To ask those SAHM who are self-employed to tell us what they do?

[Dryjuice25]

I have seen posts of mums who work for themselves from home and always wondered just being nosey what they do and how they get their money.

I expected no posts so come on here and tell us if you don't mind.

I have to say that I'm looking for something to do at the moment as I have 3dcs, single and find it hard to get child-friendly jobs that don't involve travelling to London(1 and half hours drive!) Preferably something that only requires a small capital outlay.

Thanks in advance

[KirjavaTheCat]

Also a cakemaker. Hobby at the moment - hoping to expand and do it properly in a couple of years.

[ben5]

sounds really sad but I have a paper round. I do it while the kids are at school and if I don't finish it while they are at school they help me. Also I clean peoples houses. Some only want a couple of hours a week and pay cash in hand. When they are able to walk to school themselves I'll retrain and get a different job. I work for Ngala also which is like sure start but on a casual basis. This is also school hours but if I do cert 3 I can get 8hrs a week. suits me fine. Also look into Avon and tupperware/ partylite and pamper cheif

[kerala]

Interesting debate- I think of myself and would describe myself as a SAHM but some months earn quite a bit. Maybe the test is if you put your children in childcare to do the job then its self employed if you don't need to do that its SAHM earning money . It is quite funny watching the frantic "I am not a SAHM" ing going on as if its a dark and shameful thing to be .

[Chattymummyhere]

Im still a SAHM, it is pin money an investment for free holidays, but not a living wage

[twirlyagogo]

No one is saying SAHM is a shameful label or a dark thing to be. I don't see anyone getting irate either. Some of us are just saying we categorise ourselves in a different way - OP just wants some ideas about jobs you can do at home and some of us are just pointing out how we perceive our jobs.

[kerala]

I suppose I would count work I did as more "real" if it involved using my brain and doing something related to what I used to do (solicitor). As what I do now is so different to that I cant see it as a proper job .

[Kewcumber]

kerala - I didn't feel even slightly frantic in fact I did say I have been SAHM, WOHM and now SFHM. I can tell the difference. I don;t much object to people calling me SAHM, I don;t particularly find it offensive - its just wrong.

[Kewcumber]

MI - the one advantage to being an accountant is virtually nobody thinks they can do your job. In fact that you can even add up seems to qualify you for mensa status in many peoples eyes.

[Saffra]

I have an online business that contributes to half of our household income. I employ a PT assistant too. I'm incredibly lucky (I think) to be able to have really flexible work as it means I can do plenty of stuff with 18 month old DD.

I don't identify myself as a SAHM per se, but think others may perceive me as that perhaps as I'm much more likely to talk about my DD than work.

[Kewcumber]

I don't always need childcare to do my job but my clients would be shocked if they thought a SAHM earning some pin money was doing their accounts! I take my work seriously and it earns me money. Not sure why it needs qualifying anymore than that to be a job

If a man were doing my job they would call it "work" they wouldn;t qualify it by whether they had childrne or not or whether they did it from home or a client or a workplace.

[Dryjuice25]

Funny as it sounds wahm didn't even cross my mind when I was posting. I think I agree with Kerala on this issue though.
Kewcumber Many thanks your way. You have given me something to seriously consider, and great ideas too. Thank God you came on this thread.
Twirly I do have a manuscript that I finished a couple of years ago. But just for me and my friends, so yes, I think I can apply myself and commit well if there is an incentive I suppose.
Momi Just wow! Don't you miss medicine though?
Choco I have issues with self esteem since I was made redundant. It knocked me for six and I was weepy for some time. I'm working on it and I'm volunteering and hopefully I will get back to where I was before. I'm rubbish though
Kirjava Good luck with business dvt. I hope it works out for you.
Ben5 I think you're doing a great job and there is nothing sad about what you do. It's the variety of things that you have going that says a lot about you as a person. You get up and do something. It's commendable.

Thanks guys just for saying I'm not a failure. I feel encouraged.

[Knottingnotknitting]

I am a facepainter. I also do a bit of p/t reception work. I take home approx 1500 quid per month but still class myself as a SAHM as that is what I do for the majority of my week.

[BurningBridges]

I'm a fundraising consultant, I was a senior fundraiser before the children were born, so it was easy enough to make the change. I advise charities on major income streams (I don't do things like community or individual giving although I can help with that) - I write applications to grant making trusts, statutory funders and the lottery etc And if needs be I can look at the whole organisation and make recommendations about strategic fundraising. The bulk of it is writing.

Anyway, I do that 99% of the time from home, I have clients at opposite ends of the country, only see them once a year if that. And if I'm at a loose end, I do ad hoc event management, which was my previous job before voluntary sector.

Today I've been sitting here for hours trying to get my head together to write something, both kids off sick and a pile of dirty plates by the sink, pretty run of the mill day for me. I do get lonely and bored, hence being on here a lot!

[CailinDana]

I edit a magazine. It's extremely flexible and i don't need childcare.

[twirlyagogo]

Aren't lots of us writers? I had no idea!

[Dryjuice25]

Twirlyagogo I wouldn't go as far as thinking that I was a writer though. Only a hobby that I enjoyed and need to reignite. I would love to be at the level you're at. I find it quite liberating to be able to write your own stuff and getting paid for it is a bonus.
I was watching Hamlet last night and just the diction of it made me realise why Shakespeare is such legend. But this also showed me how rubbish my writing was. Not that I think it's helpful to ever compare yourself with such literary giants, but somehow, I paid more attention to his diction and I was in awe.

[VIX1980]

Im a seamstress, i do alterations and also dressmaking, did my degree in 2008 and jobs within the fashion industry were very thin on the ground, so i set up myself, dont think im running the business the ideal way as i have a 10 month old, but i do a few days here and there until he goes to nursery then ill start full time again.

Would you take up a hobby and start doing that? my friend did chinese cookery at nightschool a few years ago and now she teaches it for party nights every month, the only outlay is the equipment but once bought you reap back the money from bookings.

[TattyDevine]

I make jewellery. Fun, creative, great profit margin.

[BooksAGoGo]

Another writer here - but definitely not a SAHM. DC goes to nursery so I have proper writing time. And OP I started writing as a hobby but am taking time out of work for a few years to concentrate on writing books in between MNing If you get a decent advance you can earn the same as in FT work with all the lovely flexibility of working for yourself.

Waving at the other writers on thread - there are more than I thought :)

[AprilFoolishness]

You're THE TattyDevine! That's very exciting, I used to live in the East End and love mooching at your stuff on Sundays!

[AprilFoolishness]

twirly I guess it's about feeling at home in a site with a Pedant's Corner