Side Jobs - Unemployed Mom

This may be hard for you to consider with your masters degree - and having come as far as you have. But have you thought about waiting tables a few busy nights a week at a nice restaurant? (Someplace that averages at least $20 per person) Waiting tables is fast, easy money if you have the personality for it. I know many Moms that do this for a flexible part-time way to bring in money. One works at a higher end seafood chain - she rarely comes home with under $150 cash for 6 hours of work on Fri/Sat night.

Other side job type ideas -- go through your house and declutter. Sell things on eBay or Craigslist. It will give your house a nice deep cleaning and give you some extra cash.

Is there something you know really well? Could you blog about it? Write articles? You could set up a website, have some affliate links to related products, have adsense adds and try your hand at the wonderful world of making money through internet popularity.

There are also sites that you get paid for writing or reviewing items if your articles/reviews are popular.

You could also get a job with the US census. They are hiring like crazy for extra help taking census. 20-40 hours a week, most of the work is evening and weekend. In our area, depending where you are the rate is 10-17/hr. It just depends what the competitive rate is in your area. You can find out more about their hiring at http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/how-to-apply/local-...

As I mentioned in your other post, I did exactly what you did.. but on purpose. I was making 65k, when I stopped working we lost more then half of our income at the time. I've definitely explored a LOT of ways to bring money in and save money.

You can make it, you just have to get creative and find what works for you.

Offer child care in your home. Look on Craigslist.com there are always odd jobs listed on there. Good Luck!

Since you are already home with the kids, why not offer up babysitting at home. School will be out soon and many parents need someone to watch the kids if they can not afford camp.
If you are good at organizing, start a small declutter service. Start out by offering your services for $10/hr and work it up based on referrals.
I once asked a nanny to come organize my closet as it was driving me crazy. She never did it before, but was willing and was a good listener. It took her about 8 hrs, cost me $80 and was much more valuable then a cleaning lady making my bed.
Or, if watching kids and organizing are not for you, can you cook something really well? Why not put an ad out on craiglist or another site offering to cook, serve and clean up after a special dinner....like a gift a husband can give his wife on mother's day!
Good luck to you, I know you will find something.

Updated

Since you are already home with the kids, why not offer up babysitting at home. School will be out soon and many parents need someone to watch the kids if they can not afford camp.
If you are good at organizing, start a small declutter service. Start out by offering your services for $10/hr and work it up based on referrals.
I once asked a nanny to come organize my closet as it was driving me crazy. She never did it before, but was willing and was a good listener. It took her about 8 hrs, cost me $80 and was much more valuable then a cleaning lady making my bed.
Or, if watching kids and organizing are not for you, can you cook something really well? Why not put an ad out on craiglist or another site offering to cook, serve and clean up after a special dinner....like a gift a husband can give his wife on mother's day!
Good luck to you, I know you will find something.

S.,

Wildtree Foods is a new chemical free food company that is sold by home tasting parties and is direct sales. But unlike most other direct sales companies out there it 1) requires a very low start up cost - $99;
2) there are less than 2500 reps nationwide so not everyone is in to it.
3) really risk free. If you find it's not for you you can eat your start up kit. Can't do that with most of the other direct sale products.

I have to admit, I don't understand the business side well because my interest is because it is a chemical free food line. I signed up because as a wellness educator, if I was going to recommend the foods to clients with medical issues I may has well make a little money with it too.

Message me if you want more information and/or go to lorikrause.mywildtree.com for some info.

In good health,

Lori Krause, RN, Certified Dr. Sears L.E.A.N. Coach
www.YourKitchenCoach.net

If you can write check out textbroker, wordgigs, demand studios, Associated Content, and brighthubs.

Check out the forums at workplacelikehome.com and wahm.com for at home jobs.

Check out the freelance jobs at e-lance and odesk.

Visit my blog at www.makemoneyonline.tonoftips.net for a few ways to earn extra cash at home.

Post a task you are willing to do for $5 at fiverr.com.

Find some families that you can babysit for. Use the following sites to find families: sittercity, care.com, and craigslist.

I'm so sorry about your job loss! What a stressful thing!
A lot of kids tend to lose ground academically over the summer. Maybe you could post something with your local school about doing some tutoring after school (while it is still in session) and then maybe an hour or two each day during the summer. It might be a nice alternative to someone making their kids go to summer school, and it could earn you a few bucks here and there.
Good luck!

Look around the house for things to sell on ebay, amazon (mostly books), or craigslist.

I found the perfect work from home job a couple of months ago. I am still working full-time, but hope to be working exclusively from home some day. It has been a life saver because I’m able to get some extra money by putting in a couple hours a week. You can work at your own pace and make your family’s schedule BEFORE your work schedule. Let me know if you are interested and we can talk more.

I don't do it myself, but a lot of moms I know have started the couponing thing and manage to shave a couple hundred off their grocery bills every month using those websites like coupon mom.

I love Larisa's idea of decluttering services. I would definitely like to find something like that.

You can also look in the classifieds for someone seeking help with things like driving elderly mom to her doctors appointments. I see ads quite often for "helper" type things like that. One lady at my doctor's was complaining that she kept placing ads and could never find a reliable driver to take her to the grocery store or appointments.

Good luck, and I'm sorry about your job loss. I hope things improve for you soon!

Do you have a severance package?

I was laid off last May and was lucky to have a decent severance package to prevent too much panic from settling in. I did anyhow.

We opted to keep our kids in day care part time so I had the opportunity to search for jobs and be available for interviews as needed.

I'd honestly recommend a temp agency right now as the best way to get a decent paycheck and the possibility of getting a good company to recognize you and bring you on board.

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Do Pet/Housesitting - I do it and charge $35 a day. I started out at an agency sometime ago until the owner retired and went out on my own with the same customers, but I also put up a notice at CraigsList. The agency charged $40 back in 2001, and most now charge closer to $50 a day. I have a contract that everyone signs, which you can get from looking at books in the library or at a bookstore. Most housesits involve a pet, but not always, and I do charge less per day if it is a cat (30). I always check the mail, put out the garbage cans, water plants inside and out, and live at the home. You can do drop-bys, but they are rarer, and most charge $20 an hour, and you do it once or twice a day. Real GREGORY KARPS book on savings. I forget the name of the book, but most libraries have books by him and the savings on cable, eyeglasses, and a ton of other stuff isn't anything I have ever come across anywhere else (and I read the Wall Street Journal and watch financial news programs. Hope it all helps, K.

Hi
I'm really sorry to hear about your job, but congrats on being pregnant! I just had my first last Tuesday. It's been great so far... :) After I got pregnant I started (well, continued) looking for ways to stay at home. I did finally find something. I started about 2 months ago, and have earned my first paychecks - pregnant and still working full time. The paychecks are small right now, but you can replace your income in about 6 months with dedication. What it is, is basically we are satisfied customers that refer other customers to the products we refer. I guess it's similar to the Avon or Mary Kay, just with everyday house hold good, such as cleaning supplies, bath and body, and a bunch of other things. And there is no stocking or inventory. I really love these products and the fact that I can actually stay at home with my son is wonderful. I would have pretty much been working to put my son in daycare - and bring home about $15.00 - really not worth it to me. But, I would be happy to give you anymore information about what I do, and to help you get started up, if you'd like! Either send me an email ____@____.com or ask for more information from my website www.workathomeunited.com/joycita Let me know if I can help you - I love what I do and I would love to help you with this. Good luck!
J.

So sorry to hear that. My hubby and I were both laid off last year, 2m apart.

Don't forget to file for unemployment. It takes about 3 weeks from whenever your last paycheck/severance payment is. Also, it opens you up to getting services like job listings etc. that are not posted publicly. Some people don't want to file for unemployment because its demeaning. Yes, it does hurt the ego, but what hurts more - not being able to buy food, pay for rent, or filling out some papers and money apears in your bank account? Lots of people are on unemployment now, so the stigma that goes with it is lessened. If hubby hadn't filed, we would've lost everything - I was not to the point where i could file yet.

Other things to keep in mind.
- You may get letters from your credit cards reducing your credit or cancelling your cards. We each had 1 card do this. His cut off his card one week after he filed for unemployment. One of mine cut my limit by $3000. and then closed it a month later.
- When you do your job search, only search M,W,F. Take Tues./Thurs. off from searching. If you can afford to keep the kids in daycare 2 days a week, please do. You need to have those days available to actually get out there and look, go to interviews, etc.
- My sister plans her weekly menu for a family of 3 by what's on sale. She shed $75. off of the weekly bill. She also looks for the buy one get one and buy 2 get 3 deals.

Last but not least, lay it at the feet of your God. One year ago, my world was rocked. In Mar. 09 we were denied a mortgage refi; in April 09 hubby was let go; May 09 I cashed in stocks to pay the bills and we treded water; Jun 09 I was let go, 2 credit cards shut us off; I was lost, I cried, I got mad... I gave the stress to God. I sat down and figured out when the saving would be gone. Aug. 15 09. We went through the summer with no job prospects. Then in the first week of August, my job asked me to stay on for 2 more months, and hubby received 2 interview calls. Hubby started his new job on Aug. 10, 09. We haven't had money flowing, but we haven't missed a bill payment.

One day I got the car insurance bill for $131.03. It was due in a week. Payday wasn't until the day before it was due. I needed to send the bill on Friday, so that it could snail mail there in time. I didn't know what to do. It wasn't like I could just not pay it. Thurs. evening I sat down to figure out which bill I could not pay so that I could pay the car insurance. Going through the mail that night I received a check that I knew was coming, but not sure when, for $129.99. OH! I could come up with $3! I had some spare quarters somewhere! The next letter I opened was an unexpected refund check for $2.13! I had received $131.12! Not a windfall, but just enough to pay my bill Friday morning. God had provided a way. I've had 3 other stories like that. My family is amazed and bewildered. They keep waiting to see what today's blessing will be. I'm happy to say that last Friday - 10 months - after being released, my company hired me back at regular full-time status.

You will get through this. Hugs.
M.