Help me think of some ways to make money from home.

[Renee in NC]

Once the store closes, I will be back home the majority of the time. I am trying to think of ways to make money from home.

 

I will more than likely not have an internet connection or anywhere quiet, so Live Ops and Cha Cha are not options.

 

I am *not* a crafty person nor do I have any interest in selling stuff via parties.

 

I have thought of babysitting - both regularly and on a "drop-in" basis.

 

What about sick child care? Anyone ever done this?

 

Other ideas?

[Once]

We make a few extra dollar hosting an international homestay. You need an extra room and regular meals. Ours have had all different levels of independence and English skills. We live close to a university but I have heard of high school level homestays. We are accustomed the lifestyle but it did require some adjustments years ago.

[Renee in NC]

We make a few extra dollar hosting an international homestay. You need an extra room and regular meals. Ours have had all different levels of independence and English skills. We live close to a university but I have heard of high school level homestays. We are accustomed the lifestyle but it did require some adjustments years ago.

 

I would never have thought of that! Unforunately, I don't think that our house would pass muster. It's an interesting thought, though, for someone who has more room.

[Chris in VA]

Not steady, but you could sign on with a pet sitting service. If you sit a pet in your own home, the travel time is cut way down :D.

BTW, you can also do vacation visits, where you visit a pet two to three times a day--they only take a little bit of time, you can take your kids with you (if they can keep their hands off of stuff), and they pay pretty well.

[hornblower]

There is an int'l homestay program in Vancouver for younger kids (around 10 & up) from S. Korea. They specifically ask that the kids share a room with a resident child - they match same age & gender. They ask that you do some 'lessons' every day & just include the child in your life for the month they're here.

 

I think it's just over $1000/month --- and the taxman does not consider it income (it's just reimbursing your extra costs) so it's tax free.

 

If we ever needed the money, I think that's what I'd go for.

The requirements for your home are not rigid. I know people who have been homestay parents for another program & they were in a very small <700 sq foot ancient little 2 bdr rented house. One of their kids moved into the parents' room for the duration & another child + the visiting child shared one bedroom. It was tiny, cramped, old, with an ancient bathroom & kitchen .....

[Once]

Yes, it does require some planning and cleanliness. But, I think of it as stuff I *should* be doing for myself and my family anyway. So it gets done for several reasons now. We have three floors to our house and the homestay room is far from our master bedroom. So the mess tends to collect in my room. But, then I just tidy it each night and try to walk away in the morning.

 

It is something to consider for some families. We did not think we would be suited to it either but it worked out for us after the initial adjustment.

 

I hope you find something that works for your whole family.

[Renee in NC]

Yes, it does require some planning and cleanliness. But, I think of it as stuff I *should* be doing for myself and my family anyway. So it gets done for several reasons now. We have three floors to our house and the homestay room is far from our master bedroom. So the mess tends to collect in my room. But, then I just tidy it each night and try to walk away in the morning.

 

It is something to consider for some families. We did not think we would be suited to it either but it worked out for us after the initial adjustment.

 

I hope you find something that works for your whole family.

 

We live in a doublewide trailer with (soon-to-be) 9 people. We have 1 operational bathroom and the other works for the sink and toilet. I can imagine that an exchange student would be terrified by my dh too!:lol: (Picture Mr. Clean with a long goatee and tatoos.....)

[Renee in NC]

I need to make $1000 a month or so.:001_huh:

[Quiver0f10]

Well tax time is coming, can you do taxes? What about doing the books and payroll for other small businesses that don't need a full time accountant?

 

Childcare would be my other suggestion. If you can offer specialty such as 2nd shft, you can usually charge more, have your days free and might be more in demand.

[Renee in NC]

Well tax time is coming, can you do taxes? What about doing the books and payroll for other small businesses that don't need a full time accountant?

 

As much as I didn't want to do this, I have been thinking about this. I would have to figure out how to work around some of the other issues I had doing this in the past. I will list them here and would love to hear other's ideas about how to overcome them.

 

*Lack of quiet/alone time to actually do the work.

*How to get the information from the client.

*How to get people to pay me regularly.

*How to meet with clients.

 

I won't do taxes anymore - it takes regular continuing ed to keep up with all the changes and I am drastically out of date. Things change so much it is hard to keep up.

 

It also requires internet - something for various reasons I hoped not to have.

[Quiver0f10]

As much as I didn't want to do this, I have been thinking about this. I would have to figure out how to work around some of the other issues I had doing this in the past. I will list them here and would love to hear other's ideas about how to overcome them.

 

*Lack of quiet/alone time to actually do the work.

*How to get the information from the client.

*How to get people to pay me regularly.

*How to meet with clients.

 

I won't do taxes anymore - it takes regular continuing ed to keep up with all the changes and I am drastically out of date. Things change so much it is hard to keep up.

 

It also requires internet - something for various reasons I hoped not to have.

 

I can't help with quiet because I am not sure what it is. :lol: But when I had my day care I had an accountant who did my payroll. I would call in my employees hours and on Friday she would stop by with their checks. She billed me once a month.

 

When my DH was in contruction, one company he worked for had a woman who went into the office one afternoon a week and did all his books and payroll. Maybe one of your older kids ( don't you have a 14 yo?) can watch the yougner ones so you could do soemthing liek that?

 

Or you can run by and pick up the info one day, do it at home in the evenings and return it the next?

 

Another thought, not from home, but is cleaning houses. You can make fairly decent money and make your own hours.

[Jennifer in MI]

I'm not sure if you've thought of this already as it's not working to earn money. But, what about learning all you can about couponing? I recently started doing some CVS couponing and I now get all of our toiletries - soaps, makeup, razors, shampoos, deodorant, etc, plus some fun things like energy drinks and cereals - for nearly free. I know other stores offer programs like it too. It takes me about an hour a week to find out the specials and match them up with coupons that I have filed. But, I've found it worth it.

 

I know there are programs like that for groceries too. Would something like that work so that you don't have to make quite as much?

[Part-Time Homeschooler]

I will more than likely not have an internet connection or anywhere quiet, so Live Ops and Cha Cha are not options.

 

 

Just wondering, what is Cha Cha?

[Renee in NC]

I can't help with quiet because I am not sure what it is. :lol: But when I had my day care I had an accountant who did my payroll. I would call in my employees hours and on Friday she would stop by with their checks. She billed me once a month.

 

When my DH was in contruction, one company he worked for had a woman who went into the office one afternoon a week and did all his books and payroll. Maybe one of your older kids ( don't you have a 14 yo?) can watch the yougner ones so you could do soemthing liek that?

 

Or you can run by and pick up the info one day, do it at home in the evenings and return it the next?

 

Another thought, not from home, but is cleaning houses. You can make fairly decent money and make your own hours.

 

My 15yo is only here PT (he spends his other half with his Dad) and is in school and plays varsity basketball, so he really doesn't have time.

 

The biggest problem I had doing bookkeeping is that people wanted me to come to them and do the work on their computers. This was no problem when dh was home a few years ago, but impossible now. Once the baby comes I will have a hard time getting all the dc in the van!:D Depending on how much I was making, I might be able to pay a babysitter.

 

Can you clean houses at night and on the weekends? Or do you make enough that paying a babysitter $7 an hour is still worth it?

 

Babysitting might work - I can legally keep 2 without being registered (and I can't be registered because of my house and the number of preschoolers I have.) Two children FT might get me $200 a week (after extra expenses.)

 

Any other ideas?

[Renee in NC]

I'm not sure if you've thought of this already as it's not working to earn money. But, what about learning all you can about couponing? I recently started doing some CVS couponing and I now get all of our toiletries - soaps, makeup, razors, shampoos, deodorant, etc, plus some fun things like energy drinks and cereals - for nearly free. I know other stores offer programs like it too. It takes me about an hour a week to find out the specials and match them up with coupons that I have filed. But, I've found it worth it.

 

I know there are programs like that for groceries too. Would something like that work so that you don't have to make quite as much?

 

Out income will be so low and we are already cutting so many things that saving money won't help much (there isn't much to save.)

 

I did recommend this to my stepmother, though, as I thought it was a great thing for people who buy that kind of stuff!

[TraceyS/FL]

I would highly suggest pursuing the sick child drop in care. Call the major centers in your area and see if there is one. I"da paid good money to have that available to me back when i was working. DDs favorite worker at her daycare wanted to open a sick kid center. (this of course provided your kids don't get sick easy and you will have access to health care for them/you)

 

I would think though with 2 kids for babysitting and working on finding after hours/weekend office cleaning jobs you could make it.

 

:grouphug:

[plansrme]

can you wait tables a couple of nights a week?

I waited tables for 6 months once, in the early 90s, and I would frequently bring home $100+ in cash per shift. This was at a mid-range Mexican restaurant. The tips added up quickly when we were busy. It pays better than a lot of other hourly jobs, and you might be able to get shifts when you had childcare available.

 

Terri

[Renee in NC]

I would highly suggest pursuing the sick child drop in care. Call the major centers in your area and see if there is one. I"da paid good money to have that available to me back when i was working. DDs favorite worker at her daycare wanted to open a sick kid center. (this of course provided your kids don't get sick easy and you will have access to health care for them/you)

 

I would think though with 2 kids for babysitting and working on finding after hours/weekend office cleaning jobs you could make it.

 

:grouphug:

 

How would I go about finding offices to clean? I see ads for people hiring to do this all the time, but the pay is about $7 an hour. I imagine I would have to find some on my own to make it worth the time/expense to drive and do it.

 

Sick care seems to be a really good idea, except that I will have a newborn in January. That makes me a little nervous, but it is a definate possibility after June or so. I still live fairly rural, so there aren't many major centers anywhere.

 

I can be thankful that we no longer live 40 miles from jobs though!

[Quiver0f10]

I charge $20 an hour to clean houses, so if you paid a sitter $7, you would still be ahead of the game. I don't see why you couldn't clean on weekends, but ideally I would try to get 2-3 houses on one day a week and pay a sitter for that day.

 

The other thing I do is clean new construction. This is what I prefer as the money is better and the houses are empty of furniture. I charge $0.15 cents a sq foot and extra for windows that need a ladder for cleaning. Of course with the housing market I haven't had a house to clean in ages. The only thing with this is you would need to get a business license and tax ID #. I think I ended up paying a total for @ $100 for license, tax ID and registering with the state.

 

I forgot @ most people's books being computerized now a days. If you had a program such as quick books or peachtree, could you still do it from home? What about with remote log in? Go in the evenings and do their books?

Edited November 25, 2008 by Quiver0f10

[Renee in NC]

I charge $20 an hour to clean houses, so if you paid a sitter $7, you would still be ahead of the game. I don't see why you couldn't clean on weekends, but ideally I would try to get 2-3 houses on one day a week and pay a sitter for that day.

 

I forgot @ most people's books being computerized now a days. If you had a program such as quick books or peachtree, could you still do it from home? What about with remote log in? Go in the evenings and do their books?

 

I tried to get people to let me do remote log-in - it's really easy and doesn't cost much, but it seemed to give people the heebie-jeebies!:lol: If I could get people to do it at night, I *might* be able to convince my dh - he thinks it wouldn't be worth it for me to work outside of the house at all since I can't take anyone with me anymore.

 

How did you find houses to clean? The $7 an hour would be a high school student afterschool - full day care runs more in the $12-15 an hour if it isn't a FT daycare slot. Before we put the girls in daycare we researched it and people wanted a LOT for babysitting!

[Quiver0f10]

I advertised in my home school group! LOL Then I started the construction cleaning job and one of the guys who I was cleaning new houses had me aslo cleaning his own house. Then their business partner wanted me to clean theirs....

 

I really don't like cleaning occupied houses though, but it's easy $ and dependable kwim? I am acutally not cleaning any occupied houses right now with my schedule being insane, but I hope to get some new construction once the market picks back up.

 

I would see about going after school and paying a teen to watch the kids. I am lucky in that I have built in sitters.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Quiver0f10

[Renee in NC]

I advertised in my home school group! LOL Then I started the construction cleaning job and one of the guys who I was cleaning new houses had me aslo cleaning his own house. Then their business partner wanted me to clean theirs....

 

I really don't like cleaning occupied houses though, but it's easy $ and dependable kwim? I would see about going after school and paying a teen to watch the kids .

 

Thanks so much!:D

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks so much!:D

 

Sorry I keep thinking of stuff after I post and editing it. My brain isn't working today LOL!

[shell in SC]

Drama Queen. . .

 

Businesses usually require night-time cleaning. Most don't want cleaning people around during business hours. It sounds like that might be perfect for you! I would try small offices and businesses first.

 

Also, I don't know how long ago you did the bookkeeping, but if it was a few years ago, maybe people were apprehensive b/c the whole remote access thing was newer and people were unsure of safety and security. Now might be a better time to try that. For the stubborn ones you could tell them that you charge an on-site premium if they require you to do all the work there. That might be an incentive for them to let you do it at home.

 

Good luck. . .let us know what you decide!

[shell in SC]

You'd probably need to pound the pavement. Maybe offer some kind of incentive. . .discount on first cleaning or something like that.

[Quiver0f10]

Drama Queen. . .

 

Businesses usually require night-time cleaning. Most don't want cleaning people around during business hours. It sounds like that might be perfect for you! I would try small offices and businesses first.

 

This is a wonderful idea!

[RoughCollie]

How would I go about finding offices to clean?

 

This is what I did about 30 years ago. I found out the names of the owners of small businesses and called and made an appointment to see them. Often I got hired right on the spot to clean their offices. I went to lots of different places from dry cleaners to small manufacturers to car repair shops to regular offices. I charged businesses a flat rate.

 

To drum up personal business, I put flyers on mailboxes in plastic bags that are designed for that purpose. I got most of my business from the people whose businesses I cleaned, though. Sometimes people didn't need me for their businesses, but they hired me to clean their homes.

 

No matter where I cleaned, I brought my own cleaning supplies, including a vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket. I made sure every place I cleaned was perfectly spotless, and that and showing up when I said I would was the key to getting referrals.

 

I also had a bookkeeping service which I ran from my home. I picked up clients the same way: by contacting small businesses and going to see the owners. Word of mouth supplied many clients. I would go to the business to pick up the paperwork and deliver it back to the business and have a meeting with the owner at the same time. This was back in the days when only large businesses had computerized accounting systems.

 

One of my friends has a bookkeeping service that he started the way I describe. Now his business is in two large cities that are across the country from each other, and he visits his clients periodically, and does everything else from home. He works with CPAs -- he does the bookkeeping and they do the taxes. He gets a lot of referrals from the CPAs.

 

I'm not sure a cleaning business is a good idea for you because you will soon have a newborn baby and already have a lot on your plate. Cleaning takes a lot of energy. I would first try a bookkeeping service, were I you. The babysitting idea is interesting, but I think whether it would work might depend on your own childcare arrangements and on how easy it will be for you to transition from having 6 to having 7 kids.

 

If your DH can take care of your children at night, then you could go to hospital emergency rooms to offer your services as a babysitter for people who work the night shift. I once worked for a single mother who was an E.R. nurse on the night shift at a local hospital -- I had to spend the night at her house to take care of her kids, though.

 

RC

Edited November 25, 2008 by RoughCollie

[Quiver0f10]

This is what I did about 30 years ago. I found out the names of the owners of small businesses and called and made an appointment to see them. Often I got hired right on the spot to clean their offices. I went to lots of different places from dry cleaners to small manufacturers to car repair shops to regular offices.

 

To drum up personal business, I put flyers on mailboxes in plastic bags that are designed for that purpose. I got most of my business from the people whose businesses I cleaned, though.

 

I charged a flat rate, not by the hour.

 

RC

 

For businesses I would do a flat rate too. When I started my new construction cleaning biz, I made fliers, went down the list of GC in the phone book, and mailed them out.

[sheryl]

One of my neigbors used to offer "after school child care" for kids in the public school. At any given time she may have had around 3...one on these days, another these and yet another different days. Although obviously there were any combination of which children were together and what days overlapped.

 

Some parent/s need M-F and others don't. The pay is good...maybe $15.00/per hour for 1 child.

 

The pros:

In your own home

Socialization of your kid/s to other kid/s

Short hours, around 2 - 6 pm

Afternoons only

Fairly good money for what's involved

A fair amount of their time will be doing "homework" so you needn't entertain.

 

The cons:

Liability

Behavioral issues (you could accept/deny who you choose)

How do they get to your house?

Policy on sick days, no shows last minute, etc

 

And, the list goes on. Just an idea. I've toyed with this idea for many years. I just haven't acted on it. I think the ps afterschool reaches a certain number and they can't take anymore so you certainly would offer a nice commodity.

 

HTH!

[Guest chrislife]

I'd consider the liabilities and expenses before doing child care. It can be a great opportunity if you're set up for it; but if you are not... I used to babysit just one child in my home, and it cost me more than I earned, in the damage this sweet but hyperactive child caused. She broke a LOT of our homeschool supplies, and our television set, and I don't know how many toys.

 

If you are not prepared to work regular hours, you might want to register with a temp service. You can accept or reject whatever jobs they offer, and you're never under a commitment to work a job that conflicts with your life. I'm doing that, and I'll admit that so far it's only bringing in maybe two jobs a month, and a little less than $200/mo. But it depends a lot on what jobs are available in your area, and how flexible you are. For instance, I just got offered a job doing collections, but I will never do collections work because I consider it immoral. And I won't do heavy labor because I'm not in good enough physical condition.

 

If you sign up with a temp service and it doesn't work out, you haven't lost anything.

 

---Christina (different one)