I hate my job. I'm a cashier at Target and I just want to quit already. Actually, I want to get into some work at home stuff because I just don't have the time for a job at the moment. The next school quarter is starting up and if I keep this job, I won't have any time to do anything. Not my homework, not rest, ZIP. So, I was wondering, what work at home schemes do you guys recommend I should try? I know that there a lot of scams out there so I want to be careful and not fall victim to those. That is why I came to Hatrack first.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
I always kinda thought work at home schemes were all scams...
I'd reccomend some kind of part-time waiting job. Because of tips, you can earn the same amount of money in a lot less time if you are willing to work your butt off while you're there. Maybe you can find a diner or something near your home that needs a few hours more help a week?
Posted by Altáriël of Dorthonion (Member # 6473) on :
I'll try applying at Starbucks or Hot Topic though, I just hate the whole corporate stuff. Besides, I hate just standing up in my cubicle. I'm not allowed to go anywhere else, and that really ticks me off. I can't stand being confined to that small place, I feel trapped. Besides, I hate the dress code.
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
Don't like the lovely red shirts?
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
Who can blame her? Everyone knows that red shirts draw fire.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
If you're interested or good at or okay with teaching at all, you could try tutor.com.
I plan on trying to apply later this month to pick up some extra cash.
Posted by Black Mage (Member # 5800) on :
And bulls.
Posted by MandyM (Member # 8375) on :
Mystery shopping was great for me when I was home on maternity leave. Try Volition for more info. And NEVER EVER pay for mystery shopping info. There are lots of scams out there. Just click on the Get Paid thing on the main page. And Volition has a great, very helpful message board.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
MandyM's advice is sound.
There are a ton of great opportunities (e.g. mystery shopping, survey systems, etc.) that can generate fairly easy money from home, but there are far more scams: the big, easy way to differentiate is that the scams ask for money up front for access to "a once in a lifetime opportunity" or "to make sure you're serious because we only have a limited number of positions available," etc.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:Originally posted by Altáriël of Dorthonion: I'll try applying at Starbucks or Hot Topic though, I just hate the whole corporate stuff.
Starbucks and Hot Topic aren't corporate?
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Maybe the comma was intended to go before the "though"?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:So, I was wondering, what work at home schemes do you guys recommend I should try?
None of them. Then again, I wouldn't recommend that you work in sales or retail, either.
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
It's not going to be easy to get a job right now. Your retail experience qualifies you for more retail work. They don't hire right after Christmas. They let people go.
I work part-time at my school doing work study. A lot of times they have work I can do at home. I love it. I got lucky and scored a job that pretty much lets me work when I have the time. I'm sure if you checked around you could find something like that.
Also, pick a job that will provide you with experience that benefits your major or a boss that you know will write kick ass references for you.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Since you are going to school, try getting work-study where you work for the school.
Go to your school's job assistance place and see what employers are looking for. Many employers use the universities to look for sla-I mean, workers.
Waitressing is the obvious choice for them what lacks skillz, but delivering pizzas is another. Pizza places are almost always hiring, tips can be decent, and the dress code is usually pretty laid back.
Donate plasma for a little extra cash. That's good. Just don't donate plasma, then go get drunk. That's bad.
Take a semester off and work your tail off, save up money, then go back to school.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
By the way, it goes without saying that you should look into decreasing your livign expenses. As a college student, you have access to all kinds of roommate opportunities to decrease your rent and utilities.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Hey! Waitressing requires all kinds of skills, Stormy!
Don't tick the waitress off . . . you have no idea how difficult it can be to keep that hot coffee pouring into the appropriate receptacle.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Hey, as someone who works in a restaurant, I can say with some authority that servers put up with an incredible amount of stress. Their job may not require a lot of skill, but it requires a lot of toleration for the bullshit that the average person heaps on them, not to mention a general lack of understanding when it comes to tipping.
Doing the actual job is fairly easy but I've seen a ton of servers and kitchen people burn out from the stress. It's not always worth the money.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
Waiting and bartending are two areas that are very easy to break into (due to, with all due respect to Shan and Lyrhawn, a minimal skill set) and pays very, very well (in relation to the skills required). They are, as stated above, extraordinarily high-stress jobs, but the pay rate is incredible - my friends in waiting and bartending all make at least 38-40k a year, working only 40 hours a week.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
Serving is not easy, and, depending on the restaurant, you have to know many things.
However, skill-less people can break into it and learn on the job. This is what I meant, not that servers did not have skillz.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
That much I agree with, it doesn't require any prior knowledge to do. I went from working in an office to working in a restaurant with no previous experience, and they trained me up to where I am now.
However erosomniac, the pay rate is hit or miss. A server at Coney Island isn't going to make 40K a year. Bartending is a good way to make a lot of money, the tips are very good. But serving depends on a lot of factors, like the actual restaurant you're serving in, how upscale is it, how upscale is the area, what's the lunch crowd like, what's the night crowd like, what's the bar traffic like (assuming it has a bar), and a lot of other things. Someone working at Champps (Where I work) could easily make $300 a night four years ago (which is about what I make a week, give or take).
But in the last few years a lot of restaurants have moved into the area (Troy, Michigan) and our clientele have dropped in number. So now the best someone can hope for is half what it used to be. And, a TGI Fridays is opening right next door, attached to the hotel we depend on for a lot of business. I'm worried for the servers (my brother included), and for the hourly staff (myself included) who might lose hours.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:However erosomniac, the pay rate is hit or miss. A server at Coney Island isn't going to make 40K a year. Bartending is a good way to make a lot of money, the tips are very good. But serving depends on a lot of factors, like the actual restaurant you're serving in, how upscale is it, how upscale is the area, what's the lunch crowd like, what's the night crowd like, what's the bar traffic like (assuming it has a bar), and a lot of other things. Someone working at Champps (Where I work) could easily make $300 a night four years ago (which is about what I make a week, give or take).
But in the last few years a lot of restaurants have moved into the area (Troy, Michigan) and our clientele have dropped in number. So now the best someone can hope for is half what it used to be. And, a TGI Fridays is opening right next door, attached to the hotel we depend on for a lot of business. I'm worried for the servers (my brother included), and for the hourly staff (myself included) who might lose hours.
True, a lot depends on locale and how far you're willing to go to get the best possible job. My friends in wait help (in retrospect, there are a few that make significantly less, mostly because they work within 5 minutes walking distance of where they live) all commute, and they also change jobs as it becomes necessary to maintain the income level they're used to. Two of them worked at the same restaurant when a situation similar to yours occured: too much competition sprung up in the area and their patronage decreased a truckload. More importantly, the demographic changed and it became primarily a place where college kids with a bit of extra scratch came to eat. So they changed jobs.
Granted that isn't possible in every person's situation, but I think it's a lot more plausible in most situations than many people realize: it's a matter of weighing costs and benefits.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Have you tried looking for a job on your campus? I always see tons of e-mails about job openings for clerical-type work, or internships. Some of my friends work as attendants in the computing areas or in the student rec center. On-campus stuff might be more convenient, since you'll be there already.
Otherwise, have you looked into getting student loans and forgetting about a job right now? Can your family help you out? If you could move back in, it might save you a lot of money. You might also consider getting an extra room-mate to share your apartment so you can split the rent.
Posted by krynn (Member # 524) on :
u could try to schedule your classes around work like i do. i take all my classes from 8AM - 1:45PM Mon-Thurs. I work tues-thurs and sunday evenings. this leaves me monday, friday, and saturday night to do whatever i want.
Mon/Wed im at school from 8-10:45AM Tues/Thur im at school from 9:30-1:45
After classes i usually go to the Student Learning Center and study for an hour or so before i go home and get ready for work. since i get out earlier on wednesdays, i stay an extra hour at the SLC. i guess all im saying is that i work and am a full-time student and have free time to go out and do whatever. for me it really just took good planning. i register the first day of early registration and make sure i get all my classes i want, with teachers i want (ie ratemyprofessor.com). even tho the further i get into college the less choices i have for my teachers, its still working out so far. i recently changed jobs as well because i knew my old job wouldnt work with my new school schedule.
i hope you find something similar that fits your school schedule and allows you some freetime as well. it will be tough looking for one now that school is started already, but its worth a shot. us college kids always need money, not working sounds good, but often just cant be done.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
i have a friend that sells porn from home you could do that.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Did he set up your dad, Blayne?
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Ji- I mean JEEEEEEZ!
Posted by krynn (Member # 524) on :
haha, my sister's college buddy in Miami was never in any porn videos, but runs a few porn websites, and he is a multi millionaire. i went out on his yacht a couple times, he is livin it up!
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
MandyM -- Would you like to share with us which ones you've found to be safe?
I trust people with experience much more than I trust internet websites that tell me I'm enrolling in a fabulous opportunity, with no personal cost.
Posted by Historian (Member # 8858) on :
quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve:
quote:Originally posted by Altáriël of Dorthonion: I'll try applying at Starbucks or Hot Topic though, I just hate the whole corporate stuff.
Starbucks and Hot Topic aren't corporate?
Appeal to those who wish to be individual, through mass production. My favorite shirt from there bears this quote; "You laugh because I am different, I laugh because you are all the same...". And the fact that there are at least 10k more of these shirts out there makes the whole thing smack of delicious irony.
As for Starbucks... imagine being tested on the kinds of coffees and their distinct differences...
[ January 09, 2006, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: Historian ]
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:Originally posted by Storm Saxon:
Since you are going to school, try getting work-study where you work for the school.
Go to your school's job assistance place and see what employers are looking for. Many employers use the universities to look for sla-I mean, workers.
Waitressing is the obvious choice for them what lacks skillz, but delivering pizzas is another. Pizza places are almost always hiring, tips can be decent, and the dress code is usually pretty laid back.
Donate plasma for a little extra cash. That's good. Just don't donate plasma, then go get drunk. That's bad.
Take a semester off and work your tail off, save up money, then go back to school.
Every bit of advice I would offer has already been said here.
As for work-at-home, I know of a few (a very few) people who made good money from home party businesses. By good money I don't mean enough to live on, but enough to supplement their husband's income, they were stay-at-home moms. Both (I guess I really only know two) worked long, long hours following up with customers, aggressively marketing, and scheduling parties. Both are now out of the business because the bottom dropped out. There's only so many Pampered Chef parties that an area can support, I think. Everyone in the area had already hosted or been to one and the interest was gone. In one case, a Mom who had been a nurse and quit to stay home and ran her Pampered Chef business wound up having to go back to nursing full time.
I don't trust many of those work-at-home ideas. I tried mystery shopping but didn't find that it really paid. By the time I factored in my gas and travel time, it just didn't seem worth it to make $10 on a shop. And a lot of them didn't pay out in cash, but in merchandise or free lunches at restaurants.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:Originally posted by Historian:
quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve:
quote:Originally posted by Altáriël of Dorthonion: I'll try applying at Starbucks or Hot Topic though, I just hate the whole corporate stuff.
Starbucks and Hot Topic aren't corporate?
Appeal to those who wish to be individual, through mass production. My favorite shirt from there bears this quote; "You laugh because I am different, I laugh because you are all the same...". And the fact that there are at least 10k more of these shirts out there makes the whole thing smack of delicious irony.
As for Starbucks... imagine being tested on the kinds of coffees and their distinct differences...
Starbucks is practically the poster child for corporate America. The company is huge and very corporate and very huge and corporate people drink their mediocre coffee.
Hot topic, as you pointed out, is very hypocritical about their "individuality." I like the fact that the fluff bunny goths of America have a place to buy their pink, fuzzy fetish gear, but, at the same time, I'm sure working for there is every bit as corporate as working at any mall store.
As to standing for long periods of time in confining spaces- this will definitely happen in both of these places. Only now, she'll have to share that space with two or three other people.
At least at Hot Topic you can cry while listening to Joy Division and no one will think odd of you. Unless that person is me, then I'll think it's odd you're listening to Joy Division.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
But, PC, where else would I go to get my half-skinny doubleshot mochalicious carmelissimo maxiwhammy grande sugarbomb?
*bats eyes
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Caribou Coffee.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
And what if I'm a straight mug of the house version?
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Dunkin Donuts.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
PC...please, please tell me you don't think that what they serve at Dunkin' Donuts is coffee.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
Though, if you don't like retail, waiting tables, or baretending prob wouldn't be a good fit either. You would likely have to deal with many similar issues that you see as a line cashier.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
While I'm usually anti-corporate, Satrbucks does pay benefits to even part trimers, which I apprecciate. Plus employees get a drink a day and a pound of joe a week. If my schedule allowed, I'd work there.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
*seconds eroso*
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Go indie! Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:While I'm usually anti-corporate, Satrbucks does pay benefits to even part trimers, which I apprecciate. Plus employees get a drink a day and a pound of joe a week. If my schedule allowed, I'd work there.
Not to mention that they're more supportive of the coffee growing industry than any other coffee chain in America, not to mention most of the little hole-in-the-wall places, and ALL of the "organic coffee" BS shops.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
I will say I try to get my coffee at Marlenes most of the time, but I don't feel too sinful buying at Starbucks.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
America's favorite druge dealer- yeah that.
Posted by MandyM (Member # 8375) on :
Not to derail the coffee derailment....
Raia, everything on the Volition's mystery shopping link I posted is safe. Volition is run by a guy who really listens to shoppers and I know of 2 companies that were on his list that were removed after shopper complaints. It is up to date and very informative. I highly recommend lurking in the shopper forum to learn more about the industry. It is much more involved than you'd think. I do have favorite companies though. Speedmark and Kern are awesome and they cover a broad range of shopping experiences. I made about $1000 a month doing it and got to eat free a lot so I saved money on food. But with gas prices so high, you do have to be careful not to take jobs with low pay or you will just break even.
Just remember, if a site asks you to pay for anything, it is a scam. The only legit thing any mystery shopper should pay for is MSPA (Mystery Shopper Providers Association-- another great place to find more information) certification which will really get you more jobs. Silver certification costs about $15 for an online quiz and Gold is $100 for a day-long conference. I recommend getting the silver at first. It is quick, easy, and cheap and you will make your money back in a hurry. Gold is only for those who do this as a full time profession.
I am not really doing this much anymore because it is hard to juggle with a full time job and a toddler but when my daughter was an infant, it was great to just throw her in a stroller and shop all day. I am happy to answer any other questions you have.
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