CHAPTER 1

Adding to Income

Following separation from my husband in 1986, I found my first fewyears of single parenthood challenging. I had never before been onmy own. When I had married, I went from living with my mother toliving with my husband. After my separation, being able to balance myincome and household expenses was not as easy as I thought it wouldbe. I was either catching up on payments or just breaking even. It wasa frustrating experience.

At the time, I had a full time position as an office clerk. Althoughmy earnings were reasonably good, they took care of little morethan our basic needs, monthly transportation costs, and a credit cardpayment. In June 1988, when time came for vehicle registrationand insurance renewal, for the first time, I didn't have the money.It seemed that every time I tried to save a nest egg for biggerexpenses, something else would gobble it up. In addition, I wantedto register both my children (teenaged boys) for organized sportsthat September.

I realized that I just didn't have sufficient income to take care ofeverything. That summer, in desperation, I looked through the wantads and came upon a job for a part-time telemarketer (no experiencenecessary!). What a break, I thought. It was. But I hated the work.

Two months later, I quit. I then applied for a position of part-timedata entry operator and was hired. The job was boring anddifficult in terms of time management, but worth the effort. Forabout fourteen months, I worked three to five evenings a week. Itwasn't always smooth as I had to race from one job to another. Afterfour hours of data entry, I would hurry home. Once home, I couldrelax, attempt to do a few chores around the house, and catch up withevents in the community based on my sons' narratives.

The idea of slaving away at a two jobs can be frightening. Try notto let this stop you from looking for additional work if the extra moneywill improve your situation. Take a deep breath and understand that ifyou get a second job, you don't have to commit to it forever.

If you think that having additional employment will exhaust you,commit to it for short terms only. You might want to work only oneor two weekends a month. The income will add up over time. Don'tfeel that you have to stay in a low-income situation without havingsome reprieve. If having another job is not going to work for you,there are other ways that you could add to your limited income.

The provincial and federal governments each have a numberof programs and services for fixed or low-income families andindividuals. Some of the benefits you receive could come in theform of a supplement (money paid to you) or a subsidy (a cost thathas been reduced). There are other benefits. Other community-basedproviders might lend support of some kind too. Whether you takethis route will depend on your circumstances, your source of income,and/or how much you earn.

Those who already receive financial assistance or have hadapplications denied in the past might want to do a review. You couldhave overlooked something when you first applied. If you are notfamiliar with this kind of aid, take a look at the brief outline on socialbenefits that follows. You may find some relief for your situation. Youcould keep a note-pad nearby while you read so you can jot downideas or information as you go along.

Subsidies, Supplements, and Other Benefits

Provincial governments offer rental housing supplements, incomesupplements, reduced prescription costs, and subsidized child care.Benefits are generally available to people on a low income, whichcould include anyone on social services, receiving pension income,employment insurance, or a disability allowance. Social Services(known as Welfare or Social Assistance) will also provide an incomefor people with special needs or disabilities. Although they are fairlyconsistent, the rules and regulations, including what is offered, aredifferent in each province. You will need to enquire.

The federal government offers income supplements for low-incomeseniors and for people with disabilities and employmentinsurance. Other federal programs and services include trainingand skills development, labor market information, and relocationallowances, just to name a few. You could also enquire about taxbenefits.

The reference section at the end of this book contains a list ofresources for just about any situation. There you will find contactinformation for programs and services at any level of government (Ihave included Canadian and United States references). I encourageyou to read through it. If you think you need help to make enquiriesor locate additional information, you could ask a friend or familymember to help you or advocate for you (see reference section).

When applying for assistance, always find out if you are allowedto supplement your assistance with additional earnings, and howmuch you are allowed to earn without losing your benefits. Somesocial programs (federal or provincial) allow you to work while youreceive benefits. For instance, you would be able to have limitedearnings from employment while you receive Social Services. If, atsome point, you decide to work towards full-time employment, eachprovince offers a transitional employment allowance to help you withthe transition. Coverage for things such as child care, health care,transportation, and income supplement may be available.

Don't assume that you won't qualify for assistance. Verify theinformation you think you know and don't be afraid to ask questions.Let the government representative know if you are single or if youhave a family. Do you or your dependants (or spouse) have an ailmentor a disability? Is it temporary, long-term, or even permanent? Arethere special needs involved, such as home care or medical supplies/prescriptions? Are you able to find employment and if not, why? Doyou need retraining in order to find employment? Is your housingsituation suitable? Do you require daycare and is it affordable?

If you don't qualify for government programs, finding employmentwould certainly be a more direct way to add to your income. Intrying times, I found that as little as $75 already made a difference.Two or three hundred dollars in a month was significant.

I encourage you to consider every angle when it comes to addingto your income. It is important to be as flexible as possible, becauseemployment opportunities can be limited for people on a low income,especially those on government assistance. Many people on a lowincome are in that situation because they may lack certain skills orappropriate education, they may suffer from physical or mental healthproblems (unable to work at full capacity), they may have allowedtheir business certificate to expire, or their age has made it harder forthem to find employment (a retiree).

It could also be that low-income jobs are the only ones availablein your area or at this time. In that case, when there is a shortageof higher paying jobs, your education will not make finding workeasier. If you are unemployed or in need of a second income andcannot find work for which you are qualified, you might have tolearn some on-the-job skills completely unrelated to your area ofexpertise or experience.

Employment/Self-Employment

We will now look at some of the prospects for employment andself-employment. I want you to see that a little investigation andimagination can be useful to help you find work. Look around.What are the industries in your area? What kind of businesses andcorporations are close to your home? If you are unsure, find a jobsearch website. You will see that there are jobs listed in fields such ashealth, domestic, professional, oil and gas, business, social sciences,fisheries, construction and more. But, not all available jobs areadvertised on these websites.

Some jobs are made known only by word-of-mouth and others arelimited to a local want ad or a piece of paper pinned to a communitybulletin board. Some may be listed on a classified community website.Finding some others may require a little foot work. Don't be afraidto knock on the doors of prospective employers with your resumein hand. Look through the yellow pages for more ideas on whereto apply for work. You can use the different types of businesses andindustries as points of reference when doing this.

You may also want to consider contacting employment agenciesin your community. Try to avoid the agencies that ask for a fee. Youdon't want to pay out money that you don't have.

As you read this chapter, I would like you to keep in mind thatwherever there is employment, there is almost always the potential forself-employment. If you don't want to work for a yard care company,you could have your own. There are possibilities for employment andself-employment that go well beyond these pages.

Both employment and self-employment allow for full time, parttime, temporary, casual, or seasonal work. This includes work co-ops(pooling skills and jobs so that everyone can make a little money)and job sharing. With all of these options to consider, there is morepotential for income than you might think. There is opportunityfor students, seniors, single people, parents, or couples in any one ofthese capacities.

But, there are things you will need to consider. Are you able towork? What are your limitations? What skills do you have in spiteof these limitations? What hours are you available to work? If youreceive insurance benefits (employment, disability, illness) will yoube allowed to have earnings? Are you a care provider and thereforelimited in how long and when you can be away from your home?Do you have a vehicle?

Don't be afraid or hesitate to lower what you consider to be yourstandard. If you are looking for a second job, you might have to takework that is completely different from your first job, your training,or your career goals. For instance, if you work in an office duringthe day, you could find yourself cleaning offices in the evenings (Idid that for about a year). Don't be surprised if you end up luggingboxes in a warehouse, working as a sales associate in a retail outlet,or doing data entry or telemarketing on weekends. Potting seeds ina local greenhouse in March might be all you need to offset yourlimited income for a while. I did this for one week, about thirteenyears ago. I had just moved from Regina to Red Deer, Alberta andwas in the process of finding full-time employment. The moneyhelped to pay for groceries.

If you have a family, they might be able to lend a hand now andthen. For example, while insurance claimants receiving benefitsmight not be allowed to work, a family member could. If work isscarce or skills are limited, your spouse or other family membercould work in yard care or child care. Every little bit can make adifference.

If a financial situation is more serious, encouraging a teenager tobaby sit or mow lawns on weekends could mean being able to paythe phone bill each month. The money that I earned babysitting asa teen made a difference in how well my mother could manage herlimited income. I have no regrets for having done this.

If you want to advertise your child-care service, make sure thatyou can provide excellent character references. Some communitycolleges provide training and certification which is something Irecommend you have. If, on the other hand, you need child-careservices, don't take chances by hiring someone that you knownothing about. Check the references.

There are people in our communities who need respite from fulltimecare of elderly or disabled people. They will also hire sitters.You could choose to work through an agency or you could workindependently. Remember, you too will need excellent characterreferences. Knowledge of first aid is valuable and I recommendgetting certified. Specialty training in health care is just as important.A community college can provide information about courses. Someemployers will cover their employees' costs for first aid training andworkshops for basic training in home care.

If you are a student, consider filling in for night shifts. The nightshift will allow valuable time to read and work on school assignments.Even a stay-at-home mom could fit in a shift in the evenings whiledad (or a teen) is with the kids. Alternately, home care for the elderlyor infirm could be done as weekend work. However, if you are notsuited to providing such care, don't do it. Caring for the elderly orsick can be very challenging, as it requires patience and compassion.You will also need a criminal record check for any position of trustyou apply for.

If you are single and you can find work in another region orprovince, you might consider a move, particularly if the work willbe long-term. If you have a family, however, you will have moreto consider. Your children's age would be one factor to consider,as a move can be hard on them if they've already formed lastingrelationships or are accustomed to a school. Another considerationis the cost of relocating an entire family. Instead, would you becomfortable relocating alone and seeing your family in visits?

If you have completed applications for construction companies andhave had no reply, you could walk around some of the constructionareas (i.e., housing developments). You never know when someone'slaborer didn't show up or a tradesperson is in need of a helper. Youcould be asked to help directly or to simply cart discarded materialsto a bin. Jobs such as these will seldom, if ever, be advertised. If youprove to be a good worker, you could be offered regular work orhired as an apprentice (to tape, roof or board).

Do you have access to a truck? If so, hauling loads to the localdump is another way to add to your income. If you have a good workethic and the physical capacity, you (and a reliable work partner) mightbe able to move household furniture in your area. Your municipalitymay require that you have a business license.

There are also handy jobs that could be done. If you can, providecharacter and/or work references. I am not suggesting that you domajor repairs if you don't have the skills, but you might be able tocorrect a leaky faucet, repair a broken hand railing, or repositionsidewalk blocks. Could you provide yard care and cut grass, trimhedges, or weed gardens? Public libraries have plenty of self-helpand how-to books that can prepare you for many odd jobs. Thereare individuals who do not always have the time to do these thingsfor themselves and will hire. Do a good job and you will be calledupon again.

If you live near the downtown area of your city, you could rentyour parking spot or driveway on a monthly basis to someone whohas to drive in to work. Parking spots are always in demand. Youcould park on the street or share the space. This may not fit intothe concept of employment, but it is one more way to get a littleadditional income.

Many farming operations have seasonal employment, as willmarket gardens and greenhouses. You will need transportation,though. If you are without your own vehicle, could you ride andcost-share with another worker?

Housekeeping services such as cooking and cleaning will alwaysbe in demand. Many people hire through agencies, so applying withagencies in your area is a good way to get started. Alternatively, youcould offer these services on your own, and charge less. Advertiseon web sites, in flyers, on bulletin boards in grocery stores, andrecreational facilities. If you have a child in tow, you could offer tolower your rate to make up for the accommodation.

There are other types of domestic work. Could you operate asmall laundering service from your home? Sewing, mending, ordoing alterations are other areas of service. Two or three regularclients might be all you need. If you are able to sew, could you chargea reasonable fee and teach others?

For those who like to bake, why not sell your product at peaktimes of the year? During Christmas or other holidays, you can rentspace in malls, or you could seek out rummage sales or other specialevents and put up a stand. If you work in a group, you can share thecosts of ingredients, rental space and other expenses. You may also beable to work from your own kitchen. Cake decorating is somethingelse you could do. If you don't know how, you could learn. Wouldyou consider a catering business?

You will need to contact your Public Health office for regulationson food preparation and storage. There are courses on safe foodhandling in most cities. They are not expensive and your clientelewould appreciate knowing that you have had this training. AnyPublic Health office should have this information too. The courseswould not have to be business-related and should be open to anyoneinterested in taking them.

Can you create decorative pillows or crafts to be sold at Christmas?Search the library's reference material on crafts for ideas if you wouldlike to get started. If you crochet or knit, there could be a market foryou anytime. Well-constructed table cloths or baby items are classics.The same considerations could be given to wood carving and othertypes of art. Look for upcoming events in your area and see if youcould rent a table or a booth. But plan ahead, because most eventsrequire registration many months in advance.