... to bounce this comment I head on the radio (about moonlighting)

[troisgarcons]

Can't for the life of me remember who exactly it was talking but it was one of the Police Union Chaps on 5Live/radio 5 day yesterday afternoon.

The discussion was about police wages being so poor now (public sector 4 year pay freeze) that the police now had no option but to moonlight like the fire brigade and do private work (body guarding/security/club doormen/private investigators) to make ends meet.

The radio piece then went on to imply that all public sector workers moonlighted from their main job - nurses (as private care workers), doctors (doing private subcontract work), teachers (as private tutors) etc etc.

Is moonlighting really that widespread these days?

I can imagin that people might top up with a bit of eBaying or car booting, but to actually running 2 near-as-damn-it full time jobs?

A few nursing collegues (when I used to go out to work) would do 'bank' shifts, but mostly it was either the young single ones who wanted money for designer stuff and several holidays, or nurses who have come from abroad and send money home to their families.

I'm a teacher and most of us are examiners and many of us are private tutors, too. I would now be over £200 per month better off if we'd had the normal cost of living rises for the last few years. Of course people will do what they can to make that up.

Most of us at work, I mean.

Dh works minimum 40 hours a week + overtime when needed (often has no choice about the matter). We have 2 dc. He would have no time for a 2nd job.

I'm a teacher and mark for the exam board too. Couldn't afford not to what with no wage rises! I think it's more common than most people probably realise!

I know a couple of teachers who tutor, 5 children a week at £20 an hour is a nice little earner - £400 a month cash in hand.

Again, exam marking and moderation is a great one for NQTs provided they want to give up their summer holidays.

Ah I mark a level bio and the summer deadline is only a week into the holidays usually, the exam is usually the start of June. The january series deadline is this week, so again done mainly in term time! Just get up at four to do a couple of hours before school, then a few hours after ds goes to bed at 7 before planning and marking for school for another couple of hours, then bed about midnight! Am always glad when it's over!