Wanting to be a stay at home mother!

[lauramendenhall]

I have a 2 yr old daughter and I work full time. My husband is a rancher and also does day work on the side. I have been looking for an online job that I can do from home that is basic data entry or something in that field. Does anybody know of any jobs or have an ideas of where I could look??

[survivalbob]

The ChaCha thread here is what I do (Susan, not Bob lol)
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=317754
You just do it when you want, with zero pressure.

[Kriket]

I have a few things that I do. I don't know if you could make a FT job out of them. I just do them to make a little money on the side. I work FT in an office. I imagine if you dedicated FT hours, you could make a pretty decent chunk of money. I will list

ChaCha <- only hire when they feel like it. Not much money for LOTS of work $100 minimum cashout.
Quicktate <- voice mail transcription service, pay 1/4 cent per word, pay on the 10th and 25th by paypal no minimums.
Mturk <- ran by amazon.com you can occasionally luck into a really good job and make a few bucks. Be careful, some are scammy, just never put in your email. It's against the Mturk rules anyway. $10 minimum cash out (easy to get)
I also do some reward/marketing style ones that slowly gain points you can trade for stuff or gift cards.
Swagbucks <-search engine
MyPoints <- search engine, can do trials or surveys.
YouData <- only pennies, but pennies add up.

there are also a few survey sites that will pay you to take surveys. If you can't get on with Pinecone, I wouldn't mess with it. I am never 'qualified' so I take 20 mins of survey for nothing

Also, I am in the same place you are and I am headed back to school after Christmas. We are Pell grant eligible and our local community college is dirt cheap. The left over from the Pell is enough that I only have to work part time. (which I may try to transition to WAH) DH and I "live in poverty" so, YMMV on getting enough from the Pell to live on. I'm going back to school for Medical coding, which I have heard can eventually be done from home. I live very close to some of the largest hospitals in the country, so I will probably WOH for a little longer. Part time however.

If I think of anything else I will update!

Have you read The Complete Tightwad Gazette? That book changed my thinking and showed me easy ways to make enough changes that I could stay at home with the kids.

[foaly]

What kind of work do you do now?

[ErinP]

My husband ranches also, Laura (he's the hired man, though), and I'm at at-home mom. Mostly.
Primarily, I run an online fabric store out of my attic. (In my sig. link)

This summer, when we were jobless/homeless, it supported us for a month or two.

I also work one day a week for this company: IRI
I do about 15 minutes worth of work, for which I get paid for four hours, three hours worth of driving, for which I also get paid, and (since the move) 220 miles worth of mileage. (My mileage is currently higher than my actual pay check. lol)
I collect my data any time, any day, between Mon and Thursday and I can take my kids along if DH can't take them with him that day.

[sunflower-n-ks]

Erin - I clicked the link for the IRI and with slow dial up the video is not of much worth to me. How does this compare to "mystery shopping"? I have done mystery shopping where you go and purchase something, give the necessary report and get paid, etc. If I get more economical transportation again, will probably do more of that.

[ErinP]

Nothing at all like mystery shopping. (I do that, too. Usually get paid really well, too, since I'm the only one in my area it would seem)

Basically, you work as a data gatherer.
I have a computer and a hand held UPC scanner and go into stores (that have contracted with IRI to allow us to do so, of course!), look for the products the company is wanting me to track, and then scan them in.

Depending upon who wants the final data, it might be a simple process or more drawn out.
For example, the only store I have right now is 7-11. And 50 weeks out of 52, the cigarette companies are the only ones who want data. Usually Phillip-Morris.
So, I go in, type in what they're selling for, a scan the packs that are that price. I do the same for each individual price point.

Some of the FSRs in bigger cities, Denver for example, do multiple stores and have far more complex categories to collect.
But I always recommend them. For a part time job, IRI has really been the best thing I've ever done. I've been with them for about 2 years now.

BTW, I should clarify about taking my kids along: Mine are old enough they can sit in the car and wait on me while they read a book or something! This wouldn't work for the OP, but I wanted to share in general for others who might read this.

[lauramendenhall]

Originally Posted by foaly

What kind of work do you do now?

I am a Admin Assistant in a Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.

[clovis]

Ebay has been pretty good to me. Like Nevada said in another post, there are thousands of things to sell on ebay if you just take the time to do it.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by rose2005

You also need to put in the equation, money saved because of the following:

• less gas used if not going out to work
• no childcare payment
• no eating out expenses
• can cook from scratch rather than eat out or buy instant foods because you are too tired to cook
• you can hang laundry on the line when it is a clear day, saving money from using the dryer for speed
• you do not need office clothes/shoes
• time with your child that you can never get back
• more time to keep your house clean and have a meal waiting for your husband when he gets in.
• As you will be home all day, you can get everything done before hubby gets home, so after supper, you get more precious adult time.

Very well said!!!!!!!

I would like to add that the depreciation cost of owning a car is greatly reduced if you don't have to drive to and from work.

I don't think most people realize how expensive a car costs for every mile driven. I've seen estimates that it costs 79 cents a mile to drive your own car, figuring gas at 1.50, but adding vehicle depreciation and insurance.

My wife totalled our Pontiac a few years back, and we caught ourselves without a car. We bought a new Chevy HHR, which we love, but the mileage to and from work, in essence, has destroyed the life and value of the vehicle. The car is an 06, and has 90,000 miles. Ouch to our pocket book!!!!!!!

[FarmersDaughter]

Originally Posted by rose2005

You also need to put in the equation, money saved because of the following:

• less gas used if not going out to work
• no childcare payment
• no eating out expenses
• can cook from scratch rather than eat out or buy instant foods because you are too tired to cook
• you can hang laundry on the line when it is a clear day, saving money from using the dryer for speed
• you do not need office clothes/shoes
• time with your child that you can never get back
• more time to keep your house clean and have a meal waiting for your husband when he gets in.
• As you will be home all day, you can get everything done before hubby gets home, so after supper, you get more precious adult time.

This is a great list! I will add that when you don't work full time, you have more time to:

- set a budget and track it
- look for deals on groceries, clothing, etc. (When I've worked full time I've been too tired to take the time to shop for bargains...I just end up buying what's convenient.)
- grow a lot of your own food

[NEfarmgirl]

Originally Posted by rose2005

You also need to put in the equation, money saved because of the following:

• less gas used if not going out to work
• no childcare payment
• no eating out expenses
• can cook from scratch rather than eat out or buy instant foods because you are too tired to cook
• you can hang laundry on the line when it is a clear day, saving money from using the dryer for speed
• you do not need office clothes/shoes
• time with your child that you can never get back
• more time to keep your house clean and have a meal waiting for your husband when he gets in.
• As you will be home all day, you can get everything done before hubby gets home, so after supper, you get more precious adult time.

Great list and also to add:
If you don't do this already--learn how to cut hair so you can save there are well. For us saves $45 every six weeks plus tips.
Make your own cleaning solutions instead of buying premade to save $.
NO worries about who has to stay home when your child is ill. Also save $ since child is not in daycare picking up every illness going around.

Our son was born 9 weeks early which forced us to re-evaluate our work situation. He could not be in daycare since he did not have a good immune system and after running numbers it would cost us the amount I would bring in to just pay for daycare, clothes, car expenses, ect related to working. I have been a stay at home his whole life so far (10 1/2 years already) and will probably stay at home until he graduates--we homeschool. I have not missed anything in his life and we are happy. I hear so many times that it must be "great" to be able to stay at home all of the time from friends who work full time. They think dh makes a ton of money which is not the case. He makes the same as their husbands we just budget and I do a lot of work at home to make it all work out. There is a book out there "The Two Income Trap" author I can't think of right now but it explains that both parents don't need to work to get by.

We have had to make some sacrifices but to have the opportunity to stay at home outweighs them. Friends of ours that both work are financially no better off because we may not take a vacation every year at least we are not using a credit card to pay for one and then having to make payments the next how many years. I do odd jobs for others to make money like sewing, cakes, and crafts but we get by fine without it--even after dh took a 20% paycut at work at the beginning of the year.

[AshleyB]

Erin, Can you comment on how much IRI pays? Thanks!

[ErinP]

I want to say it's $7.50 for drive time and "paperwork" type duties.
Actual work time is $10. And they won't pay less than at least 4 hours of actual work time. Even if you only put in 15 minutes. Most people put in more than that, though, if I'm not mistaken.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by FarmersDaughter

This is a great list! I will add that when you don't work full time, you have more time to:

- set a budget and track it
- look for deals on groceries, clothing, etc. (When I've worked full time I've been too tired to take the time to shop for bargains...I just end up buying what's convenient.)
- grow a lot of your own food

These are true facts. There are lots of deals out there that save big $$$ if you just have the time to get them.

There are also lots of little ways to make money, even if it is less than $20 at a time. I think you would be amazed at what can be had for free, or very little money, if you have the time to get them.

Just this week, for instance, I, by sheer chance, fell into a few free items because I happened to have the time to find them. I listed them on ebay, and all three lots sold in less than two hours, and I made 22.77 before ebay fees. I know it isn't much, but it was a free 22.77 to us!!!! I was thrilled!!!!

[clovis]

This has been a great thread!!!!!

Is the OP still around?

[hsmom2four]

This has been a great thread!

I just wanted to add that being a WAHM is still work and it does still take time away from the kids just like any other job. The work (at least my job) doesn't do itself and there are still times when I have to work instead of do what my kids want. I'm not saying that it can't be done because I feel very fortunate to have a work-at-home job but it is still a job that I have to answer to every day. I still sometimes feel the guilt that everyone who works feels when I have to say no we can't do something because I have to get my work done. We homeschool too. I just didn't want you to go into something thinking that your prayers will be answered if you can get a WAH job. You have to realize its still sometimes tough to juggle everything and you only get paid when you are working.

I hope you do find something--there is nothing better than being with your kids :-)

Oh and by the way, I do medical transcription.

Cheryl N.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by clovis

These are true facts. There are lots of deals out there that save big $$$ if you just have the time to get them.

Just today, I was able to cherry pick some sales today at different grocery stores. By stocking up, we will save considerably on our grocery budget. I know that saving $20 doesn't sound like much, but it adds up over a lifetime.

[beccachow]

I wish I could be a SAHM, but unfortunately I make a few more $$ than DH right now, and we need both incomes. Luckily our schedules do allow for quite a few days off in a row with our DD to take advantage of the things Rose mentioned, and we will be HS. On the other hand, between the animals and DD, I get more rest at work than I do at home.