Self-employment Support?

[ApatheticNoMore]

However, I think the risk is bigger that he will see any foray into self-employment as a luxury that I can do only because he puts in the 8 hours and carries the insurance, and will be the silent martyr, damaging our marriage.

As a single person I would find it hard to make the healthcare thing work without a job. Yes if you earn enough at self-employment you can afford the premiums at an individual rate, but you do need to earn enough.

[fidgiegirl]

Yes, health insurance is worrisome, but people do make it work. I found this article a while back when doing a little research to help out my sister. It helped me feel a little better about the whole thing. And this year, DH and I are going on a family plan with a VEBA account.

The way I see it, no matter how good your insurance, if you get sick enough, you will be ruined regardless.

[fidgiegirl]

OMG, I feel like an idiot about the reading to dogs idea. There is a HUGE established volunteer network already doing this. Mean old me, trying to make a buck!! Geez!!!

http://www.tdi-dog.org/

[gimmethesimplelife]

I have been self-employed since 2001. Many times on the old forums, I recommended the book Secrets of Self-Employment by Sarah and Paul Edwards. I think it's a great introduction and offers a lot of help with the mental/emotional shift needed to move to self-employment. I have an old copy from the 90s - haven't checked to see if there is a new edition. Definitely read it (even the old edition)!

Thanks for the advice, I will check this book out!

[lhamo]

All ideas are worth exploring. I hate to keep harping on him (no, he isn't paying me commissions -- he's too cheap!), but Ramit Sethi's methods seem spot on to me. For any small business idea, one of your first goals should be to get 3 paying customers. If you can find people who will pay for it within a relatively short period of time, chances are it might be a workable long-term business. If you can't find paying customers then it is pretty much dead in the water. And you should know that before you spend X months or Y years of your life trying to develop your great idea. Might not apply to every situation, but seems to be very straightforward and practical advice. And he's had tons of people get a jump start on their self-employment dreams by taking this approach. It is kind of like Dave Ramsey's baby steps for paying off debt. It forces you to do something very practical that may not match what the "professionals" tell you you need (RS is not big on business plans, for example), but it works at both a practical and a psychological level.

So, keep exploring your ideas, kelli -- I'm sure you will find one that works!

lhamo

[gimmethesimplelife]

Yesterday I was at a farmer's market here in Phoenix and I met a lady who makes soap to sell at the market - she seemed so incredibly happy and joyous about life, like she had found just her niche and was just basically doing ok with life. Maybe some of it is just that - finding something that works for you AND is a viable niche in the marketplace - perhaps easier said than done but there do seem to be some that figure it out or stumble across it or somehow make things work. Rob

[fidgiegirl]

Rob, did/has/will the affiliate thing go anywhere?

And thanks lhamo for the encouragement Barbara Winter has a similar idea in that you work any idea until it makes $100. After earning $100 you have a much clearer picture of if it is something you want to continue doing or that will be successful.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Rob, did/has/will the affiliate thing go anywhere?

And thanks lhamo for the encouragement Barbara Winter has a similar idea in that you work any idea until it makes $100. After earning $100 you have a much clearer picture of if it is something you want to continue doing or that will be successful.

Hi Fidgegirl.....Once my mom gets released from the rehab facility, things will be a bit saner I am thinking and I am going to try starting up a blog or two and see where that goes. One thing about blogging is that I have always been good at writing and this would be a way to express it - but let's see about getting an audience lol. Something else I would like to do is to download some photos to a stock photography site and hopefully make a few dollars here and there from downloads of the photos - that would sure be cool, and I do like photography and know a little bit about it though I am no pro. About the affiliate marketing, I think I am going to sign up with clickbank once the dust settles and see if I can make some money there promoting some of their products - I have already seen a few ebooks I can get behind, such as one for maximing growing potential in a very small space.....I like the idea of promoting something that can make people more self sufficient in times like these. So we will see where all this goes but right now I am working on getting the dust settled. Rob

[iris lily]

We were approached about investing in someone's self employment dream, but it sounds like a money loser to me: a bakery and dry goods store that provides a place for neighbors of all ages to connect and share. His words. Sounds too much like The Collective to me and that gives me the willies. How that social action will generate income isn't clear to me. Oh also, he will grow vegetables on the roof. There's been quite a lot of that idea for our flat rooftops in recent years with none coming to fruition, of course, because it's not practical.

Since we've already got a fair number of coffee/bagel/snack types places here, I'm not seeing the need for the community. So I wish him well, but will continue to write my charity checks to true 501c3 charities.

[JaneV2.0]

"How that social action will generate income isn't clear to me. "

Three words: video poker machines.