Second Jobs - Which are "best"?

[crisi]

My sister is a hospital administrator. She teaches quilting and needlework classes one evening a week.

 

[Sandy61]

My DH works a part time job on the weekend for a small factory, about a dozen employees. He can go in any time during the weekend, gets a great salary, does light cleaning in the offices, often gets gift cards for restaurants as a bonus, and gets to talk to the owners about creating things out of metal (that's what the factory does). He loves the owners and they are so nice.

 

[Sandy61]

Many more interesting 2nd jobs! I'm really surprised - I was expecting all waiting staff and Target employees. These are also giving me some ideas; anyone else work a second job? Any recommendations, any NON-recommendations?

Have to add - I love reality shows, so I've probably read your blog DisneyAddict M. Although - I can't take the Bachelorette / the Bachelor. I love to write; wish I could be paid for it; you must be good, it's hard to draw a following with so many sites out there.

If you love to write, there are several editing and writing jobs online. Pure Content is a reputable one and I know there are others but I can't think of them right now. You have to commit to a certain amount of hours a week. It might be a good idea to look into these online jobs.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I teach high school during the day, teach night school once a week, am an advisor to three different extra-curricular activities (for stipends that come at different times of the year), and serve as a Trustee on a Healthcare Trust. For all of those extras, I get an additional $7K per year.

After all of that, I don't work in the summer. Too worn out.

 

[Swmr359]

I teach swim lessons on the weekends,winter session isn't too great (not a lot of people are thinking about swim lessons) and a lot of lessons get cancelled but once spring comes the classes fill up and I can get a lot of hours in. I paid for my last 2 Disney trips from my lesson money!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Have to add - I love reality shows, so I've probably read your blog DisneyAddict M. Although - I can't take the Bachelorette / the Bachelor. I love to write; wish I could be paid for it; you must be good, it's hard to draw a following with so many sites out there.

My boyfriend is a web designer so that helps. We don't get paid for the actual writing, but we get paid from the ads on our website. It's not a LOT, but it's getting better since our traffic keeps going up.

I don't watch the Bachelor shows either! lol. We do Teen Mom, Big Brother, Survivor, and a few others.

 

[ptcruisermom]

I work in a dental office as an office manager on Mon Tues Thursday from 715 to 415 and Friday 715 to 1130.

My second job is in the dietary dept of a nursing home, I am actually in the rehab kitchen, so short term stays. I work every Wed night 345 to about 730 and every other weekend from 615 to 130-200. About 21 hours per two week pay period. It only pays minimum wage, even though I've been there 4 years.(every tie I got a raise minimum wage went up() I do receive paid time off, uniform allowance(I wear scrubs at both jobs), and I do receive a dollar an hour more on the weekends, get a discount on cell phone bill. I also have to work every other holiday, which pays double time. Amounts to over 5 grand a year, pays for trips, dance for my DD etc.

Some days I hate it other days I love it, of course I just love all the residents.

 

[DawnM]

Can you just get more hours at what you currently do?

It really depends on what your educational level is and what your training is as to what you can do for a 2nd job.

When I worked, I was able to work extra often by tutoring after school or working in our Saturday school program. I could also work off-track (year round school.) I was a Counselor. I am still certified just not working currently.

Dawn

 

[Ginny Favers]

I am pretty sure I have the best 2nd (3rd?) job ever. In addition to working full time (ok pay) and taking care of my two young daughters (horrible pay, great benefits), I write young adult novels (ok pay).

I usually end up writing, marketing, and answering fan mail and stuff during all the free time I get when the kids are asleep, but it's a NICE, FUN job that I love to do, so I don't mind that it eats all my down-time!

Of course, you have to love to write, and be sorta good at it, but I definitely recommend it!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I write young adult novels (ok pay).

I usually end up writing, marketing, and answering fan mail and stuff during all the free time I get when the kids are asleep, but it's a NICE, FUN job that I love to do, so I don't mind that it eats all my down-time!

Of course, you have to love to write, and be sorta good at it, but I definitely recommend it!

Wow, that's very cool. I can't write anything that requires I come up with a story - unless you give me the story or it involves research. One of my favorite things to write was my thesis; I loved all the research and the field research and the charts and graphs.

Can you just get more hours at what you currently do?

It really depends on what your educational level is and what your training is as to what you can do for a 2nd job.

When I worked, I was able to work extra often by tutoring after school or working in our Saturday school program. I could also work off-track (year round school.) I was a Counselor. I am still certified just not working currently.

There's no way on earth I'd want more hours at my current job. I'm chomping at the bit after 7 hours; it assaults you mentally and I'm looking for another but we all know how difficult that can be.

I have a BA Anthropology; I'm in the process of applying to teach a CE class at our local community college on my undergrad thesis and research, but it won't be until next fall. I'd like something now.

My boyfriend is a web designer so that helps. We don't get paid for the actual writing, but we get paid from the ads on our website. It's not a LOT, but it's getting better since our traffic keeps going up.

I don't watch the Bachelor shows either! lol. We do Teen Mom, Big Brother, Survivor, and a few others.

Nice; I watch BB, Survivor, Amazing Race, Biggest Loser. The latter I do while running on the treadmill. I religiously read two blogs/pages about BB in the summer; I'm always excited to get back on those pages once it all starts up again!

I teach high school during the day, teach night school once a week, am an advisor to three different extra-curricular activities (for stipends that come at different times of the year), and serve as a Trustee on a Healthcare Trust. For all of those extras, I get an additional $7K per year.

After all of that, I don't work in the summer. Too worn out.

Geez, of course you're worn down!

If you love to write, there are several editing and writing jobs online. Pure Content is a reputable one and I know there are others but I can't think of them right now. You have to commit to a certain amount of hours a week. It might be a good idea to look into these online jobs.

I do love to write (though when I wrote that I "love to write" above, I used really poor punctuation for some reason ). I would happily edit; spelling and grammar errors are huge irritations for me - though I'm not as fastidious in an online forum as I am in real life. Thanks for the info on Pure Content.

So many interesting second jobs; some of them make me wonder "how did these people GET those jobs??" Must be a right-place-right-time thing! Wow.

Any more?

 

[mrodgers]

I couldn't do it. I work a dirty job. To get a 2nd job (which I would assume would be something retail) I would have to drive half an hour home, get a shower, grab a quick bite to eat, then drive 40 minutes to work somewhere else for a few hours. To make it worthwhile, I would probably work the closing shift which would be somewhere around 11p to midnight, drive 40 minutes home, go to bed, then wake up at 4 am for the real job again.

I don't think I could do all that on 3 hours sleep each night.

My wife works evenings retail instead. Even that is a struggle. She only sees her kids an hour a day and getting home and wound down late, she gets to bed around 1 am. Back up at 7 to get the kids ready for school (she isn't functioning well on 6 hours sleep where 6 hours is perfect for me.)

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My wife works evenings retail instead. Even that is a struggle. She only sees her kids an hour a day and getting home and wound down late, she gets to bed around 1 am. Back up at 7 to get the kids ready for school (she isn't functioning well on 6 hours sleep where 6 hours is perfect for me.)

Why doesn't she work while the kids are at school?

 

[Ginny Favers]

I would happily edit; spelling and grammar errors are huge irritations for me - though I'm not as fastidious in an online forum as I am in real life.

So many interesting second jobs; some of them make me wonder "how did these people GET those jobs??" Must be a right-place-right-time thing! Wow.

Any more?

Since you like writing and editing, you may want to look into being a freelance copyeditor. ALSO, so many people now are self-publishing ebooks and have no clue how to do it. They are looking for someone to edit their work, or even format it for publication. It might take a little learning on your part, but I've heard of people getting $1 a page to edit, and $25 to format a manuscript (which usually takes less than an hour, but so few people know how to do it). If you have any aptitude for design, all those self-pubbers are ALSO looking for people to design covers. I know of people who make $50 or more per cover. Lots of opportunities now that self-pubbing has exploded and very few people know HOW to go about doing it. I have so many would-be self-pubbing authors asking me for help, it's unreal.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

You also might see if your comm college has a writing center where students can go to get papers edited. Ours has one, and they are always looking for staff. The staff basically edit papers, and work with the students on their writing and research skills.

 

[njmom47]

I used to work a second job at a convenice store and LOVED it! We had the regulars who really made my nights...plus I met a guy who I ended up getting engaged to (but didn't marry). DH works a 2nd job doing what he does at this fulltime job only for a different company. I don't know that I could work 60 hours a week doing the same thing! (Plastics)

 

[Acklander]

Extra jobs I or friends of mine have had over the years:

Cleaning at a movie theatre : it was a big, old theatre that showed 2 movies a night. I'd go in and clean the bathrooms, leaf blow all the trash to the front and mop. It paid a flat rate, and as long as it was done before noon the next day, they didn't care when it was done. DH and I teamed up to get it done.

Cleaning at a bar: same as above, but smelled worse

Overnight sitting: parents drop off kids for a Saturday night slumber party followed by a big breakfast Sunday am. Pick up by noon, so parents could go out for a night on the town and sleep in the next morning. Charged double for new year eve/day. Kids LOVED it.

Bookkeeping for very small businesses: usually get the checkbook dropped off once a month with the bank statement. Organize, balance and return.

 

[LocustPoint]

I have two part time jobs working for the pro teams here in Baltimore on top of my full time job. One I've had one for over 20 years and the other for around ten. I've worked these jobs for so long it's a part of who I am. These jobs allow me and my husband to travel, which is what we use the money for.

 

[Tree]

I have been doing call center work at home for the past 10 years as a part time job. It is a flexible and works well for me and my family.

 

[katlas&kids]

I work 8:30 -8:45 to 5:30 at my office job & then my 2nd job is either lifeguard, swim instructior or water excercise instructor at the YMCA.

I get between 15 & 20+ hours a week, more in summer when the kids aren't in school.

My kids are older now & I am widowed, so I work early mornings (5:15 - 8am lifeguarding) 2 mornings, 6:30 - 7:30 teaching a water excercise class & then 3 evenings 5:30 - 7 & Sat morning for a few hours. sometimes I guard on Saturday for 2 hours.

Some of the time they go with me and sometimes they stay home. It's hard, at times & I need to make sure I sleep enough at night. but the weekends are ours & we have a bit of spending money for cheap things!

 

[Simba001]

For many years I had three jobs, then got down to two, and now presently with just one job:

I worked at a veterinary hospital as a kennel assistant form 3:30 - 7:00 am, came home changed clothes, went to job #2 at the YMCA (son went with me) then dropped him off at school, went to job #3 at a talent management company, worked there until it was time to pick up son from school. Dropped him off at gymnastics training and returned to job # 2. Picked him up when he was done training ~ 4 hours later. (If in the middle of a film or TV production, hubby would pick him up and I might return to job #3 and work til late at night).

Later quit job #2 & #3 and got present job at local community college, but kept job #1 for a few more years.

I enjoyed the job at the veterinary hospital being by myself for most of the time with the critters. Only trouble was by the time Friday afternoon came around (majority of the time I worked M-F with the jobs) I was beat.
(Son took over my job at the vets when I was out for surgery one summer and ended up working there for 5 years. During the last two years he had another part time job, too)