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Original poster

working from home-what exactly can you do?

64 replies

Sheena · 07/09/2001 20:19

Hello! Mumsnet Jobs team here. We've noticed this thread is fairly old now, and some of the information is out of date. We've put together this article of advice, tips and tricks to start working from home. Alternatively, you can look at the work from home opportunities on Mumsnet Jobs. We hope this is helpful!

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Hi,

I'm trying to get typing work that I can do at home. I live in Swansea and used to be a legal secretary. Does anybody know how I can get started.

OP posts:

chiggles · 09/05/2003 07:52

I did Herbalife too for about 2 months!! Mine was also a disaster, espeicially trying to post flyers through doors in the winter with a buggy, (everyone had massive long drives!) and expensive to start. I'm interested in the books. Is it hard? I've got a son who's 2 in August to work round.

Ghosty · 09/05/2003 08:11

Chiggles ... I felt that I had been 'had' by herbalife. Wasted a lot of money trying to sell something that I really didn't agree with in the end ... yes, people lost weight and bought more products but I just deep down didn't feel it was right to encourage to lose weight that way however healthy the products were. Stangely I sold it whilst doing Weight Watchers myself so I wasn't a good advert really although I never told any of my clients that I didn't take the products ... felt a total fraud!!
Also ... my supervisor and all her posse were total converts and drove me mad with all the meetings and conferences etc ...
Yes... book lady ... please look into the book thing in NZ for me ... I think that would be a good thing to sell and now that I am a SAHM I have lots of lovely other SAHM friends who would possibly be interested in buying ....

booklady · 09/05/2003 08:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Ghosty · 09/05/2003 09:07

What's a BFPO address?

booklady · 09/05/2003 10:18

I'm sorry I've looked into it it can't be done in New Zealand although it can be done in Australia

Ghosty · 09/05/2003 10:23

Bummer ... just like you can't get Ikea here but you can in Oz ... and you can't get Amazon books - well you can but it costs a fortune for them to ship ...
Oh well, never mind ... will think of something else ...
Can you look into starting it here???

SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 11:37

See, she's here too!

(BFPO = British Forces Post Office by the way)

SamboM · 09/05/2003 11:38

Bad bad booklady, go and pay if you want to advertise!

chiggles · 09/05/2003 18:43

Ghosty,
I was exactly the same!! My supervisor was totally Herbalife this, that and the other and I didn't really believe in what I was selling either. I went to a meeting once and I could have laughed!! Talk about a cult. Mark Whats-his-name with his yacht!! I made about 50 million pages of notes! What a waste of paper and my money!

zebra · 02/12/2003 15:46

I hate working at home.

If your husband ever says, "Oh, I'll quit my well-paid job to start self-employment for another company that has operated at a loss for 2years, never making a profit or able to pay out a salary, and you can support the family by working 2 days/week when I will mind the children since your salary barely covers our living costs, never mind child care" -- take a tip and run away screaming....

Because your DH will moan constantly how much he hates looking after the kids, will try to dump them in front of telly and do nothing with them, will let them come interrupt your work 5-8 times per day, and of course, you will continue to have no money to live on. After months of no income but continuing to plow money into the continually loss-making company, Husband may occasionally apply for jobs that actual pay money for work, but decide that he can't be bothered to apply to any job descrip doesn't describe him to a Tee. My work day is punctuated by the sound of young children screaming hysterically for Mummy or Daddy. --Z, in tears.

Bozza · 02/12/2003 16:45

Zebra it sounds like you really are struggling at the moment. You sound so miserable in your post. How much of this does your DH realise? I really think you need to sit down and talk to him and explain that this cannot go on. I know (from previous threads) that you've had a tough time financially and it sounds like he just isn't taking his share of the responsibility.

Another thought - do you have to work at home? Could you relocate to the office? Although I don't think this is the real answer to your problems it might help a little.

Sorry the advice isn't great but it does come with lots of sympathy.

SenoraPostrophe · 02/12/2003 17:06

Oh blimey, Zebra.

I can't believe you're still in this position. I wish I could help really - I will if anything comes up (eg. spare work, contacts in Norwich).

I also think a big talk might be in order though. The IT market has started to pick up a little bit, so perhaps you should "advise" your dh to go on one last big push to get work (emailing, cold-calling, leaving leaflets in libraries etc): you could give him a deadline (say February, most companies don't comission things near Christmas) after which he will agree to take a job (even a crappy job if need be)?

Other than that, sympathy.

zebra · 02/12/2003 17:07

I'm just sounding off... I know we don't have "real" problems compared to most people. Like, we have limited income but at least we have savings. This is just more stress than my weak constitution can take -- ha! If he got a job now I would probably have to quit mine completely, it would be so difficult to get any childcare at short notice.

This afternoon, DH stormed off with kids, stomping around the house, slamming doors, leaving children to scream in the buggy while he got them out. Now it's dark and I don't know where he's gone to with them.

We are trying but failing to get our house sold, so that we can move so that, among other reasons, I can work at my employer's offices; my employer is 120 miles away and tele-working was fine until DH quit his job, etc. DH is plowing more money into his silly business which I constantly questioned & feel will never be recovered, but he was gifted a lot of money by his Mum this year and I don't feel I have the right to tell DH that he can't spend some of the money how he wants. He just seems so determined to do keep doing things in a way that obviously isn't getting anywhere...

...and I could ignore it better if I wasn't working at home.

jansell · 19/11/2004 15:38

Hi everyone. I work full-time at the moment but a, desperate to go freelance. I'm looking for work in designing publications - newsletters, leaflets, brochures, invitations - wondered if anyone has a need for this, or if they know of others who may (companies or individuals). I have a little bit of work already, but I thought I'd put a few feelers out on this site as everyone seems to be so helpful.
Hoping to hear from some of you.....

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