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Retiree

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Hello all, from my user name you will see that I am a retired person. I have done some work from home before - mostly typing. My main client hasn't sent me stuff for a long time (I think her own supply of work has declined to be honest). I had an illness a few years ago - not fatal but I just don't have the spring in my step I had before; I used to be okay for my age at least - and long story short I've let things slide. Also, I had a laptop stolen earlier in the year - password protected and nothing confidential on it and it was pretty old to be truthful but - but I need to get some player software as my 'new' refurbished laptop doesn't have any. The trouble with Express Scribe is it doesn't play the DS2 and DSS files. Sorry to go on a bit. I do need to bolster my pension because my house is old and needs repairs done. I also made a significant hole in my savings last year having some new windows put in. I was accepted for one of the typing mills but I hadn't typed for them for over 3 months so I'll have to re-take the test. I didn't mean to write a saga starting this - looking at some of the side hustles available online some of them seem to want tasks done with the mobile phone. I am a dunce with my 'smart' phone (purchased 2nd hand). Has anybody any suggestions for familiarising myself properly with the apps on the smartphone - I mostly use the Chrome browser when I'm using it. I've looked at fiverr but it looked like the world and his wife were on there - I'd have to get my thinking cap on to see if I could come up with a way to make myself stand out. Does anyone think there's anything I've overlooked regarding avenues for getting work? Here endeth pro-temp the long and winding epistle according to Retiree.
 

Jon

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Hello all, from my user name you will see that I am a retired person. I have done some work from home before - mostly typing. My main client hasn't sent me stuff for a long time (I think her own supply of work has declined to be honest). I had an illness a few years ago - not fatal but I just don't have the spring in my step I had before; I used to be okay for my age at least - and long story short I've let things slide. Also, I had a laptop stolen earlier in the year - password protected and nothing confidential on it and it was pretty old to be truthful but - but I need to get some player software as my 'new' refurbished laptop doesn't have any. The trouble with Express Scribe is it doesn't play the DS2 and DSS files. Sorry to go on a bit. I do need to bolster my pension because my house is old and needs repairs done. I also made a significant hole in my savings last year having some new windows put in. I was accepted for one of the typing mills but I hadn't typed for them for over 3 months so I'll have to re-take the test. I didn't mean to write a saga starting this - looking at some of the side hustles available online some of them seem to want tasks done with the mobile phone. I am a dunce with my 'smart' phone (purchased 2nd hand). Has anybody any suggestions for familiarising myself properly with the apps on the smartphone - I mostly use the Chrome browser when I'm using it. I've looked at fiverr but it looked like the world and his wife were on there - I'd have to get my thinking cap on to see if I could come up with a way to make myself stand out. Does anyone think there's anything I've overlooked regarding avenues for getting work? Here endeth pro-temp the long and winding epistle according to Retiree.
Welcome @Retiree - Fantastic to have you on here and posting!

A simple way into smartphone task app work would probably be with Roamler. You can download it via the Appe store on google or apple and they sort of ease you in with easy tasks and a bit of training to help improve your confidence.

Seeing you mention DS2 and DSS files bought me back to being in my previous job where ever legal person would dictate and the secretaries were forever having issues with foot pedals and their files not playing in the right player!
 
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Annie Beau

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Have a look into Shepper. You will need to install their app but they have super helpful staff to take you through it if you aren't sure. Depends on where you live as to how many jobs are available. The jobs range from photographing and answer a few questions about a digital advertising board, counting spaces in car parks photographing commercial properties etc. This is all done within the app. Some jobs such as the ad boards pay just £3 but there's usually a few in the same area and they take no longer than ten minutes.
 
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Retiree

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Thanks for the replies. I'll have a look at those possibilities. I've looked at the roamler site - I think you have to do a few practice runs for them but I'll have to start somewhere. I know they have
tasks like that on sites like Clickworker (which I've looked at but haven't done any tests for yet). Annie, I suppose with the low paying gigs 'many a mickle maks a muckle' (no I'm not Scots). Jon, I was a legal secretary for my sins at one time when I was working full-time - mainly conveyancing, wills and probate so not Old Bailey type stuff. As I say I've only had a smart phone for a little over a year - before that I was invited to take part in tasks using a smart phone by a previous site I had registered with (can't say it's name because I had to sign an NDA) but of course I didn't have the smart phone then. I could probably have eased myself in doing those tasks if I'd had a smart phone then. Anyway once again thanks for the suggestions.
 
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Annie Beau

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Have you looked into the Social media evaluation jobs on Lionbridge? Easy 70 quid a week for no more than an hour a day without leaving the house.
 

Retiree

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I'm grateful for all the suggestions but it seems roamler is by invitation only which makes it difficult for the uninvited like myself. Annie, I looked at something like Lionbridge but not Lionbridge (a different company which I won't name) a while ago. The job itself was 'do-able' but I read through the terms and conditions and they wanted workers to agree to indemnify them in case anything went wrong. It wasn't like it was a company paying thousands of pounds to its workers to that discouraged me. Of course, Lionbridge's t&cs may be quite different.
 

Retiree

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Hello I've not been very productive since I last posted though I had a little typing in December from someone I already knew. I think I'm going to try for anything I might be suitable for but I have a query. I have downloaded roamler and Shepper to my mobile phone (android) but only last night. This evening I had a welcome to Shepper message on the phone but now I can't see the message on my phone so it must be in the App somewhere unless I pressed a wrong button and deleted it but I don't think I pressed "Clear" on the phone. Does anyone have any suggestions how to get a Shepper message back. I filled in a contact form on the Shepper site but got a message that the service wasn't available. If anyone has any suggestions I'll be grateful.
 

Jlcawthray

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On shepper if you click on the bell symbol at the bottom it will bring up any notifications you have including old ones. Did you manage to get a roamler invite as I have some available if you still need one.
 

Retiree

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Thank you for reply with information about Shepper, Jon. Unfortunately I don't have a roamler invitation so if there is one going spare I would be grateful to receive it. Shepper actually had a job in my hometown on Monday but I've been a bit 'mardy' about snow since I fell and broke a bone in late 2017 so I didn't go out on Monday because we had some of the white stuff where I live.
 

Jlcawthray

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Thank you for reply with information about Shepper, Jon. Unfortunately I don't have a roamler invitation so if there is one going spare I would be grateful to receive it. Shepper actually had a job in my hometown on Monday but I've been a bit 'mardy' about snow since I fell and broke a bone in late 2017 so I didn't go out on Monday because we had some of the white stuff where I live.
If you still need an invitation, send me ypur email address and il send you one over.
 

Retiree

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Jon, I replied to the direct message you sent with my email address but I haven't seen anything about a roamler invite and it's a few days since I responded now.
 

Jlcawthray

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Jon, I replied to the direct message you sent with my email address but I haven't seen anything about a roamler invite and it's a few days since I responded now.
If you mean me, I never received a message with your email address on. The last message was from me to you. I will message you again now.
 

ChelseaGirl

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For free software you could try LibreOffice for a suite of programs that do Word, Excel etc stuff for no money and which you can open Microsoft programs in.
 

TJ608

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If you or anyone still needs a roamler code dm me :)
 

Jon

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Hey @Retiree

Hope you managed to jump on some of the recent Shepper work! There's been LOADS of earning opportunities with them recently!
 

Retiree

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I have not been active on this board for a while. My first Covid jab didn't make me ill but it did make me sluggish. The ordinary influenza jab knocked me back and then I fell in the snow and ice at tht fell at the end of November in this part of central England. Nothing broken, but I was hobbling with a stick for a while. Hopefully, I'm back to whatever passes for normal with me. I'm going to try and sign on with a few transcription companies (hopefully ones which offer part-time work). I may have to go back to basics and try with some of the ones that are open to beginners. I've done that sort of work before but as I've had a break from it I need to show that I can do the job. Unfortunately the companies open to beginners don't seem to pay all that well but they can help me (I hope) get an up-to-date work history in that field.

I've had an email from Shepper so I'll have to try some of those tasks.

I signed on with a platform called WorkMarket. I was going to try for CrowdSurf transcription who recruit via them. CrowdSurf don't pay well at all. They used to hire internationally; I'm not sure what the current position is but nothing ventured, nothing gained. While I was on the WorkMarket platform I did some English tests. I think of myself as being decent at English but while I passed the basic and advanced English tests (which were largely comprehension) I flunked the Telus English tests (verb agreement) and (missing subjects). I got in the 70s but they are looking for an 85% pass. (Mind you when I did shorthand, a declining skill these days sadly, the pass rate was 97% or 98% depending on the examining body). Well, this comment has become something of a stream of consciousness. I guess it's a case of putting oneself forward for anything for which one might have an aptitude. At my age I guess an 'Only Fans' is out - that's me being flippant.
 
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Februarycat

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Just wondered if you have tried rev.com for transcription work. I use to do some of their work a while ago now and it was an easy test to pass to get in then. Not sure if its changed now but might be worth a try.
 

Retiree

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I haven't done any work for rev.com. I watched some of the 'Jennifer Marie' videos. I think the test is more stringent now but there's really only one way to find out. Jennifer Marie is a YouTuber who puts out content with the aim of being realistic about online jobs. She finds work through Upwork and maybe fiverr but has also signed on with some typing agencies. I believe she started her channel in part at least because she was fed up of some YouTubers giving unrealistic expectations. I've noticed that myself - I actually saw someone saying folk could work as a graphic designer with no experience. Tell that to the lady I went to school with who then went to art school and studied for three to four years. I've not saying programs like Canva can't be helpful to the man or woman on the Clapham Omnibus but I think one needs a clue to do graphic designing work professionally.

Thanks for the suggestion Februarycat.
 
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Jute

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I haven't done any work for rev.com. I watched some of the 'Jennifer Marie' videos. I think the test is more stringent now but there's really only one way to find out. Jennifer Marie is a YouTuber who puts out content with the aim of being realistic about online jobs. She finds work through Upwork and maybe fiverr but has also signed on with some typing agencies. I believe she started her channel in part at least because she was fed up of some YouTubers giving unrealistic expectations. I've noticed that myself - I actually saw someone saying folk could work as a graphic designer with no experience. Tell that to the lady I went to school with who then went to art school and studied for three to four years. I've not saying programs like Canva can't be helpful to the man or woman on the Clapham Omnibus but I think one needs a clue to do graphic designing work professionally.

Thanks for the suggestion Februarycat.
Appen always seem to have transcriptionist work going on.
 

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