part time or occassional work

[Nords]

Bravo (brava?) that your daughter is still doing Kumon. Mine p**sed and moaned so much that we let them stop.

Needless to say, even though they are quite aware of the improvements they have made, they still continually p*ss and moan about doing it everday......

I wish I could take credit for it but it's been mostly her effort. We talked her through quitting once for two months (a "Kumon vacation"). She found out that she was actually having to study for the school math tests, which she didn't care for one bit. So she went back to Kumon. A few years later she was using the answer book a little too liberally and found out that she didn't know her stuff on the final test. That really shook her up and it was the basis of many fruitful discussions over the slippery slope. Whenever integrity issues come up we remind her of the "Kumon incident" and she immediately gets it.

We used to go to semi-annual Kumon awards ceremonies where grateful parents would take the podium to tell the rest of us true believers how much Kumon had helped their kids. I volunteered to do the same for next week's ceremony, using the testimony of the actual beneficiaries with appropriate whining sound effects & facial expressions:
"Awwwwww, I'm tired."
"Ewwwwww, it's so hard!"
"But it's Christmas! Jesus Christ wouldn't have to do Kumon on HIS birthday?!?"
"Well, I plan to do two tomorrow."
"I was going to do Kumon now but I have to go play with my friends."
"Well if you can't graph a $%&^ing parabola then why should I have to learn how to?!?"
"Aaaargggghhh!!!"
"But Mom, Dad, you just don't understand!!!"

I was ready to do three minutes of this, of course pausing for laughter & spontaneous standing ovations.

My plans were leaked to the media and I was subsequently informed by Kumon's newest employee that our attendance at her ceremony was by invitation only, which had not and would not be offered.

I love it when they get all independent on us...

 

[Bikerdude]

I did not work the first 3 years of ER. Then my heath care premiums went up 200%, the market was still down and I was facing my daughters wedding expenses.

I did taxes for 3 seasons, banked the proceeds, paid for the wedding and by then the market had come back so I retired again.

 

[kramer]

I did not work the first 3 years of ER. Then my heath care premiums went up 200%, the market was still down and I was facing my daughters wedding expenses.

I did taxes for 3 seasons, banked the proceeds, paid for the wedding and by then the market had come back so I retired again.

Bikerdude, Can you share a bit about this work experience? I am interested. Was the money very good? Did you work for a chain? Training?

Tutoring and taxes are the two things I have considered and they seem to have popped up big time on this thread .

Kramer

 

[LeatherneckPA]

I'm not retired yet, so there isn't a vote that works for me. Besides, I'm not sure you could call what I'll be doing "work" exactly. I'll be getting paid to ride my motorcycle, and to teach others how to ride a motorcycle safely.

On the one hand I'll be riding as a motorcycle referee for professional bicycle races. $50 - $100 per day, plus per diem, plus mileage, plus hotel if needed.

The second play-time activity pays $18 an hour and mostly involves dodging noobs as they try to remember which hand is the gas and which hand is the clutch. Throw in the fact that the brake and throttle are on the same hand and it sometimes gets interesting.

 

[RE2Boys]

Hi Kramer,

You asked about my career path to tax prep. I kind of grew up around accounting, my Dad was an accountant for GE and also treasurer and manager of a credit union for over 30 years. I remember learning double-entry bookkeeping from him. I also had an aptitude for working with numbers. My degrees were in engineering and an MBA. I had researched tax rules that applied to my own situations such as consulting (Sch C) and rental property when my house didn’t sell and got a rep at my office for finding answers to co-workers tax questions. And some volunteer positions such as church finance council, Boy Scout Troop treasurer, treasurer of a recreational org with payroll.

After retiring for my “career” job at 50, I wanted to stay involved in something but didn’t want to be too tied down as I love to camp and hike when the weather is nice. Tax prep fit well as your busy during the dog days of winter….after the Holidays and done when Spring finally starts and I can get more outdoors (though we had snow only a week ago). I took the HR Block basic tax course and worked there for five years. Paid under $10 per hour, it is based upon your volume commissions from the previous year. It would have helped to stay in one location and build up a clientele that returned each year but I chose different locations (even moved to a different state).

My original plan was to work for HRB for three years to gain experience before going out on my own but since decided that I’m retired and not willing to essentially start another career. I would rather spend my time doing things with my grade school boys. My one regret is I should have left HRB a year earlier! I’m satisfied with having decent tax knowledge that I can work each winter, keep learning, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment. Maybe someday I’ll give the EA a try but it’s not a goal. Need to find a good course on Partnership and S-corp taxation.

When your with one of the chains, as far as they are concerned, you’re a clerk in a retail store. Make the customer think he is getting enough value to come back next year but otherwise sell him as much as you can. I ignored a lot of the selling stuff and tried to do good for the client, but I was amazed by how many folks make bad financial decisions for themselves, like insisting on the refund loans when they could have their money in two weeks.

Hope this helps. BTW, I worked as an employee (W2) for the CPA firm this past year.

RE2Boys

 

[haha]

I seriously think there's a market for a frugal high-net-worth match-making service. Rare qualities in individuals, so must be rare^2 in couples. I'm constantly surprised that no couples have come together through this forum.

No surprise to me! Too much pre-orgasmic disclosure for that kind of commitment to get very far

Ha

 

[Martha]

No surprise to me! Too much pre-orgasmic disclosure for that kind of commitment to get very far

Ha

Yeah. You all know about our menopause and errant hair growth.

 

[Outtahere]

Ssssssh Martha, I figured they had forgotten about that

 

[kramer]

Re2boys, Thanks for the details! Yes, your experience with H&R Block matches what I have heard. I have the same reputation you had for taxes and my dad was also an accountant and tax guy. Mostly I am knowledgable in tax areas that I care about.

I was hoping to skip the H&R path (at least for more than one year) by getting an EA and maybe volunteering for VITA, and then getting a job for a regular practice. But maybe that is too much too hope for (and I also do not have an MBA, just a Master's in engineering). Also, maybe an EA is harder than I think without also doing taxes to build up skills.

I am looking at doing an overseas stint teaching English. When I get back, I figure to either pursue tutoring or taxes if I want part-time work. I still have not decided. For both of these, I really like the working with people and seasonal aspects.

Kramer