As many
of you know I opened an eyeglass boutique awhile back. Two years ago, in the spring of 2012, I began
to put plans in motion to fulfill a long held dream of mine to open my very own
business. I started making lists and accumulating
supplies and inventory while searching for a space to open said business. That summer I found a building and in the
fall I opened my doors.
It
didn't take me long to figure out something about myself that I didn't really
know. After six months the isolation I
felt from spending so much time alone began to take its toll. I discovered I don't do well alone. I need to be around other people on a regular
basis. Up until then I had no idea.
I
realized that being a sole proprietor was not going to work for me and although
I had sunk quite a bit of my savings into this new venture my overall mental
health and wellbeing was at stake. I
knew by late spring I wouldn't be renewing my lease and began to put plans in
motion so my efforts wouldn't be a complete waste.
I have
wanted to move to Arizona for a long time as I prefer the climate and I was
honestly ready to try something different.
It seemed like the perfect time to make this move as well. But as you all know, who've followed this
blog for any length of time, that sure didn’t work out the way I'd planned. So I went to plan D or whatever.
I am
fortunate in that I have a lot of marketable skills and experience. I have an extensive accounting and medical
background that allows me to work in various industries. My optometric experience makes me a good
candidate for employment in any eye care practice except that right now my
online eyewear venture would be considered a conflict of interest.
What
has worked out well for me is to work from home part time and work for others
part time. I signed up with a temp
agency in order to help me find the part time outside work I wanted and give me
the flexibility to make my own schedule.
At least that was the general idea until I went to work for the current
company I'm assigned at and they need me full time right now and they've hinted
they want to keep me and make me theirs.
We will see how that all plays out.
I've
never been one to keep all my eggs in one basket, so to speak, and have always
had a little side business going since I was ten years old and started
babysitting. At twelve I owned my own
lawn care business. My dad fixed up an
old mower for me and gave me a gallon gas can of his to use. I bought a quart of oil and filled up the gas
can with my babysitting money and would pedal to my customers homes with that
mower tied with a piece of rope to the banana seat of my blue Raleigh
bicycle. It wasn't long before my
brother joined me and the two of us spent many summers keeping our neighbors
lawns mowed and trimmed. Gas was cheap
at that time and we only charged $2 to $3 to mow and an extra buck or two if we
trimmed and raked. I still babysat in
the evenings all year long too.
As an
adult I have done many little side businesses.
I've helped plan and set up weddings, made wedding and other celebration
cakes, catered several events, baby sat and pet sat, done a lot of sewing and
some alterations, graphic design & desktop publishing, lots of things. More than I can possibly list.
I've
acquired stuff that I've cleaned up, then turned around and sold it. I'll have to write a post about a particular
time when the neighbors and I made some extra cash once doing exactly
that. It was something, let me tell
you. There were cops involved.
Anyway,
I know you've all been curious as to what keeps me financially afloat so in a
nutshell I work a job, I do bookkeeping for a couple of people and I sell
eyeglass frames on eBay. And if anything
else pops up that looks like I can make a little extra cash I'll probably do
that too.
Do any
of you work from home? If so, I'd love
to hear about it?
I think it is awesome that you are able to support yourself and your girls this way. I love that it does kind of make you your own boss and gives you tons of flexibility.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of security in having multiple income streams so you aren't dependent on your job alone. Sometimes you lose your job, quite often due to no fault of your own, and unemployment doesn't pay much.
DeleteJust today I bought my daughter new glasses as her prescription has changed. I wondered if I could sell her old frames as they were not cheap and are in excellent condition. Do people do that??
ReplyDeleteI do see that. Especially name brands. Remove the lenses, clean them up and give it a try. You never know. If they don't sell you can put the lenses back in and donate them to the Lions Club. They provide eyeglasses to underprivileged people in third world countries.
DeleteDonating them was my other thought. I certainly want them to be put to good use. It is insane how much glasses cost.
DeleteYes, I know first hand how true that is. Even in the business my lenses are incredibly expensive.
DeleteGood for you! You're very resourceful! :) I have my sewing gig, but my husband provides the majority. Whatever income I can bring in is the "icing on the cake"! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are tremendously talented and I love the things you make. You have such a way of picking and putting together fabric combinations. Definitely you are a solid contributor to the family budget with all your sales. Isn't it wonderful to get to "work" at something you love to do!
DeleteI used to work full time outside the house & my job was eliminated a little over 3 years ago. I really enjoyed being at home so hubby & I decided that if I could find a way to bring in some income I would be able to stay home. So now I do some stock trading & some ebay selling, for now it is working hopefully I can keep it up. I am not always as disciplined as I should be though & do not put as much time into the stocks & ebay as I should, sometimes I just get lazy! I am trying to be better about that.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you can support yourself & your family the way you do. I'm sure the girls love having you around home more than if you worked FT outside.
Rhonda
The one thing I think my girls have really enjoyed is that I am home when they get home from school or that I pull into the driveway at about the same time. Our evenings are ours and that has been really nice.
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