a bit on the side

Tondella

Hi Guys

A bit of a specific one this, as some of the regular visitors here will know I am in the process of clearing some hefty credit card debt. Budget has been made, cards have been shuffled, payments prioritised etc etc. Having played for hours with the snowball calculator I can see that the more money you can put towards your debts the quicker they disappear. Plus I've been really inspired by ms_london's fabulous efforts to clear her debts ahead of her original schedule.

One solution is to do as she did and get a part time job to supplement my main income, however I work in academia and have no fixed hours stipulated in my contract. In reality this means that on quiet days you turn up nine to five, and can maybe slope off to run some errands at lunch, however on busy weeks you might get held back till six, six thirty, seven. Has anyone else attempted to work part-time in a similar situation, and is anyone aware of the implications of taking a second job when your contract of employment does not stipulate fixed working hours??

Bit of a specific one I know but you're a varied bunch out there and I thought it was worth a try.

Tondella!

HannahD_2

I'm not sure but have you thought of agency work, something along the lines of you giving them your availability and then they can see if there is any work available within those times?
I used to work in a theatre which has incredibly unsocial and irregular hours. The only other work I could do was either late at night (I tried a nightclub, but that was just too late!) or from home. I was looking at another thread yesterday which had some information about an agency which uses staff for functions, such as gallery openings etc, if I find it I'll PM you with it's whereabouts. If anyone else can find it could they let me know!

Tondella

The theatre is something I haven't considered but could be a real possibility as I'm only ten minutes from the west end. I live near Lords too but obviously things there are a little quiet at the moment.
Thanks!

HannahD_2

I know that in the theatre I used to work in they were always looking for bar staff/ushers etc. Great if you like the theatre because you can combine working and watching great shows.
If you are in London it may be worth approaching a theatre chain such as Ambassador or the Really Useful Company, because I have heard that they have relief staff who go to different theatres depending on where they are needed, so you would get a variety of different show to see!

I found the other thread I was talking about mentions an agency based in London called High Society. You could try them. The thread is called Making £50-£100 by December. Have a look!

Good Luck!

frugglewump

I'm also in academia and my alternative income is from eBay. It's not a proper part-time job I know, but it fits in quite well. On the quieter days I slip out to do a round of the charity shops & post that week's parcels. On the busier days I'm not causing someone else problems by not turning up.

Tondella

Thanks Hannah

Frugglewump, can I ask what sort of stuff you sell on ebay, I have only ever bought CDs from there.

Best wishes

frugglewump

Practically anything as long as it is in good enough condition:
CDs - albums only and classical can be very good,
Books - but only in very good condition because eBayers are very picky. textbooks etc i sell on amazon
Women's clothes - if in good condition and especially if in silk or a known label
Boardgames - only if complete & normally only around christmas time

You'll get better advice about what to sell over on the ebay board though.