Great Ideas to earn part-time

The lists below will help inspire you with an idea that you can make some money with. All these things can be carried out in your spare time, evenings and weekends,and many have formed the basis of successful part-time home businesses.

Don't forget that if you need cash for Christmas, in addition to all the 'microbusinesses' listed below, there are also loads of seasonal jobs in the retail and leisure industries during the lead up to Christmas and New Year and in the January Sales. Many of these can be carried out on an evening and weekend basis or part-time during the day iif you have spare time during the week.

But coming back to working from home as your own boss, the secret to having a successful home business is to choose a project that you will enjoy doing. This kind of business works best if you have a hobby or interest that you can build on. Gardening is an obvious example but there are loads of others:

If you're practical then you can consider things like offering a handyman service, putting up shelves, assembling flat-pack furniture, painting and decorating.

If you get on well with people, how about party plan or direct sales, disk jockeying or even learning how to become a toastmaster!

If you're fond of animals, then there's a whole range of earning opportunities ranging through dog grooming, looking after horses, pet sitting, and supplying pet accessories.

People even make a living producing designer clothes for dogs! Still on the canine theme, dog walking is a service that's much in demand and can fit easily around your current lifestyle.

As always, the secret to success is to carry out research first to determine what kind of market exists for your product or services. Ask around, talk to friends, relatives and potential customers. Look at who's in the market already, who will your competitors be, can you be better, cheaper, faster, friendlier than them or can you fill a niche market?

Practical ways to make money from home

Babysitter Beautician Business Advisor Car Repairs Car Valeting Catalogue Delivery Childminding Children's Entertainer Cleaning Consultant Cook Courier De-cluttering Decorating Delivering Direct Sales Disk Jockey Dog Walking Doorman Dressmaker Driver

Driving Instructor Energy Assessor Entertainer Escort Evening Class Tutor Event Management Film Extra Fitness Instructor Flat Pack Assembly Foster Parent Gardening Hairdressing Handyman Hedge Cutting Home Tutor House Sitting Ironing Lawn Care Limo Service Man with a Van Masseur

Nail Technician Painting Party Planning Personal Trainer Pet Accessories Pet Grooming Pet Sitting Pizza Delivery Plumbing Property Developer Removals Taxi Driver Therapist Toastmaster Waiter Wedding Photographer Wedding Planner Window Cleaner More ideas

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Business Advisor

If you've had experience in running a business, why not pass the knowledge on? Many small and medium sized businesses have a requirement for expert input on accounts, tax, grant applications and a whole range of other issues. Contact your local chamber of commerce for more information.

Children's Entertainer

If you get on great with kids, and have a talent to entertain then why not earn some cash by doing your magic show, ventriloquism, balloon sculpting, clowning, puppeteering or juggling at kid's parties. Don't forget face painting at events, sports meetings, football and rugby matches. Henna tattoos are another popular option as well.

Consultant

see business advisor

Cook

If you can cook, you can make extra cash. Make cakes for birthdays and weddings. Cater for events such as anniversaries and other celebrations. Create bespoke picnic hampers. Sell sandwiches around offices. Sell hot dogs at events. Cater for other peoples dinner parties. Run a guerilla restaurant in your home - in a warehouse.

Disk Jockey

Poptastic way to earn a living at weddings, parties and events of all kinds - 'ladies and gentlemen, the buffet is now open'. Or you could strut your stuff at clubs and bars.

Doorman

The door supervisor's role is now regulated by the Security Industry Authority and it's illegal to work as a door supervisor without holding the appropriate licence. Door supervision is about much more than the public perception of the old fashioned 'bouncer' and requires knowledge of Civil and criminal law, Searching, Drugs awareness, Licensing law, Equal opportunities and the Health and Safety at Work Act. Find out more.

Energy Assessor

An Energy Performance Certificate is required as part of a Home Information Pack (HIP) whenever a domestic property is built or put up for sale in England and Wales. The energy assesor inspects the property and ascertains the dimensions, type of construction, heating and hot water provision of the premises. They use a bespoke software program to produce the Energy Performance Certificate for the property. Training courses are available and the energy assessor needs to be accredited and be a fit and proper person to hold the post. Find out more

Entertainer

If you can sing, tell jokes, play the banjo or escape from a straightjacket while whistling 'dixie' you could make a living or at least beer money by doing it in public. Try pub talent nights, comedy clubs, or busking. Who knows, the bigtime might be just around the corner....

Escort

Don't - unless you know what you're getting into...google it and read some experiences! In particular stay away from the adverts which get your money either by a premium rate phone number or a registration fee.

Event Management

Organise events for individuals, companies, corporate nights out, team building, product launches etc. Find out more

Film Extra

It's not as glamorous as it sounds but you can earn 50-100 pounds a day and get to see your favourite TV and film stars. Do your research on how to be a film extra and don't hand over registration fees to agencies untill you find out exactly what you're getting in return.

You don't need acting skills or have to particularly attractive either!

List of agents who deal with film and TV extras - nasaa.org.uk

Read more about a film extra's life in the Daily Telegraph

Foster Parent

Foster carers look after kids on a short to medium term basis and are paid for this by the local authority. If you like kids and have bags of understanding and patience, you could consider this. You'd need to have suitable accommodation and undergo a criminal record check as well as a series in-depth interviews during the application process. Find out more

Property Developer

There's still money to be made in property development even in the recession but you have to know what you're about. Find out more from channel 4's property pages

Toastmaster

If you're the outgoing and friendly type, maybe being a toastmaster would suit. You need to be a good public speaker and cool under pressure but the job is extremely rewarding when you've helped a major function or wedding run smoothly. Courses are available from english toastmasters

Waiter

This is a useful part-time and seasonal earner. Ask around at your local cafe, restaurant, hotel, function room, golf club, masonic hall etc. If you can do silver service, you'll always be in demand for functions. There are no specific qualifications to get started but you should be presentable, reliable and polite. Waiting can also be a suitable part -time job for 16 year olds but do check the legislation in your area.

Wedding Photographer

Taking wedding photographs is not for the faint-hearted but lots of amateurs have made the leap to professional and semi-professional status. Don't do it untill you are confident you can produce the results that the bride expects. Surf some professional sites to look at the kind of standards that you might need to reach.

Wedding Planning

Not every bride to be looks upon wedding planning as an entirely pleasurable activity so if you're organised, unflappable and reliable and can help book the reception, organise the caterers and arrange the flowers you could make a wedding happen.

Window Cleaning

'Turned out nice again' - As long as you've got a ladder and a head for heights, you can always make a couple of bob with a window cleaning round. Don't just think houses and flats, try smaller shops and businesses which may not have contract cleaners.