Indeed, finding a profitable niche importing and/or reselling is the difficult bit. Out of the all the people who think of it, only a tiny proportion manage to do it successfully. Most niches are already full of competitors willing to sell for pennies profit.Originally Posted by alexaff
I'm not saying don't do it if the opportunity arises. I am merely saying that it's very unlikely to be something that one can intend to do; it seems to me that it's something that people mostly stumble into by chance.
What are your DIY skills like? When I'm working in a customers house I usually get asked if I can put up a shelf/curtain pole, shoot In a door. Extend that to assembling flat pack furniture, bit of painting and decorating and you might do OK out of it?
Hope it all works out for you mate.
I did a couple of festivals this year, Glastonbury was great, 10 days work, put some holidays in for it, i get 5 weeks a year, 12 hour shifts, £10 (not rock star wages but would be doing nothing else) an hour, 7am-7pm, tent job, worked with some great guys, a few beers after shift and a nice cosy tent.
What do you actually need the extra cash for? By the time you've finished delivering pizzas, done some studying, gone to sleep, got up to do the day job, come home, gone out to deliver pizzas... where is the time to spend the money?
If you have a nice house in a nice area and your kids are thriving in a good school, what more do you actually need that can only be acquired via a total nervous exhaustion breakdown?
I sense there's more to this than you're letting on. Have you sought advice elsewhere?
I quite like the notion of Flat Pack Man!
Loading vans early AM for parcel companies like UPS, Fedex, DPD, DHL ? Most of the loaders at the depot I know start at about 5:30 and finish at about 8 then go on to their daytime job.
There's no more to it. We need to top up our disposable income as general day to day food and fuel and living is tricky and also to put a bit away so we don't have to sit in the house during the school holidays in July and August; not having a holiday, just be able to go out and about. If I'm lucky I'll get a bonus from work in July but it can't be relied upon and at its max it'll only be £400 ish.
My sister and BIL are expecting around £15k in bonuses - holy shit!
Barman/waiter/ McDonald's anything where their busiest time is outside of normal working hours, I worked as a doorman for a longtime purely because the hours suited me and I needed extra income. A small little garden in the attic might also help but good luck holding any moral high ground with your kids ;)
An insight to what your job is may help with suggestions maybe some way of doing something on the side like a plumber doing cash jobs on a weekend type thing.
That's not a life, especially if you do an 8-10 hour day job on top.
Seriously? How much time and space do you think you might need, never mind horticultural knowledge, before you could turn a profit with plants? Not an option is it, really?
Never heard of this, thanks.
Best wishes for a prosperous new year. You never know what's around the corner. Keep positive.
I was is a deadly 9-5 banking job for years until C&G pulled the plug on a big chunk of the workforce after the last financial crash. I took what I thought was a stop-gap job and for the first 4 months thought 'Christ what have I done'. Then it kind of clicked and I'm nearly 5 years in and still like it (most days) ... pays better too. So, you never know.
I think you've missed the point ;) puff the magic dragon lives in attics these days with some heat lamps and a funny smell ;) I've been asked enough times if our thermal imagining cameras would work on a roof to see if the police helicopter could spot how they've been subsiding their incomes
.....and can they?
Doh! That's embarrassing
In a breath, also via handheld cameras, monitoring increases in energy consumption original property and neighbours).
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Thought so. Not that I would ever have considered it mind.
Yes, whilst you couldn't prove what was going on inside the one house we looked at from curiosity was glowing compared to their neighbours on the camera apparently they where promptly insulating it the next day.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/l...re/8447110.stm
Personally unless we where verging on loosing the house and everything anyway I wouldn't be doing it but I know from friends in my old line of work it's extremely profitable but also with big risks.
THIS. The OP's a human being, not a dog. Thought this stuff went out with the slave trade/Gulags etc.
As someone much brighter than me once said, I'd rather fight on my feet than die on my knees.
OP. Not sure what field you work in but does your firm have an EAP programe? I'd ask.
In terms of your day job could this be extended to other opportunities to work for yourself in the same field rather than something completely different ?
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Not sure of your age/fitness but have you thought about the territorial army? Always seeing adverts etc and the age you can join seems quite high these days.
A bootneck advising someone to become a STAB, I've seen it all now lol
Or the RMR.
Lmao
Just to clarify
I did initially think RMR or rubber dagger ;) but unless under 30ish which I doubt because of kids ages mentioned earlier and extremely fit he's got no chance neither have I these days for that matter lol
It's easier in this weather;
Back to the OP - I get where you're coming from and I've been there myself but you'll worry yourself to death over money, it is NOT the be all and end all.
I set myself up as a sole trader a couple of years ago and sold off most of my Seiko collection (100 or so watches) on e.bay because I wasn't taking a wage from the business I co-own. Things are a bit rosier this year but I'm still not drawing a salary, just the absolute minimum to cover the essentials. Mortgage, household bills and food shopping are all paid, everything on top of that is gravy. We share a car, have a very basic SKY TV package and don't waste money basically.
I reckon we run our house (with two kids) on under £15k a year. It's not luxury, but it's comfortable.
Like you, there is light at the end of the tunnel - my wife is working her way up the ladder and my business is showing growth (almost debt free), so we know in a few years time we'll be in a position of stability where we can relax the purse strings, but there is no mad panic to have everything right now!
Ask yourself are the bills being paid? Don't say "ooooh yes, but only barely". That's a YES then.
You've admitted that all this is is an exercise to top up your disposable income. Each to their own but it sounds silly killing yourself and giving up all your free time trying to stash money away for the school holidays etc - especially if your wife isn't making the same effort. Again, no-ones business but your own but all this obsessing over what everyone else has is unhealthy, and that's coming from someone who has very little, not one of the forum millionaires.
If you really want some extra cash then can you not at least find something you enjoy doing? I used to write movie and game reviews (along with the occasional watch review) for Amazon. A couple of reviews a month paid maybe £20-£30 so around £300 a year which usually buys me another watch. OK I appreciate that really is only pocket money, but it's only a couple of hours "work" every month, and writing is something I enjoy thoroughly.
My other income was poker, which I still enjoy immensely but can only play micro-stakes these days. It takes a lot of discipline (a mix of mathematic talent, patience, concentration and - of course - some luck) but with a strong bank-roll and a few spare hours in the evening I could easily grind £300 a week on mid-stakes cash games and low stakes tournaments.
Sadly roulette requires none of the same skills - it's 100% luck, and for every £500 I won at poker I spent £600 on that... so I no longer play the game.
Here's a genuinely low maintenance money maker if it's remotely feasible for you, and I'm not sure if this is even a market still worth looking at as it's been well and truly done to death in my neck of the woods, but a pal of mine bought a couple of fruit machines on e.bay and stuck them in local take-aways. Split the profit 50/50 and he was clearing about £100 a week from two machines set to a £5 jackpot (no gaming licence required). Probably a silly idea but it might be worth looking at, all you need to do is turn up once a week to empty/refill.
With you on the fitness front, turning into a bit of a fat knacker these days lol.
Too old, too sore and to be quite honest I've a problem with authority these days. When did you get out?
At the risk of sounding all Ralph McTell, spend a day or two as a volunteer at your nearest children's hospital making cups of tea for the parents, helping with orientation, tidying the waiting rooms, being a willing ear and so on. You'll get paid nowt but will come away feeling fulfilled and a hell of a lot better off.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Are you any good with pets? If so, how about a pet-sitter? Its alternative to putting pets in cattery and kennels when family is away. Seems to be more popular and we use one at £10/hour.
It usually taking the dog for walks, feeding, and cleaning of litter trays. Can easily fit around your day job.
It does sound as if you're at full stretch already.
Do you have any hobbies, interests that you can turn into a cash?
Also I know you've said you've made all the savings you can but it may be worth having a look at that again. Have a look at the moneysavingexpert website for ideas, and even perhaps the moneymoustache website (US) for a different viewpoint.
Whatever you do come up with best of luck to you and I hope 2017 is a good one for you.
RIAC
Almost 20 years now :o I'm a confirmed fat knacker these days, yomps with the dog is considered exercise now :( but yes I have a similar problem with authority now as do many of the ex mob lads I know. How about yourself?
We still have no idea what the OPs skill set is to know if his current job allows for a way to make money on the side
Dog walking is my plan for pocket money when I retire, I'm only sharing this as you're not in my area.
I reckon I could make £50 a day for a few hours work.
Just read this thread. I think most of it has been said. Bookkeeping was a thought I had as I did a bit on the side for extra money when I was younger and needed extra money. I'm an accountant though so it's a natural fit. Always seemed to be plenty of work. Not sure if feasible for your wife but my wife is very handy and a couple of years ago taught herself to make curtains and blinds with free online courses. She did a couple of local jobs for friends and since then has a constant stream of work from referrals. She's not spent a penny on advertising. She already had a sewing machine and we paid a local carpenter £200 to build a removable work table that sits on top of our dining table. She joined online forums and soon learned where to source the best materials. It's completely flexible working from home so she still does the school run and does stay at home mum stuff. She charges local clients (Winchester area) £25 per hour and London clients £35 per hour. If they buy poles or material from her the mark up is 100%. Working only a few hours a day Monday to Friday she still brought in around £20k last year. She now has a couple of upmarket designers, friends of former clients, who refer work to her so it all just fell into place. If she did it full time I expect she'd bring in £40k+. The other avenue is she uses a couple of local handymen to hang the blinds and curtains. They charge £15-£20 per hour for drilling a few holes. Always busy and she always has to book them well in advance. Best of luck.
I know, I know… I have already hung my head in shame at missing the bleedin' obvious.
Class!!!!
Thanks for the excellent suggestions and also for the opportunity to reflect which is often overlooked in such circumstances.
In response to a couple of people, my profession is L&D design and development therefore hugely transferable between organisations and sectors but not much use for a bit of cash on the side, especially during the hours I'd have free i.e. not business hours.
Surprised they've not raided my mum's house - It's always at least 10C too hot in there!
I guess that depends. If you're the sort who's up at 4:30-5:00 every morning anyway, doing a few hours extra before work isn't a big deal.
I'm usually eating my breakfast at 8:00 and far away in the land of nod at 5:30, so it wouldn't work for me, but my Dad was up around 5:00 for decades, so clearly some people are happy to be up that early.
M
Last edited by snowman; 30th December 2016 at 10:38.
There's a difference being up that early and getting up early to spend a few hours working before your normal daily grind though. My dad was similar when working but liked to read and relax with a few cuppas before heading off to work.
Most of what is being mentioned tends to require some startup training/cost/etc or having your name and ability known to get the trade.
What are your interests though, because if you're going to be doing something over and above a day job, then you might want to see if you can do something you might enjoy a little, as some have said join the reserves maybe, if you're not that fit or young then the RAF Reserves take you up to 50 and if you're under 20 stone you'd be seen as svelte! Other areas, such as sport always need marshals, stewards, etc, so if you like football or local events, then having a check on what jobs are going for those types of things could be good, as they'll be evenings and weekends, and only for 3 or so hours at a time. Same with local events, they'll always need security/stewards so having your name on the books of the company that do that type of thing could be good.
I guess in short it's a case of working out what you have interests in and if you can get a part time job out of that in your area, as it'll be easier to get into and stick with.
Had to Google L&D and still not much wiser but how about some sort of coaching role?
Of the suggestions posted, dog walking seems a good one (if you like the shitters). Or how about matched betting - see www.oddsmonkey.com
What happened with this Dave?
Started my own business today
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...9&share_type=t
Quite surprised that no one has suggested a side job that will help others, allow you to work on your fitness and shouldn't impact the sleep patterns unduly.....
Have a trawl through the Alibaba website to see if you see anything you think you could sell. You can get the 2-watch travelling case for good money and looking at the prices on Amazon and eBay, you could easily triple or quadruple your investment.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Dog walking is always a good one. Tenner per walk. One a day. Could bring in an extra 50 per week.
Or weekend/holiday dog sitting.
If your kids are older can they get weekend jobs?
Have you done a full financial strip back like ditching cable/sky for kodi, converting to lidl etc?
A few years back I went part time when I was looking after a family member. I did vintage to bulk up my income. Scoured house clearance and junk yards for interesting bits, cleaned them up and repaired where needed and sold on gumtree. Made a remarkable amount really considering that it was an enjoyable pastime for me anyway and ended up with some gems that I kept having procured for peanuts.
I've heard there's good money to be made down the docks, perhaps running errands for sailors etc.
Wow you lot are so inventive - very inspiring!
I was going to suggest something similar - the whole 'Fulfilled By Amazon' sector is huge for a small business on the side. Find a few things from China you can easily find on the Net and sell them off in Europe. I knew a guy who started a business doing that in mattresses and he's turned that into a full fledging business.
This would be my first step. Sounds like you have enough on your plate already without committing to more work.
I was made redundant 5 years or so ago and did a thorough evaluation of what my wife and I actually needed to get by, as apposed to what we thought we needed. The upshot was I managed to take 18 months off work to retrain and now work in a completely different profession.
Be ruthless and trim anything unnecessary. Here's a few things to consider to get you started:
Gas/electricity - lots of savings to be made shopping around.
Food - Lidl and Aldi are just as good as the more expensive supermarkets. Plus going towards the end of the evening you get some good discounts.
Insurance - Shop around and you'll be surprised how much you can safe on car and house insurance.
Cloths - As Granny used to say 'make do and mend'.
TV - As Verve mentioned cut back or better still cancel Sky/Virgin packages. There's plenty of Freeview channels, especially when you consider I had just the three to choose from when growing up.
Mobile phones - Buy a cheap smartphone and 'pay as you go'. I use Three who have a 321 package which doesn't cancel any funds you have left at the end of the month. Admittedly I'm a light phone user but I can't remember the last time I had to top up. Saved a fortune since I changed.
Magazines/papers - If you have any subscriptions cancel them.
Broadband - Consider a cheaper/smaller package.
There's plenty of money saving advice here
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com
I was genuinely surprised how much we used to spend on unnecessary stuff and how much I saved by questioning every expense and looking for cheaper alternatives. The process was actually quite cathartic and a good challenge.
Apologise if you've already been through this process and good luck.
Cheers,
Gary
Last edited by Omegary; 30th December 2016 at 14:39.
It will require time and investment but I reckon training as a driving instructor would be a good long term strategy. If you want a short term solution with zero start up then you could do alot worse than dog walking
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
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