Want to work, but don't want to leave the kids?

Ericka Bergeson gives some advice on jobs you can do from home.

How many of you would actually jump at the opportunity to work from home? You probably spend more money paying for day care, than they do for petrol and food. You can choose from a list of careers that you can start from home. Many companies are hiring virtual workers to perform a number of tasks from home. Companies save money, and you save money, time and petrol, plus you will get to spend more time with their families.

At home jobs offer you exceptional opportunities that you cannot find on traditional job sites. The freedom to work in your pyjamas while eating breakfast is an advantage and a privilege. Working in the afternoons, while watching television or preparing dinner, is rare and unheard of.

Flexible careers for mums:

– Customer service reps are in great demand. Many sales companies and call centres are offering part time or full time work from the comfort of your home. Companies are looking to cut back on their actual in office work hours. All you will need is a computer, access to the internet and a set of headphones with a built in microphone.  Many companies will provide the training and the necessary equipment. Depending on which company you sign up with, you might get paid for your training. You will need to keep a timesheet, and turn it in with the actual work hours posted. A customer service rep generally does not earn much money, however, you aren’t paying much to get started either. As a starting salary, you could earn about £11,000 to £12,000 per year.

– Freelance writing is another broad area that offers work at home opportunities. There are hundreds of companies looking for experienced and non experienced writers. Content is the blood line of websites; good content is needed to attract new customers, retain existing customers and get visitors informed. You can write for one or more companies and have your earnings direct deposited or sent directly to your PayPal account. Some companies pay off weekly, biweekly or monthly. You can write your own pay checks, and choose whether or not you want to work part time or full time. The great thing about freelance writing is that you don’t have to pay for anything, except for a laptop or a computer if you don’t have one – everything you earn will be a profit to you because you haven’t spent anything. As a freelance writer, payment does vary depending on who you work with or what website you are freelance writing on, but an average payment for a freelance writer is around £16 to £32 per hour.

– Being an independent driving instructor offers you the chance to earn money, be part of a franchise and create a flexible work schedule. While this is not a stay at home job, it does allow you to create a schedule to fit your lifestyle. You can advertise your interest in becoming part of a growing industry and can work whenever you choose to, whether this is in the morning, afternoon or evening. You can work part time or full time, and can work any set number of days and hours you choose. Also, depending on the type of package you choose, you can get a car to teach students in; when you become a more experienced instructor, you can start earning up to around £30,000.

– Being a daycare worker allows you to stay at home and do something you love to do. Parents have to go to work, run errands or go shopping; fortunately for daycares, parents need someone responsible to watch over their children.  You can start your own at home day care or babysitting service; you should check with your local child care facility or council to see what requirements they need in order to open an at home day care. However, there may not be any requirements needed for babysitting services. If you were just looking at babysitting services, then this wouldn’t cost much at all, if anything; however, a day care would be a bit more expensive to open – you would have to assess your competitors and see what they are charging before you can determine your prices and how much of a profit you will earn.

– Being an at home Sales Representative for Jewellery and Clothing. Selling jewellery, perfume and clothing from home is a profitable business. You can earn a great income selling children’s, men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from home. You can create your own website, take orders over the telephone or sell from your own home. New or expectant parents usually purchase items for their newborn such as bottles, bibs, blankets and outfits. Perfume and aftershave for mother’s day, father’s day and special occasions are huge best sellers. One example of a company that is always looking for sales representatives is Avon – a sales rep salary can really vary depending on how good you are at sales and how much time you put into it – someone who is great at sales could potentially earn up to £100,000.

If you are looking for at home careers you could consider one of the above. However, there are other jobs available that might interest you more, so take a look around. Many at home jobs do not require any additional skills or special training. You can choose from more than one job, as long as you are comfortable, confident and can perform the work.

*Ericka Bergeson is a mum of two and a business coach.




Comments [4]

  • Anonymous says:

    Hi, Please can you advise how I would be able to find a customer service rep job working from home?

    Editor: Workingmums.co.uk has homeworking jobs so check the site regularly. If you want advice from our experts, please email via the Advice & Support/Q & A page box with a little more information about your background and work experience and our careers expert can respond.

  • Anonymous says:

    scared to leave my job to become a housewife and mother

  • Anonymous says:

    I don't know how to ask questions on this website. Can somebody guide me pls…I am new to this site. Thanx.

    Editor: You can either comment on articles or go to the Advice & Support/Q & A page box to contact our experts.

  • Anonymous says:

    Like many mums, I'd love to work, but can't afford the childcare. Has anyone found a decent and legitimate work from home job?


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