Family Living Focus by Multi-County Extension Agent Winifred McGee Doing Business from your Home If your household is like mine, you can always use a little extra money. It seems that coats are forever wearing out and shoes are being outgrown. While the easiest solution might be to get a job (or a second job), leav ing the home and working according to someone else's schedule isn't an idea that appeals to everyone. For many people, starting their own busi ness - a home-based business - is a very attractive option. Home-based businesses ap peal to people for a variety of reasons. Many types of products and services can be provided from the home setting. Much of the equipment that was once found only in a large business setting (like the FAX and com puter) is becoming part of the home scene. Today's baby boomers find themselves sand wiched between two genera tions, both needing attention and time, making it necessary to balance income/work and family time. 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It may involve some new skill that you have always wanted to build, that you will learn before going into business. Once you have come with an idea, look hard at that idea. This hard look is often called a feasibility study. You need to see if the idea is "do-able," mar ketable, and profitable. A "do-able" idea is a legal one. Check with your local township, borough, or city gov- CEDAR CHEST * Available In Cherry or Oak Finish Cushioned Lid Reg. Retail $589.95 Cash Price AJIO.W VALENTINE'S . . __ „„ SPECIAL ’ I 79.88 CLOSEOUT PRICE *595.95 TWIN/DOUBLE ' FUTON BUNK BED! Trailer Load • Dealer Refusal with i S' Futon Mattress White i Red ■ Black Reg Ret $899 95 Reg Low Price , •*“ *279.95; ernment to find out whether zoning allows you to conduct your business in your home. Each municipality is different; and some existing businesses may have been "grandfathered in," which means that they existed before zoning was put in place, and are allowed to oper ate, contrary to an ordinance. Do not assume that land zoned for agriculture can be used for all businesses. Check it out! Find out about any special licenses or registrations needed to operate - and who issues them. For example, food prod uct businesses must be inspect ed and registered by the PA Department of Agriculture. When looking at marketabili ty, try to find out who would be most likely to buy your product or service. The group of people who would be your best cus tomers is called your target mar ket. Find out how many people who will see your product or use your service fall into this group. As you learn about your target market, try to find out how many competitors you have. In his book, "Sell What You Sow," Eric Gibson says that it is just as important that a newly-devel oped product be different from other products already on the market, as it is that the entre preneur choose something they enjoy producing. At this stage, you need to decide if the market can bear another maker of stuffed bunnies Finally, make sure that you will be able to make a profit with this idea. By definition, busi- ROLL-TOP COMPUTER DESK - CLOSEOUT i" Cherry Finish ■ Brass Fixtures L_ , . i, Reg. Retail $1649.95 Our Hog. Price $709.95 li CLOSEOUT PRICE *649.95 iA I a MATTRESS BLOWOUT hECMjrel 3 Pc. Mattress Set King Only |J ti\ M i | Mada for Urge Hotel Chain Rag. Retail SI,OOO 1 our Price *249.95 King Mattress Only Manufacturer Cloud Local Factory Rag. Ratail $599 95 Our Price $ 129.95 UNBELIEVABLE PRICES! Sold As Is BEDROOM CLOSEOUT T \ U(a 'j'WO ** Etched Mirrors J v fk-rC. v Brass Fixtures *-' < jswaSile. Beautiful Bedroom Suite I T: ~o Reg Retail $2109 95 v3SSfAT*\ OurPnce $789 95 I Cash Price $739 95 *<3f .f 5 Qweoiit Price ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ _★ RECLINEK |J Presidential Sales * ★ BIG SELECTION OP WOOD ft METAL BUNK BEDS 3019 Hempland Road. 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Cooperative Extension, local col lege business departments, and the Small Business Administra Town Without Milk SYRACUSE, N. Y. - Black coffee, dry cereal, a sad cop hold ing a box of doughnuts, and unhappy children sitting around a birthday cake-what do all these images have in common? No Milk. This is the fate of the residents of Drysville, the town without milk and the mythical home to the new series of "got milk?" commercials making their debut this month. Cleverly produced, these commercials have to be seen sev eral times before the viewer will pick up on all the milk depriva tion innuendoes. For instance, in one spot titled "Drysville Cafe," a radio playing in the background announces that the local donut company has filed Chapter 11. In another spot titled "Ballad," a school boy slips money to another boy who opens his locker to reveal a centerfold picture of a gallon of milk. Although the current "got Milk?" campaign has a national awareness rating of 80%, the creators of the campaign felt it was time for a change. According • y CLOSED SUNDAYS, NEW YEAR, EASTER MONDAY, ASCENSION DAY, WHIT MONDAY, OCT. 11, THANKSGIVING, f«aiMf««t CHRISTMAS & DECEMBER 26TH FISHER’S FURNITURE, INC. NEW AND USED FURNITURE USED COAL & WOOD HEATERS COUNTRY FURNITURE & ANTIQUES BUS. HRS. BOX 57 MON.-THURS. 8-5 1129 GEORGETOWN RD. FRI, 8-8, SAT. 8-12 BART, PA 17503 Feel Great! Lose Weight! 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Throughout the year, Cooperative Extension will be offering Food for Profit classes for people who want to set up food businesses. In March, the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce will have their first annual Home-Based Business Conference for current and future home-based entre preneurs. Taking time to gather infor mation, will be the first big step so that you can, on your own time, in your own home, take a good business idea and make it into a source of extra income and personal satisfaction. It all starts with a question; "Is a home-based business for you?" to Michele Martins, advertising director for the American Dairy Association to Michele Martens, advertising director for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc., "Consumers are so familiar with the cam paign, they can usually guess the ending. The point of adver tising is to keep the message fresh; the new ads do that, but with a twist." Created by San Francisco based Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the new ads were shot in black and white and evoke the kitschy feel of the 19505. The milk deprivation theme contin ues—only this time an entire town is without milk. In "Patrol Car," a group of teen-age boys get caught joy-riding across the county line to get milk. "All right boys, drop your straws," the sheriff blares over a megaphone The sheriff explains to viewers how he and his men found sev eral empties on the floor along with some chocolate syrup, "I guess they got tired of drinking it straight."