SAHM looking for extra income! (day care, autism, baby, weight)

[Lehigh021]

Hello!

I am in my mid 20s with a 1.5 yr old. I quit my job to stay home with him full time even though we do not have a lot of money and each month we struggle (but always succeed) to pay our bills. I love being with my son all day, but I wouldn't mind picking up a part time job for some supplemental income bc I am stressed about money a lot. The prob. is finding a job that pays enough $ to cover the babysitter for my son, AND make it worth it financially to be away!

I previously worked pt as a nanny and brought my son along with me which worked out great, but this has been hard for me to find as most families want a nanny who will give 100% attention to their own kid!

I am so envious of Moms who can stay home with their kids with out financial worry! In my ideal world I want 3 or 4 happy kids of my own, and I want to be a busy, happy Mom at home with all of them. Hopefully my husband will continue to succeed at his job so that this is possible... and if not I will have to go back to work FT and find cheap childcare. Oh geez. This is not what I want.

My question is, what are some part time jobs that pay at least $12-15/hour+ (or even have benefits??? DH is self employed so we pay for our own, it is very $). I realize the economy is in the toilet, I live in NC where things aren't too bad but not great. I do have my BA. I wouldn't mind working a few evenings for decent pay.

[121804]

Originally Posted by Lehigh021

My question is, what are some part time jobs that pay at least $12-15/hour+ (or even have benefits??? DH is self employed so we pay for our own, it is very $). I realize the economy is in the toilet, I live in NC where things aren't too bad but not great. I do have my BA. I wouldn't mind working a few evenings for decent pay.

I've yet to ever meet a SAHM who doesn't have financial worries or at times want to bring in some paper money to cover down on every day expenses & unexpected expenses that sometimes add up. It is hard b/c paying for a sitter outweights what you'll bring home.

There are options though they are probably not going to be the $12-$15/hr range. 24hr WalMarts many times have stocker positions during the evening. UPS runs 24 hr operations. Places like McDonalds, Starbucks & Dunkin Donuts open very early & you could do an early AM shift. Receptionist at a hospital or long term nursing care facility that needs manpower during the evening. If you have any hospitals near you, look on their employment website to see what is being offered for non-medical staff. Housekeeping staff at schools after school closes. You could take your son with you if need be.

The benefits part is going to be harder. When I worked at Starbucks p/t, benefits were offered. I am not sure if that is available anymore due to their recent economic struggles. It's hard to find p/t work with benefits. A lot of reasons companies offer p/t is b/c they don't have to offer benefits!!!

Again, what you want & what is available may not be the perfect match, but if bills need to be paid & you want to continue as a SAHM, you'll just do what it takes!! Good luck.

[crazyme4878]

Are you gregarious enough for bartending? If you live in a larger town or college town, you can make mucho money bartending the weekends. It won't have benefits, but you won't have to worry about childcare and the tips can be huge. However, a small, local bar won't give you as much.

Waitressing is a good option, too. Again, you want an upperscale place over a greasy spoon.

I know they don't start out with $12/hour pay, but tips greatly enlarge it. It also gives you a lot of social interaction, while having the ability to have a more flexible schedule. I also have my BA, but have thought about picking up a couple nights doing either just for some added income.

Another option is a temp agency if you live in an urban area.

If you are crafty, look into some good-selling arts, like jewerly making. My friend has added a lot of income to her family by waitressing a couple times a week and making jewerly which she sells through an arts cooperative, through friends and relatives, and now I think online. She says that she spends about 4 hours a week on the jewerly. (She also uses higher-end and unique beads to make her product stand out.)

All of this may be a "step down" from your previous working life, but keep in mind that lots of very smart women do things like this to spend more time with their children.

[crazyme4878]

Another option is to look around for a family-owned business that has a strong sense of community. They are getting harder to find these days, though. The best job I have ever had didn't sound that wonderful, but workplace, with the strong sense of family and care, was wonderful. I knew that they would help me out whenever I needed it (and they let me take my baby to work!).

[cool rob]

Or how about opening up your home as a daycare? You can do it small time, and bring in some good money.

The requirements are usually a 90 hour certificate, and if I am not mistaken you do not have to get a license if you have under a certain amount of children. It will let you stay home with your own kid, while you make a few dollars.

[deerislesmile]

Have you considered taking care of another child in your home? I don't know how it works in other states, but in mine (Maine), you don't have to have a day care provider license unless you are taking care of 4 (or more) kids. After looking at what was available here for jobs and comparing it against what I would have to pay for child care (and my child care would be way expensive because mine has autism!), I have decided to take care of another child this summer. That way, I can still be with my own, he can have a playmate, and I still earn a little extra money. No benefits, of course, but overall, it's the best thing for me right now. Just a thought....

[deerislesmile]

Haha- Cool Rob beat me to that idea!

[JustJulia]

What about tutoring? I was a tutor in college, and that paid pretty well. Most kids won't need homework help now that school is almost out, but I've seen lots of summer programs for reading, writing and general catch-up. Sylvan and Kumon are pretty widespread.Are you book smart?

[miasmommy]

overnight shifts for sure!

Become a senior citizen caregiver and do the night shift. Most companies offer at least 9-10 bucks an hour to start. I work from 8pm to 7am three nights per week. I am licensed to I get paid a bit more to start but to be a caregiver you only need a highschool diploma, a clean background, be drug free, and pass some basic skills tests and be compatable with people of course!

Walmart and Target are other options for night shifts.

You'll probably be able to handle one or two nights a week since you are the main caregiver to YOUR children.

If this is where you live (as listed) then search for a company and call and ask if they are hiring

http://www.aplaceformom.com/north-ca...r-care/durham/

[TouchOfWhimsy]

Can you write well? If so, you can make $15-30 per hour writing articles online. Some great places to start is Freelance Jobs | Demand Studios, QualityGal, eHow | How To Do Just About Everything!, Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network | Suite101.com, or Associated Content - associatedcontent.com. I work about 8 hour per week and easily bring home $150 per week.