Fed never getting higher paying job — ideas for side gig?

Anonymous
I’m a Fed in a technical role who has been trying to land a higher paying job for years so spouse can downshift from their stressful job (law).

I have applied to hundreds of jobs, had dozens of interviews, and probably a dozen job offers — and none paid anymore than my GS14 job but required longer hours and usually actually less pay. And I could not nail down growth potential for salary, no bonuses, etc.

So it’s clear I’m not marketable in the $200k job market. So instead of changing jobs, I’m going to try to bring together a weekend job that maybe could bring in $30k (I know that’s a big ask), and looking for ideas. No entrepreneurs in my family or close friend circle, so coming to DCUM. I was thinking I might make a small useful app (I’ve had some ideas for parenting apps that I would use) and sell for $1 or what not (I don’t want ad supported software, it’s just a curse on humanity). Or maybe doing websites for small businesses? Or freelancer.com or something like that? Or should I just do dog walking — but that’s usually during work times, and as a Fed I need strict firewall of hours worked and this side gig (and I’ll get ethics approvals).

Thanks for any advice!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I’m a Fed in a technical role who has been trying to land a higher paying job for years so spouse can downshift from their stressful job (law).

I have applied to hundreds of jobs, had dozens of interviews, and probably a dozen job offers — and none paid anymore than my GS14 job but required longer hours and usually actually less pay. And I could not nail down growth potential for salary, no bonuses, etc.

So it’s clear I’m not marketable in the $200k job market. So instead of changing jobs, I’m going to try to bring together a weekend job that maybe could bring in $30k (I know that’s a big ask), and looking for ideas. No entrepreneurs in my family or close friend circle, so coming to DCUM. I was thinking I might make a small useful app (I’ve had some ideas for parenting apps that I would use) and sell for $1 or what not (I don’t want ad supported software, it’s just a curse on humanity). Or maybe doing websites for small businesses? Or freelancer.com or something like that? Or should I just do dog walking — but that’s usually during work times, and as a Fed I need strict firewall of hours worked and this side gig (and I’ll get ethics approvals).

Thanks for any advice!


PS, I’m old, 50s, which I think is part of my job landing problem.
Anonymous
I'm curious, OP—why do you need the extra money? I assume that since your spouse is in a stressful law job, they must make pretty good money, and a GS-14 near the top of the steps isn't so bad, either. After taxes you're probably talking about an extra $20k. Hardly chump change, but not life-altering either. I certainly wouldn't want to give up my nights and weekends for it, if I were in (what I think are) your shoes.

I definitely wouldn't see writing an app as a way of making extra income. If you think it would be fun and/or useful, go for it, but I wouldn't expect much money from it.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I'm curious, OP—why do you need the extra money? I assume that since your spouse is in a stressful law job, they must make pretty good money, and a GS-14 near the top of the steps isn't so bad, either. After taxes you're probably talking about an extra $20k. Hardly chump change, but not life-altering either. I certainly wouldn't want to give up my nights and weekends for it, if I were in (what I think are) your shoes.

I definitely wouldn't see writing an app as a way of making extra income. If you think it would be fun and/or useful, go for it, but I wouldn't expect much money from it.


Spouse would look to downshift to a lower paid role, but we have obligations to help my family (disabled sibling) that I’m trying to cover.
Anonymous
Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


This - this feels much more doable than your weekend side gig idea to me personally. Start reading the mr money mustache forum, implement some of their approaches and I bet you'll find some of those extra funds. I don't do it anymore but when we used their approaches it was amazing how much we saved and it got kind of fun - like a game to challenge what we could save We used YNAB during that time to do it and actually my husband and I were just discussed starting that again. That would make your already high combined salary go a lot farther. You might feel like you don't have room to budge, but I promise you if you really dig into that forum you likely would find that you do.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


We drive 10 year old Toyotas and need two for commute. No cable and only streaming is Disney+, no lawncare, we live like grad students albeit with kids and no Uni department events to sneak food from.

Housing, camps in summer are huge and vacations are modest but add up but really want to avoid cutting that (spouses preference, would rather work job that hates rather than give up vacation). House is a 40s sht shack, but location is close to work with decent schools no easy fix there.

Anonymous
All trades are in very short supply. If you can do handyman stuff you can make good money doing that, if you are reliable and in an expensive neighborhood.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:All trades are in very short supply. If you can do handyman stuff you can make good money doing that, if you are reliable and in an expensive neighborhood.


Hmm, interesting. I have done some things like rebuilt a toilet and installed a faucet, can handle a circular saw and drill for VERY basic wood working. I guess I'll look into that.
Anonymous
You could babysit for $20-$25 cash on weekends. Lots of parents need a break. Take the kids to the park for 2 hours in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. At night, sit on your phone in someone's house while the kids sleep and parents are on a date.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I’m a Fed in a technical role who has been trying to land a higher paying job for years so spouse can downshift from their stressful job (law).

I have applied to hundreds of jobs, had dozens of interviews, and probably a dozen job offers — and none paid anymore than my GS14 job but required longer hours and usually actually less pay. And I could not nail down growth potential for salary, no bonuses, etc.

So it’s clear I’m not marketable in the $200k job market. So instead of changing jobs, I’m going to try to bring together a weekend job that maybe could bring in $30k (I know that’s a big ask), and looking for ideas. No entrepreneurs in my family or close friend circle, so coming to DCUM. I was thinking I might make a small useful app (I’ve had some ideas for parenting apps that I would use) and sell for $1 or what not (I don’t want ad supported software, it’s just a curse on humanity). Or maybe doing websites for small businesses? Or freelancer.com or something like that? Or should I just do dog walking — but that’s usually during work times, and as a Fed I need strict firewall of hours worked and this side gig (and I’ll get ethics approvals).

Thanks for any advice!


Home Depot on the weekend. Get you out of the house and keep your body active.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


We drive 10 year old Toyotas and need two for commute. No cable and only streaming is Disney+, no lawncare, we live like grad students albeit with kids and no Uni department events to sneak food from.

Housing, camps in summer are huge and vacations are modest but add up but really want to avoid cutting that (spouses preference, would rather work job that hates rather than give up vacation). House is a 40s sht shack, but location is close to work with decent schools no easy fix there.



Can your spouse really not downshift? If your spouse transitioned to gs14 or 15 role wouldn’t that be enough? How much are you paying for sibling? If you really need a side gig, would you be qualified to tutor, especially in math? You could easily clear $40/hr and it’s flexible and these days everyone is doing zoom tutoring.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


We drive 10 year old Toyotas and need two for commute. No cable and only streaming is Disney+, no lawncare, we live like grad students albeit with kids and no Uni department events to sneak food from.

Housing, camps in summer are huge and vacations are modest but add up but really want to avoid cutting that (spouses preference, would rather work job that hates rather than give up vacation). House is a 40s sht shack, but location is close to work with decent schools no easy fix there.



How old are your kids? How much longer will they be in summer camps?

And it also might be time to look to other family members to help care for your disabled sibling.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


We drive 10 year old Toyotas and need two for commute. No cable and only streaming is Disney+, no lawncare, we live like grad students albeit with kids and no Uni department events to sneak food from.

Housing, camps in summer are huge and vacations are modest but add up but really want to avoid cutting that (spouses preference, would rather work job that hates rather than give up vacation). House is a 40s sht shack, but location is close to work with decent schools no easy fix there.



How old are your kids? How much longer will they be in summer camps?

And it also might be time to look to other family members to help care for your disabled sibling.


I grew up fairly lower middle class, and as a Fed I vastly out earn my extended family (many are on welfare), but regardless there is no immediate family who would help my sibling. Parents are dead, one aunt is on welfare and the other is estranged and that’s it for FOB.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Any ways you can cut expenses? Cars, vacations, house cleaner, cable, lawncare....?


We drive 10 year old Toyotas and need two for commute. No cable and only streaming is Disney+, no lawncare, we live like grad students albeit with kids and no Uni department events to sneak food from.

Housing, camps in summer are huge and vacations are modest but add up but really want to avoid cutting that (spouses preference, would rather work job that hates rather than give up vacation). House is a 40s sht shack, but location is close to work with decent schools no easy fix there.



Can your spouse really not downshift? If your spouse transitioned to gs14 or 15 role wouldn’t that be enough? How much are you paying for sibling? If you really need a side gig, would you be qualified to tutor, especially in math? You could easily clear $40/hr and it’s flexible and these days everyone is doing zoom tutoring.


It’s a drop of $100k to go GS15, so we need to make that up somewhere.
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