working from home?

[birchykel]

Hello! Mumsnet Jobs team here. We've noticed this thread is fairly old now, and some of the information is out of date. We've put together this article of advice, tips and tricks to start working from home. Alternatively, you can look at the work from home opportunities on Mumsnet Jobs. We hope this is helpful!

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Hey all, can anyone advise me on working from home?
I'm suppose to go back to work in Feb. I'm not liking the idea but need to pay bills like the everyone. Is there a job out there that is genuine working from home?

Any advice welcome am getting so upset about it.

[slartybartfast]

what did you used to do?
what are your skills?

[birchykel]

I work in a pre school. I'm level 3, first aider, health and safety officer.

[WendyMc]

Hello to all the mums looking to work from home. Hello, I'm at home with my youngest and wasn't at all sure what to do. I just couldn't face the whole 40 hour week stuck in an office life... leaving my children all day with someone else.

A friend introduced me to an amazing network marketing company and now I work flexible hours from home and really do have the family life I wanted. All the training is provided, with the team, with the company, on-line...fantastic - I'd definitely recommend it.

I'd say to anyone find a successful and established network marketing company who have a proven track record and a great product. Do your research, buy the product and try it, you need to like it !! Check out the training and support, if they have the Investors in People award then this is a great start... look at how you get paid, will it give you an income even when you're not working and a residual (pension-style) income ?

Speak to other people in the company and listen to how they got started....then just go for it.......what have you got to lose ???? You will look back and wonder why no-one ever explained network marketing to you before!!

[nailak]

that last post sounds weird...

[WendyMc]

Hello, sorry never posted on Mumsnet before....didn't mean to sound weird...just love my business and wish everyone could see how flexible it can be :)

[birchykel]

I am always dubious about these companies though.
What is it you actually do wendymc?

[motherinferior]

If you're going to work from home and earn a proper living, though, you'll need good solid childcare. I worked from home. I'm a freelance journalist. I earned a decent wedge. Because four days a week my kids were at their childminder. From when they were four months old.

[motherinferior]

Oh yes, Forever Living went on and on and on at me when I was editing a health section of a mag a while back....

[MysteriousHamster]

There is a Forever Living 'friend' on my Facebook who is just constantly sell sell selling to her friends and going on and on about it and even recruiting them. What will she do when she runs out of friends to sell to?

[WendyMc]

Yes, its the same with any business, whatever you sell....books, coffees, IT services or health products you won't make much of a living if you only sell to your friends.

I find the key to working from home around family life is having a flexible job, where I can fit the work around the hours I have available.....and a few hours childcare some days can help.

That's the benefit of a lot of home-based business you can work more or less hours depending on your circumstances. When the children start school, you can then put more time into your business.

[birchykel]

I would prefer to do something like the freelance journalist Job but obviously no experience, I cant depend on selling items to friends for an income.

[motherinferior]

Sorry, but you won't be able to set up as a freelance hack with no experience, not at the moment!

[motherinferior]

And you can't work eight hours a day without childcare IME. Which is what you need to work, at least for three or so days a week, if you're going to earn an income. So if you just want to make a bit of money, yes, you might be able to do it but not if you are responsible for a serious proportion of the household finances.

[birchykel]

Totally agree mother, you would need to be on the ball and working 6-8 hour a day so having baby at home would be distracting and you wouldn't earn a decent wage.
Def know I couldn't be freelance without experience, I guess I just wish I knew what I could do at home....maybe I could do some training on something while I am back at work?

[BsshBossh]

With your pre-school experience could you not train/register as a childminder, looking after your own DC too...?

[toddlerama]

Surely child minding is your obvious solution?

I tutor in the evenings from home and don't use any childcare - my kids are in bed (if not asleep...).

[birchykel]

Yes childminding would be suitable but I have no idea where to start or how to set up my own business. Something to look into I guess but seriously would need help in doing this.

X

[OatcakeCravings]

Forever Living is a scam - basically pyramid scheme dressed up as something else.

[An0therName]

childminding - look at the NCMA website, your local council will have some details at well look on their website, and probably courses and some support and also there is a childminding section on mumsnet - there are loads of threads about setting up as a childminder
if you just have one child under 5 I expect you would find it well work your while to do - its very tax efficient to do

[birchykel]

Thanks an0thername, ill look into it

cheers for all the help.xx

[MrsSRL]

Oatcakes - that's a bit harsh, but there do seem to be lots of people out there selling the Forever Living stuff. I see them all the time out at networking events. They must be making money somewhere along the line. Admittedly the people at the top make the most ; )

As for starting a business birchykel there is quite a lot of support out there from the following sites - note Business Link will go through some changes in November:
//www.businesslink.gov.uk
//www.startups.co.uk
//www.startuprevolution.co.uk

Good luck with it!

[devika]

hi all, im looking for babysitting job with indian families.if anyone known or intrested plz mail me. thanx