Regular visitors will know how much I hate my day jobs. And it doesn't look like I'm ever going to earn a living from what I love to do most - writing. So I need a new plan of action.
I need to earn a lot of money quickly and the means by which I do this has to be legal and moral.
Ideas gratefully received.
Just a quick thought: if my oddly shaped feet were hairy, I could get work as a Hobbit.
20 comments:
I am in the same frame of mind right now. I'm just going to grin and bear the day job, save, save save, sub, sub, sub. Maybe you could try and win the lottery in the meantime?
I do try, LilyS - every week. A couple of months ago Euromillions jackpot was £50million and I got an e-mail telling me there was news about my ticket...I felt sick as I signed in to my account, sure that this was it, only to find I'd won...£6.00. What a let down.
But I'll keep trying. And keep fingers crossed for a big win for both of us.
X
Well if you rule out the lottery and prostitution(!) the question is how much do you need to earn quickly?
If it's say a couple of hundred pounds then getting rid of a load of stuff at a good car boot sale might do it. (I did one a few years ago when we moved house and made 240£!)
What else? Umm can't think of anything else right now apart from looking in the newspaper for a new job (! as there aren't that many out there are there?) Saving like mad - by cutting back on essentials such as newspapers, magazines, books (aghhh - panic attack coming on here!), takeout coffee. All that stuff really that just makes life boring! Now I've depressed myself - and you too as well no doubt - sorry babes! Caroline x
I second what Caroline says. Apart from selling books on amazon - which I do, with limited success, as a former bookshop owner - I can't advise on earning money much, as I don't know your skills. But cutting back on non-essentials is vital.
Only buy basics for a few months, rather than brand foods and other household essentials. Shop once or twice a week and stay away from retailers in between! Go through your bank accounts and check for old Direct Debits or Standing Orders that can be removed (i.e. charity donations, club or other subscriptions that you rarely use, anything like that). Don't go out drinking too often, it's a real money-burner. If you drink at home, try fizzy flavoured waters for a while instead - won't get you drunk, but it saves loads - and it's very slimming!
I know it's really boring. But I've spent most of my adult life scrimping and saving - after a childhood spent in the lap of luxury! - so I know it can be done. You just need to adjust your expectations a little, and think about outgoings as much as income.
Interesting answers here. But really, can you actually make any money as a Hobbit these days?
It's tough for most of us, unless we win the lottery or something else as extreme.
Sending good thoughts your way, Suz.
Hello, Suzanne. I have a colleague who sells loads of stuff on ebay - even things that they got as free gifts with other purchases. He seems to be able to find a buyer for almost anything. A friend makes bags and sells them via a craft site and other friend works from home, doing stuff like accountancy (though you need to have good contacts to get started). People at work generally make really good use of vouchers you can get from sites like myvouchercodes.
Hi, Suzanne - commiserations about your day jobs. That's primarily why I took on paid work again - I needed the money. I can't make enough money from my writing either. I don't hate my job and I know it's only 1.5 hrs every week day - I don't know if I could write if I was doing lots of hours in a job I hated - been there done that and definitely not going back there!
Maybe things will change for you this year. I view my day job as a neccessary thing so I can buy stamps, envelopes and eventually a new computer to enhance what I view as my 'real' job - being a writer. I just changed my attitude. I had no intention of working outside the home besides my writing but needs must - and it's working out okay for me. It's nice to get that break from my writing midday when I walk up to the nursery, do my work and walk back down again to continue my writing. I always feel invigorated afterwards and I know my writing is better for it.
In fact, my job has given me a lot more writing avenues. Can you turn your day jobs into some kind of writing opprtunity? It may make you hate your day jobs less if you can write and make money out of them?
I hope you will feel better about your day jobs and writing soon. You can do it and you have the support of everyone in blogland!
One day, Suzanne, we will look back at all this and laugh - and just think how satisfying it will be when you can kiss your day jobs goodbye!
Julie xx
I understand your feelings about the day job.
I'm going to note down some of these ideas as I need all the help I can get too.
I'm going through the ideas suggested myself as I can completly empathise with you Suzanne. It's not that I hate my day job per se but there is a situation going on that is making it quite difficult at the moment and if I could walk away from it I would - in a heart beat. All I can say to you is that you will reach a point where things are as bad as they can get and then they will start to get better. I know this to be a fact.
Take care and keep your chin up.
x
I know how you feel, Suzanne. I wish I had my days free to write and look after the kids, but paid work pays the boring stuff like the mortgage and bills (all of which should be banned, in my opinion).
I'm going to try a day out at a nearby polo club in the summer (research, of course!!). I'll try and bag us a few rich husbands. Not quite sure how I think I'll do that, but it's an idea :-)
Get people to send you their gold free and then turn it into bars. Apparently the world needs gold. Or so says Dale Winton. Easy! Simples.jx
Pyramid schemes! :-) Good luck with it Suzanne.
Hi Suzanne,
I'm not sure what line of work you are in. I've always worked in care which can be hard going, but actually I kind of function better when I'm kept really busy. It might be worth you thinking about. I couldn't actually imagine doing anything else now...but if I did, I would prob have a few more pennies to my name thats for sure ! Still wouldn't change it though.
Hope that helps a tad :0)
Perhaps you'd like to join me in looking for a rich husband? I can't think of a better plan to be honest.
Ooh, I wish I had the answer - Suzanne! Are they making a prequel to Lord of the Rings, do you think?
xx
Hi Suzanne,
My friends, the 'wee folks', are most intrigued by your 'oddly shaped feet'and the fact that if they were hairy, you could get work as a 'Hobbit'.
So intrigued were they; they are contemplating asking you to be a paid guest of honour Hobbit (they would stick hair on your feet) at one of their magical parties:-)
Seriously Suzanne, I wish you all the best in getting a load of cash quickly. However, please stay determined with your love of writing. You know you want too.
With respect, Gary x
Umm, have you tried digging around in the attic? Work colleague has had a cabinet full of late aunt's china for 10 years. Unwrapped it over the weekend and found limited edition Lladro figurines! She was so blase about it, I wanted to smack her! Things like that NEVER happen to me!
sometimes it's one long round of trying to make ends meet isn't it? It's the same here, hope some good fortune comes your way soon. Don't give up on the writing though, it'll come good.
Hey...maybe if we all clicked on each others Google ads we'd make millions...lol! I'm going to go check out your ads right now!
Thanks, Caroline – some very good advice there (although I don’t know if I’ll be able to cut down on books...yikes).
Hi Jane – living in reduced circumstances is hard, so I sympathise, but as you rightly say, it can be done. Thanks for the advice.
Aw, thanks, Kaye. I don’t know how much a Hobbit makes, but I’d quite like to live in one of those cute little cottages that seem to come with the job.
Hi Kath – I’ve sold the odd thing on e-bay a couple of years ago (my daughter’s Brownie uniform sold for the same amount I paid for it new, which is odd – but I think some people get carried away with the bidding) – will have to try again. And thanks for the other hints, too.
Thanks for that, Julie – I think that’s the trick, to look for the positive and see how I can turn the day job to my advantage. And I’ll look forward to that day when I can kiss those jobs goodbye.
Hi Debs – I’m sorry you’re in the same boat, but it’s kind of nice to know I’m not alone.
Aw, thanks Colette – it’s always good to be reminded that things will get better. And I’m sorry to hear about your situation, too.
Oooh, yes please, Joanne. I like the idea of a rich husband.
Aw, I LOVE Dale Winton, Judy. I’d marry him in a heartbeat – but sadly don’t think he’d have me.
Thanks, Jackie. I think the trick with pyramid schemes is to be at the top – so I’ll need to think of good idea.
Thanks, Becky. Yes, it does help. And money isn’t everything, it’s just when there’s not enough...
I’m rapidly reaching the conclusion that a rich husband’s my only hope, Helen.
I’m keeping my ear to the ground, Amanda, and as soon as I hear news of a prequel I’ll be off to the auditions. I think I’ll have a good chance - they’ll need to stick hair extensions on my feet, but other than that I’ll save them a fortune in make-up.
Oooh, I’d love to go to the wee folks’ magical party, Gary. And thanks for your good wishes.
Am so jealous of your friend, Maya. I have a story about my stuff in the attic – or, more specifically, left in my mum’s attic for safe keeping. She threw the lot out – I was not amused. I’m sure she must have thrown out untold treasures...perhaps I should send her a bill????? I would if she wasn’t my mum.
Thanks, Joanne. I wish you good fortune, too.
Hi Jan. That sounds like a plan.:-)
XX
Post a Comment