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Ironing Jobs
Many people are happy to pay to get their ironing done
by someone else.
If you can watch tv or listen to music and iron while
you do it, then you could offer an ironing service. Most
ironers charge by either the black bag full, hourly or per
garment with extra for collection and delivery.
If you are getting a lot of work consider Investing in
semi-professional equipment to speed your work rate up.
Irons with seperate steam generators have become much more
popular and affordable over the past few years and really
speed up the process.
Pick the most powerful (highest wattage/steam generation)
one you can afford and you won't be slowed up waiting for
more steam. The larger water capacity of a separate steam
generator also means that you won't have to keep stopping
to refill the iron - what is a minor inconvenience when
you're doing a few 'T' shirts for yourself can be a real
pain when you've got six bin bags full of shirts to iron
by tonight!
You could also look at delivering and collecting dry cleaning
etc as part of the service and you could offer repairs,
alterations and tailoring. You should be a non-smoking
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Administration
Acting as an adminstrator for a small business or self-employed
businessperson. This can encompass a wide variety of duties including
call handling, message taking, typing letters and emails and generally
acting the part of a virtual assistant.
You'll need PC with broadband internet, a dedicated phone, Good
spoken and written language skills.
more
about earning money from home with a computer
Baby Sitting and
Childminding
Babysitting or looking after kids in their
own home is less tightly regulated than childminding but the regulations
vary depending on what part of the world you're in. In the UK,
it's recommended that you should be at least 16. Most baby sitters
find work by word-of-mouth and personal recommendation but there
are also agencies you can register with. Try a search for 'babysitter'
to check out what's available.
Advice
on babysitting from ROSPA
Childminding can be a great option if you
have kids of your own and you're at home all day anyway. To become
a childminder in the UK you must register with OFSTED and your
home will be inspected to ensure that it meets the required standards.
You'll also be interviewed to ensure that you are a suitable person
to look after children. You can find out how to get started at
the National
Child Minders Association.
Car
Valeting
This is a good example of a business which
you can grow organically.
Most part-timers start by travelling to
the customers home or place of work. You'll need a vacuum cleaner
and all the usual cleaning products for inside and outside the
vehicle. The advantage of working at the customers home or work
is that there's a chance of picking up business from passers by
and colleagues.
You can find work initially by leaflet
drops, placing cards in newsagents and post offices and visiting
likely businesses. See full article under driving
jobs.
Cleaning
Domestic cleaners are always in demand
and you can find work by the usual methods of placing cards and
leafletting. People also place adverts for cleaners so look out
in shop windows and your local press. You could also apply to
an agency if you live in a larger town or city.
You could also try local businesses or
maybe even specialise in something like cleaning cookers or deep-cleaning
commercial and home kitchens. Don't forget too, that there's a
steady demand for window cleaners for both domestic and commercial
premises. You can be as low tech as a bucket, ladder and squeegee
or go high tech with a van-mounted pure water washing system with
lightweight extendable brushes enabling you to wash third floor
windows without leaving the ground.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning can be a
good earner and the equipment is a lot more affordable than it
used to be. You'll need to be fit and fairly strong as you'll
need to move furniture around.
Delivering
Covers a multitude of things from pizzas and chinese takeaways
to newspapers to leaflets, catalogues and phone directories. You'll
need to be reasonably fit and have your own transport. Try contacting
your local free press and searching for leaflet distributors or
directory distributors in your area. See full article under driving
jobs.
Jobs for animal lovers
- Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, Grooming, Pet accessories and food
If you're an animal lover, and enjoy keeping fit, then dog walking
could be a good way to combine the two. Try asking or placing
cards at local vets, kennels and pet shops. You could also consider
offering to look after pets for a longer period such as holidays.
It's also less stressful on the animals and cheaper than kennels!
If you have the skills and a good way with animals, then you
could offer dog grooming services either as a stand-alone service
or in conjunction with dog walking or pet sitting. If you can
offer to collect and deliver the dog, this can add more value
to your services as busy customers appreciate the convenience.
You
could offer to combine pet sitting with looking after a house
- see below. Remember, it's not just cats and dogs, people have
all kinds of pets from fish to parrots which need to be cared
for during the holidays so if you have experience with a particular
animal or breed you could be in demand.
You can either look after the pets in their own home or board
them at yours. Bear in mind that if you are boarding animals on
a regular basis, you will need to talk to your local authority
about licensing and planning permission. As an adjunct to all
the above, you could supply pet food and accessories.
When you are looking after someone else's pet's it's essential
that you reach a clear understanding with the client as to how
far the service extends, will they leave keys for you to collect
and return animals? what about emergency veterinary treatment?
is the animal insured for public liability if it decides to bite
someone ( although you should carry public liability insurance
yourself) ? Can the animal be let off the lead? What if it runs
off?
Many walkers and pet-sitters use an agreement form which covers
all this and more and which the client should sign before you
start. You can find template forms on the web or talk to a solicitor.
Don't forget as well that there is money to be made by keeping
animals yourself. The most popular options are keeping chickens
(Free-range and organic eggs are in great demand and fetch premium
prices) and Bees (Home-made honey is very popular).
Both activities can be carried out on a scale to suit your own
needs and the available space with even the smallest of town gardens
having the space for a couple of chickes in a coop. You may not
make much money from this, but you won't lack for fresh eggs!
Getting started is easier than ever before as all the necessary
equipment can be purchased via mail order over the web. You can
search for livestock providers in your area plus there are innumerable
forums and FAQ pages to help you get started.
Finally, you could consider breeding - Dogs, cats, carp, lizards
- you name it. However this is not an area you should venture
into without extensive prior knowledge. It's much more than just
putting a pair of animals together and selling the offspring.
Although the profits to be made might appear good on the surface,
you need to factor in a lot of costs and effort such as vet bills
and you need to really care about and have an interest in the
animals you're raising.
Poultry
information and stock
Gardening
and Lawn Care
If you're green-fingered and enjoy out door work then gardening
and lawn care present a good opportunity for regular work throughout
the growing season.
You'll need a suitable van or pick-up to move equipment such
as mowers around and carry away waste.
The best way to get work in this area is to drive around and
leaflet likely areas with particular attention to larger and more
prosperous properties and those that look like they could do with
mowing or tidying. You'll do much better if you look professional
with properly designed and printed lealets.
The
gardening, lawn care and tree surgery field is popular with 'chancers'
so giving a landline phone, address and insurance details can
boost the confidence of potential customers and increase your
chances of getting work. It's an area where a smart appearance
and a liveried van can make all the difference!
If possible give an idea of pricing up front so potential customers
know you aren't too expensive - for example cost per square yard
for mowing or fertilising a lawn.
The ongoing nature of gardening means that if you do a good job,
you'll keep going back to mow, prune, plant and fertilise as necessary.
Make money by selling plants
Many gardeners also make extra cash by selling plants and seedlings,
if you are good at growing more difficult and unusual plants,
this can prove a useful source of extra income.
You don't even have to sell locally anymore, many growers sell
successfully via web sites and ebay - most plants and seedlings
can survive a couple of days in the mail with no problem as long
as they are well packed and watered before sending.
Handyman and maintenance
/ painting and decorating
If you're the practical type who enjoys DIY and can turn your
hand to most things, you might like to consider offering a handyman
and maintenance service. People need help with all kinds of small
jobs from clearing out gutters to putting up shelves and assembling
flat-pack furniture.
Don't be tempted to take on jobs that are outside your capabilities
and skill level and bear in mind that certain types of paid work,
for example gas appliance repairs and installation and electrical
work can only be carried out by persons holding the correct registration/qualifications/licence.
Check if you're not sure!
It's also important that you arrange adequate insurance cover
for both property damage and personal injury. A good broker will
be able to advise you on the type of cover and costs.
House Sitting
Many people get nervous about leaving their house empty when
they are away and worry about burglars, squatters or leaving Rover
in kennels. Offer your services as a house and/or pet sitter to
check on security and water plants, feed and exercise pets, collect
mail, mow lawns etc. You could live-in or visit every day as required.
(also see above under pet sitting). Make sure you have all the
details you need on which plants to water, what to feed the cat
and all the appropriate contact details for the owners, plumbers
and emergency vets etc.
For obvious reasons you'd need personal recommendation for this
job and/or great references so start by asking friends and relatives
or contact a house sitting agency. This is a job which might suit
the retired or semi-retired person better as older people are
(however unfairly!) perceived as more reliable.
Network Sales and Party Planning
Direct selling and party planning have had a bad press in the
past but if you do a little research, you can still make money
at it. If you are the gregarious and outgoing type, organising
and holding a party can be great fun as well as a source of income.
It will soak up a lot of time, usually in the evenings but for
that reason, it can work well if you have a full-time job or childcare
commitments in the day.
The commission levels and start up costs vary but these days
the range of products sold directly to the end-user stretches
far beyond cleaning products and storage containers. See also
Catalogue Delivery
Plumbing
If you are a practical type, plumbing
is pretty straightforward. With modern materials, making a watertight
joint is a lot more straightforward than it used to be. Lots of
people want showers and sinks fitted, leaks fixed and washing
machines or dishwashers plumbed in.
Stay away from gas appliances and electrical
work though unless you have the appropriate skills and registration.
If you want to improve your skills, there are many courses available.
Repairs
If you are mechanically and electrically savvy, you're already
way ahead of the majority of people! Even in todays 'throwaway'
culture there is still a demand for repairs on everything from
bicycles to lawnmowers and a whole raft of domestic appliances
such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines. As an adjunct to
this, you can buy and sell all kinds of things that need some
restoration. Places to look are Ebay, local auctions, second-hand
shops, police sales etc.
Stay away from gas appliances and electrical
work unless you have the appropriate skills and registration.
Writing
If you can string a phrase together you could turn your ability
to profitable use by writing. There is a huge demand for articles
and text both on and off-line particularly if you have specialist
or technical knowledge - just take a look around any large newsagent
to see the sheer volume that's publised on a daily basis. For
specific advice on copywriting try freelance
uk
Magazines - If you have a subject that you're especially knowledgeable
in, take a look at the magazines and periodicals that are published
on your subject. If they accept unsolicited work, then get writing!
Don't forget that many more general magazines might take an article
on a specialised subject that's written with the average reader
in mind. Some specialist magazines such as transport or craft
titles are also in the market for illustrated features which can
increase your income.
Scripts - if you think you could be the next Russell T. Davies
or Galton and Simpson, the BBC reads every script that's sent
to it but you MUST ensure that you read the submission guidelines
or you have no chance of being accepted. They will read scripts
for films, TV and radio dramas, series and sitcoms.
BBC
Scriptroom - tons of useful information on writing and sending
a script to the BBC.
Books - Getting a first novel published is notoriously difficult
with probably one in a thousand manuscripts making it to the bookshelves
but if you have original ideas and the skill to put them into
words, the rewards can be outstanding. There are many publishers
of genres such as historical and particularly romance who are
always on the look out for talented new writers. Mills and Boon
are probaly the best known and have a great information section
which gives everything that the budding romance author needs to
know.
How
to submit to Mills and Boon
The first port of call for any budding writer should be the writer's
and artist's yearbook which contains a wealth of
information on how to get your work published, lists of magazines
and periodicals, whether they accept usolicited material, the
type and length of the articles they are looking for and the rates
they pay.
Insurance - We strongly advise
that you take out the appproriate insurance to cover your activities.
A good independent broker will be able to advise you on what you
need.
