Would've thought they made a million bucks

[Agnes]

Great story to share with everyone.

Kids and I have been selling firewood bundles at the end of the driveway for a week with no success.

Today a guy pulls in and buys $30 dollars worth of wood! The kids were ecstatic! Talk about excited kids! :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

There are so many lessons for them to learn from this venture, but the best part is they are excited and want to sell more!

Making some inventory to sell and restock after the big sale.

Back in business!

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Sweet! A new generation is learning!

Shari

 

[mga]

hey...i get excited every time i make money too!

good for them....i hope they sell a lot more.

curious...what kind of wood is that?

 

[Agnes]

curious...what kind of wood is that?

The wood is hard maple but most of the bark has fallen off. We are trying to figure out how we can sell or include some kindling in the bundles.

We try to bundle 2 big pieces then 4 medium then 2 small so it starts easier for folks.

 

[DSS]

A brown paper lunch bag full of noodles makes a great fire starter.

 

[ponyexpress976]

Its a little thing like a bag full of starter stuff that will keep people coming back. Little bits of what I call splitter turds, noodles abd a little saw dust. Great job on your part teaching them early!

 

[Agnes]

A brown paper lunch bag full of noodles makes a great fire starter.

Its a little thing like a bag full of starter stuff that will keep people coming back. Little bits of what I call splitter turds, noodles abd a little saw dust.

Thanks! Great ideas! I have a bunch of noodles and splitter turds.

I will have the kids fill the brown paper bags and then place the paper bags in the middle of the logs before we wrap em.

Last week we said screw it and just put the bundles out for sale. The ideas and feedback from all the AS members is awesome!

It is amazing what happens once you just do it and begin.

 

[Iska3]

If the wood is well seasoned, they'll be back for more. The best part is, they'll tell their friends.

Good lesson for the kids. Might end up in to a nice little income at the same time.

Way to Go Dad...

 

[GeeVee]

A little sweat equity, and your kids are diggin it. GREAT.

A little feedback from the forum validates what you have been telling them.

My youngest son just had an epiphany this week, that he can sell bundles at his school, or to the Beach Patrol, like I had been telling him for a couple of years now.

I have all this land, and all this blow down red, white oak and Hickory, its a shame. I have a ASV RC 30 and a splitter and a Stihl connection. Over the last seven years I've been telling him he needs to help me out with the Woodsmoke Lounge, and put in some sweat equity in order to have access to the place when he wants to have fun with (girl) friends and such.

Selling wood aint getting him rich but would give him some pocket change- we live in Florida.

His small private Christian School has tons of Uber rich WASPs that will buy wood from him when they drop off their brood in the AM just because he's standing there and they know him- "For a cause to help out Ben"

The Beach Patrol has concrete fire rings on the beach in the winter, folks have to reserve them by going to the main towers. I have it set up if gets off his butt to deliver to the stations, collect whats been sold and re-supply, giving some profit back to the Lifeguard Association competition team as fund raising.....

If your kids are more motivated, we know you'll support them. If they're smart, and I can see they are, they'll broaden their market. Older folks will bypass the commercial bundles and buy from your kids because they are showing some initiative in a era when kids typically don't have any.

Again- Let them kids know I think a bunch of them, just for their initiative- you can be extra proud.

GeeVee

 

[garmar]

That's very cool.

 

[DSS]

Don't quote the spammer...

 

[Tash329]

Time With The Kids

The best times of my life were spend with my kids when they were young. Enjoy them.

 

[woodhounder]

You can't figure out when they will sell, a lot of it will sell on the weekend, but I have also sold a lot of it in the rain and on the hottest days of the year. You will not figure bundle buyers out, they will buy it at their own time.

 

[scag52]

Nice post . Great start for the kids. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jags]

Another interesting thing that I recently saw was at the local gas station, the bundles were being sold with one of those strike type fire starters. I personally think it is kinda goofy, but taking into consideration the folks that buy these bundles - maybe not a bad idea.

Something like this: (note the match tip)

 

[Agnes]

Older folks will bypass the commercial bundles and buy from your kids because they are showing some initiative in a era when kids typically don't have any.

Again- Let them kids know I think a bunch of them, just for their initiative- you can be extra proud.

GeeVee

Wow how right you are. My wife posted on facebook the same pictures and wouldn't you know it the kids ended up selling 2 more bundles to a grandmother at their school. How cool is that?

We picked up brown paper bags and are stuffing them with the turds and noodles for firestarters. Please keep the suggestions coming as we figure this bundle business out.

They aren't going to make a killing but it will teach them about business and money which is my main objective. Kids today don't have paper routes or mow lawns or whatever like we did.

One of the lessons I have been trying to teach them is persistence. They were a little down after the first week and no sales. But now they are starting to believe it will work! I tell them if they keep doing the right things long enough it will work. Be patient and believe in yourself and your product.

I don't know who has it as a tagline but the words are:"Spend time with your kids while your kids still have time for you" something like that.... It hit home and I try to make a conscience effort to be a part of their lives.

 

[DSS]

I have seen people put a small flyer in their bundles, name and ph no, maybe the fact that the kids are doing this themselves...etc

Discounts for larger orders over x amount of bundles...I don't really know what works. As has been said, people are funny. I thought of selling bundles to the tourists in the summer, but all the people I talked to said it was so erratic that it was more of a PIA than anything.

But it is good to see kids doing something useful with their time...so many have no interest in anything like this. A+ on the parenting skills.