Sporadic Income Stories

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Supplemental Income Ideas For Families.

Sporadic Job Descriptions:

These jobs are sporadic because you cannot tell when they will become available. A seasonal job is available due to the season but sporadic pops up every now and again! If you have a description of a sporadic job you would like to share please leave a message on the guest book!

Driving to the Caribbean -- Clare W

I totally lucked into this job. But as Charles Dickens once said; "When opportunity comes knocking open the door and let him in!" My days and nights were booked, with homeschooling the kids (daytime) and tutoring Mondays and Wednesdays, activity driver Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as requiring Sundays and Saturdays for some family time. I really had no extra time to earn money when dear sister called me with the plan: We should plan a siblings vacation with our own families together: We should go to the Caribbean! Well hmmmm, maybe it could work if I could find a job on Friday nights, that is the only time I have available to work.

So on I went to Craig's List to see if anything was available and lo and behold there was a driver position available that could use drivers for as little as one day a week! ( I found it under the ETC headline.) Great! I would be spending Friday nights 4:00 - 2:00 a.m. driving a certain route testing out the braking systems on new vehicles. Apparently all those commercials about braking systems etc..are actually well researched and now I am part of the research. I planned my time well, heading to the library early in the week, picking up audio books of interest, having the kids pack a lunch for my driving time and off I went!

Amazing! Eight hours in the car, no kids, a wonderful ride, the route was easy enough, I learned a ton! I listened to John Adams (David McCullough), the success CD's sold at Costco; Zig Ziglar, Ron White, Chris Widener, Dan Roan, Laura Stack and many more, Biographies and Business, that is what I listened to! I thought I was being innovative coming up with the idea of listening to information while driving, but alas in one of hte Zig Ziglar tapes he calls it Automobile University.

Ahh, but the job only lasts so long, when the amount of miles on the vehicles have been reached we are done until more cars come in. It may be weeks between cars, it may be months. That is why it is sporadic.

This job did lead to another job with the same level of consistency. When the cars come in I can count on it for several weeks, but when the miles are reached they tell me they will call me. It works great for me because I find the job so very enjoyable. Our kids are old enough to be alone if necessary so babysitting is not a worry.

I get paid about 10.00 an hour. Not much but over the course of several weeks at 24 hours a week it can add up enough for a vacation.

No I did not take the family to the Caribbean, a dearly beloved aunt turned 80 and we had a party for her to which I flew the family back for it. So even though I am not saving for the Caribbean I still call it that because it is a cool name for a fun job!

Three fun jobs, one Mom -- Submitted by Julie C

Selling Lemonade at Sporting Events,
Running photos at sporting events and
Secret Shopping

One great job I was able to pick up that was working at a commercial lemonade stand in front of sporting events. I saw it as getting paid to attend sporting events, concerts and other outdoor festivities! We would set up a freestanding cart that would sell “fresh lemonade” at different events. I don’t think it was really fresh squeezed, I think it was a syrup solution of some sort. We would have to be there early, but not too early then break it down and clean it up afterwards. It is easy and fun work. Get paid to watch your favorite concert! I did it with my friend whose friend owned or managed the company, and she would just ask me if I wanted to work at certain times I would not get to pick and chose which concerts I could attend. I got paid an hourly wage. I would suggest to other people who do not happen to have friends to call the venue and get an idea of what concessions/companies are there and follow up with that information. You never know where that will lead.

No pay but so much fun to work!

Fortunately for me, I have a friend who is a professional photographer. He is hired by corporations to photograph major sporting events his assistants are needed to run the photos from him on the field up to the person who sent the photos in via wireless service/ newspaper. I was able to attend the Superbowl doing this unpaid job. If you do not have a great friend, do not be afraid to look through want ads or on-line resources such as Craig’s List. You may even call a specific venue to see what type of part-time positions they might have available. (Chase Field, Dodge Theater, etc.) Because of the nature of these jobs, you would need to be flexible as these types of events are usually held on nights and weekends, but they are great if you like adventure and enjoy having a change of scenery.

Another fun job I held being a "secret shopper" for McDonalds. I would enjoy a free meal(s) and get paid. This was very easy and I could do it on my own schedule. You can be a secret shopper for anything from department stores to restaurants to fast food. And the last thing I do on a very sporadic basis is work for a marketing company who uses consumers to "test" their products. I have worked for Fieldwork Phoenix and Delve - both do the same thing. I have tested diapers, juice drinks and t.v.shows. all for a paycheck and free product.

House Sitting -- Thomas W

I was asked by a friend who is very much like an aunt to my sisters, brother and I to watch her house while she and her husband took a week long trip. I was responsible for picking up the mail, caring for the dog, feeding, petting, letting out; as well as for the cat though the cat required medication which I had to give on a daily basis.

I got the job because she knows me to be trustworthy and she hates to leave the animals alone. I am allergic to cats but I wasn't bothered by it at all. I got paid 50.00 a day which is apparently the going rate. Very nice job, but they don't go on vacation too often.