Hello again Ladies,

Since peri and now post meno - I am now 49 and have been post meno for at least 17 months, I just don't cope in the workplace like I once did, way back when I juggled home, work, kids, spouse, pets, ect. Now just dealing with the daily bull of office politics is beyond my coping skills. I've done executive administrative work for 20+ years and I need a change desparately. I have a complete home office with every necessity to work from home, but I don't know how to go about finding such an opportunity that is legitimite. I see ads in the paper under "work from home" but I don't trust them, they way the ads are written makes me wary". I'm open to suggestions in finding a job with minimal stress. I love arts and crafts and have thought about filling out an application at Michael's craft store or something similar. Anyone ever work there? I just have to cut down on the stress of not only office work and politics but also the daily commute and the stress of highway traffic.

I would sincerely appreicate any advise you can offer.

Guildgal

I understand because I have also been seeking a career change. Lately, I realize more and more that it's time to do something else. Since I'm not sure about what I'd like to do I'm seeking out options. I wish you and all of us the best in finding something that we truly enjoying...and then finding a way to make a living doing what we enjoy.

There was a thread somewhere in PS not too long ago... one of the women here was considering a career change too. The idea of opening up or working in a flower shop was brought up... and I've thought about that so many times. I can't imagine anything so stress-free and wonderful as working with plants and fragrant flowers! Pure heaven. MyFaith, since you love arts and crafts, I think you're heading in the right direction of considering Michael's craft stores.

OOPS! I mean guildgal about loving arts and crafts. Sorry!

I just posted a message that sounds very similar to yours.,almost at the very same time. Mine as more to do with panic though. I have never worked at Michaels but I love to shop there. Did you already leave your job? I couldn't take the office anymore either. same as you. Been there and put up with 40 differents moods from 40 different people everyday. I think that on the internet there are a lot of sites from work at home. Hope that you find something. Linda

Even those sites can be very decieving--just like the ones in the newspaper. I checked out several a long time ago and they were 'horse-pucky'! If anyone finds a legitimate one, I'd love to know about it! I, too, am ready for a more relaxing, less stressful job!

I know what you mean,usually it is telephone soliciting or something like that-selling swamp land in the Sahara. Linda

Hi guys: Thought I'd chime in here.... I think one of the best home business opportunities out there is selling on e-bay. I have a friend who is supplementing her income very nicely this way. She goes to discount stores and looks for good brand name clothing in weird sizes...like pair of mens Brooks Brothers yellow courdory pants in size 42 waist, 28 inseam...the kind that is usually on the clearance rack and has been marked down to nothing. She buys it, takes a picture with her digital camera, and sells it on e-bay. I leave in the Northeast and we have access to hundreds of discount outlets and shopping malls, but there are people in the midwest and flatlands who don't have the same access we do...they're the ones buying her stuff. It's not a get rich quick scheme, and it takes time to learn how to maneuver your way around the site, but I have at least 5 friends who are doing it. My mother collects milk glass and has been selling on ebay since it started years and years ago. Just a suggestion...

The other thought I had was, that if you are a good typist and have access to a printer or even just floppy disks, you could begin a typing service...when I was in college, I used to type term papers for graduate students..back then I think I charged ten cents a page ---it seems awfully low now, and you certainly won't get rich from it, but at least it's legitimate.

My last suggeston is a meant to be a joke: my girlfriend and I are always threatening to start one of those 900 numbers, you know, the naughty ones... tee hee...can you imagine, pretending to be a sexy co-ed named Bambi, when in actuality we're middle aged women holding portable fans in our faces to stop the flashes and sweats!

My friends do that a lot and make the bucks. What they do is buy concert tickets like to a chow that is popular around here-Detroit-Kid Rock and then up the price and sell them on ebay. They also do it with clothes and books and other things.That is a good idea Robin!

Well, I left my office job because of all ths stuff going on too-we merged with someone and the people who came over are like the Stepford Wives-I dreaded getting up in the morning. It was like the new bosses were favoring the other people-their people. They would write someone up for being one minute late. It was so ridiculous.I felt like I was in jail. Forget that!! I also cleaned houses on the side since my son was small, in fact I have been doing it a long time since he is 24 and so now I am doing that and I have quite a few customers already. I only have like 1 1/2 days open still and people are calling me a lot. I have my own set schedule, can work when and more if I want, turn down what I don't want to do,etc. I think that it will work out ok for me. My husband is more worried than I am. He thinks we will end up in the poor house. I make if not more, just as much as I did at the office and I am sure I can make more. Good luck with your search! Linda

All Great Suggestions Gals - Althought I'm not too sure about the 900# idea - LOL! Althought I do already own a small personal fan - LOL!!!

I've considered Ebay and I may just get serious about that idea. Cleaning houses has also crossed my mind too. With typing on the side...hmmm, maybe I can clean houses and bring my laptop computer with me, and while I'm waiting for the floor to dry, I can type a few college papers and see how my ebay sales are doing! Now wait a minute, that's multi-tasking and that is exactly why I don't want to get back into office work - wearing too many hats at a time.

Keep those ideas coming .

Thanks a bunch,
Guildgal

All Great Suggestions Gals - Althought I'm not too sure about the 900# idea - LOL! Althought I do already own a small personal fan - LOL!!!

I've considered Ebay and I may just get serious about that idea. Cleaning houses has also crossed my mind too. With typing on the side...hmmm, maybe I can clean houses and bring my laptop computer with me, and while I'm waiting for the floor to dry, I can type a few college papers and see how my ebay sales are doing! Now wait a minute, that's multi-tasking and that is exactly why I don't want to get back into office work - wearing too many hats at a time.

Keep those ideas coming .

Thanks a bunch,
Guildgal

I like the 900 idea! After all, we have a lifetime of information!! My support for all of you who take the plunge in job changes. A few years ago I was a partner in a social service agency: lots of stress and the horrors of supervising. I thought I was REALLY losing my mind. I took the plunge and sold out. That enabled me to take a year off. Found a job which is very flexible and rewarding. Money's not as good, but sanity (sort of!!) is worth it.

So sometimes we have to be willing to take the plunge.....Good luck. Now, if I could just sleep through the night without a sweat......

For all you gals thinking about a career change? I just did it. After working full time since graduating college in 82, and holding a management position since 1993, I FINALLY called it quits. A week ago Friday I said to HELL with all of it, resigned, and I'm going to work cleaning PRIVATE homes, and part time in a motel in the housekeeping department. I don't have to go in to work anymore at 7AM and I don't HAVE to be responsible for everyone else's mistakes & problems anymore ~ only my own. I am SO sick and tired of having migraines and being forced to sit in LONG, boring meetings, or being so damn tired from lack of sleep and listening to a 20 year old complaining because she ONLY got 9 hours sleep after PARTYING all night and OH MY GOD working SIX hours a day is KILLING HER! Was this a smart move on my part? Who knows. Time will tell. But I'm going to give it a shot. Be my OWN boss for a change, and call the shots myself. (Might end up on welfare within a month or two, but hey! NO STRESS IN THE MEANTIME!!!)
I think at this point in our lives? If we can alleviate stress and get away with it? Then do it. Good luck to everyone that wants a career change.
Hugs

That is great that you are going for what your heart tells you to do. Before, you may have said "I tried," and now you can say "I did it!"

Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing.

Hi girls,

Lots of brilliant ideas. I have just done a very silly thing....left work just over 12 months ago due to stress of office and politics. Have just been asked to go back to work, short term contract, to help them out of a bad patch. And what happens, all my menopausal symptoms come out to play. I feel close to a break down and have only been back on the job for 2 weeks. So I say, if you can manage to find something stressfree, even at reduced remuneration, go for it.

I to have been searching the Internet for at home paying positions but alas have found lots of rorts, pyramid selling, etc. etc. I to am looking for the ideal job to bring in some money but allow me to live a life. Good luck to all.

I'd love to find some computer-related work--using my comp for income--I have no idea what job would be right for me, though. I just know that I love being on the computer and keeping files, charts--anything having to do with being organized.

HEY! I guess we had the same idea at the same time. My jobs have been pretty good coming in-hope that you are doing good in yours. There is something to be said about coming into a messy house and it is bright and sparkling whene you are done! And you are right-about the KIDS I worked with taking half a day off to sleep it off-That sounded like my place too. I know that I should be much happier doing this and I doubt you will end up on welfare. People want what we do and there is a demand for it I have noticed. Keep me posted on your jobs and such! Take care Linda

I met someone yesterday who needs a house cleaner and right away I said that I would go look at her place. Now that I have had time to think about it, I am having second thoughts because the drive there is one I do not take very often. That is what I have to get over.Almost all my clients are pretty close but this would be my second one that would be a drive for me. Then I think about the winter and what if the weather is bad and so on and so on and so on. I will think it TO DEATH through and through because that is what I do best!!!

If you are married and changing jobs how are you husbands dealing with it? Mine is a wreck. He is so upset with me. He thinks that if I have no jobs one day that things are going to go south. I got a pretty big payout from the company with my sick time-I was never sick-and my vacation time so if I do not work for ONE day-I can always dip into that. He is a police officer so I have his benefits and I don't think they will be losing them anytime soon but he pays a horrible amount of child support for one 16 year old boy so his paycheck is pretty well eaten up. He wanted me to hold out until the support was over-I couldn't wait two more years. Sorry. I am very LOW maintenance-don't get my nails or hair done, not a clothes horse, don't like to shop, I am a cheap date. He went up to our cabin yesterday till tomorrow, well, I had a job today that is why I didn;t go with him but the guy cancelled till tomorrow, he is furious at me since I am not working today. At least he is 170 miles away from me so he can commiserate with the dog. Hopefully he will get over it with time. Somebody once said to me that it costs to work and I never got it but I do now. Going out to lunch-shopping at Target or Kmart on my lunch hour, buying things I can do with out.Let me know what your husbands are thinking about the job changes. Thanks and take care.

Michmadre: I can sooo commiserate with the child support issue. I am married to a police officer too. We spent the first 15 years of our marriage paying out most of his paycheck to his ex wife and then some. A long story, but we also lost our home and he was forced into bankruptcy. It seems to be a common scenario for cops to have nasty ex's and a big child support obligation! It seems like most of the cop's wives here earn high income of their own, and the cop's themselves have side businesses to earn an extra chunk of change. (But I am in NJ, and you have to have two or 3 incomes just to live well.!) We've always been tight on money, I stayed home with our own 2 kids and somehow we managed. Of course, we did not live anywhere near as nice as everyone else does, and we rent an apartment instead of owning a home, but we're okay.
Men are funny about making big changes sometimes. I think your hubby will get be okay when he sees that your housecleaning money pays bills almost as well as your corporate paycheck did. Also, it would not hurt if you were to start baking a few more pies and hearty dinners for him now and then, and to have his slippers and martini ready for him when he comes in the door from a long day of work. !!!!! That sounds just awful, but my husband really enjoyed the extra little attentions he got from my being home all day long. Good luck to you. And about that job that is far away.....if its going to make you fret about it in the bad weather, or eat up too much gas, just pass on it. Or you could take it on, but let them know that you take off for snow days.




Ooops, I didn't mean it to sound like you have alot of free time on your hands now to pamper your hubby! I know you will still be busy working. What I meant was that if you have some free time, it may be beneficial to do something nice for him so that he feels he is benefitting from your new schedule. He may even notice and appreciate a new, happier personality in you. I truly believe that my husband loved having me home because it meant he did not have to run his own errands...I did all the banking, picking his cleaning, etc. He did gripe about money here and there, but when I took on a temporary part time job, he was glad to have me quit again.

Hi! I know what you mean about the side jobs-he was looking for one but he works mids and has been on that shift to pay the support. He barely gets any sleep as it is. He pays $870 a month-that is a lot for one kid. His wife quit her job for 5 months a while back and just lived off that. All I can say is the gravy train is going to be over for her and she better figure out what she is going to do. She is an unmotivated woman who does nothing to get her sons motivated to do anything. The 16 yr old quit school last year and we heard he is going back but we don't know. They live three streets over and he never comes over EVER! The quitting school probably does not bother her since the child support law here says till he graduates or till 19 1/2 yrs old-that would be bad if it goes till he is 19. Don;t get me wrong-if it were a normal situation I would have no problem even though I got $0 and my ex is $43,000 in arrearages but $870 a month for one kid is a lot and there is nothing he can do to lower it. The court here is all for the custodial parent and they were on our side when we raised the kids when they were little but the mom lured them back years later and I am sure $ had everything t do with it, after she dropped them off on our doorstep when they were little one night.She is a piece of work-nasty lady.He also has an older son but he is 23. I know what you mean about the police stuff and it is the same here in Michigan. The other day I was at my dad's house and the guy was mowing the lawn and it is a guy my husband works with who is going through a divorce, he has his own lawn biz too.It is a stressful enough job without having to worry about working side jobs somewhere else. My husband always says he is going to do something else but we willl see. I am thinking of emailing that woman and telling her no, the jobs are easier to find around here without traveling all over town. I don't need the aggravation or the worry all the time. Thanks for posting and take care! ps I will pamper him a little more and brownnose too just to be on the safe side-can't hurt!

I understand -THAT is what I am hoping for- to be able to clean my own house-that will make him ecstatic-plus the food aspect is a plus!!! I am already happier since I am out of that hell hole I called a job for 20 years.Take care!

It sounds like you are going thru the same hell we did. It took forever to get them emancipated and a ton of money. And for us too, the kids never wanted anything to do with their dad. He was just a gravy train. Then the oldest one and the mom put their heads together and tried to get him to pay for college PLUS continue the support. I still get depressed when I think about it all.

BROWN NOSE!!! That is exactly what I was referring to!! And I am also like you, in the fact that I am low maintenance. I live in jeans and tshirts, and I don't get my nails done or any costly hair stuff... I think that helped too, it wasn't like I was just sitting on my *ss spending his hard earned money. I made my sacrifices.

[font=Comic Sans Ms]
Hi everyone,

I have a suggestion for those of you looking for creative work options. I am a caterer in Southern California and got into this line of work by accident! One summer 8 years ago, I helped a friend with HER catering business (mostly weekends) during the busy summer wedding season. When Fall came and the business dropped off, I called another caterer who had a wider-range of business; not so specialized as weddings. I ended up working with her for a few years helping out at private parties, wedding showers, holiday parties and corporate events.

Even if you think you have no experience, caterers are desperate for helpers during the holiday season, which is coming up fast! Consider all of your "life experience" and talk that up when you are interviewed. Think about it! If you're a mom, you could mention how you anticpate need, serve meals, teach manners and clean up without a thank you! If you've been in the corporate world you've attended dinner meetings cocktail events where you were served by waitstaff and you know how a guest would want to be treated.

It's just a thought, but it worked for me! Here in Southern Calif, you can make $15-20/hour plus tips!

Good luck!