Five Part-Time Careers That Won't Take Over Normal Life

I've been looking into doing something else part-time. I'm a writer by trade and also work part-time with a fantastic retreat center doing their marketing work. While both are fulfilling, it's tricky to try to balance all that time in front of the computer with a little guy who wants my attention. So what kind of work could I do with kid in tow?

Enter Plan B.

I'm not exactly sure what Plan B is yet, only that it's lingering somewhere on my horizon, ready to come into my life in the near future. While brainstorming I came up with the following list. Maybe one or more will be helpful for you: you don't have to be a part-time working-at-home parent to reap the benefits of one of these side jobs. With the economy the way it is and the price of just about everything going up, many of us could use a little financial boost right about now.

Plan B: Part-Time Career Options

Vintage re-sale I had a small shop out of my house once that was fun--love, love, love thrifting and sniffing out the best possible deals, then cleaning up the merchandise and finding a lovely new home for it.

At-home bakery I love to bake: bread especially. Wouldn't it be fun to bake and sell bread and other healthy, homemade treats to share with people in your community?

Cut flower and herb business This seems like an easy one, once you get the plants up and growing. It's probably not a huge money maker, but might help pay a miscellaneous dental bill.

Dog walking/pet sitting Not sure if this is much of an option for me at present, but it would work out nicely for someone else who worked out of their home. Many full-time employees would love to know that Fido got some exercise and fresh air during the day, rather than staying cooped up in a crate or the guest room.

Teaching This is one I'm really interested in: I'd love to teach writing classes, mixed media art workshops or do-it-yourself type seminars. Or maybe even one on frugal living?

What are some of your ideas? Have you ever tried a part-time business and if so, what was it?

New, old projects

This is Ella. By day she's a school secretary, but by night she takes to the stage, "Ella the Enchantress" is what she's called. Ella sings and dances, making her audience forget their troubles. Thoughts of paying for the new furnace, the dishes in the kitchen sink, and the friend who's been sick for weeks fall away as the audience sits, captivated by Ella's voice and movements.

I've been on a recent creative buzz lately, which is great for two reasons:
1) It's wonderful to finish up some projects that I started and never completed.
2) It keeps my stress level more manageable. It's hard to feel stressed when you're up to your elbows in glitter and paint and bits of fairy fabric!

Ella is just one of the art pieces that I listed recently on my etsy shop. The theme of all my art work is "re-done". I use as many recycled materials as possible, giving new life to things that otherwise might just end up in the trash.

Stay tuned, there will be more items going into the shop as time allows.

Tightwaddery Gets a Bad Name

Frugal Frannie, Tightwad, Cheapskate, Penny Pincher. Most of these labels bring up feelings of unease. Who wants to be called one of those less than flattering names?

But what if tightwaddery was looked at in a positive light? Back in the day, people who managed their money well and were frugal were considered "good with their money", "careful" and "responsible". In today's society though, being careful with your money is more likely to get you laughed at than respected.

Enter the Tightwad Gazette. This book, and the ones that follow it, are written by the frugality queen, Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced "decision"). I have read them in the past but recently picked up a copy at a local used book store. I read it in three days and enjoyed it (again) immensely. Okay, some of the ideas are a little off the wall like the many uses of old juice can lids. But there are many, many good ideas that can save you money, and in many cases, time. I like how the book is organized. Someone said that it's formatted almost like a blog, broken down into small pieces. I think that's a great comparison.

Another thing I LOVE about the book is the fact (reminder) that many things we do to save money are also great for the environment. In fact, the author talks about these overlapping circles--living in a frugal manner is also good for the earth the majority (I think she says 90%?) of the time. And it's true~think about it. Drying clothes on the line instead of in the dryer--saves money and the environment. Making food from scratch--saves money and the environment (no wasteful paper wrappers and Styrofoam containers), even more so if you are eating local and/or organic foods. You get the idea.

Another important tip? This is actually the theme of the book, in my opinion. Prioritizing. For the author and her husband the priority was to have a big family and live in a big house in a rural area. They knew what they wanted and were able to make saving the money for this type of lifestyle a priority. They could have said that this is what they really wanted, but then blown money right and left on tropical vacations, evenings at the theater, dinners at expensive restaurants, etc., but because that wasn't their priority, they chose to pinch pennies and go after their dream. I think that without priorities, it would be very hard, maybe impossible, to stick with being frugal. You need the goal to spur you on to action.

I also came across this article on The Simple Dollar in which the web site owner interviews Mrs. Dacyczyn--it's a good one and I'd highly recommend it, especially if you are already a Tightwad fan.

On Creativity and Saving the World

Sometimes it's rather easy to let one's creativity fall by the wayside. Like many "do gooders" I tend to let my worries about the world get away from me. In fact, it can feel downright frivolous to want to "waste" time painting or playing with my art supplies.

It's been months since I last had a creative project. This is in part because I was transitioning into my new career as a writer (finally, work that I love!). But it's also partly because I feel a little guilty spending time on creative stuff when there are so many more important things calling my name. Volunteer here? Donate there? Could I swing a short-term mission trip?

But I've been reminded that without replenishing my well with some creative endeavors, I will run out of steam. I just re-started reading Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" I'm not sure if I can follow her full 12-week program, but just reading the introduction this morning helped me unclench my stomach and take some deep breaths. "It's okay to play now and then," it reminded me. "It's not going to make less for someone else if you run a paintbrush through watercolors or tear some paper scraps into a collage. It's okay to do some self-nurturing."

That's a message I really needed to hear.