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| From livingthai.org |
Updated: 16 June 2014
While many people who come to Peru end up
teaching English, there are lots of other things that you can do.
Many foreigners have set up businesses overseas. There are foreign owned language schools, bookstores, bars, and everything in between. Below
are ways you can make money off line.
Business Ideas dot net also has a lot of ideas. If you're going to offer products and services you usually have two
choices: sell other people's stuff (and get a commission or buy
wholesale and sell resale) or sell your own stuff.
Remember that speaking Spanish will help you greatly if you're trying to start a business in Peru, whether big or small.
You'll be treated differently than if you speak English all the time, it'll help you
assimilate to the culture, and you'll be able to communicate easier.
Some do it legally and others work under the
table. Some countries make it super easy to start a business, others
have a high investment requirement and lots of paperwork, which is why
people work under the table. Chances of getting caught are often slim
though. If you're looking to make money online, check out the article I wrote about
making money online.
Art: Sell what you create or teach classes. Check out what
Anajali does.
Babysitting Service: Charge a monthly fee, annual fee, and / or a booking fee in addition to an hourly fee.
Baby Stuff: People are always having babies!
Bake: People love homemade goodies.
Bar: There's no doubt that English
teachers like to drink. If you're going to set up a bar, you'll have to
go the legal route though. Look at what
Old Pub and
Wolfhound have done.
Beauty: Hairstyles, makeup, and more
Bookstore: There's always a demand for English books. Look at what
Confederate Bookstore and
What the Book have done.
Childbirth Educator: People are always having babies and you can help them learn about the options available to them. Look at what
Tender Embrace Birthing does.
Children's Classes: Music, dance, crafts, are all great activities for kids.
Clothing: You can cater to kids or adults.
Cook: People always miss food. If you can cook you could try catering or even shipping ready to made meals. Look at what
6th Floor Cafe does.
Cooking classes: Teach people how to make the local dishes. Look at
O'ngo.
Course Book Writer / Materials Writer: You can try to approach big name publishers (like Longman, Oxford, Cambridge, or MacMillan), local publishers, or chains.
Crafts: You could sell items you've made or teach people how to make things.
Dance: Teach dance classes.
Doula: Doulas have been proven to help women in labour. More and more families are hiring them.
Ebook: Write an ebook, You can even set up an affiliate scheme.
Editing / Proof-reading:
Although getting a position at Oxford or Cambridge University Press
might be difficult there are plenty of local publishers that would
welcome a native speaker to help them out.
EFL / ESL Examiner: IELTS or Cambridge examiner. Recruitment information packs for applicants can be downloaded from the
British Council and the
Cambridge website.
Exam Writer:
Someone's got to write the exam questions, so it might as well be you.
Cambridge, IELTS, Michigan, and TOEFL are the big exams, so try
contacting them for more info.
Facebook: Creating fan pages or writing content for them is possible if you're good with words.
Food: Sell items that expats want, like cereal, cheese, or chocolate. Look at what
High Street Market and
Fat Bag do. You could also export local foods like
Afex Peru does.
Foreign exchanges: Help foreign students who come over to study. Check out what
CCCAsia does.
Foreign goods: Although
iherb is pretty reasonable, you could sell other items, cosmetics, clothes, shoes, etc.
Group classes: They could be in your home or you could rent out a small office.
Homestays: People
who host students in their homes can be paid pretty well. You will
probably also have to cook for them and may have to do their laundry.
Hostel: Open up a hostel. Look at
Hostel Trail in Ecuador.
Interior Decorating: From giving advice about major revamps to the little details.
Language Institute: You could open up an English institute or better yet, open up one that teaches the local language to foreigners. Look at what
El SOL does.
Magazine: Start an English magazine.
Newspaper: Start an English newspaper.
Organise classes: Find a teacher and a venue and organise a class. Charge people a registration fee for your services. Some people have organised CPR and first aid classes and charged $20 for the registration fee which is in addition to the teacher's and venue's fees.
Photographer: Many
people want a professional photographer to capture moments such as an
engagement,
wedding, birth, or their children.
Private Students: Try to find a niche, whether it be teaching kids, Business English, exam prep, etc. Look here to find out
how to teach private students
Property, see rental income.
Recruit Teachers:
Check the local laws and immigration requirements. Your best bet might
be setting up a business back in your home country. You'll have to
establish contacts and might have to make guarantees (recruiters often
promise to replace a teacher for free if they leave within six months).
Most recruiters can earn up to one month of the teacher's salary for
each teacher they place.
Rental Income:
Houses in other countries may be cheaper than at home.Put the full
downpayment on a property, keep it mortgaged, and use an agent to manage
it. Buy a couple properties since it's better to have 4 properties with
the tax advantages and rise in value than tying all your capital up in
one property that just generates rent with no expenses to offset the
income. Dmocha from Dave's ESL Cafe says that you may be able to get tax
breaks for property as far as interest, improvements, and agent's fees
go. Look at what
Apartment Club Peru does.
Sell stuff: Buy low, sell high.
Sports: You can teach classes, such as yoga.
Subbing: Contact schools and ask to be put on their sub list.
Teacher:
Teach other subjects like martial arts, visual arts, drama, sports,
yoga, meditation, photography, childbirth education, or school subjects.
The possibilities are limitless.
Teacher Training:
If you've got the quals and experience try contacting intensive TEFL
course providers. Some may have weekend courses or may need trainers
during the breaks. Check out what
Kagan Korea does.
Toiletries: Natural soaps, butters, and oils are in high demand.
Tour Guide: Being an English
tour guide is a good way to earn extra money during the high season.
You can give tours when you have time. You can have set prices or do
free tours with donations like
Guided Bucharest.
Translating: Contact local businesses and offer your services or put an advert up on Craigslist. Here's a list of where to
advertise your translation services.
Traveling with students:
Organise trips for students. They can be daytrips to local places or
even longer trips overseas. If you get enough students together, you
could take them back to your home country for a vacation where they
could study and learn about the culture first-hand.
Workshops: Lots of publishers offer training sessions so contact publishers and ask if they can put you on their list.
Writer: Write a book or article, online or in print.
Disclaimer:
Some people have emailed me and asked how to get married in Peru after a divorce, whether it be a divorce in Peru or a foreign divorce. First things first, make sure your divorce is final. 
