Second job- any suggestions?

lady_fuschia

Hiya,

I know the topic has been covered before but I guess I'm looking for something a bit more specific.
I've been playing with the idea of getting my hands on some extra income to help pay off the debts quicker for a while now, but I'm not sure where to start really.
I would go for something like babysitting, but I know very few people in the area I live in (and pretty much none with kids)- and not sure if advertising as a babysitter for complete strangers is a very good idea.
I work 9-5 every day, and I'm also doing a degree part-time, so the time I have available can be kind of erratic- sometimes I spend my evenings twiddling my thumbs, sometimes I have loads to do. I've done bar work before, but I've generally found them not particularly understanding when it comes to students! Something casual, or flexible would be good- I've looked into a few things like brochure delivery and mystery shopping but pretty much everything seems to require you to have your own car- which I haven't!!
Anyone got any ideas?

scottishspendaholic

Hey lady,

I do babysitting - I just advertised locally in my local 2 freesheets and I've been really busy - probably earning on average about £50 a month if you average it out. I have met lots of people in my village by doing this (just moved here) and have not had any probs babysitting for strangers so far. Luckily I've also been in touch with a large wedding venue and I offer babysitting for weddings - so people who are coming to a wedding and need a babysitter for a large amount of sleeping children/babies while the parents party - this can be quite lucrative - £50/£60 a night.

I think its a great way to pay off debt as its unexpected and I get paid in cash usually at the weekend - so I just go to the bank on the Monday and its like I never had the money!

Its a lovely easy way to earn some cash - I look after a lot of babies so often they are in bed by the time you go round and you just have to comfort/feed/change them if they wake up - but this isn't often in the ones I've looked after.

I charge £5/£6 an hour - make up the price on the spot and maybe a round amount like £25/£30 for an evening when the couple know they will be home - I just give them a quote. I also offer references and arrange to go and visit the people before anything is booked (no obligation) so they can meet me and we can have a chat.

Its also good as I can do other things while babysitting - I also deliver leaftlets locally and have to do inserts once a month - so I can take these along with me.

Good luck! PM me if you want any more info or I can send you a copy of my advert?

scottishspendaholic x

scottishspendaholic

Also - take a look at the Mortgage Free Wannabee board - its got loads of ideas for ways to earn a second income from the Great Bit on the Side Hunt. These ideas are all in there but some ideas include:-

* Registering for medical research

* Sending in stories/photos to magazines

* Paid2clicks and online surveys

* Quidco

* eBay/Amazon selling

* Avon/Virgin Vie/Body Shop/Ann Summers

etc etc

Good luck!

tsharp

If you are studying for a degree, or already have one, this might be worth it:
http://www.prospectsolution.com/

They pay freelance writers to create academic research papers. I just signed up and am waiting for a response from them. Partly i am waiting to find out if there is a massive drawback or scam involved. Basically you have to have some academic background in any subject, then they ask you to write something depending on your specialism (engineering/arts/science etc). Up to £700 a piece apparently. I applied and am waiting back. Might come to nothing, but seeing as i work for a University, i think i am well placed to be able to create some peices, plus writing is a passion of mine...

lady_fuschia

Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I will definetely go and have a look at the bit on the side hunt!

carriel_2

Avon is fun, you wont need a car if you can get an area local. Not a huge amount of money, I used to do about £150 every three weeks, just two evenings a week & one weekend out of three about an hour each day.

lady_fuschia

I'll look into that too.
Other thing I wondered- do you have to let your "day job" employer know what you're doing?

tsharp

lady_fuschia wrote:

I'll look into that too.
Other thing I wondered- do you have to let your "day job" employer know what you're doing?

Not unless it conflicts. What's it got to do with them?

pms

HI Lady_Fuschia

I have recently joined a babysitting agency to earn some extra cash (just waiting on my disclosure coming through so I can start!) and it pays pretty good money, if its that sort of thing you are looking for, try your yellow pages under nannies, au pairs', care agencies sections and there should be other agencies in your local area. The Yellow Pages is how I found out about Sitters. Sitters is a national babysitting service though, its also cash in hand from the parents you are babysitting for.
Their website address is https://www.sitters.co.uk

I hope this helps you.

Smashing

You don't have to have a car to do mystery shopping - you can pick and chose which assignments to do, so it's worth signing up to see if there is anything nearby you could take part in.

moozie_2

lady_fuschia wrote:

I'll look into that too.
Other thing I wondered- do you have to let your "day job" employer know what you're doing?

My contract prohibits me from getting additional paid employement. There is a specific clause in it.

Perhaps you can see if you have something similar in yours?