To wonder if this work pattern is sustainable long-term?

[Lunedeciel]

I recently moved to a new role I'm much happier in. I took on evenng tutoring almost 2 months ago to help pay off my credit card debt, however I'm not sure how long i can sustain this as I'm very tired.

I have a 1h20 commute each way to work as a teacher, but fortunately will have the holidays to recover from this.
I take the bus because I'm trying to save money and a pass is only £20 a week unlimited.

I leave my job at 4 and arrive at tutoring Monday and Wednesday for 5:15, tutor for an hour and get back home about 6:45pm (the tutoring is nearer my home on these days)

On a Thursday, I leave at 4pm, arrive to tutoring for another pupil at 5:30pm, tutor until 7:30pm then reach home for about 8:30pm.

So every Thursday I'm out from 7:35am to 8:30pm,and 7:35am to 6:45pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Twice a week i have to pay for the train to tutoring too, which is around £9 a week. My tutoring is £20 an hour so it comes out of this.
Fortunately I have been offered a casual bank role so I'll be able to pick up extra work over the holidays, I'm just finding this tiring but not sure if I'm being unreasonable.
I think its the long commute between each place. I don't want to let the pupils down though, but would you carry on with this.

7:45am - 6:45pm sounds like a normal day work day including an average commute really. It’s only Monday you’re really working significantly late.
No one can really tell you if it’s sustainable or not, that’s a personal decision.
I thought most teachers had to stay past 4 to do work? At least you’re getting paid for it.

It's not unusual for people to leave for work and arrive back 12 hours later Monday - Friday. Maybe it's unusual in teaching but a lot of other jobs have longer hours than this and not even long school holidays to recover!

However, it's not about other people, it's about what you can personally manage - we all have different demands on us outside of work, different energy levels and health. Do you think the additional hours and travel time and cost are worth the extra you earn bearing in mind the additional tax and costs? Can you look at moving to online tutoring so you are not wasting time travelling?

Do you have kids?

It wouldn't be ok for me ,not with the stressful day job, commute, public transport, working in two places.

This feels extremely doable... especially factoring in that you're taking public transport and not driving which means you can chill out or catch up on admin etc.

How long until your CC debt is paid off? Can you drop the tutoring then, or could you spread it out a bit so it's not so many days?

What subject are you tutoring? You'd make a lot more without the agency and going alone.

I wouldn’t do it for twenty quid an hour. Qualified teacher, minimum £40. In London, or for 11+ - minimum £50.

More money might make it easier!

We pay £30 an hour if that helps

Could you look into online tutoring? Or could you just find a part time job during half terms and summer holidays to boost income as another option?

But when do you do all the other teaching work? Marking / planning and such forth?

I would find it tiring. You don't want to burn out.

£20 an hour is low for qualified teacher tutoring.
As for balancing 2 jobs do you not need to mark/plan in evenings. Getting back in from tutoring then having to log back on to day job isn’t doable.

I don't work in a 'traditional' school so fortunately my marking and planning is done within my working hours. I think I'm finding it more tiring atm because I'm not sleeping well, stressing about money. Part of me just thinks, sod it, worrying like this is just going to give me more insomnia.

Why are you charging just £20/HR for tutoring?

By the time you've added in travel costs, additional time for admin/preparation/phone calls, professional indemnity insurance etc you'll be making minimum wage at best.

You presumably have high level qualifications as a teacher, experience and knowledge of the requirements for the exam boards? Don't you think that is worth more than minimum wage?

Don’t see a problem with getting home at 6.45
i normally work until 7 pm

Do you leave at 7:30am?

I just think the sort of clients I have can't afford £30 an hour, I know that's not my issue but I just don't feel like I'd get many clients round hers on that rate. North West

That's why you need to move online then - people elsewhere will definitely pay this for a qualified teacher. I pay £40 for 45 mins online - that is for general primary and also secondary maths and science.

I know everyone is different, but I leave my house at 8am and get home just before 8pm 5 days a week. I only have a 25 minute commute each way, so the rest of the day is spent working.

Yes, it's tiring though I don't tend to need much sleep - 6.5 hours is enough normally and I wake up before my alarm.

I agree with other PPs about looking to change the tutoring to suit you better. My DNs have a maths tutor that is all online. That way the tutor is able to see more pupils too without the travelling, so even at a lower charge out rate, earns more.

If you’re young and have no kids very much ok. I had work and study that meant on 3 days a week I was out from 7am to 10pm. I had an hour lunch break and then an hour between 5and 6pm off where I would eat. I did it for a few years. Also on buses as I couldn’t afford a car.

I regularly left home at 7.30am, dropped a not very good at sleeping 2 year to nursery on the way to work, drove up to 1 hour to get to work and then didn't get home till nearly 10pm. Some nights I only managed a few hours sleep due to the 2 year old (it's not much better now and she's 7!).

I did this twice a week for about 2 years. It was fine as I needed to do it. I also worked full time with no half terms etc to recover in!

I don't think its that much tbh, if you need the money keep doing it. If you can manage without it then stop. But in answer to your question I don't think its unrealistic to do.

You could look at a few agencies which offer online tutoring. Then you can sit at home with your slippers on to do it. My friend's son did this while at university, he earned quite a bit.

Your choice, obviously, but you are working to earn a living, not to run a charity.

If you don't value your skills and education, others won't either. Also bare in mind if you're in a PAYE job you're likely to be over the tax threshold and should be paying tax on your tuition earnings, which you'll need to self-declare. Not doing so could put your enhanced DBS at risk.

Also, when you calculate your earnings on a per hour basis after costs/travel time, insurance/tax etc how much are you actually gaining per hour?

As others have suggested, could you switch to online instead to reduce some of your costs and the travel time?

I don't think you are doing yourself any favours (I mean this in the nicest possible way). You've got to look after yourself if you want to avoid burn-out.

Only you know whether it is sustainable or not. It sounds fairly tough but not exceptional by any means. A 7.30 - 6.30 day is pretty common, so only one day a week is particularly late.

However, I really don't think that the extra time and cost of travelling to work one hour and earn £20 would be worth it for most people educated to the level of a teacher. There must be a better way eg online tutoring, or getting them to come to you.