What will you throw your money at?

[Hobie1dog]

What are some simple foods that could be provided at a launch with relatively little effort? Burgers take too long, too much work, too much grill space. A portable gas grill would provide some options: chili dogs, pulled pork BBQ, nachos. If you have a generator...good quality coffee (real half-and-half please, not the powdered plastic stuff; charge appropriately) and muffins or donuts for mornings. Other ideas?

We used to have a guy that sold Hot Dogs off the back of his truck, they were pre-cooked so he had a small camping grill to keep them warm. He had a cooler filled with drinks too. It's as simple as you can get.

 

[tsmith1315]

We used to have a guy that sold Hot Dogs off the back of his truck, they were pre-cooked so he had a small camping grill to keep them warm. He had a cooler filled with drinks too. It's as simple as you can get.

I’d buy one right now!

 

[prfesser]

I'd ask around to see if Dad or a neighbor has a small gas grill to loan. The two-burner portables are pretty compact and would work for this. Though today, knocking on the door of someone you don't know may not be advisable...

 

[Hobie1dog]

Start out with just the cooler with as many drinks as you can afford and sell them for $1.00

 

[Voyhager3]

Start out with just the cooler with as many drinks as you can afford and sell them for $1.00

i think I’ll bring a cooler (or two) down to dalzell next Saturday, with water, and maybe some assorted Gatorade. I’m definitely bringing water, but if people are willing to pay, I’ll bring some Gatorade or whatever y’all’s want if a consensus is reached.

 

[fyrwrxz]

i think I’ll bring a cooler (or two) down to dalzell next Saturday, with water, and maybe some assorted Gatorade. I’m definitely bringing water, but if people are willing to pay, I’ll bring some Gatorade or whatever y’all’s want if a consensus is reached.

Entrepreneurs try everything at least once, learning from their errors. Don't ask for consensus, just do it. Plow your profits into an expanded inventory. Drop what doesn't sell. Offer motor cleaning coupons at your point of sale. Think like a Carnival barker. Be mobile, deliver the goods with a smile. This is how businesses are borne. By the end of summer you may have a sizable nest egg. Or at least, a business.

 

[fyrwrxz]

i think I’ll bring a cooler (or two) down to dalzell next Saturday, with water, and maybe some assorted Gatorade. I’m definitely bringing water, but if people are willing to pay, I’ll bring some Gatorade or whatever y’all’s want if a consensus is reached.

Entrepreneurs try everything at least once, learning from their errors. Don't ask for consensus, just do it. Plow your profits into an expanded inventory. Drop what doesn't sell. Offer motor cleaning coupons at your point of sale. Think like a Carnival barker. Be mobile, deliver the goods with a smile. This is how businesses are borne. By the end of summer you may have a sizable nest egg. Or at least, a business.

 

[Sandy H.]

Personally, I've thought an ice cream truck or similar could make a quick few hundred dollars in a one-hour stop at a rocket launch in the south each day. I could be wrong, but various fruit bars or other ice cream truck novelties could work out well, if they are kept super cold (i.e. not just ice in a cooler). Guessing dry ice in a cooler at least.

Just a thought.

 

[GrouchoDuke]

I think it's likely much easier to split money making and rocketry. For one, when I'm at a launch actually launching is great! If you're looking to sell something, find an area with tons of enthusiasts and sell something they want. Rocketry is a really, really small hobby.

For example, in December we started little Etsy store selling 3d printed accessories for a super popular bird feeder. That bird feeder has probably 10-30x owners in the US than the total people doing rocketry worldwide. Even after a CAD subscription and buying 2 new 3d printers, it looks like we're on track to make more profit in the first year than I made when I started as aerospace engineer at NASA (inflation adjusted, even).

Still, people do love ice cold lemonade & rides to their rockets.

 

[Hobie1dog]

One thing that's worked for me is getting creative with funding. I started offering motor case cleaning services at launches. It's surprising how many folks are willing to pay for that, and it helps me fund my own launches. Another idea is renting out trackers – people are always on the lookout for cost-effective options.

to the forum

 

[mh9162013]

One thing that's worked for me is getting creative with funding. I started offering motor case cleaning services at launches. It's surprising how many folks are willing to pay for that, and it helps me fund my own launches. Another idea is renting out trackers – people are always on the lookout for cost-effective options.

Great ideas, thank you for sharing those.

 

[rfjustin]

I like some of these ideas, most already mentioned though. Selling snacks/drinks would be great especially in hotter weather. Motor case cleaning would be awesome to see as well.

 

[conneryc]

What will I through money at? Well, pretty much whatever my hobby is at the time. HPR, RC models, Plastic models, Woodworking, CNC, 3d printing, car restorations, etc. Not all at once of course, and I've sold off all of my MGB GT's that I was restoring. But now I've filled my 30x30 shop building with woodworking tools and my office, so now I need to build a new building (looking at a 30x40)

 

[ewomack]

Books. My wife will be happy that the $400 book I was gazing at on Ebay was apparently bought by someone else. It was a facsimile of an old medieval illuminated manuscript. I had never seen it available for less than $900, so $400 evoked some temptation. But, I agree, it's still too much for a single (though very large) book. Oh well.

I do have a weakness for very old coins as well. I don't go overboard, but I've spent some money on things like this 1100 year old thing:

 

[techrat]

I do have a weakness for very old coins as well. I don't go overboard, but I've spent some money on things like this 1100 year old thing:

The problem with stuff like that is that;.... when you die, your relatives come over to clean out the house, they have no idea what that stuff is, and then they just throw it all out. I hope you've got it in a museum case, with proper lighting and a card describing it, and what the value is. Otherwise, it winds up in a dumpster, but you won't care by then because you'll be dead.

But I should talk.... I don't have a written will yet, I'm getting old, and I'm totally unprepared.
And it would be easier for my relatives to just set the house on fire than clean it out.

 

[ewomack]

The problem with stuff like that is that;.... when you die, your relatives come over to clean out the house, they have no idea what that stuff is, and then they just throw it all out. I hope you've got it in a museum case, with proper lighting and a card describing it, and what the value is. Otherwise, it winds up in a dumpster, but you won't care by then because you'll be dead.

But I should talk.... I don't have a written will yet, I'm getting old, and I'm totally unprepared.
And it would be easier for my relatives to just set the house on fire than clean it out.

What's even worse is if the family hires an unscrupulous estate sale company and the company tells the family that it's all worthless junk, they buy it for a pittance, and then they sell it to others for what it's actually worth. At least it doesn't get thrown away in that case, I guess.

Luckily, I only have a very small collection and I plan to keep it very small for many of the reasons already mentioned. I also haven't spent loads of money, either, because I don't want to have anything too valuable in the house. I paid a lot less than you probably think for the coin pictured. I also am in contact with the coin community, both locally and online, and they more or less know what I have. So, that's one place it could all go. I'm not worried about it quite yet, but we'll see. I've already started selling off portions of what I have. But, I agree, "stuff" can cause problems. I've helped clean out more than one of my relatives' apartments or homes. After 3 days of looking through things, the garbage bags eventually come out. Sadly, most people do seem to save junk.

 

[teepot]

I have a coin collection and that will be going to auction soon. I'm sending my 1956 Lionel train to auction too. And my knife collection. I've written instructions so my Executer knows what to do with the remaining things. I've talked to my friend the former owner of the gun shop and range I worked at and asked him to help with disposing of my guns, ammo and all my gear. There are several Class 3 items to be taken care of too. My good friend that is my Executer doesn't know anything about guns. So I guess I'm done collecting things. Now I will only spend money on rockets.

 

[skaffgeorge2]

I'd be willing to pay for new full length core burning black powder motors,from C to F.I never had the opportunity to fly FSI motors so I would really get behind that.I would LOVE to get my hands on some right now.

What will I through money at? Well, pretty much whatever my hobby is at the time. HPR, RC models, Plastic models, Woodworking, CNC, 3d printing, car restorations, etc. Not all at once of course, and I've sold off all of my MGB GT's that I was restoring. But now I've filled my 30x30 shop building with woodworking tools and my office, so now I need to build a new building (looking at a 30x40)

 

[bobby_hamill]

There is a small mom and pop store here in town that has the old type fountain drink machine.
You know the type that has the small fine ice cubes and has the taste like the drug store fountain drinks of old.
We kids thought we were in hog heaven when mom or dad would stop by the drug store to pick up a prescription
and come back to the car holding 3 cups of soda, Pepsi, Coke and Dr Pepper . Once a week I pick one up at the store
and instantly get transferred back to a hot summer weekend during the late 60s picking up a fountain drink
on the way to the launch field

 

[bobby_hamill]

My relatives would probably burn down my mobile home instead of cleaning it out
And after a few months they realize how much value the stuff they burnt up had i will
be laughing my butt off LOL