AIBU to want a career change at this point in life?

[switcharoo]

Married mid 30s with one DS. I've been in the same sales job for 10years based in London, I work 27 hours over 3 days earning £35k. I just can't see myself doing this for the rest of my life, I hate sales and kind of fell into it, I just want more for myself.
I'm likely to have another child at some point so would like to consider some self employed ventures I could set up before that mat leave and fit in any training required.
Am I being self indulgent and silly to do this at this time of our lives? I'm looking for suggestions but maybe training to do mobile nails or tanning?

I'm looking for suggestions but maybe training to do mobile nails or tanning?

Both minimum wage jobs- even allowing for London that would be less than half of what you earn now for full time.

Sorry so as not to drip feed DH earns around £60k so we def still rely on my income and I would aim to start my business while towards the end of any mat leave and try to grow it with a view that I might go back to work but have grown it to a point where I could leave my job.
Any success stories would be much appreciated! Or tell me I'm being silly!

@TiredOldTable yes I'm aware I wouldn't get the same but tax would certainly be less and I could dramatically reduce our £800 nursery bill.
Any suggestions for jobs roles you think could work?

How about moving from sales to a marketing role? The Chartered Institute of Marketing offer several levels of well-regarded professional qualifications that you can do online etc. while you're still working. It would probably offer the same kind of pay as you're on now (not including commission) and a lot of marketing jobs are flexible.

I was going to say you're not unreasonable but you sort of lost me at mobile tanning. Why would you want to retrain to do something that will pay so much less? You could go out and get any basic admin job.

If you don't like what you do, fair enough. Don't undersell yourself though.

Train in the law ... someone I know worked for the NHS for twenty years and was made redundant in his 40s and he then went to college and became a Property Lawyer. He is now very successful and wishes he had done it years ago.

If there is another work area you are interested in, I would say go for it. Don’t get to retirement and think “I wish I had.....”

I just want some more freedom being self employed, I'm tired of being beholden to a company. I'm struggling to think of anything that isn't minimum wage that I could easily and cheaply retrain as that would allow me to be self employed without needing a shop premises etc

Self employment is a double edge sword. You’re not being ridiculous you just have prepare a lot and be willing to graft hard.
Biggest things are no sick pay means if you aren’t working you aren’t earning. It can take years to build a decent name and clientele.
Holidays are rarely fully off as a one person outfit.
Just be realistic about grass greener with self employment and if you need the wage coming in can become extremely stressful very quickly. You’d definitely be better off staggering for a year minimum (unless you insanely took off immediately which is rare). It can end up being 2 ft jobs at once though.
Also mortgages are pain for self employed and paying half of next years predicted tax up front can be a killer. My husband recommends it for flexibility but as his wife I know he never really has a day off, you’re on emails/ message all the time especially at the start. Month to month you might have the same outgoings (insurance, utilities etc) but not a guaranteed amount of income consistently.
Im sounding incredibly negative but it’s better to be prepared for this at the start and getting a financial buffer in place.
Good luck whatever you decide. I’ve just started to retrain as a nurse and the financial hit is a strain but I know it’s short term and pretty much guaranteed a job I’ll love at the end. Happiness and health come before money sometimes!

Thanks @Bathwater that's very helpful, I'm hoping that with a year of planning then to stagger it over another year or two before I gave up my job would allow for the changes to sink in properly. In sales I'm used to the up and down of wages each month and having the constant pressure, not a day goes by where I'm not on my emails even if it's a day I'm supposed to be off but sick and holiday pay is def something to think about

Book keeping?

Can't remember which thread now but someone (or probably a few people I've seen it more than once) was talking about doing AAT and providing book keeping services.

Wanting something with cheap training limits you a bit.

How would you feel about plumbing? I knew someone who left nursing and became a plumber. You can pick the kind of work you want to do.

Or electrician.

Admittedly I have no idea how much the training costs.

I wouldn't recommend book keeping. A lot of it is automated now and with AI I doubt there'll be many jobs around in years to come.

www.coursesonline.co.uk/course-listing/aatqb-pathway-for-bookkeepers-aat/

I'm just starting this at the momemt

*moment

@dimsum123 I think it depends where you live. I'm in an area knee deep in tradespeople who have very little education and entered a trade via an apprenticeship. They have absolutely no idea what they earn, how taxes work etc and book keeping leading to accountancy later is a good route for my area. They're not the sort of people to do stuff themselves online etc.

Definitely not too late for a career change- if you are in your mid 30's you have about 30 years until you retire- 3x the length of time in your current role. You could have multiple career changes in that time.

mobile nails As in mobile nail painting/false nails or as in foot care - mainly cutting toe nails for those not mobile enough to do it themselves. A lady has just started in our area, charges £25 per visit, which probably takes her an hour including travel. Independent driving instructors, language tutors charge about the same. Plumbers, electricians etc are more like £50 per hour. Tutors, plumbers, electricians have more "preparation time" - preparing lessons, offering free quotes, spending time sourcing spare parts etc.

Yes mobile nail painting, I calculated last night if I wanted to work my 3 days a week I'd need to do 6 per day to earn the same money net figure which is circa £2000pcm after tax. Although obvs is have small travel costs/tax/nail supplies to add on top as my costs. However I presume some would be weekends in which case DH would do childcare or evenings when people are home from work so my nursery bill would reduce.

Lots of girls I know now spend a fortune wearing semi permanent lashes so that could be a good add on too I though