Best ways to make money in the countryside? 5 ways to become a village millionaire

What ideas are suitable for starting a business in a village from scratch? How to open your own business in a village and start earning money? What can you do in the village and how much can you earn from it?

In cities, the most profitable and popular business niches have already been developed and occupied. Even with initial capital, it is not easy to grow to the level of payback - competitors try to cut you off at every turn.

That’s why more and more novice entrepreneurs are turning their attention to the countryside – there’s space, there’s no end to it, there’s room to turn around and gain decent speed.

Denis Kuderin is with you, an expert on financial issues at HeatherBober magazine. I will tell you what business is like in a village in modern Russia, which agricultural sectors are most profitable for investment, and how to competently run a business in rural areas so as not to go broke.

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Business in the village or how to become rich outside the city

There is a persistent misconception that doing business in the countryside is more difficult than in the city. In reality, in rural areas, a much larger number of projects started from scratch pay off. At the same time, the costs of organizing and running a business are much lower, if only because land, labor and resources are cheaper here.

Investments in agriculture are promising and long-term investments that are almost independent of fashion trends in the economy and market fluctuations. The land and what it provides are enduring values ​​that people will always need. Even the most advanced technologies will not replace meat, bread and milk.

Developing agriculture is not only profitable, but also useful for economic development. In conditions of crisis and constant sanctions, Russia is increasingly focusing on the domestic market, which means that products produced in the country will be in more and more demand every year.

At the same time, you need to understand that manufacturing industries, by definition, cannot bring quick profits. This is not stock trading or even an online store that pays off in 4-6 months.

Business in the village is for those who are looking forward to the long term. After all, crops, poultry and livestock must first be raised and only then sold.

I will list all the advantages of doing business in rural areas:

• relatively low competition - the number of farms in Russia is not yet large enough to fully supply the domestic market with products;
• the state supports farmers - they take less taxes from them, grants and subsidies are allocated for the development of the agricultural sector;
• the cost of natural products is constantly growing - people care about their health and prefer healthy domestic products to imported ones;
• lower tariffs for electricity and other resources - for example, in the Novosibirsk region the difference in tariffs between the city and the countryside is 25%;
• more favorable environmental conditions - clean air, no chemicals in products, etc.

And if in the field of industrial goods almost all profitable niches are already occupied, then in agriculture there is freedom for enterprising and energetic people. And then, the population needs agricultural products all year round, which means there will never be a shortage of markets.

It is impossible not to mention the disadvantages of village business. There are no well-established mechanisms for selling finished products - each farmer has to look for his own channels.

Crop and livestock farming are highly dependent on natural and seasonal factors: one bad year, drought or, conversely, heavy rains, and the result of many months of work will be nullified.

However, growing vegetables, grain and producing meat and dairy products are not the only areas for rural business. If you don’t want to engage in peasant labor, explore new areas: ecotourism, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, crayfish or fish farming.

There is always a demand for high-quality raw materials and finished products. By the way, a kilogram of salted milk mushrooms in a regular supermarket costs 1000 - 1500 rubles . The price per kg of crayfish ranges from 500 to 900 rubles . Honey and other bee products are also not cheap.

How to earn more - useful tips and tricks

Whatever you start doing in the village, be it running a small business from scratch, creating various utensils yourself, or turning your favorite hobby into a source of income, follow a number of recommendations to increase profits.

In this case, the success of the plan is guaranteed.

Tip 1. Constantly learn

It's never too late to learn. There is nothing stopping you from learning new professions without leaving home. Find a business that not only has commercial prospects, but also gives aesthetic pleasure and study it thoroughly. Perhaps your favorite activity will become the main source of income in the village.

Tip 2. Manage your working time wisely

Time is money, and proper management of this resource determines the level of acceptable income in the village. Planning working time (time management) has a beneficial effect on any activity.

Tip 3. Look for new ways to implement

Constantly develop in your business. Use online resources to distribute goods and services. The Internet is a large advertising and trading platform that it would be a shame not to use for your own purposes.

When selling handicrafts or sewing items through social networks, develop options for delivering products to the most remote corners. Use mail and courier services - this will increase demand and increase sales.

In this video you will receive tips on creating a profitable business in a rural locality:

What kind of business can you open in a village - TOP 9 popular ideas

The list, compiled by the expert department of our magazine, covers the most profitable and popular business ideas for rural areas.

If the proposed options do not suit you, dozens of other directions are at your service - making furniture from wicker, extracting and selling furs, breeding rabbits... the length of the article is not enough to list all the ideas. In addition, the question “What business to start” is covered in detail in a separate publication in our magazine.

1) Growing fruits and vegetables for sale

The most obvious and lying on the surface idea. Where else to grow vegetables if not on a gardening farm? With proper organization of labor, the costs will be recouped in one season.

It is not necessary to start with large volumes. First, try to sell the surplus agricultural products that you grow for yourself. If you realize that demand exceeds supply, develop production further.

The financial costs themselves are small:

• seeds;
• fertilizers;
• water for irrigation;
• equipment for soil cultivation and plant care.

But you will have to spend not only money, but also energy. Anyone who has worked in the garden knows what it takes to grow a good harvest. However, no one will forbid you to use hired labor.

Additionally, organize canning, processing and freezing of fruits and vegetables to make your business year-round.

2) Farming

Farmers rent or buy large areas of land and grow cereals, vegetables and fruits, as well as raising birds, large and small livestock. Farming requires substantial initial investments , which do not pay off immediately.

It is necessary to think in advance about the scheme for selling finished products. Farmers cooperate with wholesale companies for the purchase of products, catering outlets, and supermarkets. They also sell crops and meat at specialized markets and fairs.

Greenhouse and farming business plan

3) Beekeeping

Business for those who are ready for serious and hard work. An apiary is a profitable business, but it requires special knowledge and hard work. Theoretical preparation and knowledge of nuances are required. It is best to consult with an experienced beekeeper before purchasing hives and other equipment. Reading specialized literature will also help.

But in the end you will get products that are in demand all year round: honey, propolis, pollen, beeswax and much more. Honey and derivatives are not only eaten as a delicacy and a healing agent, but are used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetology, and folk medicine.

The apiary pays for itself in one season on average. Peak sales occur in October-November. At the initial stage, it is not necessary to register such a business, especially if the hives are located on the territory of your garden plot. Beekeeping business plan with calculations.

4) Opening a store

In villages and villages, retail trade is often poorly organized. It happens that one store serves several settlements at once.

I personally observed a retail outlet in my holiday village and am ready to confirm that there are more than enough buyers in such a store, especially in the warm season. There were lines of 10-15 people, and each of them took more than one type of product. Detailed grocery store business plan here.

To ensure uninterrupted supply, organize a small warehouse at the store. Some of the products can be purchased at wholesale prices from local residents - eggs, milk, berries, vegetables.

It is not necessary to limit the range only to food products. In villages, essential non-food products are in high demand - washing powders, hygiene products, various little things that you cannot do without - such as batteries, clothespins, children's toys, etc.

In “rich” villages, construction materials, agricultural machinery, animal feed, and fertilizers will be in demand. You can use a ready-made business plan for a store selling building materials.

Obviously, the success of a retail outlet depends on its location, the number of local residents, and their ability to pay. That is, the location for the store must be chosen wisely.

By the way, you can open a store not only in a specialized visit, but also in a garage, if you have one. There is a separate article about this on the website, “Business in the Garage.”

5) Production

This includes businesses that use local raw materials. There are many options - a sawmill, a wood processing plant, the production of animal feed, flour, canned vegetables and meat, jams, sausages, dumplings and other semi-finished products, bath brooms.

Scale and production capacity depend on the initial investment. It is not necessary to start with large-scale production. And some products can even be made at home.

6) Collection of herbal teas and berries

Herbal healing, soothing and invigorating teas are still in fashion.

In a shopping center near my house there is a whole store that sells exclusively herbs and berries for brewing. According to my observations, the outlet has a stable audience of customers and good income.

The raw materials for the store are probably not collected in a city park - they are supplied by rural residents who collect on a professional basis.

The idea, although unconventional, is quite cost-effective. With proper organization, it will bring decent profits with minimal cash costs.

What is needed? Only your time to collect herbs, berries, flowers, calibrate them, dry them using a special dryer (the last point is important).

Another branch of this trend is the collection of medicinal herbs. According to one pharmaceutical portal, the annual demand of plants and factories for the production of herbal preparations is 50,000 tons of raw materials. And we manage to prepare almost three times less.

7) Village tourism

Promising niche. Personally, I would choose this direction, since it has every chance of becoming a fashion trend in the near future.

The cities are full of people tired of the bustle, stress and unfavorable environmental conditions. They strive to escape into the bosom of nature, at least for a while, to relax and be saturated with healing energy.

Not everyone has a dacha, and it doesn’t always solve the problem. A summer cottage in the suburbs is not at all the same as a house in a village near a picturesque river.

What do you need to start a business? A good house with rooms for rent, plus surroundings that offer many options for leisure activities - so that guests can go fishing, take a steam bath, go to the forest to pick mushrooms, visit a farm, and ride horses.

Where to look for clients? Organize an advertising campaign on the Internet and in the media of the nearest large city. Make a website for your tourist base, come up with a few of your own tricks, like the same herbal teas or healing oak barrels in the bathhouse. And in winter, arrange a ski base and snowmobile rental .

If things work out, use the proceeds to build a full-fledged hotel in the Russian style, but with European standards of comfort.

Fish farming

If there are clean reservoirs in the village, use them to breed commercial fish. Just don’t forget to negotiate with the local or district administration. Or organize an artificial pond on your site. Fry of carp, crucian carp, catfish, even trout are on sale. In addition to the fry, you need to buy special food and vitamins.

Once you have organized your pond, all you have to do is maintain it, and this is very convenient

An alternative option is crayfish farming. The advantage is that the demand for this delicacy exceeds the supply, and catch in the natural environment is limited.

Fishing business plan

9) Business on the Internet

If agricultural activity is not your thing, but you really want to live in the countryside, you don’t have to tinker in the beds or raise chickens. That is, you will do this in your free time, and most importantly, earn money via the Internet .

The network is now available in every village, which means that online business is accessible to everyone. If you are a designer, copywriter, translator, programmer, professional Forex player, owner of an online store, traffic arbitrage specialist - work remotely and receive money on your card.

Comparison table of specific business ideas:

Freelancing – full-time work on the Internet

Do you want to earn more money living in the countryside? Start providing professional services. Consultations, banner creation, promotion assistance, video recording, photo processing. You can even get a stable job as a group administrator on social networks.

Through the best freelance exchanges you will find individual projects and open positions. There is a demand for specialists from all fields.

Such exchanges are divided into several types. In some, small projects are offered, in others, freelancers themselves post advertisements for services, and others are general. For example, on the site you can take on simple work for a relatively small payment. Here they ask you to write abstracts, reviews, call clients, etc.:

There is always work, but first you will have to pay a small amount for a subscription. Otherwise, you will not be able to submit applications. On another exchange, even more orders and vacancies are placed. There is also a paid account here, but you can also offer your candidacy for work for free:

You will negotiate directly with customers about terms, payment, methods of receiving money, etc. You can really build a successful career on this. Experienced freelancers don’t look for clients, they get in touch themselves and help attract even more clients.

How to open a business in a village and make money - step-by-step instructions for beginning businessmen

Now let's move on to practice.

Each village business option has its own nuances, but the general startup scheme is the same for everyone - follow it to avoid mistakes and disappointments.

Step 1. Choosing a business idea

Start by analyzing your local market. Pay attention to niches where there is no competition or it is low. Let's say, if you want to open a grocery store, but there is already one in the village, analyze its assortment and customer traffic. And open a store at the other end of the village with goods of a different profile.

Find out what local residents or nearby neighborhood centers need. For example, if there is a constant shortage of vermicompost in the area, start producing it.

More details about business ideas can be found in the article “What to do to make money.”

Step 2. Analyze the niche

Having chosen an idea, start working on it deeply. Each niche has its own nuances. Beekeepers, for example, probably have their own communities or associations that you will need to join. And for the extraction of fur or fishing for fish, permission from the state is required.

Step 3. Prepare a business plan

Business in the village does not pay for itself in a day. This is a “long-term” investment of money, effort and time. A professional business plan will eliminate uncertainty and help you implement your idea in the most competent way.

Sample plans for each of the ideas proposed above are freely available on the Internet.

We have previously published detailed material on how to draw up a business plan.

Step 4. We purchase equipment and raw materials

A critical moment in the process. Internet technologies will help you find any product at a favorable price. On Avito and specialized sites they offer used working equipment, tools, raw materials at an affordable price and other products necessary to start a business.

Choose the most optimal purchase option in terms of delivery and cost.

Step 5. Starting a business and looking for clients

Start a business only if you have already thought through channels for selling finished products. Don’t forget that a competent advertising campaign has never harmed anyone . Everyone should know about your product.

Look for customers wherever they live, enter into long-term contracts, offer preferential terms and discounted supplies. Having created a base and earned a reputation, you can optimize your pricing policy.

Business idea for growing Chinese cabbage

Finding customers who are willing to buy an environmentally friendly product is very easy today. Moreover, even small farm shops try to cooperate with village suppliers in order to ensure a constant income.

Growing Chinese cabbage in Russian realities is quite simple. Despite the huge number of opinions and warnings, the process is no more labor-intensive than picking fruit or raising chickens.

There will always be a demand for tender and crispy cabbage. Beijing will be bought by both local residents and nearby establishments. The main advantage of this plant is that in 1 season you can harvest 2-3 crops. This not only increases profitability, but also gives the owner of the site the opportunity to invest in a more profitable project.

The culture is not whimsical and does not require constant and scrupulous care. The most important thing is to properly organize the place where it will grow. Many people recommend growing it in open ground; planting takes place in early April. Be sure to feed the soil and monitor the temperature drop.

Speaking about how you can make money in the village, first it’s worth highlighting the main expense item:

1. It is safest to grow penkinka in a greenhouse or regular greenhouse. The organization may cost 10 thousand rubles.
2. It is not profitable to grow in your own yard for wholesale distribution; it is advisable to rent or find at least 5 hectares of land. By the way, in this case you can even cheat; there are a large number of government programs where you can rent a small piece of land at a low price.

One field of 5 hectares will produce about 300 tons of products. Speaking of wholesale, the price for 1 kg is about 25-30 rubles. If you try to implement it yourself, it will cost about 40-50 rubles. The payback is very high, the first “clean money” can be received already in the first season.

Many farmers advise registering this business as a small partnership. In greenhouses and hotbeds at other times of the year, you can grow other, no less popular crops or even flowers.

How much can you earn in the village - personal experience

The earnings of a village entrepreneur have no upper limits . As a native resident of the city, I was not immediately able to remember my friends who are successfully engaged in agriculture as businessmen.

And yet I found a real example. My former classmate named Vyacheslav has an industrial farm in a village near Novosibirsk for raising rabbits and turkeys.

He purposefully chose not the most common meat varieties, so he has no problems with the sales market. When I asked him about his approximate income a year ago, he talked about 100-150 thousand rubles per month.

“The work is hard,” admitted Slava, “but I like it. It is mine".

And one more video, as they say, first-hand:

How do they live in the villages?

What happens? There is no work, but people live in villages. How so? Most of the men in the village work on a rotational basis in other regions of greater Russia, where labor is needed and most in demand. I will give one of many examples. One village friend’s husband works on a rotational basis in the north. He comes twice a year, each time for 18 days. I arrived as if I was on vacation. I talked to my family, gave away what I had earned so that I could help with the housework and go back to the far distance to earn money. The only thing that surprises him every time is how quickly the children grew up - a daughter and a son. They don’t see their father, just like he doesn’t see them. They have lived like this for more than 7 years. And there are more than half of the villages with such examples. Who can you ask: husband, son-in-law, brother, son, matchmaker, father - where? There is only one answer - to earn money.

Business in own production

In villages and small villages, having a huge amount of free resources at hand, you can make very good money. Now we can highlight several basic ideas on how to make money in the village without unnecessary risk. The options are more suitable for creative implementation.

Idea for making country furniture

This type of income is just beginning to enter the TOP. There will be practically no competitors, since not all citizens can correctly approach the process of not only production, but also implementation.

It is worth immediately highlighting that the main target audience is city residents who have a summer house or a small cafe. The advertising campaign should be carried out remotely; it is advisable to use Direct or social platforms for this.

Speaking about what to do in the village to earn money, there are several main options:

1. Make furniture from rattan. It’s quite easy to learn; even a woman or a teenager can do it. There is a very high demand for natural products, but it is quite difficult to find raw materials.
2. Make wooden transformable furniture. These can be either children's sandboxes or outdoor gazebos or tables. The demand is very high, materials are quite easy to find. Schemes can be found in free and open sources.

Correct design, competent presentation and active advertising will allow your business to pay for itself in the first few weeks. Income varies differently; citizens who were able to immediately find a client receive from 15 thousand per product. On average, with a stable flow, you can easily earn from 100 thousand rubles per month. Additionally, you can hire an assistant who will do the bulk of the preparatory work for a small percentage.

Starting a family cheese making business

Sanctions that the state itself imposes can be used for the benefit of society. It is better to choose for production those varieties that are banned from importing into the country. The main target audience is the nearest large establishments and small cafes. You can earn a lot of money from this, as the cost of one kg wholesale will be from 1,500 rubles.

You can order all sources and equipment in specialized stores. For a successful start you will need only 150-200 thousand rubles. The further away the village is, the better for the businessman. This can be explained quite simply - the emphasis is on the environmental friendliness of the product. Moreover, it is additionally possible to produce cheese for vegetarians, of whom the number is increasing every year. In this case, manufacturers can expect very large profits.

However, there are a few nuances that are worth knowing:

1. It is imperative to undergo minimal training before opening this business.
2. Suitable for villages where cattle breeding is developed. This is explained by the low cost of milk.
3. You must have a car, since you will have to deliver the goods yourself.
4. You need to obtain permission for home production from various authorities. If you organize everything correctly and adhere to technology, then there will be no problems with this.

The first net income will be received in approximately 5-6 months. It's better to start with a small amount. This is the only way to understand all the pitfalls and risks. Speaking of how to earn money in the village, this option is more suitable for family employment. You will have to invest heavily, you need to work a lot and on an ongoing basis. Despite this, the invested effort will pay off fairly quickly.

Clay business for women

Many people in the city dream of moving to a remote village and starting making clay art. Counterfeits, whistles, figurines, dishes - all this costs a lot of money. If there is a big city nearby, this is an excellent option for what to do in the countryside to earn money.

What you need to know:

1. Active advertising company. People may not buy a plate for 100 rubles, but they can pay 10 thousand for the experience. When making an advertisement, you need to evoke positive emotions in a person and a desire to come and make the same cup.
2. You need to do this business on an ongoing basis. The base of clients who want to come and learn on their own is gathered through long months of hard work.

The emphasis should be placed not only on production, but also on organizing seminars, clubs and leisure activities for citizens. Locals are more likely to buy beautiful dishes; they won’t bring in a lot of money, but they will provide a “financial cushion” during the build-up.

Speaking of investments, there are only a few points here:

1. Organization of the workplace. This includes a utility room, which can be either a shed or an outbuilding, and equipment. The maximum value is 50 thousand rubles.
2. Bureaucratic fees - 4,000 thousand rubles.

In fact, all costs will be recouped within 1-2 months. The average salary is from 100 thousand rubles. You should count on sharing sculpting lessons with children or adults. Organization of corporate leisure is especially popular. You can easily charge from 20 thousand rubles for one group of 10-15 people. The list of expenses should also include food and additional services in the form of a picnic or seminar. The work is more seasonal, the main flow will be in the fall and winter, when the choice of citizens is limited. The rest of the time you can produce creative gizmos, which can also be sold online.

How to extract money from the resources surrounding the village

Nature is the main resource of all humanity, no matter how far we have fallen from it. Technocratic progress is inexorably destroying it – and us at the same time. The branch we are sawing has been cracking for a long time.

And while we haven’t crashed yet, there is time to think, stop and, for starters, at least move to the ground. Even in a village with conditions close to urban ones. But you will already begin to understand how much we have all been deceived, and that a person can only be truly happy on his own land, in nature.

Therefore, use the resources of the surrounding area for the benefit of yourself and the world!

Your closest resources are forests, fields, and reservoirs. Learn to collect and prepare berries, mushrooms, and fish. Collect herbs, first just for tea, learn to ferment some of them, for example, fireweed, strawberry leaf. Believe me, you won’t want another tea later!

And there - treat your loved ones and relatives. A little more and the orders will come!

Understand the basic medicinal herbs, the rules for their collection and use, and try to use them for treatment. Perhaps at the very beginning you will give up pharmaceutical chemistry - and thereby improve your budget and again be able to help your loved ones. And if you like it and learn how to make real healing fees, you will not be left without clients. Or maybe the gift of a healer is hidden in you?.. This is the only way you will understand this - through herbs, communication with nature and with yourself.

The forest is a source of constant inspiration and all kinds of materials for crafts. Birch bark, driftwood, moss, branches for weaving and all sorts of other things.

Nature is a resource for developing artistic skills. This is painting and photography, which can turn into direct income.

A house in a village, especially with a bathhouse, is a tourism resource!

First your loved ones will come to you for the right bathhouse, and then, if you want, your clients. There is also a sale of brooms, jams and teas. And then, lo and behold, a separate house for guests will appear - you will receive tourists “like an adult”!

Each area is sure to have its own unique characteristics. Even when reconnaissance of the area, you will need to write them down as a separate item. Your thought over time can turn these features into your personal resource and source of income.

In a word, your wealth is scattered right under your feet. All that remains is to figure out how to use this and develop the right development strategy.