Homemade ads 'rising in downturn'

Cakes are being sold by people eager for some extra cash

People are making extra money in the recession by selling homemade items on the internet, a website has claimed.

A boom in cottage industries is being fuelled by people using their hobbies to make money, said UK classified adverts website Vivastreet.co.uk.

Cakes, candles, wedding stationery and even rocking horses are being sold.

The site reported a 123% increase in the number of adverts for homemade goods in the three months to the end of May compared with the previous quarter.

The website also reported a rise in the number of people advertising home-based services such as private tuition, interpreting, and dance lessons.

'Extra cash'

"In times of adversity, it's amazing how resourceful people can be. Brits are clearly turning hobbies into small home-based businesses to earn a little extra cash and the cottage industry is now booming," said Yannick Pons, chief executive of VivaStreet.co.uk.

"It will be interesting to see how many people decide to stick with their new business when the recession is behind us.

"The internet has revolutionised the way businesses are run."

A spokesman for another classified adverts website - Craigslist - also said there was "endless evidence" of recession-tackling products being promoted on the web.

And specialist websites for those making and selling handmade products have also reported use from people looking to make money in the recession.

Spoonflower.com, a website that lets people design and print their own fabric, was launched in October 2008.

"We're seeing an army of artisans - many of them mums who work from home - using Spoonflower not just to empower themselves creatively but also to help run small businesses and use what were once just hobbies to generate vital income during the recession," said Stephen Fraser, co-founder of the site.

And Etsy.com, a handmade products marketplace, said that it tripled in size in 2008.