Had a yard sale this weekend - wasn't too great but okay. Cold and I didn't have many of my regulars due to it being super bowl weekend. Made $500, plus DD sold $100 in Girl Scout cookies which I'm sure ate into my profits some too.
Not too bad for two days easy work. I have a few people who said they'd be back tomorrow with more cash to get a few more things, so hoping that happens.
Nice!!!
I really do not like working outside of the home more than usual lately. I'm enthusiastic to work, don't get me wrong...I want to work at home and have more family time. I feel like I'm missing out on so much. I've found two really awesome things in our area lately, a free school and free farm (seems like the free school but based around agriculture) but so many of the classes and events take place during Monday-Friday 9-5 hours. I wonder what those people do for work/income.
I feel like it is taking forever for more graphic/web design work to come in...does anyone have advertising/promo ideas? We would happily do that from home and that's what I received my first degree in. I have a "services" tab on my blog with details about how we do this, but I think we need more samples. A current site is taking forever to complete (not because of us, but because of slowly adding the client's products as he makes them, etc etc) and my next major web design project can't be started until my friend purchases hosting. The goal is to make that site profitable via advertising and such eventually.
I can't really sew, make toys, etc. to sell like I used to because of my boyfriend smoking. He's tried to quit many times but he has a really serious habit and has been smoking for many years. Unfortunately, I had complaints about the smoke smell even in books and "spooky books" that I make. More than all of that, I worry about his health the most of course, but since this is about unjobbing and not health, that's why my focus was on the sales part of the issue.
I feel so stuck, but I know I shouldn't because we're creative, intelligent, capable people. I don't know what our deal is...there should be some sort of Unjobbing Mentor program or something...a successful unjobber can come stay with a family for a month and guide them to an unjobbing lifestyle... Maybe we're lacking confidence in ourselves, maybe we know too many people who are telling us to give up what we love and do "real" work, etc etc... I feel like it shouldn't be this difficult. I don't make a huge amount of money so I feel like it shouldn't be too hard to match that with design jobs or whatever... Maybe I need to do something kind of corny but pushy, like ask myself what I've done to work toward unjobbing each day...
Maybe I feel particularly bad because I just had a birthday last week. I turned 27 (but I really feel like I'm an unusually responsible and experienced teenager, ha) and I've sat in my office lately and thought, "Am I REALLY expected to do this day in and day out for the next 30+ years? Really?" That is one of the most depressing things ever.
I'm considering going back into selling stuff on Ebay - I've got stuff laying around and need the cash, and I know it worked before.
I really need to get up to making all or most of all the income I need on my own.
OKAY! I am here! I am in your house! I am going to get you up and going! Now.. first thing is.. clean your entire house of things that are holding you back... mind clutter.. If you can't let go.. then make the most frequently visited room in your house free of clutter.. you need to open a mind door. Buy or find the prettiest cloth or vintage sheets out there.. go on Ebay or etsy and purchase... put this over your booksheleves of stuff... or anything. Now drag out photos that make you happy.. inspire you.. tape these to a mirror or to the wall. Cut out hearts or buy a two inch heart punch.. tape these to the wall... write something you really want to happen.. be clear and be amazing.. who cares.. 70 million dollars... home with children all the time.. the free school whatever it is. You must go someone very soon and buy a tall prayer candle.. write something on it.. Happy Healthy Together.. something you can pray and feel amazing praying.. this is going to make you stronger. Lite it everyday, do a reverse wish.. every time you light it imagine the universe like a gigantic cloud of love hearing you and then "boom" it spreads out from you and you change the world with every new day just by this one moment. It is going to gain momentum. Listen to happy music "Unwritten" "Feeling Good" "Golden" ... invest in good thoughts.. happy thoughts.. having the power..
Boyfriend smoking.. He has to be totally outside of his element.. He also maybe could use getting super drunk... you have to make him sick of smoking.. he has to smell a half burned one... he has to where an old coat with these in the pockets.. But really.. you guys could use some camping.. He is also not allowed to smoke in the house.. period.. ever again.. He has to realize that it has to be hard.. wicked hard to do that.. you need to also see about getting him out.. away from the TV.... he has to go for a walk everytime he wants to.. it will be hard and he will continue to, but it will be less and less. He can not let go of quitting. He has to give you all the smokes and ask you for one.. if he is all reved up and spewing.. try giving him a shot of liquor.. then sending him for a walk.. it takes a lot of time.. it is very hard.. but he has to try to quit.. everyday.. after two months of trying.. he will finally be free. I promise.. Just don't let him stop trying!
You have to seriously have faith and work on that faith first. That is exactly what happened to me. I did this and had no idea that things were changing and on there way.. it is 1 year since I started and very, very, very real and changed. Keep praying.. make it serious.. as serious as eating. Never let the worry and fear cloud the thinking.. it really does block the good ideas.
Thank you for that post! I love it, it made me really happy to read!
I thought over the weekend about cooking...does anyone do it for income? I love cooking and I'm good at it. I know there are moms who sell PDFs of meal plans with recipes and grocery lists from their websites or blogs...do you think people who are too busy to cook or just plain don't want to would hire someone to meal plan (taking their dietary preferences, likes/dislikes into account of course), grocery shop, and cook a week's worth of meals or something like that? I've been doing the freezer meal thing for our house a lot lately and I love being able to pull something out of the freezer the night before and know that I'm freeing up that time I would spend cooking the next evening after being at work all day. I know other people feel that way but I'm not sure if anyone would actually pay for such a service... I feel like I have a decent range of skills to offer...10 years veg/vegan cooking experience, lots of health food knowledge, access to raw/organic dairy products, organic/free range meat and such from a local farm...
Along those lines, I signed up for a cake decorating class to start in about two weeks and I'm practicing my candy making skills...these are also things I would be happy to do as work from home, but again, not sure how many people would pay for it. I know Etsy is popular for selling candy and such, but with warm weather ahead, the thought of dealing with all of the junk that goes along with very carefully shipping candy in the heat is not something I want to deal with. I would definitely be focused on local work.
Anyone experienced with this?
Happily, I've had a burst of creative energy and I've been making lots of progress with various projects. Unfortunately, I got about three hours of sleep last night after our cat decided to dig a claw into a canvas I've been painting on, sliding down it, leaving a nice big long rip in it... At least I hadn't gotten too far with the painting, but still...a wasted canvas and I had to start over... 
Thank you for that post! I love it, it made me really happy to read!
I thought over the weekend about cooking...does anyone do it for income? I love cooking and I'm good at it. I know there are moms who sell PDFs of meal plans with recipes and grocery lists from their websites or blogs...do you think people who are too busy to cook or just plain don't want to would hire someone to meal plan (taking their dietary preferences, likes/dislikes into account of course), grocery shop, and cook a week's worth of meals or something like that? I've been doing the freezer meal thing for our house a lot lately and I love being able to pull something out of the freezer the night before and know that I'm freeing up that time I would spend cooking the next evening after being at work all day. I know other people feel that way but I'm not sure if anyone would actually pay for such a service... I feel like I have a decent range of skills to offer...10 years veg/vegan cooking experience, lots of health food knowledge, access to raw/organic dairy products, organic/free range meat and such from a local farm...
I've wanted to do this for years. I read years ago you could get around the commercial kitchen by cooking at the client's house. I never knew how much to charge and if people would eat the same things as we do.
I have to look into that, the commercial cooking thing...I want to say that it is pretty lenient here but I need to find out for a fact before I think too far into this idea...
You're right; it is a depressing thought!! And once you get that mentality, it makes it really hard to play along in the typical corporate environment. But you can use it to help motivate you toward what you do want to be doing instead. My husband and I decided it won't work for us, and are now taking steps to make unjobbing happen. In our case though, we've decided to focus heavily on paying down debt as fast as possible first so that we can move towards what we want to do with the rest of our lives without having to worry about recurring monthly payments.
I've been reading The 4-Hour Work Week and a related section in there really struck me where he discusses how 9-5 is so arbitrary! What says that a person needs that much time to do their job? How can it be possible that this is exactly how much time every single person needs to put in when jobs are so different? When I got a new supervisor awhile back she made a comment about "butts in seats" in reference to me being at my desk when I'm meant to start work at 8:00. It just blows my mind that this is a yard stick by which my value as an employee is measured!
There is a person in our area that does the cooking at other people's houses thing that specializes in vegetarian food, also one that makes at her home and delivers as a "personal chef". She also offers like a "dinner party in a box". I think that could be a really good idea if you are a good cook! 
As far as pricing, she offers different prices for frozen meals vs. fresh and based off how many servings you order. For instance 4 entrées of 4 servings each, with appropriate side dishes (16 dinners), $240.00 or entrées only, $184.00. I'm sure if you did a Google search for something like 'personal chef' you'd find lots of examples.
I agree! For example, the 1st and the 15th are the busiest days for me. Being here for a normal work day makes sense...but many other days of the month, I've finished what I need to do within two hours of being in the office. You'd think that employers would jump on any chance to cut hours and save money, the way they tend to like to keep people just below 40 hours so they don't have to offer benefits.
There is a person in our area that does the cooking at other people's houses thing that specializes in vegetarian food, also one that makes at her home and delivers as a "personal chef". She also offers like a "dinner party in a box". I think that could be a really good idea if you are a good cook!
As far as pricing, she offers different prices for frozen meals vs. fresh and based off how many servings you order. For instance 4 entrées of 4 servings each, with appropriate side dishes (16 dinners), $240.00 or entrées only, $184.00. I'm sure if you did a Google search for something like 'personal chef' you'd find lots of examples.
Thanks for the info!
As for the butts in seats, there has been a lot of shift (in some places) to output based preformance. ie you get paid x amount for writing a report, no matter how many hours it takes you. Which is like a freelance style.
Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: No Schedules, No Meetings, No Joke--the Simple Change That Can Make Your Job Terrific by Cali Ressler
Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson
Is all about Results-Only Work Environment, or not getting paid just to waste your time in the office.
There is a person in our area that does the cooking at other people's houses thing that specializes in vegetarian food, also one that makes at her home and delivers as a "personal chef". She also offers like a "dinner party in a box". I think that could be a really good idea if you are a good cook!
As far as pricing, she offers different prices for frozen meals vs. fresh and based off how many servings you order. For instance 4 entrées of 4 servings each, with appropriate side dishes (16 dinners), $240.00 or entrées only, $184.00. I'm sure if you did a Google search for something like 'personal chef' you'd find lots of examples.
Thanks that's great. I'm off to do some research.
I'd love to contract cooking!
My dp said we should open a paleo restaurant so there'd be somewhere in town to eat out, but then I reminded him that it would be us cooking, and instead of cooking just for us, we'd be cooking for everyone else, too. And we'd have purchased and indebted ourselves to a job- our job, but a job nonetheless. "Oh yeah," he said.
Yes, I definitely wouldn't want to do a whole restaurant sort of thing...that would take away the enjoyment of cooking for me. I most definitely prefer small-scale home cooking. :)
Here's my list. It's short, but I've thought a lot about what fuels me. Now I need ideas at how to make it work!
My passion is helping people. Like tutoring elderly on computers. Does anyone unjob with a heart for service?
Others: Math/Algebra (I've tutored in the past), reading, sports (Basketball, Track), also Computers and Excel.
Hi mamas
Back on w the update, but first:
I feel so stuck, but I know I shouldn't because we're creative, intelligent, capable people. I don't know what our deal is...there should be some sort of Unjobbing Mentor program or something...a successful unjobber can come stay with a family for a month and guide them to an unjobbing lifestyle...
I LOVE it! Unjobbing mentor program! LOL! If only it were true, but I guess we each get to learn by the "bumps and bruises method."
...Maybe we're lacking confidence in ourselves, maybe we know too many people who are telling us to give up what we love and do "real" work, etc etc... I feel like it shouldn't be this difficult. I don't make a huge amount of money so I feel like it shouldn't be too hard to match that...
Keep your head up, and ease up on yourselves 
I get that response whether re me or others (funny how sometimes those who talk about getting "real" work often don't lump me in that category in their minds, and it ticks me off when they gripe to me about others who have a very similar existance to my own... but I digress). Just keep in mind that unjobbers and RHer are the ones who have a REAL job, a REAL life... human beings were not designed to be chained to a desk 40+ hours a week (or worse)!
TY much frugalmama for the motivation!
Pariah, I too just had a birthday (I wonder how many aquarians are in this thread, LOL!) And birthdays can make us think. Just keep the thoughts on the possibilities available to us (you may have to remind me of this as well c: )
[just got interrupted by PROOF POSITIVE of what I am saying here-- my friend- the one we rent from while we're building- said he had a b-day gift for me, had me follow him to the door, told me to walk toward the bonfire-- a leftover from celebrating their son's 16th today as well-- and then closed the door after I walked out, but he stayed inside. My children were sitting watching the fire die singing "Thank You, LORD" and other camp songs; my gift was joining them in a beautiful fleeting moment and living in it in appreciation. Evidences of REAL working and living all around c: I hate to think how if I had "real" work and had to go in for overtime early tomorrow am, I'd have been more likely to call out the door for them to come get ready for bed-- I may have missed it-- and so very many beauties like it]
So-- the unjobbing update here is: we bought the 10 acres, the drill stems are at the mechanic getting torched, cleaned and wd-40ed (they were badly rusted together... and apart), the well drilling rig is at a dif mechanic getting the carburator checked, the fencing material is in the back of my van tearing little holes in the carpet (!)-- I treat all my vehicles like trucks, sheesh, I should just get one!--, there is a clerical snafu re who owned the land I just bought (either the man I paid for it or his alcoholic nephew! gah!) but he's on it for me, I have a handshake agreement w another homeschooling mom's 12 yo to split an order of 100 quail in june-- I'll pay the shipping, he'll look after them while we're at church camp, and we each get 50 birds, there are 5 baby lambs in my friend's flock that I care for including a set of the sweetest little twins ever, we're successfully hand-milking the ewes and made our first batch of authentic sheep milk dry ricotta, and it was amazing! we barely got a taste before it was scarfed!, and MY ewe is as wide as she is long, and although I feel little hoovesies kicking her sides, no lambs yet for me c: OH! and some college kids are planning to be here in 3 weeks to help put up a cob house and we haven't even fenced out the "nephew's" cattle yet! ...but we've been asked to help erect another friend's greenhouse... and my garden/ crops kind of depend on her kindness bc she's not on solar and can germinate my hot weather plantings in the greenhouse... if we help her put it up c:
How many of you wonder if you're sort of afraid to succeed? BC I think I am about to realize a LOT of my fondest hopes, and it's almost paralyzing some days... not sure why it should be... still it sometimes is.
Blessings to all on your journey and thanks so much for sharing here-- so encouraging c:
That's so exciting, Mum4vr!
There's a book called Fearless Creating
I highly recommend it. It is for creators of (any) art specifically, but I find it amply applies to my farming as well, though the references to creative arts would be tedious if I didn't relate primarily on the creative arts aspect of it. It's very practical, but philosophically consistent, and frank-- very frank.
ETA: Wow, that's inexpensive. I've earned that then. :) I thought it would be a lot more. So, yay!
mum4vr loved your post! I am an aquarius too :) .
Yay, Aquariuses! Aquari-i?
Yes, I think this is the case with a lot of people, including us at some times.
mum4vr, WOW, all of that sounds amazing! And our son would be thrilled beyond belief about sheep and lambs...we saw them at the state fair last summer and he said, "But we can teach it to use our bathroom and she can sleep in my room!" LOL...we're in a small apartment...so I've been needle felting him little animals, including a sheep, in the meantime. I started a bird nest and eggies last night, and I'm going to hopefully finish the little fat bird to sit on the nest by the time he comes home tonight...anyway, off topic ramble!
PreggieUBA2C, ooh, I think we need that book. My boyfriend, our close friend/co-creator on lots of projects and I put projects aside CONSTANTLY because "Oh, this is going to be awful..." and "Oh, there's no way someone would listen to this music/dj set/whatever..." and "Oh, what will people think because I am not good at this..." despite the fact that all three of us have been paid, working artists at various points in our lives. So logically, we have to be good at what we do to at least SOME people since they've traded their money for our pieces, photographs, modeling I did before I had my son, albums, DJ gigs, etc etc...LOL. I try to think of it that way...
Do any of you happen to be located in Maryland? It would be exciting to find local unjobbers.
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