ran it thru many stages. It did end up being a solid career. But one can stop at any stage. I assume breeding and sales. What kind of reptiles?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 20:00:26 GMT -5
I took a hobby (reptiles) and ran it thru many stages. It did end up being a solid career. But one can stop at any stage. I assume breeding and sales. What kind of reptiles? Started as breeding geckos and bearded dragons, became an international business: www.amazonreptile.comIts still there, owned by my biz partner. I sold my share in 2010. Cashed out as competitors went bk. The store sold all common snakes, lizards, turtles frogs and all the junk to support them. And a few rarities. For awhile, ending in 2007 we sold 2500 mice, 1000 rats and 625,000 crickets a week. Those to feed the animals we (and other stores) put in people's homes. Thanks for asking. I'm proud of that part of my life.
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ubermenehune
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 293
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Post by ubermenehune on Oct 1, 2016 20:33:19 GMT -5
I've owned iguanas, turtles, frogs, a snake and some anoles when I was a kid. Also had a Nile monitor that was aggressive as hell. That thing would try to attack me through the glass anytime I was near its tank. Eventually, it seemed hazardous to try to care for it, so I just had the humane society take it away.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 20:57:59 GMT -5
I've owned iguanas, turtles, frogs, a snake and some anoles when I was a kid. Also had a Nile monitor that was aggressive as hell. That thing would try to attack me through the glass anytime I was near its tank. Eventually, it seemed hazardous to try to care for it, so I just had the humane society take it away. It was very rare for me to sell certain animals I/we deemed inappropriate for pets. Iguanas captbob can explain why amd he is a perfect iguana owner Nile and other aggressive monitors Wild collected snakes of most kinds Anacondas, African rock pythons and reticulated pythons Wild caught turtles from Asia I'm sure I missed some. If it wasn't suitable for my household, it was rare I sold them. Higher percentage of happy buyers that way.
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