to ask what you do if you are self employed/work at home

[PocketFluff]

In a few threads recently people have talked about being self employed, some only doing a few hours a week, or being able to have a work at home job that fits around the children.

Can I be nosey and ask what it is you do and get a bit of the action myself?

Baileys - was this all achieved through bra selling on ebay, or have you now diversified?

I'm a Makaton signer and do lots of creative sensory work with children. Absolutely love it. To make up any shortfalls I work part time in a commercial theatre FOH in the evenings.

Transcribe from home and tutor.

Chartered Accountant and tax advisor, have just started up on my own, really enjoy the client interaction and work but find it hard to fit around my 1 and 2 yr old!

Won't make any real money from it though till both are at school but really enjoy it and that's what matters at the moment!

Bofo sorry if silly question...but what do you do as a healthcare researcher?

Blue2 - all just with a shop on eBay. I don't want to diversify on amazon or to manufacturing my own stuff. I just want to afford the nice extras and not feel like I'm relying on dh for money. (Lazy cow emoticon)

I just sell the well know brands like Freya, fantasie and triumph. Have a background in accountancy so am very careful to make sure that I make profit after all costs deducted. Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.

I offer an online 'super nanny service' advise parents on their children's eating,sleeping,behaviour and potty training. Most can be done from home and I can rely on friends or dh when I work away from home.

8Coffee* Thanks! Yes I can mark A Level (Law and Business Studies) Have previously only taught AQA spec, but the contyent is the same. I'll have a look

(Note to self: Bloody review message before posting!)

I have only just started turning a profit, and a very slim one at that. My official start date was April 2010- 2 months after DS's birth. I am a lone parent. These 3 facts are not unrelated .

But, month upon month, year upon year, the business is very slowly growing. At its present rate, I should hit the 30 hours @NMW target in 2 years. (That's consistently- on a monthly basis I did it for the first time this August).

I often muse upon it, and I think that if I didn't have DS, I would have been able to put approx. twice the hours in, and it would have taken me half the time to get this far.

Problem is, if you pull the rug out from under all the small, unprofitable little businesses (especially the ones run by people juggling childcare of small children), then they will never have the chance to turn into big, healthy businesses one day.

Medical secretary for DH small private practice.

Pitch editor affiliated with a couple of custom publishing companies. It's feast or famine though - I spent the whole summer gnawing my nails off with no work, now I'm inundated.

I stopped being a sub/proof reader as it was such a crowded market and followed my skill set. I love taking a project from vague idea to magazine, even if it's about plumbing.

Talkinpeace I'm only asking because HMRC are trying to get rid of 'pin money' self employments from the tax credit system and its interesting to gauge how widespeard they are.

So, what are they going to do with people?

Whatho
people will still be self employed but

• they will not get tax credits unless the business is viable (ie taxable profit equivalent to >24 hours at NMW
• they may well be restricted from offsetting losses against other income to reclaim tax

so if they don't make much, the state will not top them up : which I have to admit seems reasonable.

Writer. I'm in a particular field of publishing and got started by working in a proper, in-house full time job for a publisher (pre-DC). My freelance work initially came from former colleagues, then once I had that freelance experience I approached other publishers.

Accountant

Yet another translator here.

I spent a couple of years teaching English in Milan while I was building up a large enough clientele to make a living out of translation.

I have a law degree and the DipTrans, and a fairly niche specialisation in pharmaceutical patent litigation.

No, not enough to make a living, about 8k at best. But I don't claim tax credits either. They stopped them a year or so ago due to our income. Not sure why as DH is not a big earner and I'm sure we don't earn enough, though between us we're over the 22k I've heard mooted.

I haven't bothered to investigate because we cope and I don't want anyone sticking their nose in and saying I need to get a "proper" job. I only work 3 days a week and that's only part time hours, which suits me fine. When the children are left home I may well do more and then I will make a living wage out of it - it's certainly possible. A friend of mine teaches singing and her husband piano and they do very nicely indeed, if their car, house and holidays are anything to go by!

Clinical psychologist- private practice with own limited company

Personal Assistant for the head of a small but busy law firm. Boss works remotely too so it works well for us with email, phone, etc. DS in Nursery 3 days and the other 2 I work when he's asleep or evenings.

I have a retail website. I import funky organic fabric from Scandinavia and sell it. I make some of it into children's clothing that I also sell. Alongside this I source and sell unusual quality/handmade gifts and homeware.

I have worked hard and built my business up from nothing. I'm far from being a millionaire but it's flexible (I work full time), and I love all aspects from buying, making, marketing, customer service and web design. Not to mention all the SEO that is needed.

If you have a dream, a focus, some business/internet knowledge and not forgetting the all important business plan, then I'd say go for it.

Fascinating. Just marking my place.

I'm a beauty therapist.

Project Manager, have been able to take on more contracts and more hours as dss have got older. Work alot from home and always around school hours, rarely work school holidays (although may have to this year as have been offered a contract too good to turn down but has a december start date)

I'm a Maternity Nurse so work away from home a lot. However once I have children I'll shift into consultancy work for sleep and feeding support for under ones. I'll also offer behavioural support for under fives as well.

I also am just about to complete my IAIM infant massage certificate so will run classes as well.

I am a private tutor. I was a teacher in a school before I had my children. My Mum looks after the children a couple of afternoons a week while my students are here and DH does it at weekends. This is an interesting thread as it gives me other ideas. I am only part time though so I do get out to socialise and go to toddler groups etc.

strawberries the advertising sales job sounds interesting, how did you get that? I used to work in that area pre-teaching.