Jobs for mothers/flexi hours

This is a long shot.

My maternity leave ends soon, I can only go back two days a week as nobody to look after my baby except my partner. And childcare would cost what I earn. 
I can't work when he is home as he gets home at 7 and the only places open I can't get to I don't drive can't afford to. 

I'm not entitled to any benefits I've checked because silly me saved all my life for a house and stuff so can't just stop working or claim any childcare help. Just adding this because the advice I've had has been to get benefits.

I want to work. But it's tricky. 
Atm I'm trying to work out the shifts I can do and having to decide between working and seeing my family. Such is life I know. I'm struggling. Please be kind. I've always tried to find a better job. Careers advice, interviews, looked at courses. The only experience I have is shop work and you know how it goes trying to get a job without experience. 

Anyway back story over I've seen some remote working jobs you can do a few hours here and there. So I could do it when he's home at night. I can't remember the job! Tiredness!

Anyone know of any such job? I'm either looking to replace my actual job or just to top up my meagre earnings.

Or can anyone offer me any job advice other than benefits, childcare etc 
Seems impossible to find time to figure all this stuff out and my brain is so bad atm. Worrying about this stuff isn't helping. 

Thanks to anyone who replies. I think I'm asking for a leprechaun's gold but had to ask in a vain hope I guess. 

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Replies

  • theoreticatheoretica Forumite
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    Does your husband's job have any flexibility?  He is entitled to ask for flexible working.  For example, could he work more hours on fewer days so he has a whole day for childminding?  Or different hours so he gets home earlier if there are evening (eg pub) jobs you could do, or just better hours for cutting down the needed childcare time.
    Friends of mine who work from home when they have time round other things are self employed - translators, writers, making things, ebay dealing...
    Would your home be suitable for becoming a child minder?

    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • Jenwales_2Jenwales_2 Forumite
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    Does your husband's job have any flexibility?  He is entitled to ask for flexible working.  For example, could he work more hours on fewer days so he has a whole day for childminding?  Or different hours so he gets home earlier if there are evening (eg pub) jobs you could do, or just better hours for cutting down the needed childcare time.
    Friends of mine who work from home when they have time round other things are self employed - translators, writers, making things, ebay dealing...
    Would your home be suitable for becoming a child minder?

    No.sadly  He is a store manager on salary and can't change his hours. He works an hour away and he's out the door at 7 and home at 7,don't think there's any wiggle room and his boss isn't very understanding!
    I think my hands are full with one lol I couldn't manage looking after other children. I love writing but there's no guarantee of an income and no time atm sadly.I really have no time, struggling just to keep on top of things.  And I am hopeless at making things. Thanks for your help. 
  • theoreticatheoretica Forumite
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    By paid writing - I was thinking of things like catalogue descriptions, not what I would find interesting to write!  Best wishes for finding what suits your family.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • anmarjanmarj Forumite
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    There are a couple of employment agencies that search for staff for call/contact centres that work from home, but you have to be able to do the training full time for a couple of weeks. Can’t think of the name that does this, sure it will come to me
  • MarconMarcon Forumite
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    This is a long shot.

    My maternity leave ends soon, I can only go back two days a week as nobody to look after my baby except my partner. And childcare would cost what I earn. 
    I can't work when he is home as he gets home at 7 and the only places open I can't get to I don't drive can't afford to. 

    There's one possibility you may not have considered: domestic cleaning. Not the most exciting, but has an awful lot in its favour:

    • you should be able to take the baby with you (particularly while still young enough to be non-ambulant/happy to sit in a playpen for an hour or two - plenty of playpens are easily portable)
    • there is almost always a demand for good, reliable cleaners, so dictating your own hours and days should be simple enough if you make any limitations clear at the outset
    • pay is good - above minimum wage, certainly where I live
    • the householder provides all the equipment
    • a card on a local noticeboard in supermarket or similar (often free to place) should set the ball rolling.
    Might be worth giving it a go? Assuming you don't live miles from anywhere, you may find your first customer really is only a matters of minutes away.



    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • KhaderbhaiKhaderbhai Forumite
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    Another option is for your husband to change jobs/company to help too. If its over an hour away and he could do the same job closer to home or similar on better hours, that could then help open up your job hunt. You can filter remote jobs on websites, if you have worked in shops then you will have customer service skills, there will be entry level jobs like this out there. Hope that helps.
  • Jenwales_2Jenwales_2 Forumite
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    Marcon said:
    This is a long shot.

    My maternity leave ends soon, I can only go back two days a week as nobody to look after my baby except my partner. And childcare would cost what I earn. 
    I can't work when he is home as he gets home at 7 and the only places open I can't get to I don't drive can't afford to. 

    There's one possibility you may not have considered: domestic cleaning. Not the most exciting, but has an awful lot in its favour:

    • you should be able to take the baby with you (particularly while still young enough to be non-ambulant/happy to sit in a playpen for an hour or two - plenty of playpens are easily portable)
    • there is almost always a demand for good, reliable cleaners, so dictating your own hours and days should be simple enough if you make any limitations clear at the outset
    • pay is good - above minimum wage, certainly where I live
    • the householder provides all the equipment
    • a card on a local noticeboard in supermarket or similar (often free to place) should set the ball rolling.
    Might be worth giving it a go? Assuming you don't live miles from anywhere, you may find your first customer really is only a matters of minutes away.



    Don't have time to clean my own house lol no my baby is very active and won't be happy in a playpen. Thanks though 
  • Jenwales_2Jenwales_2 Forumite
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    anmarj said:
    There are a couple of employment agencies that search for staff for call/contact centres that work from home, but you have to be able to do the training full time for a couple of weeks. Can’t think of the name that does this, sure it will come to me
    I won't be able to do the full time training sadly. Not with a baby to look after. If I could do full time training I'd be able to get a full time job. Thanks though. 


  • Jenwales_2Jenwales_2 Forumite
    40 Posts
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    Forumite
    Another option is for your husband to change jobs/company to help too. If its over an hour away and he could do the same job closer to home or similar on better hours, that could then help open up your job hunt. You can filter remote jobs on websites, if you have worked in shops then you will have customer service skills, there will be entry level jobs like this out there. Hope that helps.
    Sadly I don't think there are any jobs for him closer to home that's why he had to go so far away. His job is up to him. Thank you I'll keep looking on the remote websites atm none have be the hours I can do. Thanks for your help
  • Takeaway_AddictTakeaway_Addict Forumite
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    anmarj said:
    There are a couple of employment agencies that search for staff for call/contact centres that work from home, but you have to be able to do the training full time for a couple of weeks. Can’t think of the name that does this, sure it will come to me
    I won't be able to do the full time training sadly. Not with a baby to look after. If I could do full time training I'd be able to get a full time job. Thanks though. 



    What your husband couldn't take a couple weeks holiday whilst you trained?

    You've got to get out of the tunnel vision that nothing is possible. If you really want it to be you will be able to sort it.
    Don't trust a forum for advice. Get proper paid advice. Any advice given should always be checked
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