KOB has a question for you all

I am presently re accessing my career and have taken on a total dream of a job as I get to cook for people in the form of Meals on Wheels as we are only a small community , so far since I took over the cleint list per day has crept from 4-5 to now 8-9 people but it is only 3 hours a day, so I am trying to diversify and find something else I can do with my time to fill in another 2-3 hours.
I was working at a well known sandwich place but that has recently changed hands and I have elected for my own reasons not to continue there, anyway I was wondering if you thought there would be a neech remember we are a small town, to do platters for events, I work in a health certified kitchen and can easily pay to have the length of time I use it each day extended so I can promote that fact and also have food compliance training certificates( so on request could show those,and am a great cook. I would like to just make the platters for then and cater them to thier event ,but you pick your platter up from me and take it where ever you want with it, a small deposit will be paid and refunded on return for the platter but that way if they want a hot chicken and fresh bread I can do that, if they want a business luncheon catered for I can also do that, maybe they are having a baby shower and would like a delicious lemon cake with greek yoghurt I could also do this, I would price each individual request at the time of order, so no two would be the same. Have heaps of contacts thorugh living in a small place and also knowing heaps of people but still its an idea I have had as well as actually getting my cookbook professionally done to sell, so asking for things that I may not of thought of to be addressed to me.The rooms I cook in for MOW are hired out daily apart from the times I cook and it will be a fabulous place for me to add flyers to get free advertising plus I have contacts at the schools so may be able to get a few luncheons through there.I am not registered as a business for this as Its a dream not a reality yet so after a year if its successful I would do this I guess, so not sure if I can use my personal tax number for these purposes. Please give me your feedback, I look forward to it

What about offering to cook a meal for people in their own kitchens!You could still do any 'prepping' you want to do ahead of time.

yes that could be an option, but was trying to think of things I could do in my day hours that were free, that would probably be an afternoon thing, and carring through to evenings, which is not something I want to work.

Kob. you will need to register with the IRD to obtain a tax number for this "sole charge" business. being small scale you will not need to register for GST and would need to show/maintain a cash book of outgoings and income showing nett income that you will need to pay tax on. Invoice books , delivery docket book if you plan to deliver any platters to premises, and receipt books to provide to customers. a cheque book which will pay for outgoings broken down as various items in the cash book and the invoice receipts will correspond to your bankings as monies are received.A folder to place your paid invoices into.
All of this stationery will be around 20-30 dollars only and you have a legal "cash book sole charge" business .
.good luck with the venture.