To consider Only Fans

Could you take a lodger / host a foreign student? Your kids could share a room? Not ideal but would be at least £100 pw

Reality is faceless OF doesn't pay much there is just so much competition. If you can find a great niche then maybe. Probably make more from escort work.

Their loans won’t cover housing costs - they basically never do, this is why parents end up spending so much on their uni age kids. So she’s saving money by having them live at home. But yes they should be contributing to food and bills from PT paid jobs - as they would have to of living in halls/rented housing.

.

I hear you about wanting your kids to have a uni experience you didn’t but you’re projecting. It sounds like you’ve been an incredible mum - raising four kids, putting kids through uni as a single parent. A degree, a good job. You should be really proud. Your kids will look back and marvel at what you achieved for them!

But you need to live in your reality and let your kids help you - I say kids but they are young adults. Taking in more work alongside uni is completely normal. Yes, in an ideal world they’d only focus on their studies but that’s not the situation and for the very good reasons you’ve explained, there are very few options to increase household earnings. But you have two adults who are capable of working a little bit more and really easing the pressure. Let them step up. Let them do something that helps make a huge difference to your life.

I have no judgement about OF - just that you won’t make any money. And IMAGINE if the kids found out later on that the choice was them taking on some extra bar work or you having sex on screen for money, risking your emotional wellbeing. They would think you were insane, surely!

First, I just want to say that you are a wonderful and hardworking mum.

I would never consider doing such work; it would be an embarrassment.

If you join such a platform, it could lead to a loss of respect and reputation from others, especially from your children. Don’t do something you might regret later; set a positive example for your children as you are a role model to them.

Great suggestions about alternative jobs from people here.

There are opportunities out there; you just have to find the right connections, recruitment job agencies, and trustworthy companies that offer part-time work from home. I had a friend who used to do market research at home, on her own hours.
With this busy season, retail, online customer service, etc., are looking for additional staff. If you have teaching skills or some experience, what about becoming an examiner or an online tutor?

I hope you find something that works for you x

Only thing I know about OF is Stacey from eastenders and that didn’t go well and Katie Price

do all subscribers see everything or is it individual chats/videos for everyone?

if individual that’s a lot of work

How would you feel about doing housekeeping? It is hard to find a reliable and trustworthy cleaning lady, so if you don't mind doing that, it could be an okay option.

I would recommend to stay away from OF because 1) most likely you won't earn much or anything at all 2) you boyfriend will have a lot of control over you due to him owning all the images 3) people might find out and you have kids.

yes because everyone can just
do that.

Renting a room to an international student if you are near a uni that has several?

And yes, of course, your DC can share. Better than letting their mum pimp herself out.

Like @Speckly , I just remembered about the lodger idea. I understand it might require some compromise, but two of your DC could share. If they are near enough to uni to commute, there is probably a market for student rooms too. You could make the offer more attractive by only charging rent during term time, or not include the long summer break (if they don't want use of the room for 52 weeks a year).

Under the Rent a Room Scheme, you can make up to £7,500 per year tax free by renting out a furnished room in your home! That would solve a lot of financial problems.

Can you reduce your food bills at all?
Most people can, if they eat less meat.

I simply can't believe that a 40-year-old mum of 3 can earn any money on Only Fans. Cat sitting or dog walking sounds a far better idea. People are desperate for sitters where I am.

1. Have you thought about using food banks and community larders? There’s no shame if you are in need, which it sounds like you are.
2. Have you replaced all your branded food purchases with cheaper own brands?
3. Have you looked at alternative supermarkets where a shop might be a little cheaper (eg. Aldi or Lidl)
4. Make a Citizen’s Advice appointment. They are very good at making sure you are claiming what you are entitled to and finding ways you might be able to reduce spending. For instance, are you claiming carer’s allowance for your son who has additional needs, even if he’s not entitled to PIP?
5. Check through your bank statements with a fine tooth comb. Are you paying any subscriptions you don’t need or could do without for a while (eg. streaming services).
6. Put up some notices in local shops and supermarkets offering a typing service. People often want things like CVs done. It won’t be consistent and might not help much but every little counts.
7. Have you considered an extra cleaning job? Some people may not mind if you can’t consistently commit to a particular day as long as you guarantee once a week or you might be able to do after hours office cleaning.
8. Could you move onto a cheaper phone contract?
9. Batch cooking in bulk and freezing can reduce food costs as can buying frozen meat as opposed to fresh. Investigate ‘budget’ recipes online as well.
10. Get the ‘Olio’ and ‘Too good to go’ apps
11. Make a packed lunch for work if you don’t already, rather than buying overpriced sandwiches and coffees.
12. Could your kids share a bedroom for a while and you get a lodger?

I really hope something there helps a little and might mean you don’t have to resort to OF! 🤷🏻‍♀️ As others have said there are many reasons not to do OF but I also don’t think it’ll make you much money.

Actually, thinking about it, I had a friend who used to do the telephone sex lines years ago, while she was doing her ironing and she made a mint! Are they still a thing?

If OF had been around when I was a struggling single mother 30 years ago, I would have seriously considered it. I ended up homeless because my prick ex wouldnt give me any money for the kids 😡

Your of suggestion is pretty stupid as well. Listen to people who are telling you, you won't make any money so it will be a waste of time anyway.
Lots of people are short of money but dont post about OF. What do you think people did to make money before Of too?

It’s sex work.

Right. Your DCs have student loans, plus part time jobs. But you’re paying for all the food and household costs.

What does their money go on? If they each paid a very minimal £20 a week that would be £240 a month which is probably more than you’d make on OF. And that is VERY reasonable. £50 a week each would be pretty average for students or youngsters living at home and more than fair.

I know you want them to enjoy uni but paying towards life is part of being an adult. It does them no favours to be shielded from adult responsibilities.

i bet they’d be horrified at the thought of their mum on OF..:

Your 'friend' is someone you need to boot out your life.
This sleazy scumbag will.destroy your confidence, dignity, pride and soul.
Kick him to the kerb girl and take the jobs mentioned here.
Sit down as a family with your budget

Ask all of them except your child with disability to come with ideas
how they will make savings
or contribute to the family budget.

Meet up every 3 weeks to monitor how things are going.
Be the united family and you get through it.

Today is a new start to a positive life.

Another suggestion is switching current accounts for a reward. You can work your way through 5-6 banks in a year x 4 adults is potentially quite a lot of money (maybe £4k-ish over 1 year). It requires some admin time (but really not much) and at least about £500 to shuffle about the accounts to meet the criteria for the reward. You can find exactly how to do it on money supermarket I think. It's something can you do only about every 4 years but as a one off it's still a really decent amount of money to get you out of a tight spot for really not much work (and very flexible, all the admin can be sorted out in the evenings or whenever).

Let's face it, it's a very thin line.

OF is not prostitution.

The first year child should have deferred until the other sibling was finished.

You're in this situation because you can't say no to your kids.

Sometimes they need to hear 'no, we can't afford it right now'.

Yes I get it that it's sad they wouldn't go able to go to the same uni as their pals at the same time but if the alternative is waiting a little longer and their mother not having to become a prostitute then I think it's pretty clear which they would have chosen.

Now they're caught in a hard place where really they cant afford to be in uni. You should have told them that honestly from the start.

You can't afford it.
That's not a reason to pimp yourself out. It's a reason to start teaching your kids hard lessons in life, that if you can't afford something you don't do it. You don't bakrupt yourself and your whole family trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Because that is so easy, these higher paying jobs grow in trees only on Mumsnet 🙄

Your "friend" sounds more like your pimp to be honest and very sleazy

I can't believe some posters are suggesting ways for OP to earn more, when it's clear her adult DC have plenty of money to contribute.

3 evenings bar work - so about 12 hours a week? At minimum wage that's £145 a week. Plus student loan of at least £6000 a year (as a PP pointed out it will actually be more). So that's £115 a week.
Altogether - £260 a week.
That is plenty to be paying their fair share of bills, heating, food. They could easily contribute to rent too, although I can understand if OP wants that to be her contribution to their education.

OP, you are doing them no favours by paying for so much for them. I've seen this with so many people I know - they never had to budget or contribute so really struggled when they left home.
It's so tempting as a parent who has gone through tough times to want to shower your DC with everything you didn't have - but they don't appreciate it as you would, because they didn't go through the hardship you did. It actually makes them struggle to budget or to become entitled.