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Original poster

SAHM's - how do you earn extra cash?

39 replies

Stefka · 25/03/2008 12:37

My maternity money (£100 per week) is about to stop and I am not able or ready to go back to work yet. I am looking for ways I can earn a wee bit of money from home. I don't need a fortune but a little extra would be helpful. Just looking for suggestions

OP posts:
ScoobyDoo · 25/03/2008 12:38

When you know can you tell me please

Youcannotbeserious · 25/03/2008 12:39

Me too..... I am going to be living on Maternity allowance in a few weeks and have no idea how I'm going to cope.........

solo · 25/03/2008 12:41

I make personalised baby blankets, though they take a lot of hours and people don't want to pay the £20 that I ask...
I'm constantly overdrawn at the bank and thought I might be able to supplement the mortgage with it, but not much luck so far...

Original poster
Stefka · 25/03/2008 12:44

I have zero craft skills by the way so can't see me being able to make anything unfortunately - unless it was really easy!

OP posts:
solo · 25/03/2008 12:52

Some people sell Avon or Betterware etc...

I am taking a career break, and as a single parent with a mortgage, it's really frightening and worrying when you know you don't have enough in the bank to cover the bills etc...

I can't even afford to pay for CAT to offer some of my ready made blankets for sale

If anyone is interested in my blankets, I have some of the original ones on my pics on my profile... sorry! got to try.

The more recent ones are even nicer than those ones as I changed from edging the letters in black to a lighter shade.

Youcannotbeserious · 25/03/2008 12:54

I'm thinking of offering dog walking - but not sure how practical this is with a baby!

I make sustainable gifts - never thought of selling them, though....

solo · 25/03/2008 14:10

Get to it Youcannotbeserious!
What do you make?

YummyDummyMummy · 25/03/2008 14:13

wat about ironing?

bobsyouruncle · 25/03/2008 14:14

car boot sales if, like me, you have lots of crap unwanted stuff to sell?

bobsyouruncle · 25/03/2008 14:14

I'd do ironing but I'm really bad at it

YummyDummyMummy · 25/03/2008 14:18

yeah im bad at it and hate it but i do my mates only about 10 items a week he pays me when it gets to about 50 quid so it seems worthwhile

if anybody likes ironing its a pretty good option lol

Youcannotbeserious · 25/03/2008 14:57

Solo - Mostly I make stuff for Christmas.

Christmas decorations and advent calendars made from recycled materials. I do different designs, but 'funky' not chintzy, IYKWIM. I also do babygros / t-shirts with designs on and cards.

I've made a couple of changing mats (using recycled / redndant Cath Kidston fabrics) and bags and I've also made myself a bag, which is a take on the conventional 'baby bag' but it's separated into two individual compartments (with more compartments within those) and has 'sprog' written on one side (for baby stuff) and 'dog' written on the other (for my dog stuff) so when I go out with baby and dog, I will never be without those essentials for both of my charges!

Umlellala · 25/03/2008 15:06

Am qualified teacher so am doing marking for SATS exams in summer (did this last year). Have also done a bit of tutoring in my home - and charged a reduced fee as looking after my own daughter at same time.

Plan to register as childminder eventually and do after school/INSET/occasional childcare.

Am mainly attempting to reduce costs though rather than earn more.

Flynnie · 25/03/2008 15:15

Check out this www.moneymagpie.com.
there are a few ideas on there for extra money...though how pratical they are im not sure.

solo · 25/03/2008 16:09

Yeah Flynnie, I've checked that site out too and I thought the same thing, plus some of the idea's like mystery shopping or surveys you have to do the tax thing on and as I'm already employed, I can't do it.

solo · 25/03/2008 16:10

Youcannmotbeserious, they sound great! you should sell some of them to make ends closer together. You got any pictures?

Youcannotbeserious · 25/03/2008 16:18

Oh, thanks....

I don't have any photos, but will ask DH to upload some next weekend..

solo · 25/03/2008 17:23

great!

ruthmollymummy · 27/03/2008 08:35

I tried surveys but found them all a pretty useless waste of time, not very well paid, but maybe I was on the wrong sites!
I've been doing parties for the body shop - looked at doing candle parties and all that jazz but the body shop is by far the best - i make 50-70 quid for a night (3 hours work at the most!) and its not even work!
I also have two women working for me now and i earn a percentage of thier sales too!!

Flamesparrow · 27/03/2008 09:12

Solo - try a mumzmall shop for your blankets

Flamesparrow · 27/03/2008 09:13

Solo - try a mumzmall shop for your blankets

solo · 27/03/2008 11:10

Flamesparrow, what is mumzmall please?

solo · 27/03/2008 11:13

ruthmollymummy, how do you get into that and do you have to do the tax thing as well?!

pickie · 27/03/2008 11:20

I have my own website selling nursery goods, hard work but usually nice to have something of my own.

Started off when on maternity leave of DS and so didnt want to go back to work!

solo · 27/03/2008 11:54

pickie, I tried to sort out a blog for my blankets, but I'm just not that good on the pc, so trying to make a website .
flamesparrow, I googled the mumzmall and am really impressed, but unless I resign my job, I can't go into that due to the taxation etc...I'm in a really difficult situation at the moment.

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