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Extra Income

Editor's Note: Before pursuing any other work that overlaps with a current job, it is always wise to check with your employer to make sure they don't have any objections. Wouldn't want anyone to get fired!

Extra Income

I work 44 hours a week as a security officer during the graveyard shift. I have absolutely nothing to do for the eight hours that I am here, except for standing up and waiving to residents. I bring my laptop with me to work everyday to keep from being bored. I am already selling cheap items on eBay to gain a small side income, but I was wondering if anyone could suggest any work-at-home jobs for me to try out? Maybe something like a call service operator or CSR that I can use my cell phone with (because of free minutes)? Any other suggestions are welcomed.
Thank You,
Mich

Check Out This Site

I would suggest registering with a site like www.elance.com and look for something that can be done in your own time, such as data entry work.
Janice

Go Back to School

Have you ever wanted to change careers, or maybe you have some classes you'd like to take? Many technical and traditional colleges are offering some of their classes independent study or online. You could use that time on the graveyard shift to tone up your computer skills with some software classes, learn a language, or work towards completing a degree program. If you ever need to look for another job, current computer skills, especially Microsoft Office applications, and knowing a second language are in demand.
Joan

Light Administrative Work Needed

I am an Executive Director for a non-profit organization and always desperately need help with light administrative work like mailings, assembling packets of information, and entering information into a spreadsheet. It is so hard to find individuals who can assist with these tasks! I typically pay between $8.50 and $12.50 an hour for this kind of work. An individual willing to take on these light tasks can do so at home (or at their primary job) whenever they have the time to do so.

I'd advise putting a listing on Craigslist in their city with the tasks/activities that they can accomplish. Anyone can put labels on postcards, but it's helpful to know if someone has Internet or spreadsheet experience. An individual might also want to contact non-profits to find out if they ever need temporary help like this. Word of mouth works, too. An email message sent out to friends is a great way to have them forward to folks they know who might need help like me.
Mary of Colorado

Consider Freelance Writing

What about freelance writing? Writing magazine articles or even articles for websites can be done in snippets of time without impacting his actual work. There are also positions available for researchers who do nothing but web searches for information.
Stephanie

Boss Says "NO." No Problem.

This is a suggestion for the security officer with spare time. If your employer doesn't allow a "second job," you may consider taking some online classes. It may not help financially in your immediate future, but your employer may be more agreeable to allowing you to busy yourself in this way. It certainly can't hurt, especially if you plan to stay in a law enforcement/security type job. Even if you have your mind on some other career, taking classes relating to your subject of interest is a great place to start. There are many online classes available to you, and they are much less expensive if you go through a junior college in your area.
S

Take the Time to Organize Your Life

I never figured out how to make extra income at my boring job, but I did organize my life and get a great hold on my finances. Layout an Excel spread sheet and track every penny you spend. Review your bank statements, determine your financial goals and plan exactly how to reach them. Plan your budget, meals, vacations, and days off. Do your online banking and write checks. If you have children, this is a great time to review their schoolwork.
B

Several Ideas to Consider

I worked a job for a little while that was helping to fine tune a search engine. I Internet-searched sample subjects that were given to me and rated the relevance of the search engine results. This was something that could be done from a laptop while working another job. I have a few other ideas that include:

Do medical billing remotely. However, you would need some training first.
Do transcription from your home or laptop, but that would block your hearing, which is necessary in security.
Write articles and get paid per read.
Do genealogy research. If you really know what you are doing, get certified and charge for the service.

Marla

Take the Next Step

Investigate a Dollar Stretcher Recommended system for building your own income producing website.

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