Flexible remote admin work

[newusernametopic]

I am in employment (earning £90k) in a role that I can more than easily fit into very few hours a day. I know it sounds crazy, but with mortgage, school fees and extra curriculars (nothing fancy - just music really!), we basically break even every month. I realised I spend a huge percentage of my time at work doing life admin, etc. - basically I can get my work done well and v quickly. I think with an extra £1000 a month we would much more comfortable, and yet I have found myself a very nice space here that I don't want to move out of (people leave me alone, I get my work done, and I can still pick up my children from school, do the food shop during the day, etc.) so I am not in a rush to get a new job.

Crazy as it sounds, I LOVE admin - is there a remote part-time admin job I could take on for a couple of hours a day (basically equiv of one day per week)? Any leads would be very much appreciated.

(Before anyone remarks, I know I am in a v fortunate position, don't need anyone to tell me to pull my kids out of current school, choose a smaller house, etc. We don't live fancy lives, we have banged up old cars, shop in Aldi and holiday in the UK. Just a number of circumstances that have come together meaning we're very fortunate, but I would like to maximise my earning power right now.)

I would say there's no way you'll make that much for an hour a week. There's also a good chance you could get fired for it (you could in a lot of contracts if your boss finds out).

For basic admin you're likely to make about £100 a day for 7ish hours, so £400 a month, probably £200 take home after tax (as obviously it'll be taxed at your current band. They're also like gold dust to find as many, many people are after flexible admin from home!

What I would consider, if you're in a role paying 90k and have decent skills, is look at marketing yourself as a consultant or offer services in your field. I do a couple of hours of this per week and make a decent hourly freelance rate. Also easier to justify if your work does find out.

**day a week obviously, not hour!

Agree with LittleRedRidingHoody. Remote admin work is likely to be close to minimum wage, so 10 hours a week would be £120-£130. Less than half of the £1000 per month you are looking for, after tax.

You could try Charity Jobs for something part time & remote https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs?contracttype=part-time&workplace=remote, but bear in mind that admin jobs are very competitive (and remote admin jobs even more so).

£90k a year and needing an extra role ?? Wow.

You'd lose 50% of what you earn to tax wouldn't you? So a min wage role would effectively earn you £6 per hour take home, not £12.

I think you are underestimating the amount of headspace admin roles occupy. Entry-level admin roles are not well paid but there is usually an expectation that you master the systems and processes of your employer quickly, pay close attention to detail, and to a degree are emotionally aware to be able to deliver what your employer needs.

You are in the main not there to improve or change their systems and processes (which can be batshit) and this may also frustrate you. You make like your own life admin but that’s miles apart in part because you can do it on your terms. I’ve done entry-level admin work as part of a change of careers and fields. I was considerably more senior in my previous career. This is why I am aware of some of the pitfalls of the scenario you are picturing.

I agree with others: either look for a promotion/payrise/new job to increase your earnings or take on consultancy work if your contract of employment allows it - this can be lucrative. If what you propose was as easy as you think it is, everyone would be doing it.

Agree you will lose lots in taxes with 2 jobs, they will add both; if you will start losing personal allowance after 100k

If you’re earning £90k would you be overqualified for the type of role you’re looking for? I agree with a pp, looks for some consultancy work in your field.

So er what do you do for 90k a year and only have to work a few hours a day??

Can I do it? You're on double our household income and we both work tons.

How about leaving those £1000 a month "easy little admin jobs" for people who really need them? Get a hobby or volunteering job to fill your free hours, maybe try to contribute to a charity in some way. Read with pupils in a grotty little state school?

Oh shut up

I’m sure you don’t mean it but you’re coming across very rude.

Some or us work 30 hours a week and only take home £1000 a month and you’re looking to add an hour or two a day for that amount.

If you earn £90k and your husband/partner I’m guessing is on a decent wage, you really need to be looking at your outgoings.

Sorry op but you appear to be one of these people that is giving the rest of us who wfh a bad name by not doing very much when others in the organisation are killing themselves to get all the work done by the deadlines.

You should be asking your manager for more work. Possibly combining two roles into one when someone leaves or retires etc.

Not taking the proverbial out of the rest of us who are being forced back to the office a set number of days because some lazy people aren't doing much. This is adding to our costs and some low paid staff are really struggling to find train fares as pay rises are crap.

Yet you are on £90k sitting around doing hardly anything. This has to be a windup surely.

I agree with leaving any admin jobs you might see for someone who really needs it.

Plus you'll be losing most of it on tax anyway so you won't feel the benefit.

You're obviously in a niche role for that kind of money. Can you not freelance on the side as a consultant elsewhere?

Yeah I did think this thread might go this way. FWIW I don’t think anyone at any level approaches the job market saying “I’m altruistically going to leave this to someone else” otherwise where would it stop. But anyway, not going to argue on that - we can all jealousy look up to the next rung. This is supposed to be a safe space where we help each other not bring each other down. I’m not in real life going out to people insulting their work by saying I wouldn’t find it difficult any more than a brain surgeon is insulting me by saying their work is more intellectual challenging, better paid and helps more people, or an artist claims they give a greater contribution to society. We all make up society together don’t we.

I agree on the tax front - though I would offset with pension etc. I really don’t want a promotion or new job with more responsibility or hours - right now I can pick up the children from school at 3:30 and don’t take any work home. I think that’s worth a lot.

Hmm back to the drawing board on the admin thing then. What about content production/editing? I research and write pretty OK (have a humanities PhD) and wouldn’t find that too challenging I don’t think. Some of them offer a few hundred pounds a piece I think. I hear what you’re all saying about consultancy but I don’t think it’s really possible in my (very boring professional field, and honestly want something that wouldn’t be as taxing as that. Are there any other ideas? Appreciate the advice so far, including on the reminder that admin really is a v low hourly rate.

Yes already do lots of volunteering, including lots of reading in a school, mentoring young mums in tricky circs (helping them with cookery classes, visiting their other halves in prison, parenting workshops, just doing life together really), and have fostered too. Play in an orchestra and do am dram so have enough hobbies I think. And all the inevitable taxiing of my own four children, supervising music practice, tennis, homework, etc. Sorry to burst your bubble, some people can squeeze more in. But please don’t paint me as thinking I’m better - I am just still feeling young in my early 40s and have quite a lot of energy. It may be that you do all that too but I am certainly doing my best to give back, and I’m not sure everyone does.

I’m sorry, but it sounds awful. Have you considered stopping everything and getting therapy? Of course some people have more energy than others, but unless this is a parody, this sounds insane and a deliberate way of making sure you don’t have time to feel or think or whatever it is you’re trying to cover up. Unless this is a wind up? In which case go for it and if you are not training for an iron man challenge then what kind of a beta are you?

I don't think content production is a good avenue. There are many highly skilled people in that area who earn very little, and only a few who earn a lot (largely through laboriously building companies that teach others how to market their content, it seems). Would you consider tutoring? But perhaps I'm as naive about that as others are about content!

On another note, I would genuinely like to know how you find all that energy. Any tips?

So because you don’t have the same experience, it must be untrue or I need therapy. I know people who do more, people who do less. No judgement, everyone is different. Friends doing marathons which I’m not, etc. We’re all well balanced, have well balanced and attached kids etc. as far as I can tell anyway! I didn’t include this in my opening post because I know those like you would criticise; I only included it because I was accused of not doing enough voluntary work.

This has to be a joke

What about pet sitting? Or dog walking?

Tutoring is a good shout - I have thought about setting up a tutoring company actually as I know students abroad (would need to be in our school hours) pay quite well.

Energy - hmm, not sure. Genuinely think everyone has different strengths, abilities and capacities. My managing director runs marathons and I would say I don’t know how, but actually it’s just that mantra of you want something done, you ask a busy person. Four key things that keep me going - 1) my identity is in no way in my job, which I don’t despise but only do to fund the rest of my family’s life; 2) as the poster above alluded to, I know I wouldn’t be energised or happy coming home from work and doing nothing, so voluntary work is an important driver; 3) I have a good cleaner on whom I can rely and who does three hours a week for us; 4) our children know what it is to help out, do chores, have loving boundaries and rub alongside each other to develop a degree of resilience because we all know we are a busy family and don’t have the bandwidth to be fighting all the time.

@newusernametopic fwiw I get it 😂 I have a madly busy life and still have a need to fill every hour of every day (and fill the cracks with loads of MN, because that 'feels' more productive than just TV!) ~ after loads of self reflection and therapy I've realised it's just who I am, and it's not a bad thing unless I'm judging others for not doing the same.

Content production is pretty oversaturated atm too - too many people 'giving it a go' has meant companies get away with paying very little, and the higher paid ones go to those with large portfolios, often built up by cheap/free projects. With a humanities PHD maybe tutoring (get it may be a bit intense, but again very well paid). Or a part time EA role - virtual EAs generally aren't well paid but if you manage to find someone looking for a flexible 10 hours a week on LinkedIn or similar, it can pay pretty well.

To be honest on that salary (and therefore presumably outgoings) you may well be able to find a chunk of money in terms of making sure everything is run through cash-back sites/shopping discounts etc. There's quite a bit out there on 'making money from home' that benefits higher earners specifically, like playing the points game with credit cards or bank switches with high minimum deposits. If you look at it as more of a job/keep track of what you're doing it may well net you more than you expect, though obviously it takes time to do/research.

It may be a good idea to start by checking your contract. Some firms have rules about second jobs or volunteering in case it is a conflict of interest to the business, or impacts your ability to work your contracted hours.
If I’ve understood correctly you’re in a full time role but suggesting working for another organisation during the hours you’re paid by your current employer.

For admin the most you will get typically is £15-20 gross, you'll be paying 40% tax on that due to your other income.

If you have specific skills like accounting you can obviously earn more, I get £30/hour for remote bookkeeping and £100 per (basic, 2 hours work max) self assessment tax return, and I charge £100 to help with powers of attorney, I feel a bit guilty even charging that amount as both can be down yourself but many people aren't good with computers. It's not a constant income but is extra income