Simple Ways to Monetize All 4 Elements

 

Can you believe we are already in the fourth month of the year? I can't. 

Everyone seems to be in a rat race of trying to save the most money while enjoying the freest parts of life these days. With every part of the media flashing lavish lifestyles across our screens, it can discourage the average working person. I for one can't afford to travel on a whim so I do my best to try to ground my body and my mind in all things nature, as much as possible. A staycation if you will.

Being a mother of 2 kids, and a damned active one at that, my family is outside more than what the doctor suggests. My little boys will ask to explore every wooded area within eyesight, splashing every puddle, and turning over anything that dares to interrupt their adventure. No matter how small. How can one even dream of working when so many precious moments are happening right before our eyes? That's why I came up with a few quick and easy ideas to monetize the elements around us. It may sound silly, but side hustles have become more and more popular by the second, and let's face it, not all of us are so lucky to have the startup costs on hand. 

You can possibly be the greatest artist the world has never seen but art supplies are expensive. The name of the game is cheap yet useful, so in the event the next time you go touch grass is within about 72 hours of reading this article, then possibly search the area for your next side hustle idea. And who knows, it might hit big.

      Be sure to read to the end to see my recipe for worms in dirt. If anything is needed to end a beautiful day outside, it's a tasty filling treat. I make this delicious dessert for my little ones about twice a month, with different variations, and it always goes great with a perfect day in the elements. 
  

   

Holy Land Market Hand Carved Olive Wood Natural Coaster

Simple Ways to Monetize All 4 Elements

Air - There are a few ways to take hold of the air and share it. Our winged friends, I imagine, cringe at the thought of a windy day for fear of an invisible force obstructing their path. However, those of us who stand upright have the ability to harness the power of the wind and create something beautiful. CNN covered one business man, Leo De Watts of Dorset, New England who has the right idea. Through his genius, he has now been able to move to Hong Kong with his million dollar idea of bottling the fresh, New England air. De Watts monetized the air and tapped into an unknown market of the public with limited access to non-polluted air. The price may be more of a budget breaker for the savvy spender, but the first rule of entrepreneurship is "charge what you want... I mean what you're worth". 

Two women in Xinxing, China were also harvesting and selling fresh mountainous air for 15 yuan a bag back in 2017. With the air quality all but feasible pretty much everywhere in the world, not a bad idea to make a quick buck. If it were left up to me, I'd look for a jar to collect the most eye-catching butterflies and sell those puppies as a bonus package. Fresh air and a show? Definitely worth 300 US dollars in today's market.

China: These Sisters Sell Bags Of Fresh Air. This Is Not Fake News (ndtv.com)

Earth- The elements of the earth are all around us. Many people use the obvious items such as the iridescent stones lodged deep in the sand to create beautiful jewelry. Or the budding flowers from a wisteria tree to create pressed flower bar soaps or cards. These are gold mines in the market, especially amongst us women. We are constantly looking for the sweetest, silkiest product to complete our skin care routines, and what better than natural products created for women by women. You have the earth at your disposal so I would recommend a little brainstorming followed by watching a few YouTube videos AND following the most nature driven accounts on Instagram or TikTok. This way you'll get a better idea of what's safe to process and distribute. Accounts like @blackforager will give you the confidence to venture out and find elements you didn't know were available. 

Here are a few easy projects to do outside and the things you can make. As a consumer I wouldn't mind funding these small business ideas especially knowing the work that went in to procure the material.

1. Wood

• Twig photo frames                                                                  
  
  
  
• Wreathes                                                                         
• Natural wooden coasters
• Dreamcatchers
• Sectioned firewood
• Woven headbands
• Ashtrays

      2. Flowers

• Flower bouquets
• Pressed bar soaps
• Embroidered Stationery
• Handmade earrings                                                         
  
  
  
• Conditioners/lotions
• Natural face masks and serums
• Hair masks 
• Edibles

      3. Scrap Metal

• Jewelry 
• Reflective posters 
• Flower Vases
• Crystal holders
• Flatware
• Dinnerware                                
  
  
  

               “Nature is beautiful because it looks like Art; and Art can only be called beautiful if we are conscious of it as Art while yet it looks like Nature.”

― Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgment

Water- Water, as we know has many healing elements when used correctly. Many spiritual practitioners believe that simply speaking power over the water you drink, greatly changes its properties. Holistic health coach @theejamesiamonroe says simply praying over your water or setting intentions over it has a powerful effect that can't be brought in stores. With that being said, according to The National Institutes of Health, seventy five percent of Americans are dehydrated and the numbers are growing. The big ticket market is now doing an outstanding job of creating and selling flavored shortcuts for the sugar lover, but remember, the road less travelled. By deviating from the norm, you can appeal to consumers like myself who don't have the time or the confidence to do any more with water than pour and drink.

Taking a trip to the beach and gathering one (1) gallon jug of salt water will yield you about 105 grams of sea salt. Doing the math, that means about 4 gallons will get you a pound of sea salt. I did this myself when my son had an unknown ailment causing his hair to fall out in patches. Sea salt combined with the repeated use of natural Vaseline had his hair growing back healthier than ever. 

That's a mental note if I'm "speaking" to you.

As mentioned above, there is a market for holistic healing and health. Taking the time to invest in the right practices could birth a side hustle idea to outlive the ages. 

And on a lighter note moms, for your teenage sons, selling water is a great idea. It's been done 100 times over but it never stops getting hot in the summer, and we as Americans never stop leaving the house ill-prepared. Having your young ones in the right place at the right time could bring them in over 25.00 a week. Not bad for an unemployed tenant.

Fire- Don't quit on me now reader. I know this one seems tricky, but fire is another holistic healing technique being used more frequently amongst the masses. Harnessing it can be the most difficult part if you're thinking literally, however figuratively speaking, selling the idea of how fire can help your buyer will significantly increase your chances of turning a profit. Referring back to the Earth section of this article, trees are everywhere. You'll have to refer to your local demolition and zoning rules and regulations to see what you can tear down and where, but clearing those obstacles will have you on a path to success. Nothing worth it is ever easy. 

Invest in a less expensive circle saw and a sawbuck to get you started. Each will run you about 20.00 to 30.00 dollars depending on where you go. Home Depot and Lowes sell some great models but you have to do your research. Once you're rocking and rolling you're able to gather and cut the pieces to fit into most common fireplaces.

If you have some prior dealings in brick laying, firepits are all the rage. From outdoor dining to backyard hosting, these are great centerpieces. Many sanitation plants or foreclosed properties are breeding grounds for unused red clay bricks. Gathering these free, refurbished, natural materials can be used to get a feel for the possibilities to come. Of course you won't be able to fund a multi-million dollar side hustle with bricks found on the side of the road, but at least you won't waste money practicing. 

I would even do a little research on the healing power of fire. This is a long term investments of sorts but it's never a bad time to learn a new skill. Plus, how many hot coal retreats are in your town? Probably none. But you could be the first. And firewalking is such a treat, you'd be able to charge a pretty penny for your time, skill, assistance, and experience.

Now that you have a few ideas to think about on your next walk you can apply the quote in this article to your daily living. Take a look at nature and recognize the beauty in it all around you. Where there is beauty, there is a market looking to gaze in it. And you can charge for that.

As promised, here is a recipe for worms in dirt. Us ladies aren't too keen on picking up actual worms, but mention it to the hubs and see if he wants to break into the untapped market of cheap fishing bait. Hey, you never know. 

Worms in dirt

Worms In Dirt Dessert

Ingredients

• One package chocolate sandwich cookies
• One package graham crackers
• One package of your favorite pudding. Chocolate or butterscotch will do fine
• One package candy gummy worms
• One package slivered almonds (optional)

Directions

• Combine equal parts of the sandwich cookies and graham crackers in a bag and crush until you have a ground dirt consistency. Small crumbs for lack of better wording.
• Layer your dirt along with the pudding in a tall glass or a deep container. Starting with the cookie mixture on the bottom, layer up the pudding and cookies in alternating layers ending with the cookies leaving about an inch at the top for decoration. 
• Mix the remaining pudding and cookie mixture to form the mud and dallop across the top 
• Lodge the worms in the mud piles in an upright position and sprinkle with the slivered almonds
• Enjoy