Following on from MdS - second job/additional income ideas?

Gamebird

Gamebird

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You've all been so helpful for MdS, I wondered whether you could help me out too? You might need more than a coffee though.....

I've been racking my brains for two years trying to come up with an additional source of income to run alongside my current job. I work in a professional occupation 4 days a week from 9-5.30ish and one day a week 9-7.30ish. I also have to work one night a week and one weekend a month. Unfortunately it is fairly poorly paid as far as professional careers go and doesn't really quite cover my modest mortgage and livery.

Last winter I rode out in the mornings for a NH/PTP yard, which I loved, but it was quite a long way away, regularly made me late for work and didn't pay all that well, though if I can't come up with anything else I'll gladly do it again. This summer I bought a horse to sell which made me a profit of around £2000 once all costs were deducted, which paid off my credit card
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. I am also breaking a horse for my in-laws in return for my hunt sub. I have sold everything on ebay that isn't tied down and have run out of things to sell (though I have threatened my husband and the dogs
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).

I could do with an evening or flexible weekend job, ideally working from home or locally.

I can't do:
1) Bar work (husband has banned me as it doesn't fit with my 'professional' image
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plus I am asleep by 9pm usually!)
2) I doubt I am a good enough rider to get work schooling for other people
3) Clipping - I have broken my clippers and can't afford to replace them.
4) I have no teaching qualifications and probably would be useless!

Any ideas to save me from impending penury? I would happily set up a small business or franchise from home/via the internet if anyone could help me with ideas!
 
Tutoring for GSCE/A-level students? I used to do a very nice sideline in coaching A-level students for their medical/veterinary interviews (PM me if you want the number of the company I used to work for). Weekend work only - used to travel a fair bit but it paid about £200 a go and they covered your travel expenses. Most of the work was in the run up to Christmas so not so much during the summer months so no interfering with eventing.
 
Ooh yes, what about doing a TEFL course, teaching english as a foreign language, then you can teach in the evenings? You need a degree to get onto the course, but you dont need to know any foreign languages and it is SO well paid
 
O_B - I'm not keen on the nursing home, though I'll put it on the reserve list for when I get to the 'beggars can't be choosers' point
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Kit279 - tutoring would be a good idea. I'm quite good with sciences/maths/english etc. though obviously would need to look at the curriculum and bone up a bit. Will PM you!

I also wondered about proof-reading. Is this viable?
 
Oh yes, the other *incredibly* lucrative sideline is proof reading foreign students PhD theses. They pay about £100 a go and it is alternatively tedious and hilarious as they come out with some real classics (none of them can grasp the concept of past tense) but reading about jet engine fuel trails can get a smidge boring after about 40 000 words.. Still, they just email you the PDF and you email it back covered in electronic red pen..
 
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Stable management tuition for PCs, as far as I know you don't need the same qualifications as for ridden instruction.

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Hmmm. I've done a bit of that but no-one's ever offered to pay me for it!
 
Lol, you're one step ahead of me. I'm (still) affiliated to a university so it's organised through them but I'll ask whether it's an option.
 
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Ooh yes, what about doing a TEFL course, teaching english as a foreign language, then you can teach in the evenings? You need a degree to get onto the course, but you dont need to know any foreign languages and it is SO well paid

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I'll look into that too. Really should have thought of that as my brother has been TEFLing English in Japan for the last 10 years
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Stable management tuition for PCs, as far as I know you don't need the same qualifications as for ridden instruction.

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Hmmm. I've done a bit of that but no-one's ever offered to pay me for it!

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That's quite surprising our club is keen to pay people left right and centre!
 
How about preparing hunters on hunting days? There's probably quite a few round here would pay for washing/plaiting/minor trimming/hoof-oiling etc. I could do weekdays before I go to work and Saturdays. How much per horse?
 
GB I have the BEST idea for you I was saving this for myself but I am chocka block and can't fit it in so *drum roll* are you ready?...

Q - What do people love, but often buy a cheaper version as they are V expensive customised?...

A - XC colours!

go to ebay or alibaba.com and find a supplier of base layers in a variety of colours, buy in bulk, and offer customisation eg sewing on diamonds or stars etc to sleeves or hat silks in a variety of designs and colours, they will be truely bespoke and you can under cut the big players who charge £75/80 a top, but be a bit more than just a plain top eg £20/30 also you could offer as the season is ending for people to post you their own tops just for the added customisation.

Set up a shop on ebay, I'll make you a quick website if you like then the rest (getting the word out) is up to you!
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Now I was saving that idea but my sewing machine broke so I hope you use it!
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Failing that....Anne Summers rep!?
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Def tutoring. I tutored A level biology students (my degree is biology) when I mistakenly ended up with 3 horses and needed more cash to pay for livery. It is easy money! You get them to provide a copy of their syllabus then you marvel over why you ever thought this stuff was difficult, then in the space of 4 weeks (2hr sessions each time) you get them up two grades.

I got the work through a friend who is a teacher, but there is also a local shop you can advertise in, parish newsletters, whatever. I charged £20 a go and even now running my own company do not earn much more than that an hour!

With respect to running your own business, all I will say is I work 20hrs a week for a statutory organisation and the rest of the time for myself, and I struggle to fit in all the crap which goes with running your own business and part of me wishes I'd stuck to working soley for myself. I think you'll struggle to keep on top of all the paperwork a company generates, and the effort may not be worth the reward if you go that route rather than something more informal.
 
I'm in a similar position to you Gamebird. Work in a normal job but relatively flexible hours. I have to get up at silly o-clock, so bar/restaurant work is out of the question. I've been earning extra money doing freelance competition grooming - but obviously if I'm grooming I can't be competing myself! Also teaching, but I will not teach little kids or complete novices as I simply don't enjoy it. I will plait up for a fee but draw the line at clipping - hate it.

I did a bit of tutoring for a 6th form crammer a few years ago. The pay was ok, but it was quite a lot of work as I didn't do A levels myself (am Irish) so was not familiar enough with the system and syllabus to be completely comfortable without a huge amount of preparation work. Would possibly do it again though.
 
Hmm Halfstep - I'm Scottish so didn't do A levels either. I have Highers (all As) in Maths, English, Latin, Physics, Chemistry and Biology and SYS Maths, Latin and Chemistry. I have a degree which is science based but fairly vocational. Might try contacting local secondary schools and see what the form is. I might be safer with GCSE's than A levels for the time being!

Chloe GHE - loving the idea. I don't have a sewing maching though used to be fairly handy on one. I like the idea of something that I can do as and when, rather than be limited to strict hours so something internet and order-based would be great. I'm just worried I suppose that the results might be a bit amateurish?

I was thinking about something like making rosettes but imagine that the start-up costs would be quite high and that most show centres would be sorted with a supplier anyway.
 
How's your Latin holding up? Tutoring GCSE Latin could be an idea and I know it is in demand! I have a classics dregree and tutored A level Ancient History and Latin, but to be honest I had to do a lot of revision myself!!! Would have been much more comfortable with GCSEs in retrospect. Also science tutoring. Or do what I'm currently doing - selling stuff on ebay
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What about offering holiday cover to look after horses? In our area we really struggle to get good reliable people to do this especially in winter. You can advertise in tack shops etc. You could maybe offer exercise as well.
 
I'm in a similar position - I work full time but it just doesn't pay enough to do what I want with the horse. A couple of years ago I did waitressing 3 nights a week but I really don't recommend that, it was AWFUL and I was always tired and rushing everywhere.

Now I just do anything that anyone asks me to!
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The idea about hunt horses is a good one, you might also try the hunt stables if they are close by. I tidied up a load of hunt horses one year when their groom was off sick - pulling manes, trimming legs etc. Easy work. There is also plaiting esp for the 'big' meets - opening meet, xmas etc. I'm fortunate as my YO is a hunt servant so I do her plaiting in return for my hay!

I would also suggest keeping your eyes peeled for some 2nd hand clippers as that's a good way to earn some pennies. I paid £75 for mine a couple of years ago and they paid for themselves in the first month I had them. I probably clip about 10 different horses a season, some of them several times. Only takes an hour or so, and you can arrange it around work.

Can you take in a livery? We have one on hunting livery which I do the leg work for, it's only a few hours a week and it pays my yard bills.

Also, teaching isn't that bad - I help some kids on their ponies most weeks and starting off is the worst thing. Once you get going it's really quite easy, and fun if they are nice people.
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Also a good way to get contacts for other people who want jobs doing.
 
I have a 2nd job its not everyones idea of fun but suits me with hours and pay - I will be working in a Youth Club. It pays really well not doing back breaking work. I am just waiting for my CRB to come back. The hours are 6.30pm till 9.30pm on Wed and Fri nights during term time. Pay is £10 an hour which beats pub work.

Another idea is leaflet/newspaper dropping that pays about £7 an hour.
 
yeah but even if they did look a bit too home made for us 'professional eventers' *tounge firmly in cheek* think of the pony club market they would sell like hot cakes!!!! 'Gamebird's Gear' I can see it now
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'Gamebird's Gear' I can see it now
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OOh sign me up, I'll be your first customer, have been eyeing up some Miranda Theobald colours but just can't quite justify it!
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Wish I knew bar buying lotto ticket every weekend! Though I ust seem to pay for everyone else to win!

I have not had a day, for over 4 months. My usual office job through the week which was Mon-Wed 12-8pm Thur-Fri 9-5 then weekends at the stud working.
So completely shattered & no time for myself.

Plus I was most days leaving just after 6am to go exercise hounds (unpaid) & 28 mile round trip before work. This is down to 3 days a week now.

Though I am moving to the stud full time in a couple of weeks. So will have 2 days off a week (Oh wait there hunting days!)

I have my Mum's sewing machine sat doing nothing ah but I do not really understand how it works! It has a plug though!!
 
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I have a 2nd job its not everyones idea of fun but suits me with hours and pay - I will be working in a Youth Club. It pays really well not doing back breaking work. I am just waiting for my CRB to come back. The hours are 6.30pm till 9.30pm on Wed and Fri nights during term time. Pay is £10 an hour which beats pub work.

Another idea is leaflet/newspaper dropping that pays about £7 an hour.

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Think Leaflet dropping varies according to areas. Some say its 1p for every leaflet delivered, so can be tiresome and take a long time for little reward.

The Youth Club sounds great idea, assuming that when you event it doesnt clash with getting late times and you won't get back in time.....

Ebay shop? Though guess you have to spend out first to get back? Though the XC colours idea sounds really really good.

Good Luck!
 
All good ideas thanks. I'm looking into a proof-reading course (did rather well on the assessment on their web page, but then I always was annoyingly keen on correct spelling
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). If this turns out to be worthwhile it could be an ideal way of freelancing my way through the evenings and weekends at my own pace.

Chloe_GHE - am still pondering XC colours though!
 
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