Self-employment Support?

[Stella]

Thanks for the support everyone! I think I might really go for this.

I talked to Zach and he is interested in this idea too. He has been working with our kids and some friends on building and engineering related learning projects. He is working on setting up a workspace in our garage for the kids and their friends to tackle projects along the lines of Tinkering School. He's setting up an adjustable height workbench, tools and scrap supplies to see what kinds of stuff they can come up with. He said he'd like to do more of that in his spare time. He says he's had a few adults even ask if he can teach them some basic handyman-type skills. Come to think of it, Gever Tulley of Tinkering School is actually a software developer, if I remember correctly. Maybe this isn't such a crazy idea.

I think to make myself feel more confident I'll run whatever I come up with past my mom, who was not only a teacher but a curriculum developer for a community college. I'll see what she thinks and get some advice.

There really does seem to be a need for something like this. I know so many people who just don't know exactly where to go to get their kids what they need. I tend to think that if I am doing something, it's not a big deal and anyone could do it. I need to stop thinking like that.

[herbgeek]

Stella- You can definitely make a go of something like this. In my area, a woman set up a homeschooling "school" in a cheap rent district. She taught some of the initial classes herself, but as there were more students, she brings in experts in other topics. Her outfit is geared more towards middle and high schoolers.

This is the website of the place I mentioned:
http://www.thethinktank-worcester.com/

[puglogic]

Stella - go for it! What a perfect match for your skills and your passion.

[HumboldtGurl]

Dh and I have been thinking about self-employment for a while but the thing that keeps us back is the health insurance. I would love to know what companies people are using for their insurance - especially the high-deductible policies, which is what we would want. Are people using group policies, ie, industry pools?

Jumping in here....splash!

DH and I Have been self-employed since 1998 and would never, ever go back to punching a clock. I tried it once for a seasonal job and failed miserably!

Ever since we started our first business, we have had individual insurance coverage. I've looked into trying to get a group policy on our own or though a trade group in our field (writing & design) with no success. The coverage was worse than what we have now and more expensive too. To put it bluntly, our medical coverage as self-employed people has just always sucked! But it has been there for us when we needed it for major accidents, including a deer vs. motorcycle collision (I won!), and when I got conked on the head by an aspen tree last year.

We have a high deductible policy ($11,500 per year), which covers us at a 100% should we need major coverage. However the policy doesn't cover us for anything before we hit that deductible. What it does give us is a discounted rate on services we do need. For example, when I needed a CT scan, I paid a few hundred dollars less than I would have if I had gone into the hospital without coverage. Thanks to Obama, we don't need to pay for annual physicals, which is a huge relief now that we're over 40 and I need the ol' mammograms. I would forgo them otherwise, just can't afford it.

I've considered dropping coverage before, especially since we're paying $220 a month for coverage we hope to never use. But we just can't go that far. The number one reason for personal bankruptcies is: medical bills. I hope to never, ever be one of those statistics.

Still, having this type of insurance really makes us think twice before using it. Our rule is, unless we're bleeding to death from a major artery or unconscious, we don't go to the hospital.

[puglogic]

Hey, giving this thread a little jumpstart with something fun!

I'm self-employed and have always thought I should have some form of business plan, but have shied away from the process and the standard, rigid, stuffy definition of business plans in general.

But someone (here?) turned me on to this fun thing: http://www.rightbrainbusinessplan.com/

It's more for people who have a creative bent or a creative business (hence the right brain part) but I think the process is still really valuable for anyone with a small business, and it's gotten me to make myself a plan for the first time in many years. In general, if something's not fun, I don't really want to do it.....this was definitely fun. And I think my business(es) will benefit from the newfound clarity.

Hope all our self-employed folk are having a good year!
pug

[fidgiegirl]

Pug, thanks for this AND for the bump!!

[Selah]

I find myself being self-employed by sheer virtue of not being able to find just one full-time day job. However, I'm really enjoying cobbling together these different streams of income that I've managed to generate here so far. I'm doing freelance writing assignments for two regular clients, voiceover work for another client, online English teaching for an Indian company, and have just started a petsitting business locally, which I absolutely adore working on. When work is slow, it gives me time to pursue marketing or other business development ideas, and when work is hot and heavy, I just work and bring in the money. Right now, lots of my earnings are going back into the business(es)...I have to get some new textbooks, for example, and spend some money on supplies and marketing materials for my petsitting business. But it's a very creative, interesting, and flexible way to live, which I REALLY love.

[Joyous_5]

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 book recommendation--it looks really interesting!

[Joyous_5]

So glad I logged on and found this thread: I'm a self-employed writer who dabbles in alternate streams of income. I like reading about everyone's businesses and careers--such a pleasant change from the regular ole' full-time jobs that most people don't enjoy. Inspiring!

[fidgiegirl]

Gardenarian gave me a really interesting idea when I had the thread about having to clean out my teaching supplies from my Spanish program. I am no longer doing that for my day job, but she gave the great idea to do it for homeschoolers.

Not even sure how to go about this. Ideas?

I like the idea because I miss kids Plus, all the after school opportunities I've found conflict with my full-time schedule. Additionally, if I could tap into a co-op or some kind of network in order to get a handful of kids, then I can charge a rate that makes it worth it for me yet when split among several kids/families makes it still worth it for the families.

I hate to start a new thread on the topic but might do so.

Thanks all!