To be thinking about starting adult webcam work?

[StaringAtMyWalls]

I'm in a really bad financial situation.

Due to physical and mental health I cannot work full time, I struggle to even work a part time schedule (good and bad days), but part time isn't nearly enough to pay my basic bills.

I've honestly tried all avenues already - applied for LCWRA and PIP numerous times and keep getting declined even though my issues are genuine, I already live in a cheap area rent wise, cut down all bills.

I'm considering doing webcam work as I could completely choose my own hours around medical appointments, insomnia, and bad days I could take time off. It would reduce my social anxiety as it's behind a screen and if I freaked out I could just shut down the screen.

I am a shy person though and I have a LOT of stretch marks. I'm not sure I have the balls for it tbh.

I don't care if anyone finds out or records me etc, so long as it doesn't massively impact my chances of a 'regular' job - I'm happy to accept that if found out I won't be able to be a politician (!!) or work with children or say as a lawyer (!!), but would it stop me doing care home, retail or cleaning work?

Does anyone have any experience of webcam work?

I dont think adolescent boy and a young woman would cope well with seeing images of a parent sex worker.

@randomer that really depends on the people involved and the op is obviously the only one here qualified to judge that. Shame and disgust don't automatically surround sex work, it depends how much the people involved think it's shameful and disgusting. Maybe you would think that if someone close to you was a sex worker, but if the op is confident her children would cope it's not for you to say otherwise.

@FeminismIsForALLWomen

Thank you. I have had some really good advice from this thread from posters about possible work options or training or ways of topping up a work income. I'm more hopeful now that if I can get a handle on my mental health and stay well or if not I can get the disability then I can survive financially.

If not then I will have to consider the sex work and my friend told me about the saafe website.

Teaching English online?

I used to be an English teacher in language schools, and it's something I'm looking into (I haven't actually done it yet because I'm busy with a toddler).

I know you said that you only have GCSEs, and that would exclude you from the higher paying TEFL websites, but I've seen one or two that don't require formal qualifications and basically just want native English speakers to chat to people. Like I say, those ones won't pay well, but they might be flexible and get you some money here and there.

@StaringAtMyWalls good, I'm happy you're feeling more positive. Hopefully you won't have to do sex work if you don't want to, but if you do you can pm me for help or support anytime, and saafe really is is an absolute lifesaver.

I can imagine poverty. I can't imagine engaging in hideous acts in front of a camera with dangerous people watching.

I 100% hope that the OP finds a way forward.

“To PP, how on earth can the OP do cleaning, dog walking etc if she can barely function most days?” How the devil is she going to do web cam work either? If she is going to shutdown the cam if she doesn’t want to do something, or doesn’t feel up to it it, she will get bad reviews and the work will dry up. I would imagine you need to be very confident, with a thick skin, but what do I know.

I think the PP who mentioned fighting her benefit decisions would be a better option. You should be able to claim Universal Credit without having to jump through hoops.

Seriously, don’t do it.

Could you live somewhere cheaper, like a room in a house of multiple occupation?

I lived in an HMO in my 30s, you can find some really decent places with big rooms sharing with young professionals that are only £200-300 a week where I live, with power on a meter and council tax included. Was such a cheap way of living and may do you good to live around others?

Try spareroom.com

Oh sorry just saw you are a mum.

I can imagine poverty. I can't imagine engaging in hideous acts in front of a camera with dangerous people watching.

The problem @randomer is that you have to imagine both scenarios. I have real life experience of sex work, camming included, and don't have to imagine it.

If you ever end up in the situation where you are facing becoming homeless or not being able to eat or feed your children your perceptions on what you can imagine may change.

Obviously nobody should have to choose to do sex work in those circumstances, but if they do make that choice out of necessity they should be treated with the same amount of respect as everyone else, and you really shouldn't be implying judgment by saying the things you are.

@FeminismIsForALLWomen, and you shouldn't be judging me for saying the things I have said.

I hope the OP finds a path through this difficulty.
On a practical note, I think many students work and study and her son could contribute to the food budget and so on. Cleaning is an option as are some of the other excellent suggestions others have made.
Its very hard to make good choices when you are unwell.

Also OP if you live in a coty with a university, see if you can contact the social science department and ask if they need volunteers for studies? They sometimes pay volunteers and while it’s nowhere near a full time income, it can be pocket money. You might need to do crazy stuff like sleep in a lab overnight, stare at optical illusions and answer a zillion questions, but it can be easy money 🤷‍♀️

and you shouldn't be judging me for saying the things I have said.

I haven't judged you. I've told you that you are wrong, and that imagining a situation is no substitute for experiencing it.

While you are entitled to your opinion on sex work or sex workers, you're not entitled to spout judgement based on your imagination.

[quote randomer]@FeminismIsForALLWomen, and you shouldn't be judging me for saying the things I have said.

I hope the OP finds a path through this difficulty.
On a practical note, I think many students work and study and her son could contribute to the food budget and so on. Cleaning is an option as are some of the other excellent suggestions others have made.
Its very hard to make good choices when you are unwell.[/quote]
My daughter has bad anxiety and I've worked really hard to encourage her to stay in uni when I'm able so I think pressuring her to work on top of uni at the moment is too much. My son is secondary school he can't be expected to contribute.

I can't do cleaning full time because of gynae and bladder medical issues. I really can't. Possibly part time.

For the past 3 years I haven't been able to do any work at all due to serious mental health issues that I'm trying my best to manage but I'm not there yet. I've been declined twice even on appeal for disability benefits.

It's not easy at all.

I think my ways out non sex work are -

If my mental health can improve and stay managed - qualification in admin work then full time admin work. I'm in financial dire straits though so unless it was a short qualification I may still have to do sex work short term til qualified.

Or if I can manage to get the disability benefits.

Or my daughter's anxiety improves and she can work and contribute.

In the kindest way op..if you aren't well enough to work because of your gynea and bladder issues..how do you think you're going to cope doing sex work which will directly involve aggravating those conditions? It doesn't make sense. You do realise you'll have to do a lot more than a strip tease don't you. I feel for you I really do, but I dont think webcamming is the best thing for you either mentally or physically.

Speak to DWP about the 30% deduction for debts, that doesn't sound round. It's maximum 5% per debt and there can only be 3 third party deductions taken at a time so it shouldn't be more than 15% being taken?

@StaringAtMyWalls are you receiving any mental health support? If you are then your GP / mental health team might be able to refer you into an IPS Employment Service programme. It's designed to help people with long term mental health problems into paid work. Here's a bit about the programme, in some areas you might be able to self refer: ipsgrow.org.uk/what-is-ips/

[quote StaringAtMyWalls]@Graphista

Yes the first time I applied I did it all myself, then the reconsideration thing, then the appeal. All denied. The forms made me anxious and I made a mess of them.

The second time I got help from CAB yes and a letter from my counselling. I got LCW which means I don't have to work search but re do my CV and stuff, but I don't get any payment over my normal UC. I was declined for the LCWRA payments and PIP too.

It doesn't make sense to me why LCWRA keeps getting declined because I'd never want to scam anything I'm not entitled to, but I read the descriptors and I definitely meet them for mental health. Some days I can barely get out of bed and just constant panic attacks and flashbacks I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Some days I'm down and anxious but can force myself to do the basics and could do some work related tasks. Maybe 2 days a week I'm ok and can do more. The physical health issues are a barrier to lifting and affect my sleep and I need time off for appointments, but less of a barrier than the MH.

I'll contact my local council welfare thank you for that.

The UC say my debts are the ones they are allowed to take 30% for. Massive non filing penalties from when I was self employed (again, MH), massive council tax debts, and massive utility fuel debts.[/quote]

Telling them that 2 days a week you're okay and can do things is probably why it's being rejected. DPs workcoach said you need to tell them that every day is like your worst day. If one day you are able to cook for yourself, have a shower, look after yourself etc then that shows them you are able to do it and you don't get the points for whatever section they're scoring, even if it's only once in a blue moon that you can do that.

Hi op, I don't think webcam work is right for you. Neither of these are massively well paid but I'm in similar circumstances to you and I'm signed up to rev and crisp moderation. Rev is audio transcription work, crisp is online moderation. With rev you apply, do a test and if you pass you start work within a couple of days. Crisp takes about a year to get on to, so is worth signing up straight away. You sign up, do a test and then go on the waiting list.

Both pay for the work that you do, as in you're not contracted for any set amount but the more you do, the more you earn. I was making about £400 a month but I was not doing full time hours. It all can be done from home, you just need a laptop or desktop pc. And a decent pair of headphones helps with rev too.

If your mental health is bad now web camming is going to make it worse.

Absolutely this!
You need a very thick skin to do this job and your mental state is way too fragile. You would be better getting a normal job than doing this.

I'm interested in the qualification in admin work. How would this prepare you for an actual job? I've been in admin/now management of admin for 20 years, and hire on experience and interview (they ask for a degree, that I don't think is strictly necessary, but helps to sift). I get about 150 plus applications for fairly low level stuff but that needs ability to learn systems.

What on earth does the qualification actually teach?

I don’t know why people are so negative.

I did cam work whilst at uni and didn’t earn a massive amount but usually a few hours at a time for 3/4 nights a week earned me around £200 which was enough to pay the bills.

The only thing I’d be cautious of setting your limits and not letting yourself get carried away. I was tempted many times for people offering me £500/£600 for an hour in person, I did decline but the temptation was massive.

This was nearly ten years ago now but as an interim to pay the bills, I have no regrets.

I did get recognised by an ex colleague once which was kind of awkward, so who knows if anyone else recognised me but kept quiet..

If it is just the equivalent of the ECDL, it won't be much use. You would need experience of office work to even get a look in, sorry. If it is something else, then possibly.....

You need a very thick skin to do this job and your mental state is way too fragile. You would be better getting a normal job than doing this.

@toocold54 are you a sex worker?

@ShalomToYouJackie

Speak to DWP about the 30% deduction for debts, that doesn't sound round. It's maximum 5% per debt and there can only be 3 third party deductions taken at a time so it shouldn't be more than 15% being taken?

I tried. Spoke to welfare rights too. The maximum is 30% for certain debts. Occasionally even more for other more specific things.