If you are self employed - what do you do?

[CocoE]

I am trying to get out of my current job to get away from the long hours, pay ceiling and my desire for autonomy. My main goal is to find something to do that is school hours friendly. I'm looking for ideas. Please can you help me by telling me what you do for a living?

[MarkRuffaloCrumble]

I'm a childminder. I look after over 5 year olds, so I only work after school (luckily some of the DCs are friends of my Dcs, so I am basically paid for them to have play dates with their friends!)

During the day I run another small business (won't say what or I will out myself, but it is basically a hobby from which I am able to make some money). This gives me lots of flexibility, I can get done things I need to during the day around my other work, then have a couple of hours after school when I can be home for my own DCs (although the flexibility for after school clubs etc is somewhat reduced with others around)

During the school holidays I don't have to find childcare for my DCs, I scale down the other work to give me a bit of time off, I have childmindees a few days a week and then some days off with my own, so a good mix of work, leisure etc.

[bettythebuilder]

I make and sell greeting cards. Certainly school-hour friendly, as I (mostly) choose when I work (larger order demands sometimes mean exceptions!) but the money I make is nothing like a full time wage. I've done it for 10 years, now, and when dd was younger I didn't have any childcare costs, though, which has been a huge 'plus'

[Donna1605]

Hey
I teach but went part time and have started selling with PartyLite Candles. I really enjoy it. I didn't really enjoy Avon and also did Usborne books but not a wide range to sell too, whereas candles going well!! xx
I still have childcare costs tho :(

[DameDancealot]

I have an online natural wax candle business, so I can work round school hours as I do a lot of fairs and markets at the weekends.

[Sammysquiz]

I'm do bookkeeping & accountancy

[Sammysquiz]

Sorry, that should've said "I do..". Thankfully my accountancy is more accurate than my typing

[biscuitkumquat]

I've got a cleaning company (only do commercial), I have an office, but, mostly, work from home. I've got staff now, so don't have to clean any more. (except for sickness & unavoidable stuff)

[PuppyMonkey]

I'm a freelance journalist, do business and entertainment stories for local paper and also PR type stuff for various businesses. I work from home round the school run etc.

[Lancelottie]

What sort of work do you do currently?

[Blodynn]

I am setting up an online second hand clothing shop. Lots to learn but its a passion of mine.

[MugsLife]

I'm a web designer. I learnt everything in books or online. I use teamtreehouse.com to learn, but this site could be great for a beginner: skillcrush.com/ They do a free starter course so you can get a feel for it and see if it's something for you.

I work remotely, get paid hourly a decent amount, and can fit it around childcare and life. However it took about 3 years before I was earning much at all, so it's not easy, but worth it!

[CocoE]

Thank you everyone, this is very helpful. I currently do valuations of investments in a bank. So I feel like I could run the financial aspect of a business but can't come up with the actual business idea. Not sure what to do with that skillset. If only I had some creative skills. I think I could be interested in coding though...

[twirlypoo]

I own a help help recruitment agency (cleaners, mothers helps, support workers mostly) I am getting office space next month which is very exciting. Because other people do the work I can choose my hours to a large degree. I also have a virtual office which helps :)

[YourLeftElbow]

Novelist.

[strictlylurking]

IT Consultancy. Part time, mostly from home, so my hours work around my life. I don't mind being self-employed, but sometimes I do think it would be nice to just work for someone else and not have to worry about filling taxes and sorting NI contributions and invoicing and things. Just, do the work and go home, you know? But there is something to be said about being your own boss.

[crazywriter]

I'm a writer/journalist. All done during school hours and sometimes late if I have a deadline once everyone else is in bed. I used to be the sole income earner and will be going back to that soon instead of a WAHM as my income potential is limitless.

If you have a finance background, why not look into jobs around that. There are always people looking for help with that or you could consider being a virtual assistant.

[MugsLife]

Go for it coco! Coding is mainly want I do, kind of wish someone else would do all the designing stuff for me! It's kind of addictive! Even if you do something else for work for now, learning to code will definitely help you in the future. It's highly addictive I find...

[dodobookends]

I spend my time doing the book-keeping for other self-employed people

[JennyOnAPlate]

Book keeping and general admin for other self employed people

There is generally never anything "last minute" in my work so I'm able to plan effectively to fit in with school hours.

During the school holidays I either do a couple of hours whilst the dc watch a film or they go to friends houses. I do sometimes have to work once they're in bed though, which isn't ideal.

[Mrskeats]

I'm a private tutor/writer/assessor for exam boards
Was a teacher

[howmanyairmiles]

I'm a consultant mainly specialising in L&D and HR problems.

Adding the Consultant tag meant I could double my day rate.

[ChammyIRL]

I just call myself a freelancer as I do a range of different things.

I blog - my own and posts for others
Matched Betting
Mystery Shopping
Selling Jamberry Nail wraps and Younique
Website Evaluation
I am also signed up to a number of companies such as UpWork so do anything they throw my way.

All works fine around the school run (all 1.5hrs each way of it haha)

[Waitingfordolly]

Management consultancy. It mostly works really well but juggling contracts can be hard and sometimes I have too much or to little to do, both of which can be really stressful.

[teamyaahbaby]

I design and sell patterns online, I also have a few ecommerce websites and blog professionally on self employment for SAHM's.