# Do you make money with your passion?



## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Just wondered if anyone here has been able to turn their passion into making a little xtra money on the side? Do you sell any props you make? Work for businesses setting up displays? Was just curious. My ideal job would be making props all year and being able to support my habbit at the same time!


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## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

No only because everytime I have seen someone do this it ruines their enjoyment of said passion


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## The Haunter (Apr 7, 2007)

Well I'm going to try I plan to do a comertial haunt in my home town. My wife told me that my addiction had to start paying for itself. Also I did a small charity haunt for my moms school and the screams were music to my ears, so I found a storefront and I'm going for it . (fingers crossed)


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Good luck to you Haunter! Keep us posted on how it goes.
Slightlymad ~ I have thought about that. I was thinking along the lines of some fall shows, or something like that where it wasn't an everday sale kinda thing. Maybe a web site selling custom made props......just turning the wheels I guess.


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

Not yet but I'm probably going to sell a couple of corpsed bluckies on ebay pretty soon. Besides that, the money made from my haunt all goes to charity.


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Spartan ~ 
You make money from your haunt? 
Great that it all goes to charity! 
Oh, I see you are 16......no mortgage, no utilities......
Wait till you get the ideal suburban home, an SUV and little offspring that want the pool, DS and all the goodies they see on T.V!


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

That was a funny BTW!
Great spirit helping out!


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

Lagrousome said:


> Spartan ~
> You make money from your haunt?
> Great that it all goes to charity!
> Oh, I see you are 16......no mortgage, no utilities......
> Wait till you get the ideal suburban home, an SUV and little offspring that want the pool, DS and all the goodies they see on T.V!


lol... that won't happen for a while though thank god


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

We haven't really made any profit from our haunt.
However we did get some income from some donations.

The first year, 2005, we got like 35 bucks.
Last year, we got over 150.

Quite the improvement.

I used all the money to buy new stuff for this years haunt.

It was great walking into Spencers having everything 50% off and going...
I'll take that, and that, and oh... give me one of those...

Lol!
.


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

What does everyone who has a donation box think? Do you need to have a certain size or quality display before putting a box out? Or do you just put one out and see what happens? 

I'm debating putting one out, I just don't know if my display would be worth it or not. I guess it would depend on how much people enjoy the display.

If you put a sign saying that donations go towards next year's display, do you tend to get more money?


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I'll be selling a few of my 3 Axis Bucky skulls soon. Custom hand made, I'll probably make 10 or so available. After that, who knows?


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

I don't have a walk-through haunt. I'm one of those weiners that decorates the inside and outside of my house to the hilt for my own self satisfaction. However, a few of my neighbors have been giving me gifts because they like coming to my house and appreciate all the time and effort that I do. One neighbor gave me a Halloween photo album where the front of it was covered with bronze and had bats engraved in it along with an insert for a picture. I still cherish it.


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## 1031fan (Feb 6, 2007)

awesome dr morbius! cant wait to see your products making a few bucks for you - you deserve it

as for donations boxes...i think it depends on what the donations are going for - i have had a home haunt for several years and have just put out a box this past one - if its going to a charity or food drive or somethin - i think you can put out a box with having only a pumpkin carved on a hay bail - - for me, i wouldnt feel comfortable asking for any money to go inot next years haunt if it wasn't a good quality experience for the people - after all - the money would go to a hobby of ours - - - 

but i felt that the entertainment value they got was close to what they would get for a pro attraction - on a smaller scale of course - - and if anyone asked what it was going towards - i would say everything goes into next years haunted house to make it better/more enjoyable for visitors so they knew it wasn't going to the next days lunch for me

i was very pleased that i got just over 1000 in donations - we were open for almost 10 nights i think

as for location of the box, mine was near the front, however, as they exited, it was close to it as well - many people came back and put more in or those who didn't put any in at all after they went through and saw that it was a pretty good experience - i would suggest doing something similar - some will want to give upfront - others will want to see how much to give based on the experience - i wouldnt put one at the front and end though - this makes it look like your trying to double dip - thats my 2 cents


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Bauton said:


> What does everyone who has a donation box think? Do you need to have a certain size or quality display before putting a box out? Or do you just put one out and see what happens?
> 
> I'm debating putting one out, I just don't know if my display would be worth it or not. I guess it would depend on how much people enjoy the display.
> 
> If you put a sign saying that donations go towards next year's display, do you tend to get more money?


Do you have just a display or do you have a haunt?
It's really up to you with what to do.

A lot of people feel bad about asking... but it doesn't really bother me.

It's pretty much saying...
"I did this for you, you like it. Help keep us around."

If you would pay money to see your display or go through your haunt throw out a donations box.

We had our guest podium out right as you entered the cemetery.
Many people just threw in a couple bucks as they walked in.
Many came back and put more money after going through the haunt.
Others didn't give anything...

It's all okay in my book!
.


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

I just have a yard display, but I dress up as a pirate and try (emphasis on try) to entertain the children with jokes and witty comments before giving them their candy. I've actually had parents video tape me while messing with their children. 

I've thought about having a box, but just can't decide if it would be too forward to ask for donations. Espcially since I only get about 100 to 150 kids come through.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

well, as i said.
it's really up to you.

if you believe that you could get some extra income there's no reason not to put out a donaions box.

with our guest podium there's a place for the people to insert donations...
so it's not just saying "put donations here!"

it's "come sign our guest book! oh, and if you believe we did a good job be sure to put in a small donation!"

lol.
.


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## CerysCrow (Jan 22, 2007)

Da Weiner said:


> I don't have a walk-through haunt. I'm one of those weiners that decorates the inside and outside of my house to the hilt for my own self satisfaction.


That's pretty much how we are.

However, I make Halloween related "crafty" items for funsies, but not much profit, thus far. I sell on Etsy and have had many lookers, but few buyers. I am really hoping that sales pick up closer to Halloween.

As for props, although many tell me that I should make and sell them, I really don't want to. They're like my children and I really don't like the idea of mass producing them for others.


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

Well this year I'm putting a lot of money into this haunted house since it will be my last one for the next four years (b/c of college) so I've decided that we'll still donate all of the proceeds to charity BUT at the end of the haunt there will be a souvenir stand where all of my old halloween stuff along with some new corpsed skulls and so forth will be sold. On top of that we'll be having a raffle in which 10 lucky guests will get to go through a lights on tour through the house and see how every single special effect/illusion works. I really would want everything to go to charity but this hobby gets really expensive (especially when you're 16 years old lol)


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

So, where can I buy a ticket for this raffle, and does it include airfare to an from the haunt. Will there be a luncheon provided.
Just because you going to college does not mean you can't corpse skulls, your roomys will love it. Well maybe not the smell of the latex so much.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

My passion is acting and haunt things. My acting hasn't even begun to pay for itself yet, but I'm hoping my buddy's and my new haunt biz will soon pay for itself.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I costumed up a family for money. I did their two kids up as The Borg one Halloween... they liked it so much I revamped the two kids costumes the next year (had to, they grew like a foot apiece), and also Borged out the dad and did the mom up as 7of9. They made a real attractive family!

That's the only time I've been paid... until now, where I'm currently working on construction of a pro haunt; basic hourly wage thing for a couple of weeks.


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## Ms. Wicked (Nov 14, 2006)

Maybe one day I'll be able to sell costumes... we'll see!


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

I think my "ideal" job would be having unlimited checks from a place like....lets say....Cedar Point, Kings Island, etc., and have the job of buying the props they have started using for their "hallow weekends", and set up the displays!
I would love to be the "Head Witch" for that!


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## Lauriebeast (Feb 27, 2007)

Lagrousome said:


> Just wondered if anyone here has been able to turn their passion into making a little xtra money on the side?


Hehe....I thought that was illegal


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Lauriebeast said:


> Hehe....I thought that was illegal


You crack me up!


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

I wish I could put a donation box and a guest-book, and I absolutely would if I could, but since our haunt is part of a larger haunt, we can't slow down the line with a guest-book or donation box. Also, even if we did, all of the money would go to the Camp that the haunt takes place at. All the money that the haunt raises each year goes to the camp (which is a camp for people with disabilities).

As much as I love money (what 16 year old doesn't haha), I love showing my creativity to veryone alot more. The past few years my name has not been very big or very noticeable at the front of our exhibit, but this year I'm going to make sure it's VERY noticeable, along with my friends name who runs the exhibit with me. We want everyone to know who's behind it. :]


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## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

Lauriebeast said:


> Hehe....I thought that was illegal


LMAOOO!


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## TwistedDementia (May 2, 2007)

I didn't want to but it's leading toward's big business really fast!


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

TwistedDementia said:


> I didn't want to but it's leading toward's big business really fast!


Tell me about it.
.


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## Mobile Mayhem (Jul 4, 2007)

The Haunter said:


> Well I'm going to try I plan to do a comertial haunt in my home town. My wife told me that my addiction had to start paying for itself. Also I did a small charity haunt for my moms school and the screams were music to my ears, so I found a storefront and I'm going for it . (fingers crossed)


I am trying my first professional haunt this year too, at a barn where the owner does hayrides and stuff. He wanted a haunted house this year, so I jumped at the chance!


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

TD ~ fill us in on it!!

MM ~ Good for you!
Will he pay you or do you charge for the haunt entry?


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## Mobile Mayhem (Jul 4, 2007)

Lagrousome said:


> TD ~ fill us in on it!!
> 
> MM ~ Good for you!
> Will he pay you or do you charge for the haunt entry?


We are going to charge for entry.


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## TwistedDementia (May 2, 2007)

Lagrousome said:


> TD ~ fill us in on it!!


Actually, I had a videography business called Up To Parr Films (UTPF.com) and Desolved it so I could enjoy early retirement, but since I got into the haunt industry I'm starting to get some business for filming and editing. I started out doing it for fun but there are too many opportunities starting to presenting themselves that I may start up my videography business back up with a few extra angles this time. This weekend at MidWestHauntConvention will determine if I'm going to get back into my videography or something else so... we'll see?


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## TwistedDementia (May 2, 2007)

No more video production, I'm in it for the fun now and having lots of it.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

I have sold some Skulltronix routines I programmed as well as some of my books.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

Well I'm in the beginning stages of designing, building and Toe Pincher Coffins. There will be half coffins and full size coffins for purchase. I decided that after almost 2 years of looking for work with no avail, why don't I try to do something that I like and try to make some money at it! 

So that's what I will be doing for work at least for now, first Halloween and then Christmas and so on. When I get a few done I will post a picture on HF so everyone can see how they look. 

We shall see what happens! :jol:


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