Here’s an idea for a way to make extra money. Millions of people are looking for income, jobs, new work right now, and here’s another in howto-you.com income ideas series.

Teach Simple Massage Techniques

Are you a licensed massage therapist? Do you want to find a way to earn money without standing on your feet all day, every day giving massages? Maybe you just need a change of pace. You can offer to teach the average person how to massage a loved one’s sore muscles! While they will not be earning a degree, they WILL learn the handy knowledge needed to offer comfort to a friend or loved one with a muscle spasm or minor injury. You could charge between thirty and fifty dollars per student and teach a class lasting between forty-five minutes to an hour.

Parents of small children can benefit from such a class, since they can both comfort and bond with their children, through the touch of massage. Many caregivers would benefit by attending such a class, because they would be able to charge more for their care services, if they could offer a small degree of massage for their patients with arthritic hands and joints! Many people would also like to give comfort to an ailing spouse or just one that does lots of physical activity and often injures themselves!

You could charge between thirty and fifty dollars per student and teach a class lasting between forty-five minutes to an hour. Since massage can be physically tiring to people not used to using the muscles involved, your class should probably not be too much longer than that. Your class could have between five and twenty-five people and could easily be held at a local library, community center, or school; since you will not need massage tables for this more informal style of massage. You will only need space for students seated in chairs. For each class, you could teach general massage for the relief of one or two major muscle groups, or body parts. Most students would likely be willing to return to subsequent classes to learn more muscle techniques or about massage of more areas of the body.

You would likely want to provide information to each student in the class with a brief printed page, so that your students will understand the formation of the muscles they are working on and they will have a reminder sheet of techniques to take home with them at the end of the class. You could also offer copies of massage technique books for a small profit for students who would like to do more research on their own. You may also want to offer brochures to local schools who teach professional massage since some students may find the activity so enjoyable that they will want to make it a career themselves! You will likely also want to provide any necessary massage oils or lotions that your students may need to follow your directions and offer the receiver of the massage the most comfort. Be sure to offer products that will not irritate people with allergies.

You could also have someone film you conducting the class (be sure to include students asking questions!) and create an online for-a-fee downloadable video or a DVD!

You could easily advertise such a class using flyers placed in grocery stores, medical services buildings, health food stores, libraries, and community center bulletin boards. After you have taught your class, you will likely receive word of mouth referrals for your next classes and this will help you build up a steady clientele.