"Pin Money" type jobs - where do you look for these?

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

I'm a SAHM with a guilt complex about not contributing to the household income. I'd like to earn about £30 a month just to feel like I'm covering my expenses.

I've been looking for months on line and in papers but never seem to find small jobs. For example, I used to know someone who assembled medical kits at home, but they had a family connection and were unwilling to pass on details.

Does anyone know what other pin-money jobs might be out there and how to go about finding them?

Thank you!

bump

Delivering leaflets or the local rag?

Ironing?

Cleaning?

After school child minding/babysitting ?

Mystery shopping sounds ideal - as you can choose only to do assignments at times when it would be convenient for you (some let you take kids along, others don't). try www.retaileyes.co.uk, www.xec.gapbuster.com, google for bare international, tns mystery shopping, gfk mystery shopping, optimum contact.

or if you have a good eye for a bargain, buying and then selling stuff on ebay

Dog walking ?

Gardening?

Dinnerlady?

Some great ideas, IotasCat! Ironing and cleaning are out as I can't even manage that in my own house, but the rest of the list is fab! Dog walking and gardening - advertise services in local shops/papers? Do dinner lady jobs get advertised?

TotalChaos - I have just signed up for mystery shopping, but not with any of those companies, so thanks for the extra contacts! I hear the jobs can be infrequent, however, which is why I'm looking for extra jobs.

Oh, and FlyMetoDunoon - thanks for the bump!

Dinner lady jobs are advertised in the local rag and on the council website in my area.

OK - in all seriousness - I have never seen a dinner lady job advertised! It's probably called "Progeny Nutrition Technicians". Or maybe in this area you have to have an inside connection.

I think I would even be willing to mop the floor after lunch every day - that's where I draw the line with cleaning, though.

Thanks!

Ring the council and ask them where dinner lady jobs are advertised or how they are recruited.

Our village primary advertises amongst the parents initially (they're called mid day assistants as school doesn't have the facilities to provide dinner) usually through a note in the book bag.

Might be worth phoning local schools offices to see if they have any vacancies (they would probably keep a note of your name if not)

Has anyone mentioned Avon/kleeneze type jobs ?

3 vacancies locally on our council website:

www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/schools/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=15108

might be a bit far for you to travel though

Thanks for all the replies!

Funnily enough I was recently discussing a move to MK...now I have incentive! (Sorry - had to try out the bunny smileys)

Seems to be only one DL job going in our area atm, but at least I know where to watch.

Do Avon reps put booklets through the door, or are they only on call if someone requests a rep?

I have just started with Avon, you can choose to sell to just freinds and family or you can get territory, which could be a couple of local streets.

If you get orders over £78 you earn 20% so about £15, if your get orders over £148 you get 25% = £37. Thats every 3 weeks, my area manager recons average order per person is around £10 so you need about £15 customers a month to get the 25%.

I am just freinds and family for now, got good orders from daughters school and freinds of freinds and a few at work, 14 customers, which I think is not bad to start.

Spent most of my first commision on stuff for myself but hey its my money.

Could you do very minimal direct sales stuff - Phoenix Cards must take up v little space at home (I've just bought some from a friend and the quality is a lot better than you'd think), and Barefoot Books and Usborne have low start up costs, and you could just make enough to tide you over by doing a couple of toddler groups, etc a week. Usborne commission is 24% at the entry level, Barefoot is 20% (but they're nicer!).

Skramble - thank you very much for the info. I think I could just about handle that. I don't like the idea of dropping catalogues through letterboxes up and down the area, but friends and family sounds manageable. I do buy Avon, but just get it straight from the web. Presumably you save the postage by buying from a rep? And you deserve to spend your money!!

MamaHobgoblin - I know Usborne and there are several sellers around here, but haven't heard of the other two. I will look them up - love buying cards, so Pheonix could be a winner!

Brilliant ideas - thank you! It's not as bleak as I thought.

This is another variation on the 'Avon' theme - earn some extra money by helping people you know save money on their essential outgoings. Check out this linkto find out more.

I've been doing it for a while, and it works really well !

Hi Just Five,
If you'd like more info about Phoenix please let me know - I am a trader and really enjoy it, and it's true that it doesn't take up much space. You earn 30% from all sales, plus bonuses. And it's easy to just approach friends and family with it - no door-to-door! My link and contact details are here.