How to Make a Living-Without a Job

INTRODUCTIONDuring the past 50 years we’ve seen the cost of living and taxes sky rocket, whilewages and benefits have essentially declined. The middle class is shrinking.The average annual income for most households is just around $30,000; yet, to livedecently in most areas of the country for a family of four requires about $42,000. That isone of the reasons why it takes two incomes to maintain a decent lifestyle.Since the 1960s government policy has helped to drive our manufacturing sector to setup shop in third world countries; after all, the three key ingredients to capitalism arecheap labor, cheap resources and cheap capital. For the most part, our country producesnothing except in the intellectual property arena and folks who once depended onmanufacturing jobs and white collar jobs to maintain middle class lifestyles, have foundthemselves on the short end of the stick.Having a college degree today is the equivalent of having a high school diploma of 30-50 years ago but still doesn’t guarantee much of anything. If I were starting life overagain, I’d probably recommend learning a basic trade such as plumbing or electrician;one can pretty much work anywhere in the country and often, off-the-books.History has shown that the higher taxes get in a society, the more folks will work off the books just to maintain their lifestyle and who can blame anyone? Our tax system is ascourge and it was illegal (the Supreme Court in the late 1800s told Congress it couldn’ttax its citizens twice; so they rammed an amendment through, while promising us itwould never affect more than the top one percent of wage earners…so much forgovernment promises).Ironically, a $50 bill today has about $6 worth of purchasing power compared to1956…seems we get less for our money and a bigger government which again, providesus with less for our money!Enough preaching. I hope the following business ideas will get you started on earningthe extra cash you need for retirement, the extras in life or to simply live better.

Making a Living: Without a Job

The most valuable 100 people to bring into a deteriorating society would not be 100 chemists, or politicians, or professors, or engineers. But rather 100 entrepreneurs! –Abraham H. Maslow (sociologist)

A fellow named Burke Hedges wrote a book entitled “You Can’t Steal Second WithYour Foot on First” or why you should choose to become independent in a job-dependentworld. (He also authored “Who Stole the American Dream”) Both titles sum up the stateof affairs for average person in America.The government confiscates so much in combined taxes today, it is almost requires fora two-income family to live well. I think there is something wrong with that picture.However, one of the few remaining great tax dodges is owning your business as justabout everything can be written off in one fashion or another.When I graduated high school, you could still buy a new auto for less than $2000 (nowyou can’t buy a good sized lawn tractor) and homes were less than $20,000 – now youcan’t build a garage in many parts of America for that price let alone purchase a nicehome.With corporate greed, moving middle income jobs to cheaper, offshore locations, hightaxes and the high cost of housing, it’s no wonder people work hard just to get by.Having your own business has its drawbacks also. When I owned my own publishingcompany, there were the “3 P’s” that made business life difficult -- personnel costs,postage and printing. Again, taxes were the single biggest headache. Like mostentrepreneurs, I had no outside financing except what I term “Hip National Bank” usingplenty of credit cards as my line of credit (along with plenty of creative financing tools).A former wife solved that problem for me by demanding I sell the business; which I didto a fellow who never paid us and then we divorced, and as most prize contestants, shegot all the prizes (another recent American concept). My next business venture wassuccessful also. I bought a country inn, restored it and began operating it as a restaurantand 10 guest rooms, and became involved with antiques – both buying and selling andusing items to furnish the inn. It was a pretty good deal for the first few years, but like inthe Tom Hanks movie, “The Money Pit,” it began to wear out its welcome. I also got