14 replies to this topic

[gsp23]

I already have a decent job but with the poor economy, the company I work for has finally followed suit and cut everyones pay. I would like to get a part time job evenings/weekends to supplement my pay but am struggling with ideas of what I can do. After already working 50hrs a week at my primary job I dont want to do something in the same field (IT) due to the burnout factor. Retail is something I cant deal with and I paid my dues during my college days doing telemarketing that I just cant go back to again. Everything I think of is just wheelchair incompatible (restaurants, delivery, housekeeping, stocking shelves) So lets hear any part time job ideas for a para?

[Slowlegs]

gsp23, on May 11 2009, 04:32 AM, said:

I already have a decent job but with the poor economy, the company I work for has finally followed suit and cut everyones pay. I would like to get a part time job evenings/weekends to supplement my pay but am struggling with ideas of what I can do. After already working 50hrs a week at my primary job I dont want to do something in the same field (IT) due to the burnout factor. Retail is something I cant deal with and I paid my dues during my college days doing telemarketing that I just cant go back to again. Everything I think of is just wheelchair incompatible (restaurants, delivery, housekeeping, stocking shelves) So lets hear any part time job ideas for a para?

How about in a call centre for the police or a security company? Either that or in a computer call centre, you may just have to move to India for the last one. I know they are often looking for police, ambulance or fire call centre staff here - it may be the same there.

[gsp23]

Here, these call centers are run out of the State police headquarters which are over an hour and a half away from me which is a bit too far to drive for part time work. The only reason I know where they are run out of is because I work for a company that provides traffic information and we have had personnel in the state police offices gathering that data where the call center was actually right behind where our staff sat.

A couple more thoughts occured to me, one being working in a nursing home. I think having been through stuff like we all have here that we can offer a unique perspective that AB people cant quite understand like the difficulty of not being able to do what you once could. Howevever, there might be issues with me not being able to help a person to position, lift them or assist in walking (although some of this I could still do from a chair) so I might be passed over. Although the chair doesnt define me I am wondering if I should make mention of the chair so I dont waste everyones time if they wouldnt consider me because of it or if I should just go through any possible interview process and "surprise" them when I show up in the chair for the in-person interview... thoughts?

[cubanito_016]

dont work live free were disabled live from peoples taxes.

[gsp23]

Not me... I know people do it but I have too much pride and desire than to sit around and do nothing. Some people dont have the ability to work then thats great for them but those that do have the ability to work, should IMHO. Plus disability doesnt pay as well as my full time job and I am looking for additional income to supplement so definatly wouldnt be an option financially for me right now.

[mjtpopus]

Gotta agree with you here gsp23. If you can work, you should. Although I have a municipal job and I do get paid by taxpayers, I work my ass off for it. I couldn't even imagine not working. I'm a teacher and I get the summers off, by week 2 in the summer, i'm bored out of my mind and ready to get back to work.

[DaveP]

gsp23, on May 11 2009, 08:48 PM, said:

Not me... I know people do it but I have too much pride and desire than to sit around and do nothing. Some people dont have the ability to work then thats great for them but those that do have the ability to work, should IMHO. Plus disability doesnt pay as well as my full time job and I am looking for additional income to supplement so definatly wouldnt be an option financially for me right now.

Great attitude GSP! I've worked from the moment I got out of rehab, almost 18 yrs ago. I was 24 and had loads of attitude, and worked for my father, until he fired me 6 months late! I then set up my own business/es and earnt my own money, working my own ideas. There's nothing better than owning things you have bought with the money you have worked for, from your own ideas. Brings pride to the table!

I'm a Brit but don't live in the UK, so have no financial support from the state, no benefits etc. I pay for my own wheelchairs and all my other needs, even supporting my girlfriend and her teenage daughter.

Cubanito - you need a kick in the arse!

[gsp23]

mjtpopus, on May 13 2009, 08:20 PM, said:

Although I have a municipal job and I do get paid by taxpayers, I work my ass off for it. I couldn't even imagine not working. I'm a teacher and I get the summers off, by week 2 in the summer, i'm bored out of my mind and ready to get back to work.

Under that condition I could work off the tax papers, but as you said its not living for free, you do your part.

DaveP, on May 14 2009, 05:41 AM, said:

I've worked from the moment I got out of rehab, almost 18 yrs ago. I was 24 and had loads of attitude, and worked for my father, until he fired me 6 months late!

Yeah but you know now it ws for your own good and you probably would have fired you too looking back on it now I bet! lol

I was working full time when I went into the hospital and was able to return to work in 3 months but then spent another year in outpatient PT. I was able to return to my same job doing the same thing which I am very greatful for and the company I worked for (still work for actually) was very flexible with my my 3x a week PT appts and my boyfriend with comming home from work early and driving me back up there 3x a week for the first 6 months till I was able to start driving again. I had a few people mention to me that I should apply for disability because as most people here will understand I was just so tired going back right away and the PT on top of it, but I refused to apply. When I was working to get my chair (I left in-patient without anything ordered even which sounds like is not typical, but they sent me home with some crappy $100 rental chair that I had to use for a few months) and everyone told me that since I was struggling so much to get around with it and was always tired that I should try to get a powerchair instead which I again refused. Things are most difficult the first year with figuring things out and being tired trying to do thing but its those of us that wont give up and wont live off others that shows the world that we are all still useful members of society.

[Yong]

i tutor local high school kids. 20 US dollars an hour....about 10~15 hours a week. Money is good help for the family... but it keeps me sane. Plus... having to do math all the time, I scored very high on my PCAT (pharmacy college admission test) and it'll help me when i take the GMATs as well...

[Travelling Blackbird]

Yong, on May 14 2009, 06:31 PM, said:

i tutor local high school kids. 20 US dollars an hour....about 10~15 hours a week. Money is good help for the family... but it keeps me sane. Plus... having to do math all the time, I scored very high on my PCAT (pharmacy college admission test) and it'll help me when i take the GMATs as well...

I'll put in another vote for tutoring. I'm looking out for some more tutoring myself to get me through the rough patch I'm in the middle of.

[Dave Krehbiel - MD USA]

lots of people with an IT background think they are marketing gurus because they can understand technical things like search engine optimization and HTML coding and setting up CRM systems.

Maybe you could get a part-time contract to provide technical assistance in the marketing area. I had run a marketing company for about 12 years prior to my injury, and I would be happy to help you get started.

[Meadowlarkmark]

Could always sell your blood-

[gsp23]

Meadowlarkmark, on Sep 6 2009, 06:14 PM, said:

Could always sell your blood-

Good in theory but no I cant. Even though I have the most desired blood type (O negative) I cant give blood because of the condition that led to my paralysis (although the spinal tap that went wrong also contributed).

[Johnny V]

Well your IT so I guess you are good with computers. www.godaddy.com has 24 hour tech support for customers. They also have internal web software that allows you to create, publish and update websites using services they provide. You can do everything from their website within minutes. Their website software also contains templates for web pages, grocery carts, and forums! What im trying to get at is godaddy.com is an easy way to create, manage, and update websites. Mabey you can sell websites using godaddy.com to locals in your area for resonable prices. It wont take you long, it will make you extra cash, it is something you can do from home, its fun and if you are computer literate.. Its EASY. I did this for awhile and was extremely successful. I whent around to small local businesses in my neighborhood looking for people who didnt have websites. 85% Did not have a website. Most people think it will cost them too much. Which if they tried to find someone to do it for them probably would. But thats when you come in and let them know You can get them a basic website for a couple of hundred bucks. Talk to them and ask them what they would like. If it is a basic website you should be able to knock it out no problem. If they want grocery carts and other things it starts to get a little more expensive. And dedicated. I usualy start them out with something basic so at least they have something to put on business cards or flyers. You have to talk to each person though and find out what they need and can "afford". Some people might only be able to afford 100$. But if your good at it you can knock out a basic website in less than a couple hours. A 100$ would be for someone who is really tight on money. Those people are usualy the best people to do websites for because they will be so excited that they will run around telling their friends about how cheap they got a website for. They can get you contacts of people who want the same thing. Obviously you are going to charge those people more. Especially if you know they have the money.
Its a good gig if you are a outgoing and social person because the hardest part of this job is actually talking to the people and sealing the deal. The work itself is cake. And the jobs are money in the bank. Let me know if this sounds like a good idea. If it is you owe me lunch.

-johnny

Edited by Johnny V, 03 October 2009 - 12:54 AM.

[gsp23]

Other than the fact that I mentioned in my first post I just couldnt do more IT for a part time job because of the burn out factor, I honestly couldn't in good conscious charge people for building a low end godaddy site. I mean its great that those tools are there for people who don't know how to do web design but I know various coding languages and could never charge someone money for what takes 15 min to whip up using their tools. I have registered sites with them and looked over their tools and while they are great for people who have no technical knowledge they really are not the best options out there are coded for the masses, doing the manual coding yourself is the way I work so when a customer says here is what I want... I can say, yep I can do that, not... no sorry I can only do this much. When you code yourself the sky is the limit (assuming they are willing to pay). But again, the burnout factor keeps me from doing either method as a part time job because I need to continue to enjoy my full time job not get burnt out and hate it cause that would really suck.