To think I can make a living just doing my own thing?

[Goodsplatter]

I need to get out of nursing. It’s just not me at all. I don’t like being around people - I’m autistic so struggle with empathy and just spend my days getting irritable and worked up. I’m unhappy. Next year I’m determined to get out of it completely.

I need to be self employed as I’m unreliable and inflexible (but very self aware!!). My ideal life would be a mixture of painting and decorating X dog walking. AIBU to think theoretically I can do both of these things and make around £1000 a month doing so?

By unreliable I mean I can’t commit to shift patterns where I’m not in control of when I work. I don’t mean I’d agree to do something and then not turn up etc

I’d suggest you do a proper business plan to work that out.

And don’t put unreliable of your business cards.

People need dog walkers to be available, as a minimum, 10-4pm Mon-Fri. Not sure how you could take on painting and decorating (often paid by the day) and also drive large distances picking up, walking and dropping off dogs to fit in with the owners’ needs.

Well it depends really on how well you can paint/decorate and how many dogs you can handle in one go and how many people need your services in your area.

I can't think of any job, self employed or otherwise which would last long if you're unreliable.

Dog walker - one day you don't fancy taking any dogs for a walk, cue people returning home to find their dogs have shat all over the house and ripped up the carpet because it has been on its own for eight hours. You are sacked.

Decorating - people expect decorators to arrive on time every day - you decide you can't be bothered for a couple of days, your reputation will plummet to zero. You are sacked.

End result - zero income from either and a crappy reputation which makes you unemployable.

I went self employed (cleaner) and it’s done wonders for my mental health OP. I’m in control of the whole shebang. If I need a day/week off I can book it.

It would be slightly different with dog walking as dogs need walked every day (people can cope without a cleaner!) and painting and decorating as people wont give you a second chance to come back if you cancel. But if you think you would like it then give it some serious thought and research.

Good, in demand painters and decorators are skilled. Do you have the required skills beyond emulsioning and papering your own home? Do you have the know how for tricky prep and awkward jobs? They are also insured.

How would you combine dog walking with painting and decorating? As PP says, the shifts don’t really work (and people would most likely want you regularly for dog walking). What about transport? I would suggest that you can’t use the same van for dogs as you do for painting equipment, they would need to be fitted out differently and obviously any paint, solvent or wallpaper paste residue could be harmful for dogs.

Self employment and escaping nursing aren’t bad ideas per se, it’s just this combination that seems a bit unworkable.

I definitely can’t be see P&D working with dog walking. You’d have to commit to one or the other.

You could probably do one or the other but certainly not both it would be a logistical nightmare! People who hire dog walker wants the benefits of a regular reliable service with last minute flexibility and ad hoc service built in.

If you don't like people much then I would avoid painting and decorating, it sounds like you would be doing it all day on your own but in reality people will want you to visit for quotes, they will call you in the evenings, they might be home whilst you are working and get in your way, they'll change their minds about colours or when they want you to come.

People are annoying stick with the dogs

I would choose one and focus on it. When that is successful if you think you can put in the time for a second business then introduce that too. Good luck! Are you able to save up 3 months of bills at a minimum on top of start up costs? This would be a good fall back!

My neighbour has ASD and earns about a £1000 a month doing leaflet deliveries. To be fair he works 8 hours a day and walks miles but it's perfect for him as he can do it when he wants to and doesn't involve people.

You can't just decide to become a painter and decorator.

Well you can, but you won't make much money from it.

How do you plan to make P&D a money making venture?

If you do one or the other other well, it can work. I have a friend who makes a living walking dogs and offering dog sitting in her home, for the walking clients.
Another makes a living as an artist. Maybe 30% of the time is making art, the other 70% is marketing, which means being super people friendly

How good are you at painting and decorating? What would you do if you needed an extra person for the job?

What part of the country do you live in?

In your shoes OP I’d go for the dog walking.

One or the other, as PP’s have said.

Or think of a different add-on to painting/decorating, or a different add-on to dog-walking. Basically, you need a flexible evening job for either.

Ok I’ll ditch the p&d and focus on dog walking. I only need to make £800-£1000 a month to earn what I earn now but could survive on less as DH earns a good wage, enough to fully support us and he’s happy for me to give this a go, even if it means earning less.

I could do cleaning and dog walking ... sounds ideal. I could also combine dog training with the rest ... I have no dog qualifications but dogs are my passion and I’m good with them ... have successfully trained many a dog.

Also I’m thinking of volunteering for the local dog rescue to gain experience

Good you have a supportive DH! That will make it less stressful to make the change.

Do your homework.

Local research: who is already offering dog walking, what are they offering, can you offer better, how much are they charging etc

What insurance will you need, how many dogs will you need to take each day to break even? What costs will be involved?

I reckon if you posted a thread on the dog walking board you will get loads of useful advice.

Also I’m thinking of volunteering for the local dog rescue to gain experience

Great idea. There is also a website called “borrow my doggy” where you walk other peoples dogs for free. It would give you an idea of whether you really do enjoy it and will cope with the awful weather we get in the U.K.

Combining any two business ideas into one unless they’re actually linked might be a lot to take on at once. With all 3 of the suggested jobs you need to factor in travel costs and time between clients (suitable car for dogs too newfies and a c1 won’t go well) and then there’s time.
All 3 are day jobs.. most want a cleaner or dog walker between 10-4 (too early and your still making breakfast while the cleaner starts or the dogs only been in an hour and you’d want to come back to a clean house). You need to work out hours like when you’ll eat lunch and how far you can travel.

Paintings a full day job so you’d be fecked for walking those days.

Ideally a night and a day business would work best at least until you’ve got something off the ground with regular clients. Could be dogs during the day and ironing from home.

And with walking/training (you’d maybe need owners present for training too) you’d need to adhere to some kind of shift pattern.

How would you all manage if your dh wanted to ditch his job and do his own thing too.?