There's also office cleaning, going into professional office spaces to do light cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, trash to the dumpster, etc) usually done after business hours which would mean working evenings. Being a courier is nice work, it can sometimes involve overnight travel. Seems like all the part-time jobs I've had always led to a full-time job offer from the employer, so don't shy away from doing something part-time. You never know where it may lead. There's an inbred ministry in New Knoxville, OH that desperately needs new leadership, though I doubt they're accepting any resumes from the public.
Turn a hobby into a business. There's quite a few online articles on doing this and a lot say the same kinds of things. Something you do or can do well enough to sell, be it a product or a service.
Find those with small businesses who need a part-time helper: photographers, caterers, painters, etc. Partner with someone who's already got something going and needs help, see where that can go.
I've used craigslist from time to time here to market a side business I have - the UK has one and might be a free place to put the word out on whatever you choose, at no cost.
ebay.com is good source for selling and reselling virtually anything. Cost to set up a paypal account is minimal and if you have an interest in specific kinds of thing that might generate some income.
A good attribute to have and develop is self-confidence. Sounds like you have that. Apply it to your "resume' " and how you sell yourself - while there might be gaps - recognize the life's experience you have that gives you the ease of working well with a variety of kinds of people as well as allows you to not be intimidated by not knowing something. You have a willingness to learn. It can seem like the world's got plenty of those people already but you'd be surprised (maybe not) at how difficult it can be for businesses to find maturity + skills + experience. A willingness to learn and the level of maturity to maintain a professional attitude are valuable assets. :)
Ham, it's an idea, but could be expensive. My local council has in its Recycle Centre an area where old TVs and computers and such like can be placed (separate from other stuff) and I believe that gets recycled, what can be.
Socks, thanks for that - the "hobby" bit is in part why I would like to do gardens (I always build a garden, even if I live in a tiny flat). I like the way you word your final para ("...how difficult it can be for businesses to find maturity + skills + experience. A willingness to learn and the level of maturity to maintain a professional attitude are valuable assets.").
My self-confidence took a huge dent during TWI days and prior to that I'd had to work for a man who was demanding, bullying and generally mocking of all his staff. Had to stay there two years and then stayed (in a different office) for another year. I'm somewhat lacking in that department (not that most can tell) and very "eager to please" which might come across as desperate. And three years out of work doesn't help.
Self-employment could be just what I need. The more I think about it, the more attractive the idea becomes. There are many people out there with far less ability than I have, and they're not doing too badly.
Any product placed in a store has a chain of people behind it....companies hire independent contractors to make sure their product has prominent placement....or is on the sales floor at all....and is kept tidy and merchandised.
Today I will be working on the Discover Card Campaign. I will visit a bunch of different businesses, sticker the window, hand out material and educate them on the benefits of accepting Discover card. Piece of cake. Each account will take about 5 minutes. Since I was able to pick the accounts I wanted....they are all within a certain geographical proximity...and I am able to do quite a few. Discover sent me the material....I trained online....I am paid a flat rate for each account and, they pay mileage as well as a fee for each digital photo I take.
I sub-contract my work from several major merchandising companies. Most business hire these companies to look after their products. A few of them have me as an actual employee so that I receive mileage, but for the most part I am independent.There is a great deal of freedom in my work. My husband and I work as a team. There is no one looking over my shoulder, and I report my info on-line. I can go a year without ever seeing a supervisor. I decide what jobs I want and how much work to take....but, there is always plenty to do.
I know the UK has merchandising jobs...Boots, Debenhams, Homebase, and smaller boutiques stores all have products which need merchandisers and some marketing.
The other thing Socks mentioned about eBay is great too. With all those Charity shops...you could find some lovely things.
I like working for myself....and there are many ways to make money.
There is always Oxfam, and with your legal background I am sure they would consider you an asset. Lot's of travel and making a difference. People also contract their work from them. It is a great organization...you might just love it.
My sister in-law does independent consulting in the UK and works from her home in Oxford....maybe you could do that?
Ive been working for myself for 20 years or so now and love it, I cant imagine it being any other way..although at one time I couldnt imagine how I would make the leap into being self employed.
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the confidence factor, over thinking everything and just doing it.
I had a good skill, but work in my field was hard to come by at the beginning so I branched out and did anything I could think of to fill the gaps, sort of a jack of all trades type of guy until things that I really wanted to do came along.
I didnt really care--I mowed lawns, painted, built things, did house and garage cleanouts, fixed things--you name it and I probably did it at one point or another.
Id suggest that especially at the beginning that you perhaps dont limit yourself to one thing if that works for you but use all of your skills as you can...Good, honest, trustable workers are hard to come by....If people like you and like your work (no matter what it is)they'll find something else for you to do ( can you do....? ) and tell their friends, neighbors and relatives about you too.
I spent about a year doing work one year off of one $5.00 ad I put in the paper for Gutter Cleanouts--I only did a few gutter cleanouts, but that lead to fixng a garage door, repairing screens, painting a porch, building a small deck, redoing a bathroom and siding a house....
Good luck--whatever it is that you decide----but start!--you never know where it may lead you.
This week Im 1500 miles from home doing preservation work on a 150 year old church, its a long way from gutter cleanouts, but you have to start somewhere
I can't add much here; I've never been a prof qual ANYTHING. But don't give up. I'm sure something will come along. Always darkest before the dawn, eh?
the kind of recycling I'm describing could be be described as "cherry picking".
A computer, headed to the smelter. One removes the hard drives. are they useful? Perhaps. 80 gig or greater can find a very useful life.. a cheap adapter, and one now has an 80, 120, or more gig flash drive..
The hard drives that are *really* junk. i.e. don't work. They have at least two very strong neodymium magnets. Remove them, before submitting the aluminum case to the smelter. Surely, one can find a few practical uses for a pair of super magnets.. even if all they do, is hold some doors open at the appropriate time. That's what one professional group uses these for. That I know of. But there are more applications. What about with the little bit of copper wire from said computer, recycled.. as a generator. Doesn't require much hardware to make such a thing..
see.. the recyclers might welcome something like this. A couple of aluminum hard drive cases, submitted to the smelter, without copper, ceramics.. I mean, by the time I'm done with it, all you have to recycle is aluminum. Far easier than separating copper, aluminum, etc. etc.. in the smelter.
I'm sure somebody else has thought of this.
Old old televisions. Or monitors.
They have either a very long length of copper wire, or aluminum wire, in a degaussing coil.
I have harvested these coils from these. I strung the wire out, along a very long city block here, and braided the strands into the finest stranded twisted wire you could imagine. About sixteen strands, wound up with a cheap drill..
They have very large transformer. I have about a dozen of the copper primaries from these.. large gauge primary windings. If one has a hammer, and a chisel. It's a thirty second operation to get a seventy foot length of twelve gauge copper or aluminum wire from the big transformer..
Thanks for posting this Twinky! I'm in a similar situation though not as long. I never thought of posting here for ideas. I'm reading along as well and I, too, wish you all the best.
Soul searcher, I did get a job, lasted two months. They hated me and I hated the job. Still, it was nice to have it over Christmas, made things a bit more relaxed and I felt able to put the heating on in the house.
Currently I have had two back to back temp jobs, each for one month; the second finishes at the end of next week I think. It's been so nice having an income and it's my money and I'm not accountable to anyone for it.
I have done a bit of chatting with the woman whose borders I tend; she has lived for years on bitty jobs as s/empd Whatever. She's older now (which is why I'm doing the borders) but she really enjoyed her working time.
For me I have to raise enough to pay the mortgage each month; feed myself; pay the usual utilities; etc. So pin money it is not.
I visited the local cemetery today, as a colleague had suggested grave tending. That's something else to check out. There were stonemasons there erecting a memorial and they don't tend "garden graves" but could be persuaded to give out business cards if I got some printed.
Geisha, that's something that never occurred to me and well worth checking out.
mstar1, that's just the encouragement I need.
I am feeling more positive about this with every passing hour.
Broken Arrow, glad this helps you too. All the best in your endeavors. I am sure you and I are not the only ones considering this.
Twinky, along the lines of a cleaning business, keep in mind that vacant houses/apartments/flats are much easier/faster to clean than furnished, occupied ones. When I was a WOW, I started a cleaning business halfway through the year. I contacted all the real estate companies in town and let them know I would clean houses to get them ready to sell after the previous owners had moved, apartments or business offices that had been vacated, etc.
I also did cleaning in people's homes, but I set myself apart by being willing to do heavier cleaning: walls, windows, swimming pool/patio areas, organizing closets, etc.--and making that known to all potential clients.
The humdrum vacuuming-and-dusting type of cleaning bored me to tears, so I was always looking for something different to do.
The great thing is that if you do a good job, word spreads quickly.
Twinky, along the lines of a cleaning business, keep in mind that vacant houses/apartments/flats are much easier/faster to clean than furnished, occupied ones. When I was a WOW, I started a cleaning business halfway through the year. I contacted all the real estate companies in town and let them know I would clean houses to get them ready to sell after the previous owners had moved, apartments or business offices that had been vacated, etc.
I also did cleaning in people's homes, but I set myself apart by being willing to do heavier cleaning: walls, windows, swimming pool/patio areas, organizing closets, etc.--and making that known to all potential clients.
The humdrum vacuuming-and-dusting type of cleaning bored me to tears, so I was always looking for something different to do.
The great thing is that if you do a good job, word spreads quickly.
I did this too, one summer. It paid quite well, I recall charging between $250-$300 to clean just one empty apartment, and that was about 25 years ago. That was a thorough cleaning of an empty apartment, which sometimes took more than one day. Each apartment has different needs, so I adjusted my bid accordingly. The dirtier they were the more I charged, I even charged $400 for one particularly nasty place and the owners didn't quarrel with my bid. Be sure to do a walk-through of the vacant apartment before making a bid. Towards the end, I had an efficient system down so I could thoroughly clean most places in 8 -10 hours. Pack a good lunch, wear comfy grubby clothes, and bring some tunes!
What does it mean in England to tend someone's borders? Gardening?
I can also think of cleaning ovens (on domestic kitchen stoves) which some people make a living at. Because nobody really likes cleaning the oven.
I'm somewhat uncertain as to how to bid for a job, whether one-off or ongoing work (like cleaning or gardening or painting). Do you have any suggestions as to how to price?
OperaBuff: yes, tending the borders is looking after the flower borders. One particular client (J & W) has a lovely big garden that has been loved by the couple there for 35 years. J is 88 and W is 94 now; she can still just about kneel to do the borders but he uses a walking frame. They have nice borders with roses, lilies, pretty flowers, round 3 of their lawns. They have a gardener who does "heavy stuff" like dig the vege garden ... but when he failed to do it, I dug over and prepared the seed bed over two visits. He is seen as clumsy ("got big feet") and hamfisted, and not to be trusted with more delicate stuff like the borders (which he has crushed in the past).
I got my second client G from this one's referral. G has had two flower borders laid to lawn (by this same big footed gardener!) and the grass was sown before the soil settled and the level is horribly uneven. I am digging those out, removing deep-rooted pernicious weeds and levelling. I am also providing some extra soil to top the borders up to the correct level.
J offered me the same rate as her gardener; and G said she would pay whatever J was paying.
Both will give me referrals. G has made her living by doing what comes to hand for a long time but she is a pensioner now. She gave me some very good advice this evening.
I have a few ideas like gardening or housecleaning or painting or being a virtual Personal Assistant or proof-reading but Id appreciate any suggestions as to the Whatever that you think I might be good at. (I note that one Spotter reported some enterprising people started up post-Rapture petcare - but that person probably doesn't have a lot going on right now...LOL)
Only proviso: services provided have to be legal and decent!
The start-up costs cant be excessive like purchasing very expensive equipment and I will look for night-school classes in some of these to learn better or complementary techniques or skills, once decided.
So in summary:
1. What do you think I could turn my hand to?
2. Who might be the target employer for any of these services?
3. What attributes would help me be successful?
4. What attributes would count against me?
5. What pitfalls might be encountered - if you tried something in a similar line?
Would appreciate your help.
Hi Twinky, a quick note to say that I have done freelance proofreading, and it's something I would go back to depending on time and need. After I read that publishing companies prefer to use freelance people and that if you had an expertise (a "niche") you'd be better to look for a company that published books in that area, I wrote to several places that put out books related to my training, got a few tests sent to me to do at home, and then a phonecall out of the blue. It's a lonely job, not something I could do 40 hours a week at home, but it was good training for me, and it looks as though you have other more social jobs in mind as well.
Good one, Cara. I would be brilliant at that, actually. Just checked out the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) website, which is informative. One more for my basket of services offered! Thanks.
I can also think of cleaning ovens (on domestic kitchen stoves) which some people make a living at. Because nobody really likes cleaning the oven.
I'm somewhat uncertain as to how to bid for a job, whether one-off or ongoing work (like cleaning or gardening or painting). Do you have any suggestions as to how to price?
You'll need to find out the going rate somehow. Newspaper adverts, craigslist.com or word of mouth from others in the business. The larger the apartment, the more you can charge; the dirtier the apartment, the more you can charge. Most places require you to provide your own cleaning supplies so you need to factor in those costs. Buckets, rags, sponges, broom, mop, cleaning solutions, oven cleaner, window cleaner, labor, etc. Depends also upon the expectation of the property owners, how much they expect you to do and how well. Bottom line is, most owners don't want to clean their own properties and they are more than happy to pay someone else to do it, particularly if they own many properties. Don't undersell yourself, it's a valued service you are providing. Well-cleaned properties rent/sell much faster for the owners.
My experience was with large apartment building owners. Going to real estate agents about cleaning empty houses after owners move away is also good, as Linda described. Cleaning a house will likely pay more than an apartment, depending again on size, dirtiness, and what's expected of you.
Your cleaning supplies will be a considerable lot of stuff to transport from job to job. So that's a consideration, particularly if you don't have a car or other suitable transport available. Apartment buildings may allow you to store your things in a locked closet, which obviously helps.
Another twist on cleaning is to offer help with organization. Hubby and I did this up until last year. We didn't really houseclean, but we helped people organize their homes and offices.
You can even become a certified organizer.
Oddly enough, there is a huge demand for this service. As much as we enjoyed the work, the clients drove us crazy as they were all at certain stages in hoarding and there is a wealth of psychology behind this condition. It was always two steps forward and one back.
We never lacked for work though.... because.... the same people always needed us a few months later after they had again accumulated a house full of stuff. Repeat clients!
Strange demographic...usually divorced women over 50 with an excellent education, beautiful homes, and hefty income or alimony. They were all incredibly scattered and juggled their lives in a fascinating, but precarious manner. They became very dependent on us and although they recommended us to others(word spread) they were all oddly proprietary concerning our services. We were so busy we were turning people down.
We couldn't do it anymore because they were all a bit too crazy, but we charged a small fortune and no one ever made a peep. . . .we did get temporary results, but it was so frustrating to see them backslide into chaos without us there everyday.
One woman would take a load to the dump, after we had worked with her for WEEKS to get it together....every scrap of paper or piece of trash had to be examined. When she would come back from the dump it was always with more than she left with. Even when we went with her we couldn't stop her from grabbing things she swore she might "need" someday.
If you have patience.....and can organize and decorate.....you can make a serious living.
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OperaBuff
Have you considered window washing? Start-up costs are minimal, the skill is quickly learned, and the market demand is fairly constant.
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Twinky
Thanks for reminding me - I did do that for a period in my WOW year, for a while. Washing shop windows was well priced.
I also wondered about setting up ironing shirts - I know people who simply don't have the time. One of a string of like activities.
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Ham
I've been thinking about "intelligent recycling".
People are throwing tons of junk into the recycler.. that could be directly re-used without melting it all down.
How many millions of hard drives and computers are heading for the scrap heap..
so instead of just mindlessly tossing the metal into some smelter somewhere.. there has to be some kind of alternative..
The problem is, separating copper, aluminum, steel.. is very labor intensive.
Not that it can't be done.
Is there a use for a few neodymium magnets? There is a pair in every hard drive headed to the dump..
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OperaBuff
There's also office cleaning, going into professional office spaces to do light cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, trash to the dumpster, etc) usually done after business hours which would mean working evenings. Being a courier is nice work, it can sometimes involve overnight travel. Seems like all the part-time jobs I've had always led to a full-time job offer from the employer, so don't shy away from doing something part-time. You never know where it may lead. There's an inbred ministry in New Knoxville, OH that desperately needs new leadership, though I doubt they're accepting any resumes from the public.
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socks
Turn a hobby into a business. There's quite a few online articles on doing this and a lot say the same kinds of things. Something you do or can do well enough to sell, be it a product or a service.
Find those with small businesses who need a part-time helper: photographers, caterers, painters, etc. Partner with someone who's already got something going and needs help, see where that can go.
I've used craigslist from time to time here to market a side business I have - the UK has one and might be a free place to put the word out on whatever you choose, at no cost.
ebay.com is good source for selling and reselling virtually anything. Cost to set up a paypal account is minimal and if you have an interest in specific kinds of thing that might generate some income.
A good attribute to have and develop is self-confidence. Sounds like you have that. Apply it to your "resume' " and how you sell yourself - while there might be gaps - recognize the life's experience you have that gives you the ease of working well with a variety of kinds of people as well as allows you to not be intimidated by not knowing something. You have a willingness to learn. It can seem like the world's got plenty of those people already but you'd be surprised (maybe not) at how difficult it can be for businesses to find maturity + skills + experience. A willingness to learn and the level of maturity to maintain a professional attitude are valuable assets. :)
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Twinky
Ham, it's an idea, but could be expensive. My local council has in its Recycle Centre an area where old TVs and computers and such like can be placed (separate from other stuff) and I believe that gets recycled, what can be.
Socks, thanks for that - the "hobby" bit is in part why I would like to do gardens (I always build a garden, even if I live in a tiny flat). I like the way you word your final para ("...how difficult it can be for businesses to find maturity + skills + experience. A willingness to learn and the level of maturity to maintain a professional attitude are valuable assets.").
My self-confidence took a huge dent during TWI days and prior to that I'd had to work for a man who was demanding, bullying and generally mocking of all his staff. Had to stay there two years and then stayed (in a different office) for another year. I'm somewhat lacking in that department (not that most can tell) and very "eager to please" which might come across as desperate. And three years out of work doesn't help.
Self-employment could be just what I need. The more I think about it, the more attractive the idea becomes. There are many people out there with far less ability than I have, and they're not doing too badly.
Thanks for suggestions. Keep 'em coming.
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geisha779
Twinky,
Any product placed in a store has a chain of people behind it....companies hire independent contractors to make sure their product has prominent placement....or is on the sales floor at all....and is kept tidy and merchandised.
Today I will be working on the Discover Card Campaign. I will visit a bunch of different businesses, sticker the window, hand out material and educate them on the benefits of accepting Discover card. Piece of cake. Each account will take about 5 minutes. Since I was able to pick the accounts I wanted....they are all within a certain geographical proximity...and I am able to do quite a few. Discover sent me the material....I trained online....I am paid a flat rate for each account and, they pay mileage as well as a fee for each digital photo I take.
I sub-contract my work from several major merchandising companies. Most business hire these companies to look after their products. A few of them have me as an actual employee so that I receive mileage, but for the most part I am independent.There is a great deal of freedom in my work. My husband and I work as a team. There is no one looking over my shoulder, and I report my info on-line. I can go a year without ever seeing a supervisor. I decide what jobs I want and how much work to take....but, there is always plenty to do.
I know the UK has merchandising jobs...Boots, Debenhams, Homebase, and smaller boutiques stores all have products which need merchandisers and some marketing.
The other thing Socks mentioned about eBay is great too. With all those Charity shops...you could find some lovely things.
I like working for myself....and there are many ways to make money.
There is always Oxfam, and with your legal background I am sure they would consider you an asset. Lot's of travel and making a difference. People also contract their work from them. It is a great organization...you might just love it.
My sister in-law does independent consulting in the UK and works from her home in Oxford....maybe you could do that?
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mstar1
Ive been working for myself for 20 years or so now and love it, I cant imagine it being any other way..although at one time I couldnt imagine how I would make the leap into being self employed.
The hardest part for me at the beginning was the confidence factor, over thinking everything and just doing it.
I had a good skill, but work in my field was hard to come by at the beginning so I branched out and did anything I could think of to fill the gaps, sort of a jack of all trades type of guy until things that I really wanted to do came along.
I didnt really care--I mowed lawns, painted, built things, did house and garage cleanouts, fixed things--you name it and I probably did it at one point or another.
Id suggest that especially at the beginning that you perhaps dont limit yourself to one thing if that works for you but use all of your skills as you can...Good, honest, trustable workers are hard to come by....If people like you and like your work (no matter what it is)they'll find something else for you to do ( can you do....? ) and tell their friends, neighbors and relatives about you too.
I spent about a year doing work one year off of one $5.00 ad I put in the paper for Gutter Cleanouts--I only did a few gutter cleanouts, but that lead to fixng a garage door, repairing screens, painting a porch, building a small deck, redoing a bathroom and siding a house....
Good luck--whatever it is that you decide----but start!--you never know where it may lead you.
This week Im 1500 miles from home doing preservation work on a 150 year old church, its a long way from gutter cleanouts, but you have to start somewhere
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johniam
I can't add much here; I've never been a prof qual ANYTHING. But don't give up. I'm sure something will come along. Always darkest before the dawn, eh?
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Ham
the kind of recycling I'm describing could be be described as "cherry picking".
A computer, headed to the smelter. One removes the hard drives. are they useful? Perhaps. 80 gig or greater can find a very useful life.. a cheap adapter, and one now has an 80, 120, or more gig flash drive..
The hard drives that are *really* junk. i.e. don't work. They have at least two very strong neodymium magnets. Remove them, before submitting the aluminum case to the smelter. Surely, one can find a few practical uses for a pair of super magnets.. even if all they do, is hold some doors open at the appropriate time. That's what one professional group uses these for. That I know of. But there are more applications. What about with the little bit of copper wire from said computer, recycled.. as a generator. Doesn't require much hardware to make such a thing..
see.. the recyclers might welcome something like this. A couple of aluminum hard drive cases, submitted to the smelter, without copper, ceramics.. I mean, by the time I'm done with it, all you have to recycle is aluminum. Far easier than separating copper, aluminum, etc. etc.. in the smelter.
I'm sure somebody else has thought of this.
Old old televisions. Or monitors.
They have either a very long length of copper wire, or aluminum wire, in a degaussing coil.
I have harvested these coils from these. I strung the wire out, along a very long city block here, and braided the strands into the finest stranded twisted wire you could imagine. About sixteen strands, wound up with a cheap drill..
I dunno.
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Ham
Microwave ovens.
They have very large transformer. I have about a dozen of the copper primaries from these.. large gauge primary windings. If one has a hammer, and a chisel. It's a thirty second operation to get a seventy foot length of twelve gauge copper or aluminum wire from the big transformer..
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Ham
One day, people here will mine the local landfill here. It is an utter treasure of copper, aluminum, steel, glass..
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soul searcher
Hey Twinx, you could preach hellfire and doom and ask for donations. (ha ha! sorry...jk)
I thought you had found a job. It didn't work out? Maybe you posted and I missed it.
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socks
All the best in your endeavors!
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Broken Arrow
Thanks for posting this Twinky! I'm in a similar situation though not as long. I never thought of posting here for ideas. I'm reading along as well and I, too, wish you all the best.
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Twinky
Soul searcher, I did get a job, lasted two months. They hated me and I hated the job. Still, it was nice to have it over Christmas, made things a bit more relaxed and I felt able to put the heating on in the house.
Currently I have had two back to back temp jobs, each for one month; the second finishes at the end of next week I think. It's been so nice having an income and it's my money and I'm not accountable to anyone for it.
I have done a bit of chatting with the woman whose borders I tend; she has lived for years on bitty jobs as s/empd Whatever. She's older now (which is why I'm doing the borders) but she really enjoyed her working time.
For me I have to raise enough to pay the mortgage each month; feed myself; pay the usual utilities; etc. So pin money it is not.
I visited the local cemetery today, as a colleague had suggested grave tending. That's something else to check out. There were stonemasons there erecting a memorial and they don't tend "garden graves" but could be persuaded to give out business cards if I got some printed.
Geisha, that's something that never occurred to me and well worth checking out.
mstar1, that's just the encouragement I need.
I am feeling more positive about this with every passing hour.
Broken Arrow, glad this helps you too. All the best in your endeavors. I am sure you and I are not the only ones considering this.
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Linda Z
Twinky, along the lines of a cleaning business, keep in mind that vacant houses/apartments/flats are much easier/faster to clean than furnished, occupied ones. When I was a WOW, I started a cleaning business halfway through the year. I contacted all the real estate companies in town and let them know I would clean houses to get them ready to sell after the previous owners had moved, apartments or business offices that had been vacated, etc.
I also did cleaning in people's homes, but I set myself apart by being willing to do heavier cleaning: walls, windows, swimming pool/patio areas, organizing closets, etc.--and making that known to all potential clients.
The humdrum vacuuming-and-dusting type of cleaning bored me to tears, so I was always looking for something different to do.
The great thing is that if you do a good job, word spreads quickly.
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OperaBuff
I did this too, one summer. It paid quite well, I recall charging between $250-$300 to clean just one empty apartment, and that was about 25 years ago. That was a thorough cleaning of an empty apartment, which sometimes took more than one day. Each apartment has different needs, so I adjusted my bid accordingly. The dirtier they were the more I charged, I even charged $400 for one particularly nasty place and the owners didn't quarrel with my bid. Be sure to do a walk-through of the vacant apartment before making a bid. Towards the end, I had an efficient system down so I could thoroughly clean most places in 8 -10 hours. Pack a good lunch, wear comfy grubby clothes, and bring some tunes!
What does it mean in England to tend someone's borders? Gardening?
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Twinky
Thanks, Linda, and OperaBuff. Good ideas.
I can also think of cleaning ovens (on domestic kitchen stoves) which some people make a living at. Because nobody really likes cleaning the oven.
I'm somewhat uncertain as to how to bid for a job, whether one-off or ongoing work (like cleaning or gardening or painting). Do you have any suggestions as to how to price?
OperaBuff: yes, tending the borders is looking after the flower borders. One particular client (J & W) has a lovely big garden that has been loved by the couple there for 35 years. J is 88 and W is 94 now; she can still just about kneel to do the borders but he uses a walking frame. They have nice borders with roses, lilies, pretty flowers, round 3 of their lawns. They have a gardener who does "heavy stuff" like dig the vege garden ... but when he failed to do it, I dug over and prepared the seed bed over two visits. He is seen as clumsy ("got big feet") and hamfisted, and not to be trusted with more delicate stuff like the borders (which he has crushed in the past).
I got my second client G from this one's referral. G has had two flower borders laid to lawn (by this same big footed gardener!) and the grass was sown before the soil settled and the level is horribly uneven. I am digging those out, removing deep-rooted pernicious weeds and levelling. I am also providing some extra soil to top the borders up to the correct level.
J offered me the same rate as her gardener; and G said she would pay whatever J was paying.
Both will give me referrals. G has made her living by doing what comes to hand for a long time but she is a pensioner now. She gave me some very good advice this evening.
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cara
Hi Twinky, a quick note to say that I have done freelance proofreading, and it's something I would go back to depending on time and need. After I read that publishing companies prefer to use freelance people and that if you had an expertise (a "niche") you'd be better to look for a company that published books in that area, I wrote to several places that put out books related to my training, got a few tests sent to me to do at home, and then a phonecall out of the blue. It's a lonely job, not something I could do 40 hours a week at home, but it was good training for me, and it looks as though you have other more social jobs in mind as well.
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Twinky
Good one, Cara. I would be brilliant at that, actually. Just checked out the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) website, which is informative. One more for my basket of services offered! Thanks.
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OperaBuff
You'll need to find out the going rate somehow. Newspaper adverts, craigslist.com or word of mouth from others in the business. The larger the apartment, the more you can charge; the dirtier the apartment, the more you can charge. Most places require you to provide your own cleaning supplies so you need to factor in those costs. Buckets, rags, sponges, broom, mop, cleaning solutions, oven cleaner, window cleaner, labor, etc. Depends also upon the expectation of the property owners, how much they expect you to do and how well. Bottom line is, most owners don't want to clean their own properties and they are more than happy to pay someone else to do it, particularly if they own many properties. Don't undersell yourself, it's a valued service you are providing. Well-cleaned properties rent/sell much faster for the owners.
My experience was with large apartment building owners. Going to real estate agents about cleaning empty houses after owners move away is also good, as Linda described. Cleaning a house will likely pay more than an apartment, depending again on size, dirtiness, and what's expected of you.
Your cleaning supplies will be a considerable lot of stuff to transport from job to job. So that's a consideration, particularly if you don't have a car or other suitable transport available. Apartment buildings may allow you to store your things in a locked closet, which obviously helps.
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waysider
Screen printing for fun and profit
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geisha779
Another twist on cleaning is to offer help with organization. Hubby and I did this up until last year. We didn't really houseclean, but we helped people organize their homes and offices.
You can even become a certified organizer.
Oddly enough, there is a huge demand for this service. As much as we enjoyed the work, the clients drove us crazy as they were all at certain stages in hoarding and there is a wealth of psychology behind this condition. It was always two steps forward and one back.
We never lacked for work though.... because.... the same people always needed us a few months later after they had again accumulated a house full of stuff. Repeat clients!
Strange demographic...usually divorced women over 50 with an excellent education, beautiful homes, and hefty income or alimony. They were all incredibly scattered and juggled their lives in a fascinating, but precarious manner. They became very dependent on us and although they recommended us to others(word spread) they were all oddly proprietary concerning our services. We were so busy we were turning people down.
We couldn't do it anymore because they were all a bit too crazy, but we charged a small fortune and no one ever made a peep. . . .we did get temporary results, but it was so frustrating to see them backslide into chaos without us there everyday.
One woman would take a load to the dump, after we had worked with her for WEEKS to get it together....every scrap of paper or piece of trash had to be examined. When she would come back from the dump it was always with more than she left with. Even when we went with her we couldn't stop her from grabbing things she swore she might "need" someday.
If you have patience.....and can organize and decorate.....you can make a serious living.
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