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[comfortscents]

Watching a show last week I learned that $18,000.00 annually is the new government standard to be considered poverty level. For me I now realize what a candle maker or soap maker who wants to make a living making candles or soaps should keep this statistic in mind. My business at its' best would not be able to support me let alone if I had children to support. I had one year 2008-2009 that I earned more than that but even if I had doubled that I might be able to squeak by. I would estimate that 1/3 of my $$$ was just in supplies. When I first started years ago my pricing for wax was $6.95 per lb wholesale and $8.95 retail...my wax,soap,fragrance etc has all gone up in price

Hand I'm not sure that I can get $8.95 for an 8oz cinnamon bun. My soap retail is $1.00 an oz....include basic shipping and I don't believe I can do it. My very best craft show garnered me $1,000.00 over a 2 day weekend and I sat in the cold rain for 2 days and I believe if I broke it down to a dollar for dollar comparison what I spent in supplies and packaging, space rental, and a miserably cold experience I probably netted around $800.00...my next craft show which fortunately I had to pour nothing for, it was leftover stuff, I think I made $150.00...

Craft shows in my area are certainly not what they were 15 years ago...lines 3 deep of shoppers only able to crawl thru the crowd. So unless I kidnap Valerie Parr...I think my little cottage industry will be what it always was my ability to focus on something I want to purchase right now it's a new laptop and I'm sweating for that laptop. So I will confess I can't make a comfortable living with my business. With the exception of my mortgage I have no debt and I still couldn't do it. Insurance, taxes, utilities and my cable bill alone would take up much of my income...then there's food, and if I didn't have a spouse with health benefits I would be totally screwed.

[Candybee]

Think about this. To have spendable earnings of $18,000 a candlemaker has to make at least twice that amount. After paying earned income taxes, sales and use taxes, licensing, insurance, supplies, etc., etc., ad nauseum you'll be lucky if you have $6-8K left over to pay for your personal expenses. You can't survive on that.

[Traveler]

The recession and it's ongoing effects have certainly changed the landscape for us.

The trickle down effect has hit our favorite small suppliers as well...watching them drop off one by one has been hard. I have had to race to find new oils each time a supplier closes. Talk about another expense I wasn't planning on having this past year!

And I don't need to mention the cost of gas. Just getting to a show right now is painful.

I have also noticed many unemployed people who are unable to get jobs in our area are now turning to candle and soapmaking as a way to earn money. At the last craft show I walked through I counted 8 soapmakers. That usually doesn't happen. Most craft shows here do not allow in so many of the same type of craft. But now even craft show coordinators are hurting to find vendors who can pay the entry fees (they range from $80 - $225 in our area) so they are letting in a lot more direct competition...which makes it harder to sell against vendors who also sell products similar to yours.

And I see new candle vendors advertising 11oz tumbler soy candles for $20. Just 2 years ago that would have been considered much too high for our area. Is charging more than $1 per ounce going to be the new trend in handmade candle selling in order for us to survive?

Three of my former candle competitors have all closed their long standing candle businesses and are now doing buy/sell items at Craft Shows and Home Shows. One person is doing a brisk business selling spices/soup mixes/rubs/sauces. He doesn't make any of it...just buys it and sells it. He says he is doing great! (He used to make gorgeous gel candles...but sales tanked last year and he couldn't pay his rent so he went in an entirely new direction.) Makes me wonder which candle styles and waxes will survive best in 2011?

So I am earnestly studying these new trends and trying to figure out how to "tweak" my business plan so that I can continue to live a creative life but find a way to pay my bills in this new economy. It's not going to be easy...but I am hopeful for all of us. I am hopeful that those of us who enjoy the process of making quality handmade products can

find a way to survive all of this and thrive.

Maybe I am being naive. Or stubborn (it's been known to happen, LOL!)But I am just not ready to give up.

[comfortscents]

Well you never know when so,something might fall into your lap...because of the weak real estate markets realtors who usually sends a lavish thank you gift to buyers upon closing on the house, a local realtor (part of a chain her in WNY) asked me for soap and candle baskets to give as gifts. They also order soaps and candles for vacant staged homes. Mostly Comfortscents but they get ther early light the candles to make the house smell homey.

The $18,000.00 number really stunned me...I can only personalize it that my daughter, with a degree in criminal justice, worked for county government as a Pre trial counselor...her yearly income was approx $22,000.00. She made her own rent payment, car payment, Jay and I always took her food shopping and somehow she eaked out enough money for "socializing" but no wonder she sat at our DR table every Sunday and would say something to the effect of "I have only $8.00 until now and Friday" of course before she left she left with about $75.00 extra dollars between Jay and I palming her $$$$ but now, 2 years later I had my "aha" moment.

As I believe I said in my earlier pm I don't think I could live on double that although I guess many people do

[LuminousBoutique]

I went through our taxes from years past a few months ago, we made about that as a new family when my husband was in the military.. scary! But we made do. Now with kids, a home, cars.. I cant even imagine trying to live on that.

But its true, you'd have to have SALES of at least double that in order to "make" that much per year.

Can it be done? yes ... sure... but the trade off is that we have very little time for anything else. I was blunt and maybe bordering on mean with a soap maker I encountered at one of my regular shows. She was bubbling with excitement and questions.. most of which I was happy to answer, but what got to me was her assumption that I didnt work my butt off for the business I have, and that it all just came to me.. and "wowww I must just love this extra income!" I couldnt roll my eyes anymore and literally on a piece of paper broke it down to her. This is what we pay for the booth, this is my display costs, this is what I sold, this is what I made... her eyes got wide as saucers and I never saw her at another show. Harsh? maybe. But in many ways I view it a complete waste of their money to think that making 2-3 batches of soap a month is going to save them from their debt and unemployment. Sure if they have the money and time to invest it can be a great side income, but etsy alone isnt going to make them a millionaire. It really gets to me when people say its an "easy way to make cash" because to me, its my passion and what I want to do with my life.. not just a get rich quick scheme.

I've really come to accept that online only isnt working for me, and I have to get back to doing more shows. It does mean I'm going to have to sacrifice some scents, limit my variety and so on.. but I love shows and do better at them.. if my business wants to keep earning its keep, we have to get out to the people more.