Today, more than at any other time, with the uncertainty of job security it is important to have a "Plan B".
Even without the economic termoil, you may find some comfort in developing a secondary stream of income.
But what can you do? Almost everyone has hidden talents that are obvious to those around us but we do not recognize them ourselves.
The easiest way to decide what your talents are is to look at your friends and ask yourself "What do my friends and family ask my advice about, or ask for my help with, most often?" The people who know us best already know the hidden treasures within you.
If you can't figure this out yourself, ask for their advice on what they think you would be best at.
Do they always come to you when they need some baked goodies for a party? Are you the one they come to to plan a family event? Are you the yard sale and thrift store queen? Do you love to shop and know the stores so well in your neighborhood that you can find virtually anything you need in one outing? You may not see these as hidden talents or having a potential for income, but those very traits are necessary if you are considering a catering service, an event planning business, an eBay business or a personal shopper business.
Not only can you make money from providing these services to others, you can have fun doing it! Obviously you already really enjoy these activities which is why you have gotten so good at it.
Why not turn it into a part-time or full-time business? Creating a secondary stream of income will take the stress of these economic times away as you will always have that Plan B in place.