• Where you can work?
• Make money with your driveway
• Sell food and drink
• Make money renting your property
• Get started with these websites

Some sports are now well into their respective seasons – but for many it’s just getting to be the right time to start applying. The football and rugby seasons finish in the next few months (though there’s still opportunity to apply for jobs!) but the cricket, golf, tennis and horse racing seasons are just getting started.

Working at sporting events are often great because you can pick between long-term contracts with shorter hours (working at a football stadium throughout the year for example) or a short-term contract with long hours (like Wimbledon). No matter which you go for you’re sure to make some good money.

Where can you work?

One really good tip is to find out which advertising brands are supporting events. Once you know you can get in contact with them and see if there’s any work you can do for them – maybe handing out leaflets, selling their products to spectators or simply helping them to advertise their brand.

Make sure you start looking for positions well in advance. Get started now if you’re aiming for a specific event this year or even next year.

Here are some example of sporting events jobs that you can get work at this year:

Football stadiums

Work for your favourite football team. Though the season is ending within a few months it’s not too late to apply for a job and work for the rest of the season. It’ll guarantee you’re in early for the start of the next season in August too.

• A really useful website is Hospitality Staff which has an extensive list of job vacancies in the hospitality sector.
• Alternatively, if you go through a website like 247recruit you can see individual teams who are recruiting, like Chelsea, Leicester and Sheffield United. There are plenty of other grounds looking for staff all over the country as well.

Tennis

Wimbledon is the ultimate tennis event for a lot of people and you can be a part of the action by working there. It only lasts two weeks (or three if you work the qualifying tournament as well) but the long hours you work throughout the tournament ensures you end up with a tidy sum. There are loads of jobs available at the tournament – go to the website here and find out what jobs need doing.

• Facilities Management Catering Limited is the official catering service at Wimbledon and you can apply online.

• Leisure Support Services provide the cleaning and court covering services and at Wimbledon. You can apply online at 247 Recruit for various positions.

• G4S provide security services for the tournament (as well as many others throughout the country) and you can apply online. Be sure to be quick though, the deadline is fast approaching!

Cricket

Here is list of the main cricket grounds in England where both County and International cricket is played in the summer months.

• The Oval is the home of Surrey and plays host to many England internationals. Cricket is obviously a Summer sport but there are various starting dates and you can earn money starting at £7 an hour. Search for jobs at the Oval.
• The Ageas Bowl, more well known as The Rose Bowl, is a cricket ground in Southampton. Like the Oval, it hosts international cricket as well as being the ground of Hampshire. Find jobs at the Ageas Bowl.
• Edgbaston, based in Birmingham, is an option for those based in the Midlands.  Search for jobs at Esgbaston. You can earn competitive pay and there are a variety of start dates, from as soon as April throughout the summer to September.

If none of these are near you try contacting your local cricket club and seeing if they have any hospitality vacancies.

Horse racing venues

There are all sorts of horse racing events throughout the year. Here are a couple we found that are looking for staff.

• Bar staff are needed to work at Royal Ascot, Berkshire from 19 June to the 23 June. Pay is described as competitive and you must get your applications in before 9 April. Apply online.
• It’s not just specific events you can apply for, you can also check out jobs at the racecourses themselves. Huntingdon Racecourse, in Cambridgeshire, and Newmarket Racecourse, in Suffolk, are currently hiring and you can earn in excess of £50 a day.

Like football, the rugby season is due to end in the next few months but there are still plenty of jobs available. Many of the stadiums have events going on throughout the summer so check out these below:

• If you’re living in London you may want to check out the Twickenham Stoop, not to be confused with Twickenham Stadium (who don’t appear to be recruiting right now), the home of Harlequins.
• The Millennium Stadium is the home of the Welsh rugby and football team, and hosts a number of other events too – such as live concerts. This is definitely worth checking out.
• Like the Millennium Stadium in Wales, the Aviva Stadium in Ireland is home to the Ireland rugby team and the Republic of Ireland football team. This stadium hosts many other events too so is another that will be very busy over the summer months.

Golf

As with the cricket and tennis, contact any local golf clubs to see if they need any help over the summer, you may find it easier to simply ask who provides the catering service at the club and then get in touch with them yourself.

Golf clubs are often places where you can work all year round, regardless of whether any major events are going on. Obviously the demand for golf may be slightly less in the winter months, but they’ll always need people to work as waiting staff in the clubhouse – there will probably be more people in the clubhouse on a rainy day in any case!  Find the nearest golf clubs to you (England only).

Make money with your driveway

If you have a driveway, garage or private parking space that you don’t use you can rent it out specifically for any sporting events near you. It’s a brilliant way to make some money so contact Park Let or Parkatmyhouse.com to advertise it. If you live near Wimbledon for example, or a football stadium, you can use either Park Let or Parkatmyhouse.com to let thousands of people know about your space and start making some money.

Want to know more? Read our article on making money from your postcode for more ways to use your home for extra cash.

Sell food and drink

The first thing you need to know is that it is illegal to trade on the street without a licence. So you’ll need to contact your local council. Give them a ring and ask to put through to the licensing department or street trading. You need to apply for a temporary street trading licence. It might be an idea to contact the local police licensing department too, just to make sure you know about any legal issues.

Don’t be disheartened if the council rejects you – why not sell stuff on your driveway instead? If you live near an event you can set up your own little stall on your property and sell to the spectators walking past.

Make money renting your property

With the London Olympics fast approaching, there is no better time to start thinking about renting out your property to make some money. The money you can receive starts at around £2,000 per week! We’ve compiled our very own guide to renting during the Olympics, and it includes tips for those living outside London as well, so what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Using the same method there’s also scope to rent out your property if you’re living near another major event. People living around the Wimbledon tennis site regularly rent out their properties for the duration of the tournament, and it can be done for the Ryder Cup too (though this is to be held in the United States this year).

Get started with these websites

• Gumtree: This is a great starting place to make a general search for event staff positions. Go to the part-time job section and keep an eye out for any event work near you. You can do a refined search by typing in ‘event staff’ to the website’s search engine to make life easier.
• Hospitality Staff and 247 Recruit are job search engines where you can find part-time vacancies of this nature easily so check them out.
• Lucy Hall Event & Catering Staff are one of the leading event staff providers in London. You can submit your CV online and they will get in touch if they’re interested.

If you found this article useful you may also like..

• Make money renting during the Olympics
• Make money renting out your driveway or garage
• Rent a room for tax-free cash
• Student money-makers
• Top ten ways to make quick cash this summer
• Ten ways to make quick cash

• What does a bartender job involve?
• What costs are involved with bar work?
• Maximise your earnings with bar work training

What does a bartender job involve?

Working in a bar is not easy money. It involves lots of late nights where you’ll be standing up most of the time. You will have to get your hands dirty, emptying drip trays, dealing with drunken punters and even cleaning toilets. What’s more, you’ll have to do it with a smile so you get good tips.

You can work from four to 40 hours a week and shifts range from four to 12 hours (with an hour break).

What you need

Experience

Some jobs will require previous experience. However, if you can demonstrate that you are capable and a quick learner, other establishments will give you a go without experience. Many pubs and bars will put you through a trial shift during the interview process, which should hopefully give you the chance to demonstrate that you’re capable of doing the job.

Larger clubs and bars will require their staff to have fire training as well as health and safety. They may also require you to be trained on their till system. However, this sort of training is often provided in-house.

Uniform

If the establishment you work for has a dress code, you may be expected to provide at least part of this yourself. It will probably be simple – a pair of black trousers and a black or white shirt. Don’t fork out on nice work clothes. Get something cheap that you can spill drinks on, sweat in and generally get grimy. This way, if it gets ruined, you can replace it easily. Clothes also need to be comfortable.

You may be able to get money back from your employers for washing these clothes. Also check with HMRC to see if you can get a reduction in your tax for washing your own uniform.

Effort

To work in a bar you’ve got to be willing to slog it out a bit. It can be a lot of fun and if its not busy, service can be pretty easy. However, if it is busy you can be run-off your feet for long periods of time, so you’ve got to be willing to put in the effort.

How much you can earn?

What you earn working in a bar depends on the type of bar and its location. Hourly rates vary according to region, experience and qualifications.

Junior bar staff are likely to get a base salary of minimum wage – £6.08 per hour for over 21′s – but that will rise depending on experience. The average wage for a bartender is around £8 an hour, but if you’re good at it and manage to get a swanky job at the likes of the Ritz, you could be earning up to about £11 an hour.

On top of this you can expect to get tips. Tips depend on how good you are at your job and how nice you are to your customers. They also depend on the wealth and generosity of your customers.

Provide top-quality service with a smile to absolutely everyone and you maximise your chances of tips. Don’t be unrealistic, you probably won’t make hundreds. About £20 extra in tips per shift is a reasonable amount to expect and improve on.

Tips given on credit cards are paid to the company that runs the pub and then shared equally between employees on the shift. This means they are automatically taxed. Beware, though, that some companies keep these tips for themselves. It’s mean and nasty but we have come across quite a few that do. Our advice is to walk straight out if you find yourself working for a company like that and then let Springboard UK know. They’re a charity that deals in the hospitality and catering sector.

Cash tips are given directly to you. Technically, you should declare these as taxable earnings at the end of the tax year.

What costs are there?

Training

Most bar staff are trained in-house by the publican or licensee, the bar manager or experienced bar staff. This training is usually provided on the job so you are paid whilst doing it.

However, if you really take to the job, there are qualifications that can improve your pay. Staff can take NVQs/SVQs in Catering and Hospitality (Food and Drink Service) at levels one and two. These courses will teach you basic food preparation and cookery skills, as well as how to . It also teaches you how to manage people efficiently, maintain customer care and work with others efficiently. Course costs vary.

We found an example of one course in London for a Hospitality Certificate in Professional Food and Beverage Service Level 1. The fees were £1,370 for those who are 19 and over, with an additional £100 exam fee.

This is an investment for the future but certainly not obligatory. To find your nearest course have a look on Hot Courses or contact your local college.

If you are more interested in staying at the bar, you can pursue a bartending qualification. The United Kingdom Bartenders Guild offers two bartending courses, one for the younger (or less experienced) bartender and one for advanced skills. The courses are partnered with Shaker, one of the UK’s leading bartending schools.

The International Bartenders Course offers seminars on:

• The Professional Bartender
• Reading your clientele
• Bar Preparation/Keep
• Tools of the Trade
• Health, Safety and legal issues
• Product Knowledge part 1 + 2
• Cocktail Methodology

The cost for five consecutive days of tuition is £649 with the WSET Foundation Spirits Exam, £599 without.

For details and prices of the advanced course click here.

Lots of other establishments offer bartender and bar staff training. See:

• The Official Training Company
• IP Bartenders

Travel

These costs can be minimised by applying for jobs near to where you live. This way you can save on travel and getting home from work late at night will be easier and safer.

How can you maximise your revenue

Working in a chain pub can be beneficial. You may get a lower starting salary, but the brand will attract customers, guaranteeing you tips. Chain pubs and bars also offer good career progression so you can make more money. You also benefit from professional employment practices and extra training that might not be available in smaller establishments.

However, in a smaller pub you could get paid cash in hand.

It’s possible to get a job without skills and progress through experience. However, getting training increases your employability, so could get you more money and a better work place.

For the best working environment and to maximise your earning potential, pick an establishment that you would go to yourself. This way the clientele are likely to be people in your age group that you are likely to get on with. This will make it easier to be friendly and socialise, hopefully increasing your tips. It will also make your job a lot more fun.

Lots of bar jobs are dealt with directly with the manager, so dropping your CV into all the bars and pubs in your local area is the first thing you should do.

Is it for you?

Although working at a bar/pub could be a convenient short term job, you can also make a living from it.

We spoke to Daniel Crebesse from the UK Bartenders Guild President about what attributes you should have if you want to pursue a role as a bartender for a career:

“If you want to work in an office it’s not for you, you need to have a bubbly personality and like to meet new people. You’ve got to be attracted to the role, otherwise you’ll struggle. Bartenders who see the job as just a bit of extra cash won’t get very far and a certain level of dedication is needed to succeed as a bartender.”

Useful links

Sites you can look at for jobs are:

• Gumtree
• Springboard UK – A registered charity promoting careers in hospitality with a vacancies page.
• Barzone
• The Publican jobs page

So if you love clubbing, are oozing with confidence and happy to put the effort in, you may have just found your calling. Here’s how you can kick-start your career in club promotion.

• What’s involved?
• Where do I look?
• Do it yourself
• Does it cost anything?
• Pros and cons

What’s involved?

As a club promoter it’s your job to get as many people through the doors of a designated nightclub as possible. You’d basically have to create your own guest list and ensure that tonnes of people turn up to the club on a specific night.

The guest list could be made up of your friends and acquaintances, or even random people that you’ve managed to impress enough to come along (hence why club promoters tend to have the gift of the gab).

The nightclub would then pay you a certain amount of commission for every person you got through their doors. You could make as much as £10 per person (once you’ve brought in a set amount of people) plus extra commission on any tables that you fill.

Be warned though that if you’re just starting out as a promoter you might only get offered free entry and, if you’re lucky, free drinks. That’s fine as long as you’re not desperate for cash. The more established you become the more sway you’ll have when it comes to negotiating payment.

Where do I look?

Club promoters tend to make their own luck, contacting nightclubs directly and offering their services to the powers that be (more on that later). But some clubs, particularly those based in London, do advertise for promoters online so keep an eye on job sites like  Gumtree, Craigs List and Jobrapido.

For a full list of London club venues check out LondonNet.

Do it yourself

If you’re serious about becoming a promoter you’ll need to get off your bum and start hitting the clubs (for work, not pleasure!). Get the ball rolling by following these steps:

1. Make a list of the clubs you visit on a regular basis.
2. Bear in mind the location of each club as you might end up travelling to it a number of times each week. It’s all well and good filling the guest list of a top London venue, but if you live outside the city any money you make will get eaten up in travelling costs.
3. Do your research! Visit the clubs on different nights of the week and note down how busy the venues are. Could certain nights do with a boost of punters? Familiarise yourself with the type of music that’s played, the vibe of the clubbers and their age range. If you do end up pitching your services to the club, knowing these details could help convince them that you’re the right person for the job.
4. Now it’s time to get serious. Using all the information you’ve gathered come up with a proposal tailored to meet the individual needs of the club. Suggest that on one of their quietest nights you will create a guest list of at least X amount of people and will only take X% of their entry fee and X% of table bookings you’ve provided. Make sure that your proposal is fair and realistic or you’ll quickly be laughed out the door.
5. Contact the club’s PR manager directly, face to face if possible or over the phone if needs be. Be confident and enthusiastic but remember that you’re doing business and should maintain an air of professionalism.
6. Don’t be nervous! As long as you’re offering the club a mutually beneficial deal you shouldn’t feel like they’re doing you a favour.
7. PR managers tend to be very busy people so don’t be put off by having to chase them up a few times before getting an answer. If they do like your proposal great, you’re in business! If not try and get some feedback to find out why they said no. Perhaps they can’t afford you or just don’t feel the need to hire anyone. Whatever the reason you can use their reservations to make your next pitch (to a different club) even stronger.

Travel – unless you’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of the club, you’ll need to pay travel expenses. Cars and trains are expensive so make sure you’ve got a pot of money to cover these costs. Find out now how to get cheap train tickets and cut the cost of driving.

Does it cost anything?

Although you don’t need any training or qualifications to become a club promoter, like most things in life there can be hidden costs. Bear these factors in mind:

Phone bills – all successful club promoters have one thing in common: a great mobile phone contract. Why? Because the cheapest way to round up hundreds of friends and acquaintances is by text, so a cheap mobile phone contract is a must. All the big network providers offer text message bundle packages, and as a club promoter you’ll need the one that offers as many free text messages as possible. Find out how to get the best mobile phone contract here.

If you’re old mobile just isn’t up to the challenge, recycle it now and make yourself some cash.

Entrance fees – if you’re just starting out you have to do your research, which means visiting different clubs on different nights of the week. Unless you have contacts at the club you’ll probably have to pay to get in, so keep an eye out for any special promotions that’ll make your night cheaper. And keep drinking to a minimum as clubs generally charge through the roof for their drinks.

Social networking and blogging- social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are a godsend for club promoters, and what’s more they’re FREE to use. Emailing is another good way of spreading the word without paying a penny, and if you’re serious about club promoting you should really think about setting up your own blog. Setting up a blog isn’t difficult and you can find out how to do it here. To generate traffic take lots of photos of your friends at club nights then post them on your blog the next day. People are vain and if they know their photos are splashed all over your blog they’re guaranteed to pay it a visit. Having a blog should also help to secure you work, as PR managers will be impressed by the extra exposure your site could generate for their clubs.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Free entry into the club you’re promoting, and usually free drinks too.
• A great social life and the chance to meet lots of people.
• Could be fitted in around a regular 9-5 job (just make sure you allow yourself enough time to sleep!).
• Looks fantastic on your CV, especially if you’re trying to break into PR.

Cons

• Income can be small and unreliable.
• Long evening hours – unless you’re a bit of a night owl this isn’t the job for you.
• Pressure! You need to be focused and organised or you won’t make any money.
• Unsociable working hours. Being at a club all night might sound like most people’s idea of a great time, but you are essentially working and when everyone else is settling down to sleep, you’ll still be on the go.
• As clubs rarely advertise for promoters it’s up to you to contact them. You’ll also have to convince them that they need you, which can be a lot of work for not much gain.

Useful links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Gumtree
• Craigs List
• Jobrapido
• Recycle your mobile for cash
• How to get the best mobile phone contract
• How to cut the cost of driving

• What to collect?
• How much could you make
• Where to start collecting
• Vintage
• Accessories and leather goods
• Memorabilia
• Caring for Vintage
• How to sell your couture collection

The average couture collectors club today is mostly made up of socialites or fashion magazine editors. Luxury items are easily accessible to the affluent and couture clients can get their manicured hands on pieces easily. But how can the Average Jo start collecting couture?

What to collect?

Most collectors start by collecting a favourite designer or to collect by decade. You have two main choices:

• either you collect what is already vintage
• or you try to get your hands on new pieces that will become vintage.

Genuine vintage

If you want to check that a designer name really is a designer name, you can look them up. Fashion houses must belong to the Chambre de Commerce et D’Industrie de Paris (French Federation of Fashion). The biggest names in the fashion world are listed here as members and are considered high end couturiers. You can check for a list of grand couturiers and it give you an idea of names to look out for.

Really vintage couture is highly sought after because they are names that are no longer in production today, such as Madeleine Vionnet, Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli, Mariano Fortune, Charles Worth, Norman Hartnell and even Biba. In their time these names were the crème de la crème of high fashion and are highly coveted today. Equally desirable are pieces from the original designers of houses that exist today, such as Coco Chanel, Cristobel Balenciaga and Christian Dior.

Rarity

Items that are produced in limited quantities and are in good condition will hold or increase their value. Smaller sizes are more valuable than larger sizes, as museums (who buy from auction houses) prefer smaller sizes.

Of its time

Dig around fashion archives to understand what was sought after and trendy for a decade or a trademark of a specific designer. High street trends are almost always copied straight off the catwalk. For example the Herve Leger bandage dress from his Autumn Winter 2008 collection sparked off a nationwide trend for body-con dresses. The high street picked up on the demand and body-con’s were the most popular trend in the last couple of years.

Fashion history is worth reading up on to see what trends were popular and researching which fashion house inspired it. Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Roland Mouret have lead the run way with innovative pieces. Choose strategically and target pieces that made an impact.

History

Historical context adds value to an item. The internet has great research advantages. Ask yourself if the item appeared on the front of a magazine or whether it was considered controversial or ground breaking for its time and for what reasons.

Avoid high street

Don’t waste time investing in collaborations with high street retailers. The most popular collaboration collections in the past few years have been Karl Lagerfeld for H&M, H! by Henry Holland for Debenhams and Zandra Rhodes for Marks and Spencer. High street designer collaborations have yet to become vintage or make an appearance at auction houses, but they are likely to only be worth no more than £100. Although the name will inspire, the quality is still high street.

How much could you make

Designer wardrobes are hot money. Unwanted couture pieces from the wardrobe of heiress and Alexander McQueen muse Daphne Guinness fetched at £60,000 at a charity auction in April 2008. In December 2009 Audrey Hepburn’s collection of Givenchy couture was auctioned at £270,000.

As a price guide I checked out online designer vintage goldmine Atelier-Meyer. An Ossie Clarke empire line silk chiffon dress from the 1970’s costs £4,022.55 and a Zandra Rhodes hand-embroidered silk chiffon dress also from the 1970’s is £3,327.66 (excluding VAT). These can only fetch for more in the future.

What makes these garments worth as much as a (small) car is the uniqueness that they were made in limited numbers and the manual work in making these by hand. The name doesn’t hurt either. The time that goes into making couture is why it is valuable when it’s first released and its price increases as they become pieces of cultural history. Check Vintage Academe’s online vintage couture shop to get an idea of prices. Even if a garment is not classic (meaning that it can be worn in any decade and not dated) and it is a signature of it’s decade (ie, a distinctly 1960’s piece) is still just as valuable for being an historical artefact and takes its place in costume history.

Auction houses in the key market cities are a good source for buying couture and where vintage dealers and costume museums source for stock. The big ones include Doyle in New York, Drouot in Paris, Leslie Hindman in Chicago, Julien’s in Los Angeles and Kerry Taylor in London. Auction results provide a guide for valuing couture. A black Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961) sold for a whopping £467, 200 at Christie’s in London in December 2006. Cultural history bumped up the price; there is a lot of history behind the dress and it was made specifically for Audrey by Monsieur Givenchy. It sold slightly lower than its estimate price but that’s still a lot of dosh. Ok, so realistically you may never have a dress once worn by a famous movie star but there is still big money to be made.

Where to start collecting

Sample sales are a brilliant way to pick up discounted stock. I subscribe to Daily Candy to receive daily emails about the latest that’s hip and happening in London, and every now and again I get one listing all the sample sales taking place at the weekend. What entices me are the discounts: up to 30% or 70% off. A sample sale is when a fashion house or designer has unwanted stock from a previous season that needs to be shifted. Sample sales have a reputation for being kept hush hush but with their increasing popularity and dependability during the recession, sample sales are now easy to find online. Time Out lists the latest sample sales and a general Google search will return some positive finds or try Designer Sales which runs in London and Brighton.

There are warehouse style “shops” and Time Out and The Independent rate Designer Warehouse Sales (5-6 Islington Studios, Thane Works, Thane Villas N7 7NU) in Islington as one of the best venues to pick up a designer bargain, boasting discounts starting at 60% off and with a stock list of labels to rival Selfridges. Big name designer stores have sister shops  for discounted out of season stock, such as Browns (Browns Labels For Less, 50 South Molton Street W1K 5QQ) and online retails Net-A-Porter. And if you like your Burberry, there’s an outlet in Hackney (29-31 Chatham Place E9 6LP).

Vintage shopping

The trend for vintage shopping has become enormous in the last few years and it’s now more fashionable than ever to dress like your granny. Anything pre the 1920’s is considered antique and anything between the 1920’s and 1980’s qualifies as vintage. Sometimes, vintage shops hold hidden treasure: couture! Retro Woman (20 Pembridge Road W11 3HL) in Notting Hill has eye boggling stock, from John Galliano shoes to Diane Von Furstenberg jackets. I enquired with the staff how they acquire their stock and was surprised to learn that it’s simply donated in exchange for coupons. What is astounding is that the designer clobber is in relatively mint condition and sometimes even unworn and sells for under £200, when I’m sure that these could go for a lot more on EBay, even thousands. Not a bad start to begin a couture collection.

London hosts major vintage fashion events and there are frequently vintage fairs held around town. Attracting fashion insiders from all over the world is the London Vintage Fashion, Textiles and Accessories Fair in Hammersmith which is one of the biggest trade fairs.

It’s worth rummaging through vintage markets for designer gear, such as Portobello Market W11, Camden Market NW1, Bermondsey Market SE1 or Camden Passage in Islington N1. Brick Lane in London’s East End has vintage shops and Beyond Retro (110-112 Cheshire Street E2 6EJ) is worth a rummage for designer finds.

Internet shopping is a great way to get your hands on collectable couture, especially from across the Atlantic and vintage couture dealers are easy to find online. EBay is easily the preferable choice for most as it reaches the masses but how do you know what’s real and what’s fake?

Fake designer goods are illegal and it is illegal to purchase them too. This is the problem with EBay, that you have to take the sellers word that it is genuine and there are a lot of counterfeit goods out there. Log on to MyPoupette which is a website devoted to the issue of fake goods and can offer advise if you believe your item may be a fake.

Accessories and leather goods

Another area of couture that is increasing in value (and often easier to store and keep in good condition) is accessories.

In May 2004 a Louis Vuitton trunk belonging to Katherine Hepburn sold at Sotheby’s in New York for $4,500. This is another example of cultural history and celeb status influencing value. Vintage handbags are expensive because of the leather used. Crocodile, ostrich, alligator and lizard. Names to look out for are Vuitton, Channel and Hermes. Be aware that it’s not just any bag from these designers. Kerry Taylor Auctions sold an Hermes Kelly bag for £4,693 in December 2004. Specific styles are collectables: the Vuitton Speedy bag, the 2.55 Quilted Classic Channel bag which debuted in 1955 and for Hermes, the Birkin of 1984 and the Kelly are the most valuable. Portobello Road is a hot spot for vintage designer hand bags. It-bags are worth investing in as they usually have cultural significance such as being designed specifically for someone (Mr Hermes designed the Birkin for actress Jane Birkin).

It’s not the label name that amounts to the price; it’s the Birkins hand-made qualities, its occasional diamond pad locks with its own key, limited production and exotic leathers. One Birkin could be made from ostrich and another from crocodile. It takes 48 hours to make a Birkin by hand and a price quote varies depending on size and skin.

The high price tag means that the bag is reserved for the rich and famous. But even Red Carpet A-listers have to join a waiting list of several years to get their hands on one. In 2007 the Birkin topped the list of the Most Extravagant Handbags release by Forbes Magazine. There’s a rumour that Victoria Beckham owns over a hundred Birkins! Christie’s held an auction in November 2009 for Vintage and Modern Jewels at South Kensington, Including Find Hermes Handbags. The top three lots were Birkin bags. The highest was a 2004 black crocodile Birkin, estimated between £30,000 and £50,000 and sold for £49,250. The lesser of the top three was a 2007 fuchsia crocodile Birkin, estimated between £20,000 and £22,000 and sold for £37,250. You can pick your jaw up off the floor now.

Birkin bag reseller and Huffington Post columnist, Michael Tonello, published his memoirs on how he began the Birkin journey. Tonello’s memoirs, Bringing Home The Birkin (2008), tracks the journey to get a Birkin on demand. Considering that the exclusivity of the bags means you have to be on a waiting list, requests were put forward to Tonello from the rich and famous to provide same day Birkins. And he did it! On a Europe-trotting one day time scale reliant on the gift of the gab, Tonello still managed the impossible and intimidated that infamous waiting list. And the idea came to sell Birkins on EBay to pay his rent in Barcelona. His secret was to go to a Hermes boutique and act ready to buy jewellery and accessories and ask for a Birkin last, which would be produced, presumably from a back store room. Waiting list, ay?

If you don’t have the courage or the cash to strut into a Birkin boutique in Paris and pretend to be a regular like Tonello, there’s always eBay. Six out of the top ten most expensive fashion-related items sold on eBay in the last year were Hermes Birkin bags. However, you have to be very careful with eBay. There are currently around 300 Birkins being sold on eBay, from $3,000 to $125, 000 and all claiming to be authentic.

There are a lot of knock off designer hand bags out there. The Chloe Paddington bag was subjected to major plastic and faux leather versions sold on street markets. Quality will set a real Birkin apart from a counterfeit one. An authentic Birkin will have a matching code engraved to the key and lock and the bag will come with an orange dust bag and there will be a smaller dust bag for the pad lock and key.

If real Birkins cost so much to buy second hand on eBay, how can I make an investment, I hear you ask. In February 2008 Hermes increased the price of Birkins to reserve their exclusivity. The price jump increased the value of older Birkins, too. Tonello has made a business out of selling Birkins, earning thousands from the reseller price so if you are careful, do your research and invest in really good items you should make money later on.

Designer silk scarves are big bucks too. They are harder to find and will generally mean that you will need to rummage through scarf boxes in vintage shops for a designer label. Hermes silk scarves are collectables but again, watch out for fakes.

Memorabilia

You can even make money from couture and fashion memorabilia if it is classy enough. An old copy of Vogue magazine can sell for around £10 on eBay and in vintage shops. Save all your old copies before you send them to the recycling bin.

The price seems minimal compared to the couture prices that have already had your eyes popping out of your head but if you’re a monthly reader of Vogue it’s worth starting a collection of copies and a years worth of editions can amount to around £120. Vogue is one of the biggest-selling fashion magazines in the world and its influence in the fashion world in unshakable.

Another advantage of buying and selling magazines is that vintage copies of Vogue are something you can purchase from eBay without the worry of fakes and they can sell for as little as 99p or £10, depending on the age of the magazine. Magazine memorabilia can also be purchased from Vin Mag, whose vast stock also includes Vogue. The price of a copy of Vogue is determined by its age; a Vogue from the 1960’s sells for £40, from the 1950’s is £50 and between the 1930’s and 1940’s a copy can go for as much as £200, though you can get one on eBay for a lot less.

Caring for vintage

As a serious collector, you want to archive your collection. Don’t make any changes to garments and hand washing items is highly recommended. For any seriously bedraggled repairs, contact textile conservationist Janie Lightfoot.

If your garment has stood the test of time, it will increase its value. You can wear it because it needs to prove it can resist the effects of wear and tear. Insurance is also something to consider.

How to sell your couture collection

So now that you’ve got your swag, what should you do with it?

Now may be the time to sell it or it may be best to wait as fashions change and your items become even more vintage. It’s a good idea to get your stuff valued if you want to sell it. Valuations are free with Kerry Taylor Auctions in London although they are by appointment only and you must take the garment along with you.

It’s tempting to try to sell something on eBay for a higher price than you paid as soon as you get it home. The Fashion-Era website gives tips on how to present vintage for sale online so that you can get the best price. I’ve thrown you around a bit between vintage and buying current trends at sample sales. Vintage is worth more, so the trick is to know when to sell today’s pieces, which will be after it’s around twenty years old.

Internet buyers are likely to be looking for a bargain to add to their collection too, so you wouldn’t get the best price for it there. You’re better off taking it to auction such as Kerry Taylor Auctions in London who provide to Sotheby’s. If it’s a really good item or collection try Christies too. Auction bidders will be serious collectors with big dosh to compete with each other and museums source for clothes at auctions. Museums like the Victoria and Albert and the Fashion and Textile Museum, acquire their collections from donations or auction houses. Museums have larger budgets than serious collectors at auctions and will bid high if a piece is worth it.

We’ve covered what couture is, what to collect, where to get it from and what to do with it. One important point to remember, though, is if you want to make money on these clothes you either need to wear them very carefully or not at all. If you’re a shopaholic or someone who just can’t resist the luxe of expensive clothes, you can turn it into an investment. It’s easy to get carried away and start buying anything you can get your mits on and wearing it on a night out. Remember that you want to earn back from it, so set a budget, choose wisely, look after it, and your wardrobe will be paying you back.

Useful sites

• Atelier-Meyer
• Fashion-Era
• Vintage Academe’s
• Designer Warehouse Sales
• MyPoupette
• Janie Lightfoot

You may also want to read…

• Make money from vintage clothing
• Best money-saving fashion websites
• Make money selling clothes on ASOS Marketplace
• 10 ways to make quick cash

• What does it involve and is it for me?
• How much can I make?
• How do I do it?
• Useful contacts to get you started

What does it involve and is it for me?

First of all you need to decide whether this really is for you. Bear in mind that a bunch of complete strangers will be staring at you intently – whilst you’re naked of course – for hours on end. Expect life-modelling sessions to last around 3 hours, with a couple of breaks for rest.

Remember this isn’t about being beautiful or in top shape – if anything, you’re likely to be in more demand if you have a unique look or an interesting body shape – so don’t let any paranoia about your looks stop you.

However, you need to be comfortable with both nudity and a certain amount of discomfort and boredom. You may also be asked to create your own poses, so practice in front of the mirror and consider taking some life modelling lessons yourself to get a feel for what art directors may want you to do. It is also fairly common to ask two models to pose together – you may be asked to pose with a member of the opposite sex so ask yourself honestly how comfortable you are with the idea.

How much can I make?

Pay varies widely but you can expect, on average, between £8 and £12 per hour.

Here’s  a useful breakdown of hourly rates for life models by country:

• LONDON: £11.06
• REST OF ENGLAND: £9.77
• SCOTLAND: £8.48
• WALES: £7.80

These days life modeling is a professional occupation and most employers regard life models as employees – you’ll probably find there isn’t much work going that pays in cash so prepare to have to work on PAYE and supply a National Insurance number.

How do I get started?

Your first port of call should be local art colleges and education centres. Here a few contacts to get you started.

• The Art Academy, 020 7407 6969
• Royal British Society of Sculptors, 020 7373 8615, contact them for a list of figure sculptors in your area
• The London Sketch Club, 020 7352 8209, contact them to offer your services to members

Keep an eye out for adverts in shop windows and local papers too – your local Gumtree website may also throw up the odd life modelling job too so check in every now and then. It may also be worthwhile posting on Gumtree yourself stating your availability for life modelling.

There’s also a mega handy website The Art Models Register (RAM) – as sort of unofficial life modelling union – which features jobs all around the country. All the jobs are restricted to RAM members only – but membership only costs £31 per year so it’s probably worthwhile signing up if you’re struggling to find work elsewhere.

Being on the public list of RAM members could make a big difference. Some colleges and private art groups only employ RAM members and Bare Facts model booking service for London also only supports RAM models. London applicants must audition at the life drawing workshops in Holloway or Richmond but RAM does state that most applicants are accepted. Outside of London, there is no need to audition so you join as an Associate Member initially. Then, once you’ve sent two tutor references from jobs you can convert to full membership at any time, for no extra charge.

If you decide life modelling isn’t quite for you, there may be work out there as a hand or foot model. Check out websites Hand Models 1 and Derek’s Hands for more information.

Useful Links

• The Art Models Register
• The Art Academy, 020 7407 6969
• Royal British Society of Sculptors, 020 7373 8615, contact them for a list of figure sculptors in your area
• The London Sketch Club, 020 7352 8209, contact them to offer your services to members
  
• Derek’s Hands
• Hand Models 1
• Have you dabbled in life modelling? Share your experiences and tips on the money making forum.

• What’s involved?
• How do you do it?
• How much can you make?

What’s involved?

The job of a lifeguard is to keep swimmers safe. This means providing general first aid, saving people from drowning, ensuring the safety of the pool area and its water (if you’re working in a swimming pool), and stopping any dangerous behaviour. You’ll be required to keep a close eye on everything that’s going on, and make judgements about anything you might consider hazardous or unsafe.

If you like to work with people then you’ll get to meet and greet hundreds by working as a lifeguard. The job can be flexible too, so you can work in the day while the kids are at school, or at nights or weekends to earn some extra cash on top of your full-time job. Also, there is a possibility of promotion, and career progression.

However, there will always be silly people making your job difficult, diving where they shouldn’t and breaking pool rules. You’ll have to deal with these people calmly and responsibly. You have to keep a watchful eye on what’s going on at all times, you can’t just quickly nip out to the shop. If someone’s in danger they’ll need your immediate assistance.

There are two types of lifeguard:

• A swimming pool lifeguard – who would be employed by a leisure centre, private club, local authority, hotel or holiday centre.
• A beach lifeguard – who would be employed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Unless you live right by the sea, you’re likely to be working in a swimming pool environment. Even if you do live right by the sea, there’s not much call for beach lifeguards in the winter months so it’s a good idea to get in with the local swimming pools anyway.

How do you do it?

You have to be a strong swimmer and physically fit. Don’t even think of doing this if you can’t swim!

Step one: get trained.

To be a pool lifeguard you’ll need one of the following qualifications:

• The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ)
• The National Aquatic Rescue Standard (NaRS): Pool lifeguard
• NPLQ and NaRS courses are based at local swimming pools or leisure centres and are run through approved centres, such as colleges and swimming clubs.

To be a beach lifeguard you’ll need one of the following qualifications:

• RLSS National Beach Lifeguard Qualification
• National Aquatic Rescue Standard (NaRS): Beach Lifeguard, run by the Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain (SLSA GB).

These lifeguard courses can be taken by either training with a commercial training organisation like Harlyn Surf School in Cornwall, or by joining a local RLSS Lifeguard club or SLSA GB life-saving club as a volunteer and training with them.

The RLSS website has NPLQ courses available and often offers discounts.

In some instances, there are places that will hire you as a poolside assistant without any professional skills, and train you while you work, resulting in the necessary qualifications.

The cost of lifeguard training courses varies depending on location. Expect to pay between £100 and £150, although if you receive benefits you may be entitled to discounts. Make sure to ask if you’re eligible for reduced fees before you pay up.

Many lifeguards also take courses through work to teach swimming to people from all walks of life. Because you’ll be working with or around children, you’ll need to undergo a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. However, if you don’t already have an up-to-date check, then your employer is required to arrange this for you.

Step two: apply for work

There are a few job sites specialising in the leisure industry. Here are some that list lifeguard jobs:

• Leisurejobs
• Gapyear.com
• Gumtree

However, there’s nothing to stop you going to your local pool, or to the beach, and asking about vacancies.

If you’re a regular swimmer at your local pool – perhaps a member of their swimming club – you may be able to start work with them and be trained on the job. It’s always worth asking.

How much can you make?

A part-time lifeguard can earn anything between £4.98 and about £8 per hour. This will depend on your level of experience and the type of place you’re working for. For example, a posh private members club will pay a higher wage than that of your local leisure centre.

Working full time could earn you a salary of between £12,000 and £16,000, again depending on the location and your previous experience.

Also, with the right qualifications, you’ll have the opportunity to take your skills abroad. There are holiday camps, centres and hotels abroad which need English-speaking lifeguards for their swimming pools. If you wanted to take a year out then it’s an ideal way to earn some money while you’re on your travels.

Useful links

• Royal Life Saving Society
• Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA)
• Leisurejobs
• Gapyear.com