great idea! she gives some free and has tins with those goodies that she sells. she’d probably make more doing that than charging rent…?
Maybe in your country, mate, but not this part of mine…
@KenH howabout one person shows his friends around town? Is that a guided tour? The way I picture Airbnb, as a peer to peer platform, you can lend lend an internet friend your house, I don’t see why you shouldn’t take your internet friend into town and tell him how old the churches are. Airbnb hosts already escape without paying a vast amount of stuff that proper guest houses pay (fire checks, hygiene checks, insurance up to the sky, minimum levels of staff training, a first aider on every shift, special glass in special doors, security like you wouldn’t believe, only employ travel-industry-graduates), because we are simply dealing within our group of peers. I think if we’re talking about raising a few extra dollars from guests, this is simply " for a tenner, I’ll show you some sights", not setting up a tourist guide company.
I can lend them my home, but I can’t point out that one of our piers was burnt down by gypsys? Perhaps I should trash my ‘welcome guide’ that I’ve printed off, for all kinds of copyright reasons.
@KenH The Brighton Pavilion was built a long time ago by a fat flamboyant Prince…are you now going to insist I pay some kind of insurance, to avoid the world ending?
I picked some guests up from the station, but I’m not going down the taxi insurance route.
I showed Budgie Ray the best burger bar (I had a beefy chilli one, Ray had chicken), followed by a very posh cocktail bar, and then I showed him a good late night dance pub. What part of the world would insist that a peer to peer night like that warrants insurance god I’m bored @KenH #FFS
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Lol
RR
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“oh no, someones told the colonel off!”
@Adnie - “Has anyone else thought of something that is working to bring in a little extra cash?”
If I recall, there is a New England farm host who does a lively side business of selling products from his farm - goat cheese, honey, handmade soap (or candles?), etc.
Whether it’s homegrown, handcrafted, something from the oven, or other type of product, I’m all for entrepreneurship opportunities while hosting. Having items on discreet display (but not within the guest rental space) is not a pushy selling technique and I’m sure there are many guests who would welcome such offerings in remembrance of their stay. I say, go for it!
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Wow, so glad everyone is so nice now that we had the “can we all get along better” post. Or maybe we are still on the internet. 
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Totally agree. We also supply a lovely breakfast as part of the room rate.
In my defense I just look for any reason to say BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! and I needed 20 characters
RR
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I stayed at a true B&B recently. They provided a sliver of home-made soap, just enough for our stay, and had more available for sale in the downstairs communal area. They didn’t make the soap themselves - I think it was on consignment from a local artisan.
I am also a soapmaker and toyed with the idea for my own Airbnb but after doing the math, figured my time was more valuable than the expected proceeds.
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There are too many issues involved in doing anything extra. There are local laws, insurance issues, trading standard rules, union problems, planning permissions … all sorts of things.
To make ‘a little extra cash’ provide fantastic hospitality and charge properly for it. Easy 
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My common-law son-in-law (inside joke, they “don’t believe in marriage” haha) is taking up pottery, and I told him I would be happy to display some with little price tags. Apparently his skills are not quite ready for prime time yet. Also he is quite unlikely to be responsive to any requests to make kitschy ones with our state bird or flower on them . . .
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These look great! I have actually decorated our Airbnbs with framed photographs of our city, they look quite good, I was going to sell them but I thought the price tags on the walls might look a bit… Art Galleryish… I do have a guide book in each property, it might be more tactful to pop a bt of info in there about the ‘local artist’ and mention that the works on the wall are for sale.
I like your thinking Barnes
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Ah, I remember now that you’re another soapmaker … no doubt that’s why I always like your posts!
I’m set up for selling commercially anyway so it pays me (a little) to sell to guests. I put out several guest-size bars which they are free to take away and let them know I have bars and gift boxes on sale. They make nice gifts for people to take back home and I’d say that about 70% of guests buy some and even if they don’t, they enjoy visiting the “Soap Mines”!
I’d encourage you to make some soap to sell - if nothing else it gives you the chance to try out new recipes!
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One of the things I thought I could “upsell” when I started Airbnb was dog boarding which I also do in my home. In addition to allowing dogs for a fee I also thought maybe I’d get some day care or boarding clients, for example someone paying me to watch their dog while they went on a day trip somewhere. I haven’t gotten as much as I expected but I have gotten a few and a couple of people who started boarding their dogs with me after they stayed in my Airbnb.
What I have not gotten yet are dog clients that need an airbnb, lol.
It’s definitely a bonus that comes with combining the the two.
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Do you have a web site? I used to buy from these people once, at the Carrboro Farmers Market. Mary Ann used to make nice bread, too.
Malagachica, do you sell the soaps online? I would love to purchase some for gifts. Gracias.
I live in a little village, Reine in Lofoten, and I have 10 rooms here at Catogården. As I am a kayak guide I offer 3 hours guided paddling tours in double kayaks in the beautiful Reinefjorden, called Reine Paddling. Guests get a “house price”. We have this listet as an Airbnb Experience, but the booking platform is unfortunately not working so good together with other platforms, as I can not adjust the nr of visitors (if someone book on other platforms).
I think it is important to think about the need of the guests. Chargers for iPhones mentioned above is a very good idea. Also converters from other countries. I have a little closet where I sell eco friendly products as bamboo toothbrushes, hairbrushes, whale kaychaines, q-tips made of wood, etc
I give away for free eye masks and earplugs if the guests need this. Also I have a larger amount of different tea and quality coffee available in the common room that the guests seem to appreciate a lot
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I am also a yoga teacher, and I give yoga classes
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Look at you! I wish I was that industrious.
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