I'm not far off retirement but don't have a pension - I would like to find a way becoming self-employed even on a part-time basis to support myself. I have looked on the net but there are too many get rich quick ideas are probably too good to be true.

I am quite arty / creative and good at working with my hands - DIY, fixing things, currently working as a Service Engineer but also have lots of Sales experience.

All ideas welcome, preferably from people who are currently earning as self-employed

Lots of people can't tackle even the simplest of DIY jobs, either through time, ability or disability and quite a few active but slightly older people can fill this gap - even down to changing light bulbs believe it or not. Also, assembling flat pack furniture, putting up shelves, all the hundreds of jobs around the home, need a competent person to do it.

This website gives you just an idea http://www.donewithdiy.co.uk/handyman.html - who knows, maybe it could work in your area?

Why Give yourself all the hassel of going self employed, and all the tools you would have to buy to do it, Why not go along to B&Q and get some work of them and do your handyman on the side and get the discount on any tools and material you require.

Raymond

Michael
Please take advice before deferring your pension. For some people it is not a good option

Go and buy the Trader mag from your local newsagent.Look at what you can buy and sell.I did and bought some sunglsses from one advert,and sold them at local car boots.Some days,I made £400 from a £100 outlay.Best to look at working for yourself.Many things in that Trader mag may be of interest and I had fun in selling them.You can buy watches there with a RRP of £129 for £3,and sell them for £10,but they are good watches.You can have fun by working for yourself and not others

I don't know where you live but in the Uxbridge area people are prepared to pay £10 an hour to have their dogs walked. I have been offered this myself. Further into London it could be more.

Is there no local pet shop you could put an advert in? How about contacting Blue Cross or RSPCA and put an ad up in their centres? Both organisations should know about any dog walking companies in the area. My friend works for a company in Birmingham called 'Pals for Pets' and she looks after all sorts of animals, from walking dogs to giving medication while owners are at work to taking animals home when their owners are on holiday. She is on the go from 8 am to 9 pm so there must be a huge market for it in other built up areas.

If you just want pocket money, I have just taken up beating (pheasants!) and love it.
Pros: Fresh air, exercise, lots of wildlife (i've seen foxes, deer etc, £20 a day, free lunch & port, as many or as few days as you like, celebrities (both Eric Clapton and Madonna have shot locally recently), free pheasants.
Cons: Only in the Autumn/Winter, rain, cold, ritual slaughter.
It obviously depends upon your sensibilities and where you live, but if anyone wants to keep fit, I highly recomend it.

Thank you for the dog walking tips.

Only replied due to what you said about sales background. i need to pack in supply teaching, I am feeling unwell now. I work for the Utility Warehouse (business side of it) and it is working fairly well so far. The company pay as an amount each month which continues, even if we are away in France for 6 weeks and don't do any work for them. It is enough to get us out of immediate financial trouble, of which we have plenty, as I still have 2 teenage girls at home. One is hoping to go to Oxford this autumn then the other one, the year after. They cost me in music fees, especially the older girl, as she goes to the junior RNCM in Manchester and is taught by professonal musicians. I have to pay the equivalent of a University fee out of my disposable income and quite frankly it clears us out every month. The Utility Warehouse offers a business worked from home, which you can do in amongst your other activity, and offers excellent support. It is not a get rich quick scheme, and the company, when it does a public presentation, does explain this. Rather, it is something to work at bit by bit, and build it up over a period of time. It works best part-time. Not quite like sales, though, you might need to re-think the approach there. You could, if you wanted, have a look at me, the company give everyone a free website to use. It is actually their own website, if you see what I mean, they maintain it obviously, but they give you a front page with your name and detail on. Anyway, just a thought. It might be for you or it might not. It is also a willable asset, that is, you can build it up, then leave it to a relative to benefit from. It is a British plc, all vetted and OK. www.telcomplus.org.uk/985131 is me!
Patrick