working from home

[jenny2998]

I'm currently on benefits because i want to be a stay at home mum to my children (aged 10 months and 3years). So far I have been unsuccessful and just come up with loads of scams and rip-offs. Does anyone here work from home? I would be grateful for any info anyone can give me.

Jenny, what did you do before you stopped work? I have been working from home for the last 4 years and got my job through a friend. Her firm had a project which was very time-consuming and there was no-one in the office available to do it so my friend suggested to her boss that I could do it from home. It all just carried on from there.

Depending what your line of work is, you might therefore find it worth enquiring of friends and acquaintances if their firms have any surplus work which you could do from home.

I agree with Smokey, I have been looking for work to do from home for a while now and it is only recently, by talking to people and asking questions that it looks like I have got something in the pipeline. I also plan to do a bookkeeping course so I can do that too.

Last week I started back at work after maternity leave, although I worked from home last week - am due back in the office this week.

I have only ever had one job - as a secretary for a Consulting Engineers in London. I started when I was 17 and was full-time. After my dd was born in 1992, they let me go back part-time, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

When my ds was born in 1997, they then offered me the opportunity to work from home two days a week and one day in the office. I declined this, as I felt I was taking liberties and felt it better that I worked in the office two days a week and one day at home. This I did until I went on maternity leave in October.

Now my dd has been born, I was due back at work last week (last week of being paid maternity leave). Because of child care problems (I posted under "How can I help my mum" they said I can work from home until I get alternative child care arrangements sorted.

Saying that, I have got things sorted sooner than expected and am due back in the office this week.

I am going to work from home on Mondays and Fridays and in the office on Wednesday and Friday. Because I work from home two days a week, I rely on them sending the work to me - whereas if you are in an office, you can always find something else to do - at home I cannot do normal office activities like filing, etc.

Because I am working from home on Monday and Friday (I have increased my hours to get more money!) I can still look after my children (baby is asleep beside me at the moment) and get paid.

My office have kindly given me a computer, ISDN line, fax machine, etc. so when I am working from home it is as though I am actually in the office as my office e-mail is up and running and I can access all the networked secretarial directories, just as I would if I was in the office.

When I worked 3 days a week, I used to make more money by doing overtime on my day's off.

Last week I got a phone call from my accounts department mentioning that in future I would only get paid "normal time" for any extra hours I did whereas at the moment I get paid "overtime rate". Their reasoning for this is that everyone would want to be employed on a part-time basis but end up working a "full" week and obviously getting "overtime rate" for the extra hours. I can understand that (although my last employment contract says I work 22 1/2 hours per week and any extra hours I work above this will be paid at the overtime rate). Obviously, they can just change this by giving me a new contract of employment. Because I normally do extra hours on a Friday anyway I thought I might as well be on the pay-roll for these extra hours, even if it means I only get normal rate, rather than over-time rate.

The company I work for are a bit behind the times, but they do seem to be coming more and more round to the idea of people working from home (me being one of the first).

I'm about to return to work after maternity leave. I work as a social housing consultant in the North. I work three days from home and 2 days out and about with clients. My company provides all the usual technolgy so I can email, fax and phone people. What I like about it is that during the week I manage to have three relatively easy short days and the children only have to do short days at nursery and we can be relaxed about time and two days when we have to be very organsied and the children spend longer out of the house.

Whilst on matnernity leave I have done the odd piece of work but have found it very fustrating and difficult to fit it around looking after the baby. Good luck to anyone considering it.

Jenny - I may be wrong, but wouldn't it be difficult to work legally if you're on benefits?

I have just started my own business with my boyfriend and we're doing it from home. I'd love to tell you more - if you're interested please email me at [email protected] and I can tell you more.

I promise it's NOT a rip off and it's NOT a scam. It can be hard work, but you can earn 50 or 500 pounds a week - it's up to you!

I work from home on a full-time basis and am a paid employee. I took this job so that I could spend more time with my children (then 3 and 1) but the situation quickly became impossible. Although I had a full-time childminder come to the house, the children would just not co-operate with her when they knew Mum was in the house. I stuck with the arrangement for 4 months but was getting no work done and everyone was unhappy. Bit the bullet and moved children to childminders own home where they seem happy and I can work reasonable hours instead of spending evenings and weekends trying to catch up. New baby on the way and I hope to keep him/her at home at least for the first 6 months but know it won't be easy to combine work and parenting. Homeworking is still the best option for me though as it gives me the one thing that working mothers just cannot cope without - FLEXIBILITY!

I would like to work from home until my daughter goes to school, she is only 16 weeks just now.
I would like to work from home, I have several qualification on computing, but I have been done several times by so-called home working firms, I have lost quite a lot of money.
If anyone has any genuine information I would be very greatful.

In case anyone is perusing this site again and who would like to make some money from home working totally flexible hours - I posted here back in January that my boyfriend and I had started a venture that seemed to be going well. A few of you emailed me and asked for details, but unless I had your phone nos., I wouldn't send out details!

Situation is still the same, BUT we've just received our cheque for the month of March and we made 796.40 pounds! I'm so bloody delighted with this business that my partner is going to go full time in it in a few months because there's a lot of dosh to be made here! I was SO sceptical at first, but with lotsa hard work (don't let me kid anyone it's easy - it's simple work, but can be a hard slog if you want to build it fast)... with lotsa hard work, we're gonna make it!

Just been reading the state vs private thread, delighted now that when ds reaches relevant age, we'll be able to afford fees now!

Please email me at [email protected] if you'd like to know what we're doing - I know you'll all be dead surprised ! No - it's LEGAL, HONEST and RELIABLE! Please however, leave me your phone number as well as your address and then I'll be only too pleased to send you details. No phone no. - no information pack - sorry!!!

This could honestly be the best thing you ever did. It has been for us!

I have started looking again for things I can do from home. At present I do bodyshop parties but have stopped for a while due to having dd. With dhs job at the moment it is going to be difficult for me to do party plan work due to lack of transport, leaving the children and lots of other little things. Does anybody do assembly work or typing anything that doesnt take you out the home. I am looking for regular work, not really fussed what it is. I would like to earn about £60 per week.

Munchkinsugarpie - it wouldn't be pyramid selling by any chance??? You postings have the tell-tale signs of a pyramid seller A few years ago I was being hassled by one...

grommit...sounds SOOOO good doesn't it
I've come across them too, their lives have become simply GRRRATE!!!

munchkinsugarpie could you give us a little more information?
It's not Herbalife is it?
Thank you

I work from home, though at the moment I'm not really making much money. I saw a need (for dairy free products) and started doing local delivery/mail order. I think you only get out of it what you put in, and it obviously takes some time to build up but I'm hopeful that things will go from strength to strength. I am registered as self-employed but still able to claim WFTC because dh is on a lowish wage too.

You need an idea for which there is a market and you also need the time, energy and plenty of enthusiasm to make it work for you. There are plenty of lows, but its all worth it when you get a nice big order.

Hello all you mumsnetters.... How's the money/work/boredom factors!? I'm so excited !

It's been a while since I've posted. This business we're running from home is taking over (!) and I REALLY need some help. It's bloody hard work - I'll be honest, and we were SO sceptical at first, but we've been building it for over a year now and it's bloomin'marvellous!

In answer to many questions - No - it is NOT a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are totally illegal, outdated and immoral. The (British)company to which we're affiliated was actually one of the main companies instrumental in outlawing such schemes. No - It's NOT Herbalife, although I do know a bit about that and it does seem to be genuine, except I couldn't be bothered to learn about the products, or have parties to display them.

It actually IS a network marketing company, and the reason I don't mention the name is because people do make initial MISTAKEN assumptions that it's something like Avon, Virgin or Bettaware. Not that there's anything wrong with these companies, there isn't- It's just that the chance to build as large a business as you want just isn't available with those schemes.

I truly am looking to urgently expand our business, and need 4 - 5 key people who are able to see 'the big picture', and moreover, want to run with the chance this opportunity can give them.

If you're SERIOUSLY looking for something - and I do mean seriously, I'd love to work with you! Feel free to E-mail me your details to [email protected] and I'll mail out an info pack. For those of you who want one(and let me know if you do) I have a CD rom so you can view what we're all about, but please, don't bother unless you're really interested! It's utterly genuine, above board and achievable. I must have your phone number too 'cos I don't send out information without one, and I promise, no sales pitch stuff- can't do them anyway - if the opportunity isn't for you then fine, no problems- it's not for everyone. But if you can see the potential, it could be a really brilliant 2003!
Good luck all, whatever!

Please tell me it's not related to Amway.

This reminds me of that episode of the Simpsons where the get-rich-quick man says "no, it's not a pyramid scheme, our scheme is a rhomboid..."

Don't trust any ad that doesn't give the company name anyway.

I don't trust anything that insists they have your phone number. I even put rubbish numbers when registering with internet sites. Give my exdirectory number to a "network marketing company"??? I don't think so!!

It just sounds like another sales pitch to me. Not interested in anything that is not prepared to be above board from the start!

From reading around Munchkin's postings, I think that the product must be Kleeneze. Yes, the posting is a bit over the top, and we all seem to hate sales people and their pitches, but she is a regular visitor here, and contributes to lots of topics. Perhaps we could all cut her some slack, and let those who may be interested get in touch (not me for the record!)

Yep, my money's on Kleeneze too. Aren't all these things Kleeneze???

Hi guys - wow.... wot a lot of hostility... Sorry if I got carried away with my posting. It's just that we just made a big cheque last month and I got excited - how uncool of me.

No, it's NOT Amway cos I did that for 18 months, had to buy stock, demonstrate products and only ever earnt 64 quid. Hated it. Yes it IS Kleeneze but I never say the name blindly cos it's not fair. If I say Kleeneze - you all prob. go, oh yeah, door to door and selling. Nah - that's not it at all, I'm not a bloody sales person, just someone who's making extra dosh and bloody happy about it! So - sue me!

Tell me this, Anais, Soupdragon, Lucy 123, Susanmt etc. etc. How many of you REALLY know something tangible about the business plan? Or do you just say you 'know all about it' cos someone knows someone who did it and lost loads of money etc. etc... Crap! You can't lose money, there's nothing to buy that isn't refundable. I only do a small bit of retail each month, my main activity is training, teaching and helping other mates have a good time and earn extra dosh while we all build a business. Dreadful isn't it? Have any of you ever even taken a look at the literature?

I invested 160 pounds in the first place (all totally refundable ) and have been regularly earning a supplement to our wage for a year. My ds is now going to go to a private school, we get holidays we didn't have.. etc (thanks for the mercy Chincilla!) and what's all the rot about not being above board to start with? What a load of narrow minded rubbish. You're all so knowledgeable about Kleeneze - how ever do you do it ? I first heard about them a year ago and am still learning new things every day! Someone gave me a chance to look at this opportunity a year ago and I'm bloody glad I was open minded enough to at least take a look. No one who works the Kleeneze plan properly, including me, stands to gain anything off of other people. I for one, don't want or need any narrow minded know-it-alls in my life, let alone sharing in my business and expertise. I'm extremely choosy who I work with, so please don't be under the misapprehension that I'm trying to sell you anything .. I truly wanted some help that was all.....

By the way, before I had ds, I was a freelance tv and radio producer, and believe me, with the aid of my contacts still based in journalistic resource areas, I've examined the Kleeneze company and their marketing plan THOROUGHLY and concluded that they are full of integrity and over half their profits go back annually to the whole distributor network. That's a lot of people making a lot of money. We've all made money from day one.

Dead sorry I posted now, and being a journo at heart, I'd be really grateful if in future, we were able to base discussions on FACTS. Not fiction or rumour!

Blimey!!!! Think I'll give that a major swerve if it makes you that angry.

Hope you 'guys' took her message on board!

Wow Munchkinsugarpie - sounds like you have been abducted by a Kleeneeze brainwashing cult ..;-). You really can't blame people for being suspicious - I would also add that I don't think Mumsnet is the appropriate forum for touting for business. That's just my opinion...

I don't want everyone to jump on me, but I think perhaps this thread has been over harsh and judgemental. I say this partly because I'm working on a feature and need three people to interview and can pay up to a couple of hundred pounds to them for their trouble. It's a baby related story so I immediately thought of posting on the media requests bit of mumsnet - but then became worried that I'd get a lot of abuse and questioning of my motives. Sometimes members do seem to 'gang up' on people. I was much more worried about the two postings about girls which I suspect were put there by a pervert than something about Kleeneze.

I think it depends how your request is asked. That one just sounds a little tinsy winsy bit boastful and that is not really an appealing characteristic.