Please Help Me Brainstorm On Part Time Job Ideas.

[maynoth]

I run my own computer repair/sales business out of my home, I do eBay, I do networking. I buy used cheap computers and laptop and reformat them for resale. I am Comptia A+/Net+ Certified. I can do pretty much everything except program.

Here's the rub, I'm barely breaking even after all my bills are paid. I am just not getting enough business to support the bills. I have tried all over my area for a weekend job, but I just cannot find anything part time that pays well.



I am hoping some of you other guys can help me brainstorm some job ideas. I need a part time weekend job that I can earn $10/hr or more at minimum.



I am intelligent, I am a hard worker, I am strong as an ox (300lbs bench 500lbs squat), I also can psyche myself up and be charismatic to have good people skills.



Any good business ideas are welcome too. I wouldn't mind going back to school either. I would love to hear the community's ideas.

[Erdaron]

Although I'm only speaking from experience of my friends, waiting can be a decent side job. The pay is crap, but tips can be great.

An improved version is bartending. You may need to take some courses (and in some states obtain a license), but you could be making several hundred dollars in one night.

Also, tutoring. That's the venue I'm considering myself, actually. Professional services can charge over $40 / hour. I was thinking of $20 / hour. Plus this is all cash.

[Palmyra]

Wait, you're physically fit, intelligent, and you possess a few other useful qualities, and you can't find a job that pays more than $10 an hour? Without any related experience, I found a job paying $15 an hour. I am sure I could have found something even better, but I don't have a degree of any kind at this time, and I can only work part time (since I am a student).

I live in northern Virginia, and here, you should easily find a job that pays ten or more an hour. It all depends where you live, I guess.

I used to work in a pharmacy, and if you somewhat push your way in, you should be able to get ten or more. If you want to go into retail, start with Costco. In this area, apparently, the starting pay is $11 for the regular store (not the pharmacy).

Offer your skills on Craigslist, regardless of what they are. If it is tutoring, building computers, muscles, etc. Maybe you can be a part time mover. It makes no difference. If you can do it for yourself, you can do it for someone else. Market yourself on Craigslist.

Flip through the phone book. What businesses are in your area? Go through each one, depending on how badly you need a job. Check out Monster.com and similar websites.

Give us info on where you live (we don't need details ...state and city at most - don't provide city name if it is a small town...if it's something like Chicago, your privacy, rest assured, is not at risk).

[maynoth]

The problem is that in my area there are no good paying part time jobs.

I live in North East Georgia, its a very rural area(neighbors raise chickens and race monster trucks). I guess I could drive to Atlanta on the weekends but I am not sure I could justify the travel expenses.

There are tons of 9-5 m-f 40hr week positions available here. Lots of factory work, lots of manual labor, and food service nothing to intellectually stimulating. Working that much doesn't really allow for me to pursue my goals in life.

I can work weekends at McDogballs or something, but I would rather split firewood for $6.00/hr than flip burgers for $5.15.

The problem seems for me at least is that my skills aren't really that unique anymore. It seems every 12 year old now can build their own computers, network, design web pages, run linux, etc. I have tried applying at Geek Squad and other such companies in Atlanta, but they are overflowing with qualified applicants and don't really want just weekend help.

Programming and Electrical Engineering seem to be the only two areas I could make real money at, and both would require me to go back to school. I am not even sure I would enjoy either of those things.

I always had a penchant for physics, chemistry and math when I was in school, and I have thought about how cool it would be to produce video versions of textbooks as easy to understand (learn by example) tutorials to help kids with problems in those areas, but that would be a massive undertaking, and I need something more short-term.

Thanks for the ideas on CL.. I will figure out something eventually.

[fatality_uk]

Can I suggest that you make a flyer detailing your skills, re PC's and make focus on home PC repairs/upgrades/installs/tuition etc. many folks in rural areas are willing to pay the $10 per hour for the ease to have someone come round to fix/upgrade/install PC's. Home PC tuition is a good way to make get a wider skills set and to use your people skills. A farmer usually needs a PC to work for many things, stock management, feed qty's, calculating yields etc.

Be a "RURAL" PC specialist

[macogw]

I have tried applying at Geek Squad and other such companies in Atlanta, but they are overflowing with qualified applicants and don't really want just weekend help.

I wish that was true. Geek Squad is, in reality, full of incompetent idiots. People who know what they're doing probably cost too much to hire, so they hire the people who know just enough to trick your average idiot customer.

[maynoth]

Yeah I always am very thorough when I get someones computer.

I treat it like my own, I never snoop through their files.

I make sure their drivers, and firmware are current, windows updates are current, and that they have at least a good free virus scan like AVG, and a good spyware scanner like Adaware. I put it through every diagnostic on the ultimate boot cd pretty much(prime95, memtest+,etc), I use spinrite 6.0 to check there hard drive. I use speedfan to monitor temps, voltages, and hdd smart data. I run a spyware and virus scan. Install a few good open source programs, Open Office 2.3.1, Java, Firefox, VLC Media Player, and the game Tremulous. I also run CCleaner, and then do a defrag. And Lastly Use my forced air blower to clean out their fans and case of dust. Not to mention whatever problem they came to me with originally.

All of that takes quite a while usually 12 hours or so, to test everything and preform regular maintenance and do it right. No one else I know does all that, and I am usually cheaper than the other places around me for anything.

I feel like there is almost no physical or software issue I can't fix. Laptops are a little tricky. I have replaced an lcd and a motherboard on my own before a few times (successfully), but I don't really enjoy putting it all back together nearly as much roflao...

[Casual Fan]

You are selling yourself WAY short.

You just need to get out there and talk to people. Everywhere--even BFE--has a need for people who can do what you can do. Schools have PCs. Police and fire and rescue all have PCs. Factories hire laborers, true, but they also need people to maintain their computer equipment. County governments have PCs and networks and need people to maintain them.

You don't need another part-time job. You need one good full-time job! You have mad skills, bro. Get out there, knock on doors, talk to everyone you know who may be able to help you, and let everyone know that you're on the lookout for work.