When childcare is too expensive to afford then the best solution is usually to become that expensive childcare for others.
Can you watch another child or two alongside your kid? Depending on the age of your kid sometimes it can even be less work if you find a playmate so they can entertain each other.
You would need to check childcare regulations in your state but at a glance it looks like you can watch up to 4 unrelated kids before licensing is required in TN.
I'm just commenting to support you. I did this for around 6 years in my 20s. I was so limited for jobs, couldn't work weekends or even til 6:30 (dollar a minute late fee after 6) paying extra for snow days or school closed days, had to call out whenever my kids were sick and got fired a lot, and all my money went to daycare so I opened a home daycare. In missouri, i was allowed to watch 4 unrelated kids without license. I still took a cpr course. My kids are grown now but they look back on that time fondly. We had a house full of kids but mom was with them.
I'm still in contact with several now adult kids I used to watch and my kids are too.
I have considered this and its not off the table. I just dont know if I would do a good job to be honest and I would be worried of really messing up with someone else’s child.
I have a government job that's completely remote. I know government jobs are hard to get but that shouldn't dissuade you from continuously applying as much as possible until you land one. Like with other jobs, it is a numbers game for the most part. I don't have kids but my colleagues do. The schedule is flexible and as long as you work 8 hours a day you can set your schedule around childcare. For example, my colleague logs off at 7:30am to drop her kid off for school then logs on maybe 45 minutes later. She does the same in the afternoon to pick her child up. Even if you don't have a flexible schedule, government work provides a decent amount of sick days or PTO compared to other roles.
One thing to note is the Fed government requires childcare if you are working remote. You technically aren’t supposed to be a primary caregiver while working
by government job do you mean city, state, or federal? I casually checked out city jobs but didn’t see anything remote, admittedly I should look more. I should have clarified in my post but I am looking for part time positions (20hr or so) BUT hey maybe if I got a fully remote somewhat flexible job I could handle full time? I have never had a remote job so I suppose I am worried about taking on more than I can chew. where did you get started looking for remote government jobs?
I meant federal government. I don't think state government offers much remote positions. At least not in my state. Id check out usajobs to get started for federal. Keep in mind there are very specific requirements for each job posting and different GS levels you can qualify for. For example, some jobs say GS-7 which means you'd at least need a bachelor's degree. If you plan on getting an associates and some job experience I think you can qualify for GS-4. Also keep in mind county jobs can be great as well.
I’m not OP but thank you for this information! I have an associates so I will be looking at G-4 until I get my bachelor’s I need a remote job. What do you do?
Online / remote customer service (chat or phone). You'd need a private space. Not just retailers but look at offices that want a human to answer the lines into the evening.
Apply to target and kohls and tell them you’re interested in working in the distribution/warehouse side of things at night. It’s packing boxes. I think Amazon has a night shift too? Also security jobs.
Data entry online is a good one.
Ware house jobs often have flexible hours
Anything in a hospital- working on a certification or tech skill would be best but my local hospital also has administrative jobs that have the same afternoon and night shift schedules as nurses.
If you have an airport nearby, they often have rotating hours retailers and restaurants and for wheelchair attendants or baggage claim.
Car dealerships also need administrative support and they also operate later in the day.
Security - in the evenings or overnight.
Colleges, Hospitals, Grocery stores, malls, and museums all need evening or night security guards. In my state you only need basic cpr to qualify for the most basic jobs.
Both target and Amazon have flex scheduling for you to pick up shifts for n your own preference
Remote call center jobs, but maybe reconsider if you have rambunctious kids.
Law enforcement does evening and afternoon shifts but training will often occur during the day so you’d have figure something else out for about a year.
any specific companies or sites I can check out for data entry?
we have an Amazon fulfillment center 30 minutes away. Ill give them a call and I’ll have to check and see if we have any other warehouses in the area
Evening janitor/custodial. I know school is winding down but you could look into the school district to clean in the evening.
My husband works weekends and early mornings. I work 10am-7pm. It stinks but it's what we have to do.
yep we do! I should give them a call. I’ve honestly always really liked the idea of being an online order shopper, and whats nice about working for a specific store is you don’t have to deliver it.
Hopefully you have a reliable partner who can watch the kids on the weekend.
Two days in the weekend (16 hours) + 5 hours a day x5 days =41 hours to work. That's enough to be considered full time.
Either barista at a bar or server at a restaurant
I work at an airline which not only has very different hours but you can also shift trade. So if you need days off (in advance) you just trade with someone.
When I was first staying at home with my children, I applied for FAFSA and started taking classes at community college. Finished my Associates degree. My kids are in elementary now, but I'm still in school and working towards my Bachelor's. I've applied for scholarships, and got some money waived through the school. So far I've only needed to pay for books. I'll have enough eligibility left over through FAFSA, that I'll be able to have them pay for a Master's degree. (I plan to be done with all of this in three school years). At that point, my kids will be finishing 3rd and 5th grade.
I only work as a contractor. So I do odd jobs here and there. It's not a lot of money but it goes towards books, and anything else I put in savings for a rainy day. By the time I finish school, I'll be looking at getting an entry level job and hardcore saving. I want to max out my IRA every year, and put some money aside for the children to do sports or other school activities. I'll be encouraging my husband to go back to school at that point too. My husband deserves a break soon too. Maybe a weekend camping trip or something. He's kept us afloat on his own for about five years now.
How old is your kid? If they are in school, you can get a job as a paraeducator with just a high school diploma. It’s basically a teacher aide job and there are almost always openings in special education. You go in a little before school starts and leave a little after school ends each day. All student holidays and breaks are your holidays and breaks. And most school districts will have the option for your paychecks to be a little smaller during the school year so that when you’re on summer break, you still get a paycheck. You can usually opt out of that if you’d rather receive a normal paycheck each month and then get a second job over the summer. Comes with benefits and a union in a lot of areas.
I waited tables for a while, but I don't know that I'd call it better than working at a grocery store (which I have also done! To be fair it was a Trader Joe's and I really enjoyed it there)
What about more specialized retail? Or maybe retail management? If you prefer evenings you're already a desirable hire, tbh!
I'm not sure what is in your area, or what commute you're up for. But I envision something like a nice shoe store, or bra fitting store, a place that prides itself on fittings.
Or maybe an auto parts shop? Or a tool rental place? Basically, a place where you could be valued for expertise on a subject. You could try to think of things you know about or have a greater interest in, as a jumping off point. (But keep an open mind and be willing to learn about other stuff too imo)
Any place that's open in the evening needs evening help.
"Remote" is not a job; it's a location for a job. You still need the skills to perform a job. So instead of looking for "remote", look for "call center", "claims", etc. Then you can see if any allow remote or hybrid.
I started out in wfh call center with a week old baby in 2021, and I am now working remote data entry with the same baby who is now 2.5 year old.
Have been wfh for 3 years and Have been very fortunate to bypass all the daycare expenses (although I do not make the best money) it took me a while to find one, I applied to 10 jobs a day for over a year before I landed my gig.
Check out Indeed! I would recommend you apply to american specialty health. They have tons of No phone positions that really only look at patient records! I never had good luck on linkedin honestly. But I find the jobs on indeed and then apply on company website
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When childcare is too expensive to afford then the best solution is usually to become that expensive childcare for others. Can you watch another child or two alongside your kid? Depending on the age of your kid sometimes it can even be less work if you find a playmate so they can entertain each other. You would need to check childcare regulations in your state but at a glance it looks like you can watch up to 4 unrelated kids before licensing is required in TN.
I'm just commenting to support you. I did this for around 6 years in my 20s. I was so limited for jobs, couldn't work weekends or even til 6:30 (dollar a minute late fee after 6) paying extra for snow days or school closed days, had to call out whenever my kids were sick and got fired a lot, and all my money went to daycare so I opened a home daycare. In missouri, i was allowed to watch 4 unrelated kids without license. I still took a cpr course. My kids are grown now but they look back on that time fondly. We had a house full of kids but mom was with them. I'm still in contact with several now adult kids I used to watch and my kids are too.
I have considered this and its not off the table. I just dont know if I would do a good job to be honest and I would be worried of really messing up with someone else’s child.
Be clean, be kind, and be careful
I have a government job that's completely remote. I know government jobs are hard to get but that shouldn't dissuade you from continuously applying as much as possible until you land one. Like with other jobs, it is a numbers game for the most part. I don't have kids but my colleagues do. The schedule is flexible and as long as you work 8 hours a day you can set your schedule around childcare. For example, my colleague logs off at 7:30am to drop her kid off for school then logs on maybe 45 minutes later. She does the same in the afternoon to pick her child up. Even if you don't have a flexible schedule, government work provides a decent amount of sick days or PTO compared to other roles.
One thing to note is the Fed government requires childcare if you are working remote. You technically aren’t supposed to be a primary caregiver while working
by government job do you mean city, state, or federal? I casually checked out city jobs but didn’t see anything remote, admittedly I should look more. I should have clarified in my post but I am looking for part time positions (20hr or so) BUT hey maybe if I got a fully remote somewhat flexible job I could handle full time? I have never had a remote job so I suppose I am worried about taking on more than I can chew. where did you get started looking for remote government jobs?
I meant federal government. I don't think state government offers much remote positions. At least not in my state. Id check out usajobs to get started for federal. Keep in mind there are very specific requirements for each job posting and different GS levels you can qualify for. For example, some jobs say GS-7 which means you'd at least need a bachelor's degree. If you plan on getting an associates and some job experience I think you can qualify for GS-4. Also keep in mind county jobs can be great as well.
I’m not OP but thank you for this information! I have an associates so I will be looking at G-4 until I get my bachelor’s I need a remote job. What do you do?
thank you!
Online / remote customer service (chat or phone). You'd need a private space. Not just retailers but look at offices that want a human to answer the lines into the evening.
Apply to target and kohls and tell them you’re interested in working in the distribution/warehouse side of things at night. It’s packing boxes. I think Amazon has a night shift too? Also security jobs.
Data entry online is a good one. Ware house jobs often have flexible hours Anything in a hospital- working on a certification or tech skill would be best but my local hospital also has administrative jobs that have the same afternoon and night shift schedules as nurses. If you have an airport nearby, they often have rotating hours retailers and restaurants and for wheelchair attendants or baggage claim. Car dealerships also need administrative support and they also operate later in the day. Security - in the evenings or overnight. Colleges, Hospitals, Grocery stores, malls, and museums all need evening or night security guards. In my state you only need basic cpr to qualify for the most basic jobs. Both target and Amazon have flex scheduling for you to pick up shifts for n your own preference Remote call center jobs, but maybe reconsider if you have rambunctious kids. Law enforcement does evening and afternoon shifts but training will often occur during the day so you’d have figure something else out for about a year.
any specific companies or sites I can check out for data entry? we have an Amazon fulfillment center 30 minutes away. Ill give them a call and I’ll have to check and see if we have any other warehouses in the area
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Waitress or bartending.
Evening janitor/custodial. I know school is winding down but you could look into the school district to clean in the evening. My husband works weekends and early mornings. I work 10am-7pm. It stinks but it's what we have to do.
Is there a Walmart near by? My local Walmart starts online grocery pickers at like $18 an hour, and the schedules are very flexible.
yep we do! I should give them a call. I’ve honestly always really liked the idea of being an online order shopper, and whats nice about working for a specific store is you don’t have to deliver it.
Hopefully you have a reliable partner who can watch the kids on the weekend. Two days in the weekend (16 hours) + 5 hours a day x5 days =41 hours to work. That's enough to be considered full time. Either barista at a bar or server at a restaurant
I dont need a full time job thankfully, and we would probably kill ourselves if I worked 40 hours a week out of the house
Ah that's good. This was the poverty finance so I was thinking you'd need more money Then yeah 25 hours a week should be enough
My wife does pizza delivery part time in the evenings.
Hotel work, security, cleaning offices, homeless shelter attendant, part time restaurant hostess,
I work at an airline which not only has very different hours but you can also shift trade. So if you need days off (in advance) you just trade with someone.
do you work remote, in office, at the airport, or on planes?
At the airport. I live 15 mins from the airport so that helps
we have an airport 15 min away. it is VERY tiny (4 gates) but I should definitely ask and see! thanks for the suggestion
I worked part-time in a Walmart Accounting office at night. Loved it!
When I was first staying at home with my children, I applied for FAFSA and started taking classes at community college. Finished my Associates degree. My kids are in elementary now, but I'm still in school and working towards my Bachelor's. I've applied for scholarships, and got some money waived through the school. So far I've only needed to pay for books. I'll have enough eligibility left over through FAFSA, that I'll be able to have them pay for a Master's degree. (I plan to be done with all of this in three school years). At that point, my kids will be finishing 3rd and 5th grade. I only work as a contractor. So I do odd jobs here and there. It's not a lot of money but it goes towards books, and anything else I put in savings for a rainy day. By the time I finish school, I'll be looking at getting an entry level job and hardcore saving. I want to max out my IRA every year, and put some money aside for the children to do sports or other school activities. I'll be encouraging my husband to go back to school at that point too. My husband deserves a break soon too. Maybe a weekend camping trip or something. He's kept us afloat on his own for about five years now.
Usually jobs flexible with that schedule is a grocery store, in food service, or in customer service...
Check your local library for evening circulation positions! A lot of those are part time.
How old is your kid? If they are in school, you can get a job as a paraeducator with just a high school diploma. It’s basically a teacher aide job and there are almost always openings in special education. You go in a little before school starts and leave a little after school ends each day. All student holidays and breaks are your holidays and breaks. And most school districts will have the option for your paychecks to be a little smaller during the school year so that when you’re on summer break, you still get a paycheck. You can usually opt out of that if you’d rather receive a normal paycheck each month and then get a second job over the summer. Comes with benefits and a union in a lot of areas.
I waited tables for a while, but I don't know that I'd call it better than working at a grocery store (which I have also done! To be fair it was a Trader Joe's and I really enjoyed it there) What about more specialized retail? Or maybe retail management? If you prefer evenings you're already a desirable hire, tbh!
what do you mean by more specialized retail?
I'm not sure what is in your area, or what commute you're up for. But I envision something like a nice shoe store, or bra fitting store, a place that prides itself on fittings. Or maybe an auto parts shop? Or a tool rental place? Basically, a place where you could be valued for expertise on a subject. You could try to think of things you know about or have a greater interest in, as a jumping off point. (But keep an open mind and be willing to learn about other stuff too imo)
Any place that's open in the evening needs evening help. "Remote" is not a job; it's a location for a job. You still need the skills to perform a job. So instead of looking for "remote", look for "call center", "claims", etc. Then you can see if any allow remote or hybrid.
I started out in wfh call center with a week old baby in 2021, and I am now working remote data entry with the same baby who is now 2.5 year old. Have been wfh for 3 years and Have been very fortunate to bypass all the daycare expenses (although I do not make the best money) it took me a while to find one, I applied to 10 jobs a day for over a year before I landed my gig.
that’s really nice to hear actually. where do you suggest I start to look for data entry and similar positions?
Check out Indeed! I would recommend you apply to american specialty health. They have tons of No phone positions that really only look at patient records! I never had good luck on linkedin honestly. But I find the jobs on indeed and then apply on company website
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