Just wondered if any of you are self employed / work from home and if so, doing what ?

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

I would love to be able to do this, but can't think of anything that I could do.

Thought i'd be nosey and see what other lp's who work from home do.

It is (in a way) the ultimate flexibility isn't it - to be able to work from home, but as it is such a 'luxury' it comes with a price - usually having the skill set, experience or built up working relationships with clients or employers who are happy enough for you to be on board, they will allow you this flexibility.
Do you have transferrable skills from another job that you would be able to carry out at home?

Single parent of 5, ages 16, 13, 9, 8 and 7 and I work as a childminder.

V good income as the income and tax rules are different for childminders who are also lone parents BUT exhausting and involves a lot of your own time to do the extensive paperwork

I work from home 2-3 days a week. Am a management consultant in a specialist area. Am very lucky as I have the best of both worlds. A team of people to work with in an office and lots of flexibility. But have been in this area for over 20 years so not something that you can really just move into.

I could earn more if I had a more full on role but I love the job and being able to work it around my kids

I am registering as a childminder but it is taking forever. I have another thread in the CM section where one poster has been waiting over a year.
Pre-baby I worked in international logistics, not much call for that here. My degree is to do with children so CM-ing is the obvious choice but I worry about never seeing adults other than at pick-up time.

In more desperate moments I have been considering taking in baskets of ironing.
I write a bit so am thinking about pushing that up a notch and seeing if I can make it pay. Do you have any hobbies that could make some money?

Actually, should clarify I've just started the process so it isn't "taking forever". It is expected to take forever. . Best be accurate.

I am self-employed and sometimes work from home, depending on the nature of the project. I am a PR consultant. But I have worked in PR for 10 years and have a good network of contacts which is crucial as escape mentioned. It's taken a long time to get to this stage.

While it is flexible to a certain extent, the downside to being self-employed is that I always without fail take on too much work, e.g. at the moment I'm contracted to 3 days a week with one client, 2 days a week with another, plus I have two other client projects running concurrently so have too much work to fill the working week and am working a lot of evenings and weekends. It's hard to know when to stop.

Thank's for all of the replies.

I don't have any skills that I could use no. Previous jobs have been low paid cleaning, shop work etc.

I currently work on a children's ward as a housekeeper, but i'm not enjoying it, mainly because there just isn't enough to do, and it's an hours travelling each way, making it nearly 40 hrs a week.

I thought about childminding, but I have just started taking anti depressants so i'm not sure i'd pass the health check thingy and my garden wouldn't pass an inspection either.

Also considered ironing but don't have a car atm, so couldn't collect or return clothes.

I like selling things on ebay, but don't know that I have the brains to turn that into a proper business tbh.

Idon't have a car either and won't until I earn some money! I don't see why you couldn't get people to pick up/drop off - dry cleaners and laundries obv do!

Could you clean or does it actually have to be at home? SE cleaning can be well paid.

I used to take in cleaning a few years ago and the clients used to drop off their ironing and pick it up again.
Like Sue I am also a writer, but have never taken it seriously, but I am also pursuing this now as it would be my dream job, working from home doing something I really love.
is there anything like that in your repertoire?
Alternatively something like Betterware, Kleeneze or Avon if you don't mind a bit of walking and being out in the rain if the weather's bad.

I've been selling women's clothing on eBay since spring this year - buying wholesale I mean, and selling on. I don't make much because I can't put in the hours what with caring for DS as well. But it's slightly better than being on income support, because I'm able to claim Working Tax Credits and HB, and I feel like a human being with something to offer. I'm really enjoying it.
Worth considering if you have even a tiny bit of capital to invest in stock, etc. But do loads of research first, and buy carefully. And obviously, don't compete with me

How much more is working tax credits than IS Cheerful? As you're self employed do you have to show proof of hours/earnings etc?

I too am a childminder and make a decent income from it and am also here for my 2dc in the school hols etc. Been doing it 6 years now and cant imagine doing anything else really.

You have to have your gp sign a health declaration thingy though don't you ?? Not sure mine would at the moment because of the ad's.

I know cm's on anti-ds. And on a cm forum one women was registering with depression and with back issues. She had to answer a few extra q's but got through so far...

I think it depends on how well you are managing it and how severe it is. Speak to your local family information service.

Also, you don't have to have a car. You can just offer pick ups / drop offs at the nearest school. And you don't need to be registered to use your garden. If they feel it's unsafe they will just say you are not allowed to use it with your mindees. If you manage to get it sorted you can get this status changed later on.

Hope some of that helps.

How about selling greetings cards?

You buy a selection for £50 and then sell them at home or school events etc. The worse that will happen is that you have loads of cards to use yourself if you don't sell them (they sell at £1.20 each so are less than most shop ones).There's no minimum sale like other sales things ..candles, Jamie at Home etc.

I have a couple of friends that do it and they do well at it.

I used to do press monitoring for the local council. Cutting bits out of the local papers and deciding whether it was positive,negative or neutral and then doing a report every month. Ended with council cut backs but a blinding job for 11 years.

I've started teaching piano from home. Am quite pleased so far with how it's working out. Won't get a lot (because I also home educate so can't take on too many pupils) but so long as it covers the imminent loss of Income Support, I'm content.

Have been 'practising' teaching to start with, and not charging until the IS runs out. Good for building confidence, and getting into the swing of it.

Don´t do Avon if you expect to make enough money to live on, unless you live in a wealthy area. I live on a council estate and have been doing Avon for a year. I just about break even. People here just don´t have the spare cash.

I am thinking about doing translation services as I speak Spanish and some French. I have just completed a French translation for a theatre company, and feeling very proud of myself. Hard work though.

MOSP, can I ask why your IS is running out? Is it because you want to work? The reason I ask is because I am just starting to get some interest and leads to be able to start earning working as a freelance writer from home. Obviously this is going to be sporadic and some months I may make a bit, other months none at all until I am established. I have an interview with IS on Monday and don;t know whether to ask them or just leave it til I am earning money. I so want to get off benefits (this is not a lifestyle choice, I was dumped in the poo by an ex) and I'm worried that once I start earning even alittle amount my HB will be cut too.

Hi happywithlife.

I also hate being on IS, but like you it became a necessity when I had to escape abusive ex, and was then a single mum to two small children.

The IS is due to end soon because my youngest is nearly 8.

It is a stress, isn't it? I mean, on the months where the work doesn't happen, there is no money coming in.

I can sort of see why the gov want to cut IS when children get to school age, but it is a bummer for me because I home educate, so can't claim job seekers. I know that is a life choice, so I'm just doing what I can to keep afloat.

Hope it works out for you.

MOSP, I used to home ed too, so can see your position. Does the IS automatically stop at 8 then? I know they keep changing the cut off dates. My youngest is 6, 7 in July so I'm guessing it won't be long before mine goes too anyway.

HappyWithLife, sorry just saw your Q. WTC for me is 80 something quid a week with 1 child working 30+ hrs, I'm not sure what IS is but I think it's at £65? or around that. Plus my (very small) earnings as well, which housing benefit take into account but which are too little to affect tax credits. Even so, I still work out slighter better off than I would be on IS. My rent is quite a lot higher than HB pays, so I have to make up the difference myself. I would struggle on IS and probably have to move.

Of course, the new gov are proposing an end to that kind of situation, with their new white paper. Gits. So don't rush into self employment, because it looks like it might soon be a lot more tricky to be SE while looking after a child. See this thread:

From which the following quote comes..

"Will self employed low earners be unable to get universal credit? The White Paper says that they will no longer get away with declaring very low earnings, but will be deemed to be earning the minimum wage for the declared hours worked. If they declare few hours, they will be subject to the same conditionality as those on JSA (as will employed low earners).No more cottage industries for those of us who aren't employable or don't have childcare. It's litterpicking in a flourescent jacket in front of the neighbours, or starvation. Part time work or starting your own business won't save you. I was feeling quite happy about the future and then this...it seems like there isn't any future now for those of us on benefits or tax credits."

• Charlottejbt.

Might be worth watching and waiting, I don't know. I feel very insecure since I read the thread above.