What's Your Job?

[Outdoorsygal]

Wow I am jazzed. This was one of my first posts on the forum so I see little accomplishments since last year. It's been about 8 months so far.

1. $3 raise per hr & 4% match. Had to move up to Supervisor level but not forced to be on call like all other Supervisors but not paid 15K more like they are either. At least they were willing to be flexible

2. $100 more per mo.- Ebay business than this time. It had slumped in sales (while I was working a ton of overtime so not too bad) but had to start selling clothes. Also added hats, ball caps, etc. Otherwise it would never pick up imho.There are always MANY brand new clothing items with tags at the thrift stores we visit that I'd always ignore. Not any more.

3. $37.50 a mo. for medical & dental versus $150 a mo last yr. The extra$$ was for an additional indemity plan offered at work which covered about 4500K worth of dental for both of us so maybe I shouldn't count that)

4. Save about $50+ a mo. could be more, haven't kept track but shopping at the local Grocery Outlet right before shift. We normally only shop at the only store in our town then venture out to a health food store in a nearby city.They only give a free pizza per mo. Love finding organic items at Grocery outlet.

5. $3 more per hr. Had to move up to a level of supervisor which is fine. I am not on call and keep my 3 days a week schedule. Otherwise they pay about $15K more if you're willing to forfeit your entire life to be on call take a Salary.

6. 401k offered due to Supervisor position. And a 4% match.

Very little accomplished compared to most here.. but it suffices just fine. And the most important, our 25 yr old son was battling schizophrenia we firmly believe. He has started getting out of it. More back to his old self. He cut his hair, and started running again. MY BIL battled voices for a year when he was that age. And my other BIL is a bigtime paranoid schzophrenic so it runs in my husbands family. He also went thru a huge Depression that lifted at 26 yrs old. Our son will be 26 this weekend

He' endured voices for 5 years or so...counting the first episode we viewed. Sometimes responding and carrying on conversations with some imaginary person. With a 4 yr degree in exercise science,& 3 AA degrees, he kept running hardcore through 4 years of it. Until he'd almost drop from exhaustion. He ate very healthy. Seemed he was loosing the battle the last 6 months... getting fat and eating junk and drinking alcohol somewhat (which is no biggie otherwise but you worry when their mind isn't right, so out of character). He is now bathing and wearing clean clothes. Ran for the first time in a long while last week.

We met with the Loan Agent yesterday and he was alert and could concentrate with the paperwork. Able to remember most everything and socialize very well. Almost like his old self. He was moved up at work during this time (tech support at home for Apple) so we clinged to that bright spot...but he was very gifted so would tell us, "I should've moved up a long time ago if my brain was normal" so he never really took much pride in it. Now he appears to be growing out of it like my husbands other brother did at 26.

We should bump this thread up every six months or so

.

[Gailete]

Wow I am jazzed.

Sounds like things are picking up for you. There is no shame in making progress little by little. Some here have the incomes that they can take much bigger strides than some of us. We live for a year on what some here make in a month. We can't even begin to think we can make those same changes. However that doesn't mean we can't make changes. Good for you and great news about your BIL.

A couple of days ago, my son showed us a Dave Ramsey video of a couple from our town that I knew and he worked for years with the woman. It was their 'Debt scream' or something called that. They had paid off $40K+ worth of debt in about 2 years. She works as a grocery store cashier and a few other minimum wage jobs. Between the two of them and their assorted jobs they make about $100K a year which is part of why they managed to get so much done in so little time. But they had decided that they were going to do it and did. I haven't seen her to talk to her since I found out about this to see if they are maintaining their being debt free status, but I sure hope so. It gives all of us hope when you hear a pwerson/couple succeed I think.

On line sales have nose-dived for me in the last couple years. When I first started selling patterns I was one of a few, now there are lots who are doing it whether they know anything about sewing or not (their listings or lack thereof prove it). They also seem not to know too much about business as when they go to list, if the lowest price they are listing against is say $9.99 they will pop theirs up for $2.99. They are basically giving away $7 right from the get go! They are thinking they will make money so much faster that they don't even try for the $7.99-8.99 prices first! I have seen prices that when all the fees are paid and unless they got the stuff for free, they are only clearing $2-2.50! Who wants to go to all that trouble for such a small return. Acquiring, photographing, listing, packing and shipping usually at the fastest still takes 10-15 minutes so they aren't even making minimum wage.

Anyhow, I plan to continue to sell but I'm also refocusing onto a few other sewing related ideas which will help me out as even with IV's every 6 weeks for my RA I'm still getting weaker and more tired so harder to maintain the minimum physical work that the pattern business entails. One of the things you have to do is look into the future and keep planning things, making goals and working towards those goals. Part of working towards those goals has resulted in my trading my old sewing machine for a different one that is more handicapped accessible (not that it is sold that way). By making one thing that sewers have traditionally needed to lift a lever in the back of the machine frequently, and adding the SAME results to a push button on the front of the machine, I can now sew longer with less shoulder pain. And that is just one of the things that allowed me to keep going longer. A year or so ago, I could only sew for about 20 minutes tops at a time. Now with a new chair that Amazon sent me to review and a new machine the other day I was sewing for an hour! I want to be able to develop projects, etc. and to do that I need to be able to make samples. So I am making progress towards my goals.

Selling on line these days takes a lot more ingenuity than it used to, but that doesn't mean that there still aren't ways to make money on line. You just have to look for the opportunities.

[james.hendrickson]

I run a web publishing business.

[Outdoorsygal]

Sounds like things are picking up for you. There is no shame in making progress little by little. Some here have the incomes that they can take much bigger strides than some of us. We live for a year on what some here make in a month. We can't even begin to think we can make those same changes. However that doesn't mean we can't make changes. Good for you and great news about your BIL.

A couple of days ago, my son showed us a Dave Ramsey video of a couple from our town that I knew and he worked for years with the woman. It was their 'Debt scream' or something called that. They had paid off $40K+ worth of debt in about 2 years. She works as a grocery store cashier and a few other minimum wage jobs. Between the two of them and their assorted jobs they make about $100K a year which is part of why they managed to get so much done in so little time. But they had decided that they were going to do it and did. I haven't seen her to talk to her since I found out about this to see if they are maintaining their being debt free status, but I sure hope so. It gives all of us hope when you hear a pwerson/couple succeed I think.

On line sales have nose-dived for me in the last couple years. When I first started selling patterns I was one of a few, now there are lots who are doing it whether they know anything about sewing or not (their listings or lack thereof prove it). They also seem not to know too much about business as when they go to list, if the lowest price they are listing against is say $9.99 they will pop theirs up for $2.99. They are basically giving away $7 right from the get go! They are thinking they will make money so much faster that they don't even try for the $7.99-8.99 prices first! I have seen prices that when all the fees are paid and unless they got the stuff for free, they are only clearing $2-2.50! Who wants to go to all that trouble for such a small return. Acquiring, photographing, listing, packing and shipping usually at the fastest still takes 10-15 minutes so they aren't even making minimum wage.

Anyhow, I plan to continue to sell but I'm also refocusing onto a few other sewing related ideas which will help me out as even with IV's every 6 weeks for my RA I'm still getting weaker and more tired so harder to maintain the minimum physical work that the pattern business entails. One of the things you have to do is look into the future and keep planning things, making goals and working towards those goals. Part of working towards those goals has resulted in my trading my old sewing machine for a different one that is more handicapped accessible (not that it is sold that way). By making one thing that sewers have traditionally needed to lift a lever in the back of the machine frequently, and adding the SAME results to a push button on the front of the machine, I can now sew longer with less shoulder pain. And that is just one of the things that allowed me to keep going longer. A year or so ago, I could only sew for about 20 minutes tops at a time. Now with a new chair that Amazon sent me to review and a new machine the other day I was sewing for an hour! I want to be able to develop projects, etc. and to do that I need to be able to make samples. So I am making progress towards my goals.

Selling on line these days takes a lot more ingenuity than it used to, but that doesn't mean that there still aren't ways to make money on line. You just have to look for the opportunities.

Hi Gailete. So nice to hear an update from you. My hopes were things would be looking up for you and Ebay but for most of us, that isn't the case.

A janitor for the school system is buying certain kinds of patches in bulk off Ebay then selling them individually making a little over $1000 a mo.
He doesn't offer a tracking # so ends up spending very little to sell them. Aside from him, I really don't know anyone who is that successful on Ebay. Sales have picked up for me but I just looked at my two ebay accounts and it only adds up to $225 per mo. Sold $55 on Amazon the last week or so.

I just started selling clothing so we'll see the outcome. Paid $4 for designer luckybrand jeans w/tags and sold them for $39.95 today w/free shipping. The clothes I've listed, about 10 items, 3 have sold. So many still to list.

The new Seller Update is unbelievable. Cringe-worthy.They are raising the final value fees on EVERYONE while increasing the tracking requirement to meet 95% upload within 24 hrs. So if 95% of your items don't scan within 24 hrs via the postman, you won't make top rated seller. Clearly all they need is to track arrival, not the ability of the postmaster to do his job correctly. Now I might need to wait in line to ensure each item is scanned.

And the 20% discount on Final Value Fees for Top Rated Seller is just 10%. Ouch! Amazon is so much easier and you make more $$ on items sold imho. None of these monthly updates, just a very professional platform which is easy to use. But I am not allowed to sell in so many categories where in the beginning, I sold in most. My prayers are you find a niche, I can see you doing well at something very rare. I am at work. It's about 10pm. Talk to you later

[Gailete]

Yep, on amazon for many products seller's have to have permission these days to sell them and pay huge fees also to do so and things like old DVD's have some special pricing rules that even if it is worth only $2 you have to list at much higher prices. Many ebay sellers are very upset about the new fees announced in the last few days as well. Like I said you have to look for the opportunities. For hard workers with decent items to sell, I would recommend eCRATER.com, brely any fees and not a bunch of rules. They expect us to behave like adults and treat our customers fairly.

Too many have heard that selling on line is fast and easy. Well at times an item might sell fast, but generally not and it requires work. Just look at how many threads on here are about making money on line and people want to be told HOW to sell on ebay or Amazon and are apparently to lazy to go to those places and research how to sell, they want someone here to spoon feed them. Nope, not going to do it. I'm always willing to help someone that is trying to figure things out on their own, but not the folks that are either to lazy to try or are too arrogant and expect others will give them the answers. Had that happen on another forum. The lady flat out said she was too busy to look the stuff up and so wanted/expected us to tell her how to do things. Buzz off - IMHO!

I once read or started to read about making passive income on line and their biggest place to make it was Amazon! I haven't a clue how to make passive income there and I have been selling on Amazon for 15 years. Selling there takes action and work. But for many sadly, the days of selling on line have come and gone at this point. Very hard to break in when you only have 10-20 eclectic items and poor spelling and grammar skills besides. Doable yes, but much harder than it was 15 years ago.

I have the pleasure of a good PO in my town and a great mail lady and so I never worry about my stuff getting scanned as long as I have the mail out by 11AM.

Was working on my new directions this evening and got the basic notes typed up for making a special quilt. Hoping to either eventually sell as a pattern or as an article. But had to get the basics down before that idea in my head went somewhere else.

[Sagalamora]

I'm a developer working full-time for a software company making tax programs.

[Outdoorsygal]

I'm a developer working full-time for a software company making tax programs.

Interesting niche. Nice to meet you

[Outdoorsygal]

Yep, on amazon for many products seller's have to have permission these days to sell them and pay huge fees also to do so and things like old DVD's have some special pricing rules that even if it is worth only $2 you have to list at much higher prices. Many ebay sellers are very upset about the new fees announced in the last few days as well. Like I said you have to look for the opportunities. For hard workers with decent items to sell, I would recommend eCRATER.com, brely any fees and not a bunch of rules. They expect us to behave like adults and treat our customers fairly.

Too many have heard that selling on line is fast and easy. Well at times an item might sell fast, but generally not and it requires work. Just look at how many threads on here are about making money on line and people want to be told HOW to sell on ebay or Amazon and are apparently to lazy to go to those places and research how to sell, they want someone here to spoon feed them. Nope, not going to do it. I'm always willing to help someone that is trying to figure things out on their own, but not the folks that are either to lazy to try or are too arrogant and expect others will give them the answers. Had that happen on another forum. The lady flat out said she was too busy to look the stuff up and so wanted/expected us to tell her how to do things. Buzz off - IMHO!

I once read or started to read about making passive income on line and their biggest place to make it was Amazon! I haven't a clue how to make passive income there and I have been selling on Amazon for 15 years. Selling there takes action and work. But for many sadly, the days of selling on line have come and gone at this point. Very hard to break in when you only have 10-20 eclectic items and poor spelling and grammar skills besides. Doable yes, but much harder than it was 15 years ago.

I have the pleasure of a good PO in my town and a great mail lady and so I never worry about my stuff getting scanned as long as I have the mail out by 11AM.

Was working on my new directions this evening and got the basic notes typed up for making a special quilt. Hoping to either eventually sell as a pattern or as an article. But had to get the basics down before that idea in my head went somewhere else.

James just started a thread about selling clothing on FB. Got me thinking about you now.
You can visit that post for the specifics of an acquaintance of mine and her experiences selling on that platform

Another lady who was a business owner and we were in the Chamber together uses another online platform, I've forgotten now.
Rules are no-returns and it's all clothing.
Pictures are amazing.... similar to Pinetrest. She sells about $200 a month.
Only buys from two thrift stores in which tops and pants are $3-4 normally but always goes to the 50% off clothing days
and the dollar racks. She puts these outfits together, skirts, tops, & jewelry on a manakin.
Maybe a hat or scarf. Not sure how much time it takes, she's retired and enjoys this
Also don't know her well enough to know if she is telling the truth.
Almost seems as if she is embarrassed to be selling online. As if it is beneath her.
But $200 sounds about right, her clothing is just beautiful

You seem very creative and open to trying different things, this might be a good one.

.

[Gailete]

The few times I tried selling clothing was a complete waste of time. Brand new, still tagged clothing including plus sized woman's jeans. Nothing sold. I sell what I know. Sewing stuff.

[Mjenn]

I work in communications. I ran my own company for five years and consulted to large international companies around Scandinavia. Six months ago I was offered my dream job with a 40% pay hike, great benefits and a great deal of independence. It's in the IT sector which is a new challenge for me, but I had been taking evening coding/web dev classes which were a big help in making the switch (I don't program now, but I have to understand it and sound confident).

We live in a very HCOL area so are now hoping to afford our own place here instead of renting (this is mostly due to our own beliefs about debt vs income, as we were already in the high income earning here)

I'm glad to hear about everyone else's forward strides. I hope things continue in 2017

[EmptySoother]

I am a manager at a relatively big tech store in my home city. But I take a lot of side jobs as well.

[BradenHartley]

I am an independent marketer.

No I didn't have to go to school to learn the marketing.

I have learned what i know from the best system to teach it though.

Now i have multiple streams of income (MSI).

[Radiohead1]

I am an architect.

[juliusarevalo]

promotional products professional

I am a promotional products consultant with 10 years of experience in the ads specialties industry.

[bernod]

I'm a freelance web developer and graphic designer.