Want To Go Self Employed

[phleb]

Is anyone on here self employed, working from home, who can give me some tips as to how to start. I cannot got back to work as yet, Polly cant be left with anyone. She would hate it. I am not entitled to benefits, not even short term till i set up what i want to do. So now i just want to do some brain storming and look at a gap in the market and see if i can fill it. I was thinking of contract cleaning, but i'm a one person army, so that may get too much, and cannot take Polly with me, unsafe. I want to do this properly....so my reliable friends, please get brain storming and think of stuff for me to get into. x

[fairycakes69]

What about an ironing service?

[Sycamore3House]

Child minding. You have to be registered by the local authority. I did it when my children were small a good way to stay at home and earn.

[phleb]

Do i not need qualifications etc for childminding? thanks

[Sycamore3House]

No you don't but I think you may need to attend some courses that are run by the local authority and your house would need to be checked to make sure it is safe. But if you have children already you are more than half way there. But once registered it is always a way to earn extra. The best children to look after are teachers children.

[thegreens]

how are you at cooking/catering? always seems to be a market

[phleb]

Im a good cook, although I don't enjoy it really, I can cook almost anything thrown my way. x

[Mass_Hysteria]

I recently went self employed after investing in a franchise. Rather than doing everything myself I contacted "Tax Assist Accountants" who did everything for me. Schedule an hours appointment (free) for a chat.

[phleb]

thank you mass hysteria, i will look into them.

[boxtops]

There you go phleb http://www.pacey.org.uk/childminders/become_a_childminder.aspx#StepOne

My niece is a registered nanny and she has taken her little one with her when she went back to work (he's nearly 2 now) - she negotiated with the person whose children she nannies that she could look after him at the same time. That's another thought http://www.pacey.org.uk/nannies/become_a_registered_nanny.aspx

[bednobs]

why can't your daughter be left with anyone?
if you want to become SE, you need to work out what you are good at first, Also, working from home is difficult when you are also looking after a baby - realistically how much "free" time do you have in your day looking after the kids now?

[phleb]

I have all day from 10 -3. Polly is lovely and is no trouble at all, she would hate being with strangers, so I wouldn't do crèche. I have to have her with me, and work at the same time...who said you cant work with a baby around bednobs? I think it is highly possible. I am the modern mum, so in this case self employment will be better.

[bednobs]

quite often, building your own business takes more time than a full time job. Seriously your baby doesn't need anything from you between 10-3?

[boxtops]

I know you have other children, phleb - surely Polly needs to mix with children outside the family though, that would help her to get over her dislike of strangers? Did you look at my links? - my niece finds her job works well for her, taking the youngster out with her.

[bednobs]

also, if she never sees anyone else, she is going to be seriously disadvantaged when it comes to going to school and she has no idea how to play with other children or make friends. Sounds to me more like YOU would hate it, not her. Children tend to be very flexible. She might cry for the first five mins, but then just get on with it.
Back to the question ... i think you are seriously underestimating the time and commitment it takes to run your own business, especially in the early days

[phleb]

i cant leave her, she is too precious. I don't want her upset, my other two went to creche when they were two. They have a large group of friends, and are happy content children, Polly will be the same, just not yet. It is me i just can't bear to be apart from her, it would break my heart her being fed by someone else etc. :'(

[phleb]

im good at typing, admin work etc. is there a website i could advertise my services?

[ummmm]

She's still very young.

I ran a business from home. I found it quite easy. Much easier than going out to work.

How old is she now?

[Retrochic]

Use some of your time to do a few on line courses, such as business admin and Tax returns, VAT etc. I'm curious as to how you are free from 10 - 3 with a small baby? I've had four children and honestly could not have worked from home as it was a full time job looking after them.

[ummmm]

I think she means her older daughters will be at nursery so it will just be Phleb and Polly between 10-3.

[ummmm]

I suppose it depends on the age gaps. My daughter started school when my son was about 6 weeks old. By the time my other son was born my older son was in nursery.