Books:

Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

Hidden Dollars

How to Make
Money at Home

Small Business
of Your Own

You Can Own
a Business

Regardless of your talents, and whether you live in a small rural hamlet or a widespread metropolitan area, your typewriter is a modern Aladdin's lamp bringing magical money-making opportunities. There are dozens of pleasant, profitable occupations awaiting your performance. Some of them may be worked exclusively at home, while others require some supplementary outside contact. Some are more adaptable to smaller towns, while others may be performed best in larger towns. The typewriter, however, is your inspirational force in initiating, and a basic factor in "putting across," your enterprise. That little idea which adds a few dollars a month to your income, and eventually earns you a few extra dollars each week, may gradually expand and become the basis for a profitable full-time occupation. Join the thousands now using the typewriter for its extra money opportunities.

Cartooning Course

The Plan
She had a friend who was a talented cartoonist—she was skilled at writing and owned a typewriter. Together they organized a cartooning course which is reaping rich dividends.

How It Works
Many people aspire to become cartoonists, because of the profit and fame attached to this field. In addition, it is a form of art most easily mastered by neophyte artists. The plan involved a series of 20 lessons written in so simple a style that a person with any talent at all could grasp the rudiments of cartooning. The explanatory material was first typed, then mimeographed. Specimen illustrations were drawn in pen and ink, or in wash, and then planographed. In this way the material for the course was assembled in attractive form for mailing to prospective students. Customers were secured by typing informative letters to amateur artists in town, by placing a short advertisement in the local papers and, eventually, by advertising in the classified columns of several national magazines.

Possible Profits
The course of 20 lessons brought a fee of $10 from each student, which yielded a net profit of $6.00, after advertising and production expenses were deducted. This, then, left a substantial profit, especially since the pair now has about 120 students enrolled in the course, and new students enrolling regularly.

Correspondence-Course Exchange

The Plan
Thousands of persons throughout the country are prospects for correspondence courses. An aggressive young stenographer has boosted her regular income by organizing a correspondence-course exchange during free hours.

How It Works
She placed small advertisements in her local papers offering to purchase old correspondence courses on all subjects, e.g. engineering, radio, art, salesmanship, etc. She then placed a separate advertisement offering to re-sell these courses at greatly reduced prices. Replies to both these ads were many, and she was soon busy buying, selling, or exchanging these courses among her many applicants.

Possible Profits
She deducts 20 per cent brokerage commission from the sale or exchange of these courses and as the volume of her business steadily increases, so do her profits. Today her side line surpasses her full-time occupation.

Convention Typist

The Plan
If you live in a town of 250,000 or more in population, you will be on hand for the numerous conventions that regularly take place. Merchants, professional people and industrial executives from all sections of the country usually attend, and convention business generally requires a great many typewritten letters, notes, and speeches. Hence a grand moneymaking opportunity for part-time typists.

How It Works
Contact the hotels and the Chamber of Commerce in your town, and secure a list of coming conventions. Obtain, also, the names of their secretaries and type a letter to each of them offering your part-time typing services for the convention. Perhaps you may affiliate with the hotel as a part-time convention typist, and be paid by the hotel. The convention typist should be skillful and rapid.

Possible Profits
The rates for convention typists range from $1.00 to $1.50 an hour, depending on local wage standards. In view of quantity of work received, a substantial income should be realized.

Co-operative Mailing

The Plan
An alert Michigan housewife added to the family income by organizing a Co-operative Mailing Bureau at which she worked during evening hours. She provided a service which enabled three or more noncompetitive merchants to group their advertisement mailings within the same envelope—to be sent to the same prospects—and thus greatly reduce their postage expenses.

How It Works
"I first contacted five merchants in my community whose products didn't compete and who tried to reach the same prospect—the home owner. These included a real-estate firm, a coal dealer, an insurance company, a furniture house, and a building modernization firm. I explained how, by grouping their mailing, they could reduce postage cost by one fourth without reducing the effectiveness of their literature. They were all enthusiastic about the plan, since postage comprises a major expense of direct mail advertising. I soon had 15 of such co-operative groups as my customers, and an average of 10,000 letters every month. Eventually many of them gave me their mailing lists and I did all the work.

Possible Profits
"I receive a fraction of a cent on each co-operative letter sent out and am paid extra for the typing and the stuffing of envelopes. I am now earning $35 weekly spare time."

Envelope Addressing

The Plan
"My typewriter 'earned its way,' and I turned my evening hours into profit, by typing names and addresses on envelopes and circulars for business concerns and others accustomed to sending out mail in volume.

How It Works
"Envelopes to be addressed are obtained from publishers, merchants, and especially instalment dealers who send out literature and bulletins regularly, mimeographers, and multigraphers. I called personally at addresses in the phone book and asked for a trial. For envelope addressing one must work with regularity and speed, and there is much of this work available.

Possible Profits
"Pay averages from $4.00 to $8.00 per thousand for typewritten envelopes of from two to four lines. The customer supplies the envelopes."

Mail-Order Business

The Plan
We all get a "kick" out of opening fat envelopes and extracting dollar bills. It is possible to secure many such letters containing many such dollar bills by operating a mail-order business from your home, selling some universally desirable product.

How It Works
There is no limit to the type of merchandise that can be handled through the mails, but it is best to select something small and compact, and there should be an allowance of at least 100 per cent profit to make the venture remunerative. This will allow for advertising, cost of handling, circularizing, etc. Choose the proper kind of product by studying the advertisements of successful mail-order concerns in magazines and newspapers. Analyze the product and sales appeal used. The products may be sold either direct to the consumer or through salesmen. Salesmen are generally allowed a commission of from 40 per cent to 60 per cent. It is possible, in addition, to buy name lists of mail-order buyers, so that you can circularize them direct. Some of the products profitably sold through the mail are toilet and household preparations, books, stationery, foreign stamps, greeting cards, song books and music, religious articles, whole libraries of classics, recipes and many, many others.

Possible Profits
No limit; depends entirely upon your stick-to-it-iveness, advertising and promotional ability, and the right product. It is possible to make a good living through mail-order selling, and it should be easy to net at least $25 weekly.

Vocational Guidance

The Plan
Have I chosen the right vocation? This problem disturbs many people and has, as a result, become the means of a lucrative part-time income to an ambitious Chicago schoolteacher.

How It Works
She first performed this service among her friends, and subsequently advertised in publications of general appeal. She offered to give complete vocational analysis for a stipulated fee. Upon receiving the application, she would submit a questionnaire, requesting data on the applicant's age, schooling, present job, etc. This data enabled her to gauge the qualifications of the writer, and to offer suitable vocational advice. Consultation of various psychology books yielded much information concerning questionnaires, vocational adaptability, and other necessary subjects aiding her in the work.

Possible Profits
She charged $3.00 for each analysis. Receiving some 30 applications a week, she netted about $35 a week after deducting costs for advertising and miscellaneous expenses.

Duplicating Service

The Plan
A college girl, and very much interested in advertising layout and writing, she thought of the following way to provide funds to see her through school: a duplicating service for neighborhood merchants who are eager to obtain an inexpensive method of advertising.

How It Works
"I approach the small stores in our neighborhood and offer my services for writing up the information the owners want circulated. After the material is assembled, I transfer it to duplicating plates and run the sheets off in the quantities desired. By use of a stylus, I have been able to reproduce simple illustrations. My first attempt met with marked success and now I have several assistants, My college expenses are thus amply covered and my problems successfully solved.

Possible Profits
"There are two ways to arrange for the payment of this service: represent the client for a fixed monthly fee for all services rendered during that period or charge for each job, according to the amount of work and number of circulars put out."

Public Stenographer

The Plan
Build a business of your own—earn unlimited profits—operate from your own office—by becoming a public stenographer doing typing of all kinds for people in your city.

How It Works
"Obtaining office space was my first problem. I contacted hotels and office buildings in my town, offering to do a proportionate amount of their own typing free if they would allow me office space for public stenography. One of the larger hotels readily assented to this plan and arranged attractive office quarters for me. My clients consisted generally of salesmen and other visitors who were in urgent need for the typing of letters and other material. Subsequently I secured concessions in two additional hotels in town on a similar basis, hiring two stenographers on a share-of-the-proceeds basis to handle this work.

Possible Profits
"There is no limit to how much you can earn as public stenographer. Much depends on the rapidity and neatness of your work and your promotional ability to put your service across. I have been earning some $70 a week—with the chance to expand my business shortly."

Important Dates

The Plan
An enterprising college student earns a substantial part of his tuition and expenses by maintaining an "important date" file.

How It Works
Hundreds of persons with poor memories have important dates that they wish to remember, including birthdays of relatives, anniversaries, distant engagements, etc. The young man advertised in his local paper, stating that he would send a reminder postcard several days in advance to anyone who would list these dates with him. The responses were very satisfactory. Remembering important dates is usually a "thorn in the flesh" to most people. His own memory was kept refreshed by an efficient card-index system.

Possible Profits
He charged 10 cents for each date listed, and is earning $65 a month for part-time work through this fascinating service.

Bridge And Backgammon Lessons

The Plan
A brisk young matron, expert in the playing of bridge and backgammon, is earning part-time money through writing up and selling instruction pamphlets through her local clubs.

How It Works
She organized her instruction course in the form of ten successive lessons, starting with the fundamentals of the game and continuing with its more difficult aspects. These were typed up on separate sheets of paper. The instructions were written in a natural, easily understandable style—so that they could be mastered by even the novice. These lessons were then sold through women's clubs, giving them a chance to share the proceeds in accordance with their fund-raising programs. Additional customers were secured by inserting a small advertisement in her local newspapers. Her profits started almost immediately and have continued consistently.

Possible Profits
She sells the instruction courses for $2.00 each, with 30 per cent of the proceeds reverting to the respective women's clubs selling the lessons. Since she has sold some 275 of these courses, her earnings exceed $250.

Speech Typing

The Plan
She was scanning the papers . . . announcement of scheduled speech after speech . . . each speaker requiring a typed copy of his speech to be submitted in advance to the clubs and to newspapers . . . inspiration! The young woman solved the problem of earning part-time money by persuading speakers to let her type their scheduled orations.

How It Works
Newspapers contain loads of these names daily. They're usually in club announcement listing the speakers who will address clubs for the forthcoming period. If the name of the speaker is given, get in touch with him personally, offering to type up his speeches in triplicate—so that one copy can be kept by him, one submitted to the secretary of the club before whom he is going to speak and one to the newspaper for publicity purposes. Names of speakers will also be given to you by the club secretaries. Once you have made a customer among these personages, you will no doubt get his repeat business for later speeches.

Possible Profits
The average speech is about 2,000 words, and the usual typing rate for triplicate copies is about $2.50. It is quite easy to secure at least one typing assignment a day—which, in itself, should earn you $15 weekly.

Local Typing Agencies

The Plan
You've noticed chain grocery stores, chain meat markets, chain florists—have you ever thought of chain typing stores? The idea is absurd, you'll say, since typing isn't done in stores and since opening a group of agencies would be prohibitively expensive. Yet one young woman in Detroit is operating a chain of 12 typing stores—netting her large dividends—and she is not paying a single cent for rental.

How It Works
She visited merchants in various sections of her town, asking them to insert a placard in the window with the words "We Do Typing Here" attractively painted in large letters. She does all the submitted typing work, and the merchant receives a percentage of the proceeds for acting as agent. Many merchants are glad to co-operate, since it brings extra profits to them and, in addition, enables them to perform an additional service for their customers. She thus has lined up some 12 agencies in stores in different parts of the city, and receives work from neighborhood residents and business people.

Possible Profits
Typing is done at usual typing rates. Commissions to the storekeepers are 20 per cent, and she grosses about $60 weekly.

Legal Typing

The Plan
"I live in a town of some 250,000 population, with about 700 lawyers. It occurred to me that most of them were in constant need of typing, such as legal forms, briefs, abstracts, etc., and that some of them could not afford to keep a full-time secretary. As a result I have established a thriving legal typing clientele.

How It Works
"I canvassed various attorneys and explained my proposed service. In most cases they were happy to have me undertake the work, since it saved them the expense of a full-time stenographer. In work of this nature, promptness and reliability are important, as the work must be completed within the time allotted. I saw to it, then, that someone was always at home to take telephone messages when calls came through, and that they could reach me at once. Within two months I had secured for myself some 15 legal customers, who regularly phoned me for this work.

Possible Profits
"Charges for legal typing are somewhat higher than regular typing because of the exacting, detailed work involved. My rates average about $5.00 for each manuscript, and in some cases exceed $20. I am now earning about $75 a week."

Part-Time Club Secretary

The Plan
Extra profits can be gained by doing part-time typing for churches, clubs, and charitable organizations within your locality.

How It Works
The above organizations have a constant need for typed letters, records, reports, bulletins, etc. In most cases they are not financially able to hire a full-time secretary to do this work. Get in touch with your prospects through typewritten letters, explaining your proposed work, giving your qualifications, and specifying your prices. Organize your time, so that you can devote certain hours each day to each organization, thus enabling you to serve a number at the same time.

Possible Profits
Rates, of course, will vary, depending on the organization and the type of work. On the average, however, you should earn about $2.00 a week from each contact, and it is possible to average $18 weekly through serving several organizations.

Social Club

The Plan
Clubs stimulate the social urge in most men and women, and they are eager to join. Start one of your own, make yourself the organizer and general secretary and guiding force, and reap profits from your typing and general supervision. One housewife in Toledo is earning a nice sum through a social club which she started.

How It Works
"I originally started the project among my friends; recommendations did the work of increasing the membership. As organizer and secretary, I plan the activities, perform the typing of notices of meetings, minutes, constitution, etc. It is also my duty to plan worthwhile activities, secure interesting speakers, and conduct bridge games, debates, spelling bees, and other contests with prizes to winners.

Possible Profits
"Membership fees are $2.00 a person at the outset, from which I collect $1.00 for my duties and supervision. As the membership increases, so does my income.

Advertisement Clippings

The Plan
"While in idle conversation with my local furniture dealer, he complained that he constantly 'ran dry' of good advertising and merchandising ideas for his store, and said it would benefit him to know what others engaged in the same line of business were doing to stimulate trade. Presto! An idea arose in my mind about organizing an Advertising Clipping Bureau, furnishing retailers with advertisements used by other merchants in similar trades. The project has been earning me a nice income.

How It Works
"I consulted as many newspapers as I could get my hands on, both local and out-of-town, and clipped out all the outstanding advertisements. Then I classified them according to trades, for example, shoes, furniture, jewelry, etc. These advertisements were then sold as a monthly service to the respective business concerns, and they thus had latest, up-to-the-minute references to what others in their line were doing to stimulate business. I now have many types of merchants subscribing to my service, and am starting to advertise for out-of-town concerns.

Possible Profits
"The service sells for $3.00 a month, or $25 for a full year. My only expense consists of subscribing to many newspapers, of clipping and pastings, and of mailing. I net an average of $45 weekly."

Re-Forwarding Letters

The Plan
"Fool Your Friends. Send Them Letters Postmarked New York." This is the basis of a novel idea which earns good profits for an alert young woman in New York. The project is workable in most communities.

How It Works
She placed a short classified advertisement in one or two national magazines offering this service; as her responses increased, she placed the advertisements in additional magazines. The advertisement explained how applicants could "fool" their friends, and derive much fun, through sending letters to their friends postmarked with the name of her city. The idea appealed to many people as an opportunity for a "good joke" on their friends, and the response was gratifying.

Possible Profits
She charged 25 cents each for re-forwarding a single letter, and 10 cents each in quantities of five letters and more. She has been able to net $35 a month for a few hours' evening work each month.

Recipes

The Plan
If you are a good cook, earn extra money by typing out your recipes and selling them. An easy way is through church guilds, charity bazaars, women's exchanges, etc.

How It Works
The recipes may be sold through the local guilds as a fund-raising enterprise, since they share in the proceeds. In organizing your recipe file, write up as many as possible—one hundred or more. They can be turned out on a duplicating machine from typewritten stencils on 3 in. by 5 in. cards, and then arranged in recipe boxes. In addition to churches and charitable organizations, these recipe files, which make excellent gifts, can be sold through gift shops, etc.

Possible Profits
Such files should easily bring $2.00 each on the basis of one hundred or more recipes attractively classified in a beautiful file box. Church guilds can sell the recipes for 5 cents to 10 cents each, retaining one fifth for themselves.

College Blue Book

The Plan
Residing in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a town which contains the state university, a young woman, employed as typist during the day, is earning a substantial part-time income through issuance of a "College Blue Book."

How It Works
This book is based upon data concerning sororities and fraternities and their various members. It lists names and locations of their houses, and includes historical data, names and biographies of members, their scholastic activities, etc. This information is easily received through contact with the various fraternities and sororities. The book is then sold throughout the university. Merchants are glad to advertise in it since the type of student who belongs to a fraternity or sorority is usually well-to-do, and therefore a good prospective customer.

Possible Profits
The books sell for 50 cents each and are eagerly purchased by most fraternity and sorority members, comprising about 60 per cent of the student body. Advertisements secure a price of $50 a page, since the book has year-round readability, and is therefore valuable to the merchant. She earns about $750 for each issue—once a year.

Addressograph Stencils

The Plan
"I organized a profitable part-time business typing up addressograph stencils for local merchants and professional people, containing the names and addresses of the customers to whom they regularly mailed advertising and announcement material of various kinds.

How It Works
"Stencils for this typing may be secured in most stationery stores or through an addressograph company. I typed letters to prospective customers explaining my service. They were quite eager to have me do this work, since it saved them the much greater expense of a full-time typist. Several concerns also asked me to attend to the actual mailing—including stuffing the material within the envelopes, addressing the envelopes, filling in the names on letters, etc.

Possible Profits
"Dividing my time among seven customers, and charging each $1.50 for 500 stencils, exclusive of supplies, I have been able to net about $25 weekly, working only a portion of the day."

Addressing Wedding And Gift Cards

The Plan
A housewife in Florida contributes to the family earnings by addressing wedding, gift, and Christmas cards in behalf of her friends and neighbors.

How It Works
Addressing in volume is usually a tedious and laborious task to most people; and they are, in many cases, eager to have this work done for them. The Christmas and the wedding seasons usually produce substantial work for her. She also inserted a short advertisement in her local newspaper, which brought her additional work. Once her customers are secured, they usually turn their work over to her regularly.

Possible Profits
Her addressing charges amount to $5.00 a thousand. During peak seasons, when she secures volume work, she is able to net $35 a week.

Lost Dogs

The Plan
An aggressive young man in Chicago is earning a good part-time income through typing regular report letters, in behalf of owners of lost dogs, listing their dogs as lost or stolen. These letters are sent to all the pet shops in town, enabling them to identify the pet in event it is brought to their store for sale.

How It Works
"I noticed that a state law prohibits pet shops from accepting lost or stolen dogs, and realized that a descriptive circular letter would enable them to identify such dogs, and restore them to their rightful owners. I then contacted owners of lost dogs and offered to include their names and addresses, and also a description of their lost dog, in a regular circular to be sent to all pet shops in town. Lost and found columns in my local newspapers provide most of the names of my prospective customers, and every day there is a new batch of listings. Since new dogs are lost or stolen regularly, the revenue is consistent."

Possible Profits
He charges 25 cents for each listing and receives about 40 each week. His earnings, then, average about $10 a week for doing easy, pleasant typing work.

Manuscript Typing

The Plan
"I lived in a city that contained two universities, each with some 8,000 students. The thought occurred to me that these students should be in constant need of typing for the preparation of themes, theses, reports, manuscripts, and other papers. They would probably also require research work, editing and revision. As a result I have gained a large student clientele, supplying me with consistent work.

How It Works
"I announced my proposed services to students through notices on the various school bulletin boards, advertisements in the school papers, and word-of-mouth announcements. Once I secure a student as a customer, he brings me his work during the years that he remains at the university. Where any of these projects required research work, I found it easy to obtain the necessary information in the libraries of the universities. My work runs the gamut of typing, editing, research, binding books, and other miscellaneous duties.

Possible Profits
"Earnings are commensurate with the length and difficulty of the work. Ordinary typing is $1.00 a thousand words, while the writing or editing of papers or research will bring prices varying from $2.00 to $20.00."

Formula Selling

The Plan
A scientifically-minded housewife in Kentucky has helped the family finances by operating a mail-order formula sales bureau.

How It Works
Any person of average intelligence can compile and sell separately or in book form hundreds of useful formulas for food flavorings, remedies and household specialties, such as toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. It may be a secret recipe secured from your great-grandmother, one that you have concocted yourself, or one secured through library research in various chemistry books. By inserting an advertisement in a few suitable newspapers or magazines, you should receive several dozen purchasers a week. All formulas sent out should be complete in every detail and should explain in simple, everyday language just how to mix the ingredients. Also include information as to where to buy chemicals, boxes, labels, bottles, collapsible tubes, etc.

Possible Profits
Some formulas sell for as high as $10 each, although the usual price is about $1.00 each. Since these formulas are submitted to purchasers in typewritten form, your main expense is advertising. You should net a part-time income of about $85 monthly—working at your home during the evening.

Laundry-Card Advertising

The Plan
While unpacking a freshly-laundered shirt and removing the buffer card that laundries insert to retain the shirt's shape, a young Chicago bachelor conceived a brilliant idea for earning extra money.

How It Works
"It occurred to me that, since these shirts were received by men, the space on these buffer cards would have advertising value to concerns selling men's products, for example, clothing concerns, liquor and cigarette companies, radio firms and many, many others. I typed explanatory letters to a list of laundries, offering to supply them with free buffer cards provided they allowed advertising matter to be placed upon them. Some 12 different laundries readily agreed—it saved them much money. I then typed letters to a list of prospective advertisers, outlining the benefits of their ads upon these cards and secured advertisers for each side of the buffer card."

Possible Profits
The advertising space was sold upon the basis of "circulation." For example, they were charged $200 for each 50,000 circulation for a period of three months and $4.00 for each additional thousand. This meant he grossed $400 on each card for each three-month period. He netted some $175 for each 50,000, after deducting expenses.

Telephone Advertising Card

The Plan
"I was irritated . . . and lo! earned $300 in three months as a result. The thing that irritated me was thumbing through a bulky telephone directory whenever I desired to phone my local merchants, public institutions, etc. For my personal convenience, I made up a list of telephone numbers most frequently consulted. And then came a thought—why not compile a quantity of cards, with popular telephone listings, for distribution to the public?

How It Works
"On a cardboard about 6 x 9 inches I listed some 60 names and telephone numbers of business concerns and public institutions such as police and fire departments, railroad and bus depots, post office, etc. The card is slit on the top, enabling its suspension over the telephone for 'handy shopper's reference.' Merchants paid for having their concern's name printed upon this card, and only noncompetitive concerns were included. I contacted them through typed explanatory letters. As the final step, I had some 10,000 of these cards printed and distributed to householders throughout the city.

Possible Profits
"Each merchant paid $10 for his firm's listing, so that the gross profits were $500, of which I netted $300 after printing expenses were paid. This work requires only a small amount of time, and is repeated each year."

Who's Who Directory

The Plan
Every person is interested in news about himself, and that formed the basis for a novel "Who's Who" Directory compiled by a clerk's wife in Seattle, Washington. She publishes one of these directories each season and enjoys a large subscription list.

How It Works
She secured biographical data concerning the various personages in town, such as their antecedents, their business and social activities, etc. She then arranged this information along with photographs in a "Who's Who," which she offered for sale. The book was attractively printed with the name of the buyer stamped on each cover in gold. A local printer agreed to finance the printing of the publication on the basis of future proceeds.

Possible Profits
She sold these books for $5.00 each, while they only cost her $1.75 each to print. Her profits, then, were substantial.

Wholesale Prices

The Plan
"The pained ego of my small daughter Joan inspired me to find the means of augmenting my income. She complained that her chum, Sally, wore much prettier dresses than she. Questioning of Joan's mother elicited the information that she bought her daughter's dresses wholesale. She said it enabled her to manage nicely on a small income. Lo! an idea for making money.

How It Works
"By adroit questioning, and a canvass of directories of various trades by letters, I managed to secure a comprehensive list of manufacturing and wholesale companies who were glad to accept business direct from consumers. I subsequently listed their names, addresses, and products sold in classified form within this 'directory' which finally consisted of forty pages. I then typed this material on stencils and had it mimeographed on a machine which I rented. It was then ready for sale, and I secured many customers through a short advertisement in my local papers.

Possible Profits
"The companies participating pay a fee of $10 each for having their names listed, while interested buyers pay 25 cents each for purchase of the list."

Hobby Collections

The Plan
An enterprising clerk in Arkansas bolstered his regular income through the publishing of a "State Hobbyist" booklet twice a year, listing the names of hobbyists and their hobbies in his state.

How It Works
He reasoned that most people have hobbies and are interested in knowing about others with similar hobbies. He secured the names of hobbyists by consulting local hobby clubs and through newspaper research. He then typed up this information, and persuaded a local printer to publish the booklet on a share-of-the-profits basis. Distribution of the booklet was made through local newsstands and by an advertisement in the local paper. The booklet was received enthusiastically because of its local interest and is now being issued regularly.

Possible Profits
Sale price of the booklet is 30 cents. Printing cost is only 5 cents each so that the profits are substantial. He nets $50 from each issue of the booklet.

Names of High-School Students

The Plan
Collecting and selling names of recent high-school graduates has provided a means of livelihood for one invalid woman residing in Cleveland.

How It Works
"I recognized the value of such names to certain concerns and advanced schools. I realized that trade schools would be interested in contacting these graduates so as to secure their enrollment. Various merchants, such as clothing concerns and jewelry stores, would also be interested in selling their products to these young people, since they have reached that age where they are interested in securing clothes, automobiles, and similar items. There are some 20 high schools situated in my town, and I secured the names of coming graduates by contacting the high-school principals. I then typed these names neatly upon individual lists, and sold them by typing letters to prospective purchasers outlining the value of these lists.

Possible Profits
"Charges were $1.50 for a hundred names, and $12.50 a thousand. Since there are a substantial number of buyers, the profits are gratifying. In addition, several purchasers also requested that I do envelope typing and stuffing for them, bringing me an extra fee. I secure and sell new lists with a new graduation class each semester."

Big Mail

The Plan
Everyone likes to receive mail—lots of it. With this idea in mind, an enterprising farmer's wife in Indiana conducted a "Big Mail" bureau which yields a splendid part-time income.

How It Works
She inserted a small advertisement in a mail-order magazine, offering to send "big mail" for 10 cents, and received some 500 dimes with applications. She then contacted noncompetitive mail-order concerns, desirous of selling their products through the mail, offering to include their literature in her mailings to this name list. As a result, she obtained some 25 different pieces of advertising items to include within each envelope, which she then sent third-class mail to her mail list. As her list of names grew, and her clients increased, her business earned fertile profits.

Possible Profits
She derives earnings in several ways. First, through the original dime received for the "big mail" listing; second, through the mailing of the literature enclosed in behalf of advertisers, her charges being $1.00 for 125 circulars. Finally, additional revenue is secured from supplementary orders for envelope addressing received from many of the firms.

Synonyms

The Plan
There are 2,000 ways for saying the word "said," and most writers require many such synonyms in writing their stories; they frequently hunt in vain for a new, apt, substitute expression for that overworked word. One Oklahoma clerk made up a comprehensive list of these synonyms and has been selling them consistently for the past two years.

How It Works
He gathered most of the words by reading books, magazines and newspapers; dictionaries and thesauri also yielded a large number. He chose his words according to the "active picture" that they created, and according to their applicability to special situations involving the word "said." He then sold this list to writers everywhere, securing purchasers through small advertisements placed in several writers magazines.

Possible Profits
It cost him a few pennies to make up the list and the advertisements averaged about $2.00 each. Since he sold the lists for 50 cents each, his profits were large. He still nets $50 a month from this part-time work.

Menu Typing

The Plan
Since restaurants usually change their menus daily, there is constant need for typing. The majority cannot afford a full-time typist for this work, and realizing this, one Kansas housewife has established a lucrative side line typing menus for a number of local restaurants.

How It Works
Through correspondence and personal contact she canvassed all the restaurants in town. She found the majority of them eager to secure this part-time typing service, since it would save them a great deal of stenography expense. She arranged to appear at each restaurant for the typing at different intervals during the day, and was able to serve 8 different restaurants on this basis.

Possible Profits
Her charges to each restaurant amounted to about $6.00 a week, so that her earnings were from $40 to $48 weekly.

Intelligence Tests

The Plan
"As psychology teacher in a large high school, I realized that most people are interested in learning about themselves, especially about their 'I.Q.' or intelligence quotient. This provided me with the idea of selling individual intelligence tests through the mail.

How It Works
"I worked up detailed questionnaires, obtaining personal information from applicants. These facts included age, sex, biographical data, and reactions to various situations. Also included were questions testing their general fund of knowledge. Data for such tests can be secured through studying various psychology books. I then inserted an advertisement in suitable newspapers and magazines, offering to supply such intelligence tests and thus provide the person with useful information concerning his abilities, his problems, and his work. Many people replied, because they realized the personal value of such a test.

Possible Profits
"My price for each of these tests was fixed at $2.00. My largest expense was advertising, about 50 per cent of my returns. I was able to net an income of $250 monthly, for pleasant work in my spare time."

Better English Bureau

The Plan
A Detroit schoolteacher was constantly queried by a friend, a professional stenographer, concerning correct grammar and spelling, and phrasing of words. This gave her the idea of organizing a Better English course.

How It Works
"I reasoned that there were hundreds of clerks, stenographers, writers and other professional men and women in my town, whose work required knowledge of the refinements of the English language, precise grammar and rhetoric, and the spelling of commonly-used words. I organized a course of English instruction in 15 lessons, proceeding methodically from fundamental English instruction to more difficult phases of grammar. This was written up in a simple, readable style that could instantly be mastered by any stenographer. Most of the material was easily collected through study of books on rhetoric, composition, and grammar. My next step was to meet the personnel directors of large industrial concerns, offering these courses for their employees. They readily realized how such a service would improve their employees' efficiency, and co-operated in persuading their employees to subscribe. Occasionally the employers themselves contract for this service in behalf of their employees. As a supplementary service, I offer free advice on all individual questions in English grammar to my subscribers."

Possible Profits
The service is sold at the price of $5.00 a month, and with 75 customers now receiving instruction, her income is in excess of $300 a month.

Part-Time Secretarial Service

The Plan
In almost every town of any size there are many business and professional men who don't have enough office detail work to keep a secretary busy on a full-time basis, but do need some expert secretarial service if for only one day, or a part of a day, each week. Too often, this work is either neglected entirely, or done in a haphazard manner. One girl of initiative who was unable to secure full-time employment found that by becoming a part-time secretary for many firms she earned more money than by working full time for one firm.

How It Works
She saw a number of storekeepers and other small business men, also lawyers, doctors, and dentists, and arranged to handle their work whenever they needed her. For some she worked two or three days of each month, for others only a few hours. She wrote letters, filed correspondence and kept simple records. The work kept her busy all week long.

Possible Profits
Part-time work of this nature usually pays better per hour than a full-time salaried job. You, also, can thus affiliate yourself with a number of employers, and by giving each of them some time, keep yourself busily employed.

Birth Lists

The Plan
Collecting lists of local birthdays, and selling them to concerns interested in using this information for advertising purposes, proves a splendid part-time means of livelihood for one housewife in Oklahoma.

How It Works
Business concerns find such birth lists valuable. Informed of the birthdays of a selected group of persons, they circularize them with a congratulatory message on the occasion of their birthday . . . and tactfully include a sales talk concerning their products or services. This constitutes an intimate, personalized advertising appeal that proves very effective. The enterprising housewife consulted the birth records of her city hall for the data concerning local birthdays, and then typed letters to business firms explaining the lists, and the advantages of purchasing them. The response was immediate and enthusiastic.

Possible Profits
She sold the names for $15 a thousand, and issued a new and revised list each year. Her side line is bringing her a steady income of $30 weekly.

Notary Public

The Plan
A stenographer in Providence, Rhode Island, is augmenting her regular income by conducting a Notary Public service from her home. Her work includes the notarizing and typing of legal documents and personal papers.

How It Works
She received her notary seal by writing to the state registration department and after placing a sign in the window of her home, she was ready for work. Studying commercial law books familiarized her with leases, deeds, bills of sale and other legal forms which comprised the greater portion of her work.

Possible Profits
She charged 50 cents for each notarial impression, and from $2.00 to $10.00 for the typing and preparation of legal papers, such as leases, bills and others, This netted her some $80 a month, in addition to her regular employment.

Translating Bureau

The Plan
Versed in several languages, one alert young New York woman organized a translating bureau which is bringing her nice financial returns. Her work consists of translating letters for the foreign-born citizens of the city, and also extending translating services to business and industrial concerns.

How It Works
She placed a sign in the window of her home announcing this service; in addition she got in touch with persons influential in the foreign neighborhoods to advertise her work. Gradually she has added translating work from business and industrial firms receiving orders from foreign countries. She has made arrangements with a part-time staff of workers for translation of languages not familiar to her.

Possible Profits
Rates vary with the type and length of the translation, ranging from 50 cents to $2.00 each. She works on a monthly retainer fee basis with several of the industrial concerns. Her net earnings are $40 weekly.

Teaching Typewriting

The Plan
A stenographer enjoyed extra earnings by teaching typing at home evenings. It can be done with very little capital investment and is unlimited in growth and profit possibilities.

How It Works
She started by teaching typing to some of her friends, and later placed a short advertisement in her local paper for additional students. Two evenings a week—two hours a lesson—were devoted to the instruction. She organized a typing curriculum, methodically arranging the lessons so that the student could type well within the space of 20 weeks. Later she mimeographed her own typing manual, which she sold to students. As equipment, she rented several typewriters and stocked up with sufficient typing paper. To familiarize herself with proper instruction methods, curriculum, etc., she sent away for the catalogs of other typing schools.

Possible Profits
She charged $1.50 each lesson, making a total of about $30 for the entire 20 weeks. She now has ten regular students and splendid part-time earnings. Additional income is derived through sale of typewriting manuals at 75 cents each.

Rental Library Typing

The Plan
Most rental libraries require a great deal of part-time typing. This includes title and date notices pasted on the inside cover of the book, shelf and exhibit cards, and also file cards for cataloguing purposes. Additional work required by these libraries includes weekly letters to customers reporting current books carried in stock. One California woman is earning splendid part-time money serving a group of rental libraries in her town.

How It Works
"I accumulated customers among rental libraries through personal canvass and explanatory typewritten letters . . . and there are loads of such libraries in every large city. I found that, in most cases, they were tickled at the opportunity of my doing this work, since it saved them the much larger expenses of a full-time typist. By devoting a certain amount of time to each of these rental libraries, I was able to work for nine different customers."

Possible Profits
Her charges vary from $2.00 to $4.00 a week for each rental library, and her earnings average about $25 weekly.

Merchandising Counsel

The Plan
Fresh from a university, brimful of energy, and trained in marketing and commerce, a young man organized a merchandising counseling bureau which has brought him rich dividends.

How It Works
He advised merchants on window and interior display, sales, advertising, delivery, and service methods applicable to their stores and based on latest successful methods. This was sent to them in the form of typewritten bulletins distributed weekly. Merchants subscribed to this service on a biannual and annual basis. To collect his data, he studied papers in larger cities throughout the country, analyzing the merchandising and sales methods used by the outstanding concerns. Personal observation and research in various commercial books yielded additional information. He classified his merchandising counsel according to the respective businesses, thus individualizing his service. Merchants readily purchased this service—it contributed to the efficiency of their business, stimulated their sales, and kept them informed on latest sales methods in their particular line.

Possible Profits
The service was sold at the rate of $10 a month to each merchant. Since his expenses were only $1.00 for each member, he earned in excess of $300 a month.

Sales-Tax Pamphlets

The Plan
Most merchants find themselves helplessly snowed under by a mass of figures when it comes to computing their sales tax; intricate bookkeeping is usually required in order to comply with the laws. A young Massachusetts bookkeeper "cashed in" on this situation by writing up simple sales tax bookkeeping instructions, to sell to the smaller retail stores.

How It Works
To familiarize himself with the subject, he studied sales-tax instruction books obtainable at the bureau of publications in most states. He then wrote up this information in simplified form, so that the average retailer could apply it to his own bookkeeping problems. He typed up the data, and then had it mimeographed on a machine he rented. He adapted his instruction to various types of business, and the individual problems that they were likely to experience. His next step was to see the merchants in his town, and he succeeded in selling a large number of these books.