Is There Income After Peak Oil And Economic Collapse? There Is
If You're Clever.
Many predict that the world will soon experience an economic
depression, brought on by a variety of factors, but most
particularly Peak Oil - the lessening production of petroleum.
(For full information on Peak Oil, see Dry Dipstick - www.drydipstick.com)
No matter what happens to the economy, you'll probably still
need income. Work continues even in hard times. Sadly, and
ironically, at a time when so much more needs to be done, it
gets harder and harder for people to actually find jobs.
We can guess what type of jobs might disappear first as a result
of decreasing oil supplies and economic collapse--such as
housing construction, highway construction, just about any kind
of construction for that matter, credit cards, banking, stocks
and bonds, overnight tourism (daytrip may do okay), airlines
(but bus and maybe even railroads may do well), the automobile
industry and all its related businesses, hotels and motels,
drive-through fast-food, car washes, chain stores dependent on
cheap goods from China, and so on--but it's probably more useful
to try and predict what type of jobs and skills will be most
needed.
We assume they will involve basic needs--food, water, health,
and the like. There will probably be much more focus on
repairing items than replacing them, so cottage industries like
small appliance repair and clothing repair could do well.
Escapist entertainment and fads were thriving during the Great
Depression of the 1930s and there's no reason to believe
similar, low-cost businesses might not do equally well now.
But you shouldn't count on someone hiring you. Plan now to work
for yourself, providing goods and services to people who need
them.
We can't make any guarantees, but the following ideas are good
possibilities. And they should get you thinking in the right
direction about other likely businesses.
Barter Network
When people don't have money, they do barter. They've always got
stuff--and skills--that they can exchange. Set up a barter
network, help others do it, and take a small cut of the action.
Beer and Wine Making
No matter how hard times get, people will still want beer and
wine. If you can turn the stuff out at home, you've got an
endless supply of barter material.
Bicycle Sales / Repairs
The first thing you should do right now is run out and buy as
many used bicycles as you can. Used bike sales and repairs
should do very well. You could even add motorcycles and
scooters, because of the good gas mileage they get.
Car Repair
While this is no time to be in the new car sales business, car
repair should be fine as people try to keep their existing
vehicles running as long as they can--and as long as they can
afford the gas. Consider basic car repair/maintenance where you
go to the customer's home to do the service. You might even have
luck with ongoing maintenance contracts. You could also give car
repair classes.
Cheap Luxuries
Even in hard times--actually particularly in hard times--people
will want to spoil themselves now and then. But the luxury has
to be cheap. It might be a special chocolate chip cookie, or
delicious homemade candy. Or maybe it's very special handmade
giftwrapping paper. Or fragrant handmade soap or a hand-carved
wooden toy.
Computer Repair
Computer repair and maintenance should do exceptionally well.
People will no longer be running out to buy the latest upgrade
(computer, monitor, printer, etc.) but will be more interested
in keeping what they have working properly.
Delivery Service
It makes much more sense to pay a slight fee to have a store
deliver a purchase to you than to get in your car and make a
round trip to do it yourself. Smart store owners will offer free
delivery in order to attract customers. (On a larger scale,
companies like UPS and FedEx should do well.)
Entertainment
People want to be entertained, particularly when times are
tough. Consider bringing together talented people to offer live
entertainment in neighborhood or community locations. You
probably won't get rich but you'll have a good time, and you and
the entertainers will end up with more money than when you
started.
Errand Service
On a more personal level than a delivery service, errand
services can combine your needs with similar needs of others, to
provide services cheaper than you could do them yourself. This
might be pickup and delivery, but could also include banking,
taking children to after-school classes and sports or pets to
the veterinarian, and a variety of other activities.
Fads
It would be nice to invent, and get rich off, the next fad. But
you can also stay in touch with the culture, and offer low-cost
ways for your community to enjoy those fads.
Farming
You don't have to have a huge farm to have a healthy farming
business. An acre of land and a lot of hard work will produce
what you need for a small-scale business. Consider also
specialty items such as mushrooms, herbs, or sprouts. Because of
the many uses of hemp, that will be a great crop once it's
legal--or at least possible without enforcement--to grow.
Herbal Treatments
You can grow, or forage for, herbs and use them to make healing
concoctions, syrups, salves, teas, and a variety of other
healthy items. You could also use flowers for Aromatherapy.
Home Repair
People will have to do what they can to keep everything in their
home in working order. If you have carpentry, plumbing,
electrical and a wide variety of other relevant skills, you can
be a big help to those people. You might even have success at
teaching these skills to others.
Instruction
You name it, someone will be interested in it. Whether it's
using tools, playing music, sewing or storytelling. The lessons
likely to do best will be those focused on basic essentials,
saving money and protecting health, such as gardening, food
canning, inexpensive home cooking, yoga and other health
exercises, meditation and relaxation, herb foraging and use, and
pet care.
Instructional Video Library
Considering setting up an instructional video library; videos
and DVDs that teach people various skills, whether they're home
or car repair, sewing, musical, language or any of hundreds of
other subjects.
Raising Chickens and Rabbits
Lots of people might start their own gardens, but very few will
raise their own meat. You can take advantage of that by raising
chickens and rabbits-and other critters if you've got room.
Rental Library
Libraries aren't just for videos and books. Consider offering
specialty kitchenware, car and woodworking tools, games, toys,
household repair tools, gardening equipment and literally
anything else you can think of.
Seamstress / Tailor / Clothing Alterations
In hard times, people can't afford to simply buy new clothes to
replace slightly worn clothing. Darning socks will be back
again. Sewing and knitting skills are no longer common, nor are
sewing machines. Anyone with these skills will be much in demand.
Small Appliance / Electronics Repair
Till now it's been cheaper to throw away a broken radio,
telephone, blender, microwave, coffee maker and similar
appliances than to have it repaired. That time is over. With the
end of cheap imports, and loss of income, people will no longer
be able to afford new items. They will either have to do
without, or find someone with the skills to fix them.
Soap Making
Everybody needs soap. While there might not be a time when you
can't find soap to buy, you'll save money, have some fun, and
end up with an excellent barter item by making your own soap.
Here are some more recipes. While you're at it, here are some
skin care recipes.
Toys and Games
There was a time when toys were not mass-produced plastic
things. They were carefully crafted from wood, cloth and other
natural materials, were treasured by the children who received
them, and were passed down from generation to generation. Create
some yourself, and you'll have customers.