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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you are self employed what you do and how much you earn?

34 replies

dragoncena · 21/04/2021 13:06

I'm a carer for a disabled child and will need an income soon. I will need to be SE as I need to be very flexible. I'm awake a lot at night with ds so something I could do at home would be ideal. The problem is I don't know what I want to do Confused. I don't need it to be very well paid, but I would need minimum wage at least. I'm just looking for ideas at this stage (the wrapping thread was very useful).
So, if you care to respond, what is your SE business and how much does it pay?

OP posts:
Original poster
dragoncena · 21/04/2021 14:39

Bump

OP posts:
SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/04/2021 14:42

I think you would get answers if you asked "I can do x, y, z can anyone tell me if it's worth it in my situation" rather than asking people what they do and how much they make.

Aprilshowersandhail · 21/04/2021 14:43

Cleaner here. Love it tbh!
Pre Covid I was very busy! Slowly getting back to normal. Long term customers, some seasonal work and a few new ones! Never dull and very flexible!

Movinghouseatlast · 21/04/2021 14:48

I agree with the previous comment. You will get more useful replies if you post that you are looking for a job to fit in around your commitments.

"I'm a barrister and earn £150,000 a year" isn't going to help you!!!

Have a look on money saving expert. Lots of people there have developed really creative ways to earn money.

SleepyMathematician · 21/04/2021 14:49

I tutor maths at home. I love it. So satisfying getting pupils who hated maths and said they couldn’t do it to have confidence, pass their GCSE, and even enjoy it.

My hourly rate would tell you pretty much nothing. Work is inconsistent throughout the year, I don’t get paid holidays and I have a surprising amount of expenses. I can’t be ill because there’s no sick pay. I think you will find the same for many SE businesses. There’s a bigger picture than “more than minimum wage”.

DeeplyMovingExperience · 21/04/2021 14:50

Good, reliable cleaners who clean to a high standard are worth their weight in gold. I don't have one at the moment, but I used to pay £12.50 an hour, rising to £15 per hour.

womaninatightspot · 21/04/2021 14:52

What skills do you have. I suppose you could take in ironing if looking to do stuff late at night.

Aprilshowersandhail · 21/04/2021 14:52

I am very well thought of and a trusted employee.. I have been reprimanded several times for saying I am just their cleaner!

notanothertakeaway · 21/04/2021 15:05

If you need to be flexible, I'm not sure cleaning would work for you, as you may not be able to offer a reliable service

Would ironing suit you? But perhaps less need for that, now more people are working from home

Another idea, if you have people near by who are cash rich / time poor, might be to prepare home cooked meals for people to reheat at home. When my granny had young children at home, she paid a neighbour to prepare some of their meals. The neighbour used Granny's serving dishes & Granny went round at a set time eg every Tuesday at 4pm to collect two or three meals. Nowadays you'd need a food licence, insurance etc, but I've often thought there may still be an appetite for that, especially if you can make it environmentally friendly eg the cost of the meal includes the deposit on an Ikea dish, which can be re-used

Aprilshowersandhail · 21/04/2021 15:11

My customers have a set day but times can be flexible.. They know they get say 3 hours. Maybe 9-12, or 1-4. Nobody minds as long as it's done. Ironing is also on my duties.. Providing a range of services is a bonus. One of my customers insisted I call myself a Christmas Tree Design Specialist as I put up her tree last year!! That's pretty standard for me for years as lots of people can't be bothered!!

Original poster
dragoncena · 21/04/2021 15:14

Thanks for the replies. I'm really just looking for ideas right now, something that might pique my interest.
I am qualified to teach ESL so that is something I could potentially do, although for every hour you teach (and the rate isn't great) there is another hour of prep, so I'm not overly keen. I'm very bad at ironing so that is definitely out! I'm a decent cook but know a few people who do this and to make any money you have to charge quite a lot which puts people off.
I have a masters in law but unfortunately don't have the time to be a barrister otherwise I'd already be raking it in 😁

OP posts:
OneInEight · 21/04/2021 15:38

I used to work for the open university as a tutor which is decent pay for the hours worked I thought and very flexible apart from having to commit to a time for online sessions not that you have to do very many of these. I only did one course but I know some people managed to make it into a reasonable job by teaching several courses.

Currently, for exactly the same reasons as you I am self-employed and sell second hand goods online. I work about 6 hours a day which gives me a reasonable income (above minimum wage anyway) if not a fortune and it is very flexible so if I need a day off there is absolutely no problem.

Original poster
dragoncena · 21/04/2021 15:53

One being an OU tutor would be my dream, I'm on the vacancies mailing list but unfortunately nothing ever comes up in my geographical area. Can I ask how much you get paid per module? The website is very vague.

OP posts:
Overthebow · 21/04/2021 16:01

Could you do A Level and GCSE tutoring? There is some prep involved but there are plenty of resources online and workbooks which have ideas. You would easily make minimum wage as £20 per hour is common (more in London) so even with 1/2 hour prep you would earn a decent hourly wage

ThatOtherPoster · 21/04/2021 16:04

I have a masters in law

This is where you should focus your attention. Research jobs in that sector. That’s where the money is.

Karwomannghia · 21/04/2021 16:12

A colleague teaches English to Chinese children online, it’s through a company where are the planning and content is done, but you deliver it and add bits etc so not masses of prep. All from home.

Original poster
dragoncena · 21/04/2021 16:12

Other unfortunately there is little scope for flexible SE jobs in this area.
Over a few years ago I tutored a few children in GCSE English language and was good at it. That is a possibility, but not being a teacher I am riddled with imposter syndrome. There is very little demand for a law tutor.

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/04/2021 16:13

I used to be a self employed barrister! Really didn’t rake it in at all because I did crime - a lot of hours and stress for not a lot of money.

Sorry that’s not very helpful!

Can you get copywriting work from home or is that way out of date?

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/04/2021 16:14

Or 11+ tutor?

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/04/2021 16:15

If it helps I’m a civil servant now and I work 100% from home.

Original poster
dragoncena · 21/04/2021 16:18

Gertrude no idea about the copywriting, but I have proof read/edited PhD theses for a few people and that is another line I could explore.
We are in a grammar county so 11+ tutors are highly in demand, although not having teaching status would really go against me and my maths isn't great.

OP posts:
ThatOtherPoster · 21/04/2021 16:21

Could you be an adviser/helpline person for one of those online jaw firms?

rosesinmygarden · 21/04/2021 16:22

@dragoncena

Thanks for the replies. I'm really just looking for ideas right now, something that might pique my interest. I am qualified to teach ESL so that is something I could potentially do, although for every hour you teach (and the rate isn't great) there is another hour of prep, so I'm not overly keen. I'm very bad at ironing so that is definitely out! I'm a decent cook but know a few people who do this and to make any money you have to charge quite a lot which puts people off. I have a masters in law but unfortunately don't have the time to be a barrister otherwise I'd already be raking it in 😁
If you work for one of the ESL companies there is very little prep.

Are you qualified to teach anything else? There is a huge market for tuition right now and it's well paid.

If you are highly qualified and confident to write educational materials that can be a good income too.

I earn around £40k a year from private tuition and educational consultancy working as a self employed sole trader.

OneInEight · 21/04/2021 16:31

I left a few years ago so salary would not be up-to-date even if I could remember it. I know certainly per hour it was more than my part-time lab job when I was still able to work outside the home.

Actually, with your knowledge of both SEN and law could you set yourself up as an SEN advocate for other parents??? There is definitely a need out there for someone who would not charge extortionate rates. We paid someone to check ds1 and ds2's draft EHCP's for instance.

.

ThisIsMeOrIsIt · 21/04/2021 16:36

I do teaching online for a US-based company. You can teach anything you like and they have learners aged 3-18 years all over the world. You set your hours, teach what you want and decide what you want to charge.

Also, there are online EAL companies that give you all the lesson stuff so you just teach, no planning required. They can be very big in China.