Here's a few thoughts:

Handyman (minor plumbing, roof and other home repair).

Yard work (raking, pruning, mowing, shoveling, cleanup).

Minor catering (preparing and serving meals for parties and small events).

Driving (take people to doctor visits, wait for them and drive them home).

Hope that helps!

--Bob

i have started offering our services on Craigslist. I have business cards for cleaning, but I think I'm going to make a new one that lists all of our services.

I'm working at my hubby to start gutter cleaning and trying to canvas neighborhoods. We may do this together and offer our business card with all of our services and see which ones they're interested in.

I hadn't thought of the minor catering, and I LOVE cooking, so I will be adding that to list!

Thank you for the brainstorming help guys!

That's what I do mystery shopping for, a few dollars to augment our regular income. (and a few free meals out!)

I've also become a notary. The state limits what you can charge for nototarizing itself, but if you are a mobile notary you can charge whatever you want for time and travel.

Senior care has become a big business around here, which just entails light housework, running errands, and companionship. You can pretty much set your own schedule as a caregiver - or establish your own business scheduling others.

Onwytozion: What sites do you use for mystery shopping? I haven't been able to find a good one.

I never thought of the notary, that's a really awesome idea!

I have someone today actually that I'll be sitting with. She just had hip replacement surgery and is home now. That will help out. But I have been considering getting my Personal Care Aide certification as that would be a good tool.

Thank you!

There's a thread for secret shops under 'office' where I wrote:

When I started out, I joined every mystery shop company I could find. I soon realized that a lot of them were regional and had nothing in MY region. That's why it's so hard to recommend a particular company on a site like this. What works for me may not have any shops for you. So like others on this thread, I just say, do an online search and NEVER send any money.

That being said, I find alot of good ones through Marketforce.com. See if that works for yor area.

You could do a car service, if you have a car for it. Since your husband is good with cars, something like a 10-15 year old Crown Victoria or Town Car would be relatively cheap. Keep it clean and in good repair, and use it to take people to/from the airport. Lots of VIPs use car services instead of cabs. A woman VIP might be particularly impressed with (and feel more comfortable with) a woman driver. Definitely has some up-front cost for this, but you could always use the car for other things. It doesn't have to sit there waiting for clients.

--Bob

If you do work with the elderly, I hope you have some light medical background like CPR and emergency care knowledge. My father used to live in a senior's apartment before he had to go to a nursing home and we would hire people now and then to come and just be with him, walk with him, visit, whatever when we could not be there. He was super needy in that he got into trouble if people weren't there. (Blew up the microwave, wandered three miles away, walked into the wrong apartments accidentally and scared the dickens out of the women there, got into arguments with the manager, I think just for something to do, etc.).

Anyway, he choked when someone was there and she didn't know what to do. She called me, not 911 and didn't even press the emergency button on the thing he wore around his neck! Luckily, he was able to get the food up but that ended us hiring people as companions who weren't certified. But good help for the elderly is SO hard to find, I think you could make a living doing just that. So many need compassion and company.

Currently I am not CPR certified. I was at one point. I attended a community college for nursing, I never finished, but this has given me some medical knowledge. I am planning on getting my certification as a Personal Care Aide or Home Health Aide (same thing).

I'm very sorry that you went through that experience. Its unfortunate that she wasn't able to handle the emergency right. It is hard to find people who enjoy caring for the elderly. I've found that I do enjoy this. Even when I was studying for my RN my favorite clinicals were the nursing homes. I have no want to be a nurse. I give them high regard, but I don't want that. Personal care aide I can do!

 A lot of nursing homes and home care companies will help people get their certification, so I'm going to start applying for those in a week or two.