It’s taken me a little while to get round to this post. By nature I’m a very private person. Just putting myself out there writing about a very specialist subject matter is scary enough. Revealing my thoughts and feelings too? That fills me with dread. But if I’m ever going to succeed in my mission to show just how easy it is for anyone to get involved in matched betting, then I think you need to see some glimpses into my rather ordinary life to see how I do it. So, here goes…

I dread the question “what do you do?” although I never used to. I had a very successful career before the birth of my eldest child Lily back in 2012. I was proud to be one of only a small number of people who made it through the graduate entry exams for a fast tracked civil service career. I worked hard and had my future mapped out. I enjoyed playing a small part in how the country works and I liked telling people about it. I miss it and maybe one day I’ll return to do something similar.

But I also remember that I wasn’t entirely happy either. The politics – both the real stuff and the office stuff – frustrated me. I also spent a lot of my 10 years in Whitehall dreaming of working for myself. So when redundancies were looming at the same time I was pregnant with Lily I jumped at the chance to escape and start a new adventure.

my very own business

Of course, I didn’t factor in the added complexity of just how much my life would be thrown upside down by the arrival of my little girl. With my hubby working away most of the week spare time was non-existent. Nevertheless, I did eventually get a small business selling upcycled furniture and vintage items up and running. And we were doing well. I was proud of starting up a business that gave us some extra cash and could also work around having a child. And I’d happily tell anyone who’d listen all about it!

But the birth of my second child, Olly, forced me to have a break. And time away from the business really made me think about how viable it was. When I thought about just how much of my time it took up, I sadly realised it wasn’t worth starting back up again. I was constantly on the road looking for new stock, painting and photographing items through the day and up late most nights doing all the marketing. And I wasn’t really able to be as creative as I wanted – the items that sold the quickest and easiest were rather plain and so the job had become rather mundane.

I still have a passion for all things old and vintage and you’ll maybe see it emerge on this blog from time to time. But it was time for a new start. Though what exactly was I going to do?

Going back to my former career was an option but it would have turned our lives upside down and that’s not something I’m prepared to do just yet. I really want to give Olly the same amount of time and attention Lily’s had from me whilst he’s young. I’m also not one for resting on my laurels. I’d been interested in starting a blog for some time but wasn’t sure anyone would want to read about my day to day routine. I knew I wouldn’t actually be that interested! However, when I discovered matched betting I realised there might be an option for me to marry the two. And so Matched Betting Mum was born.

So ‘what do you do jodie?’

But this leaves me in a bit of a quandry when I get the inevitable what do you do question. Just telling my closest friends was difficult enough. Cue blanked expressions and them being convinced I’d become a secret pro gambler. Gambling seems inherently seedy and dodgy. And telling people they can easily earn at least £500 a month from home sounds like I’m selling a scam!

So, what do I say? Do I just keep quiet or do I mention the betting? Writing this post has made me focus on what I’m really trying to achieve in writing this blog. And it’s actually made me realise there’s a lot to be proud of.

Using my own initiative, the extra money I now make every month from matched betting means I can reliably contribute to the household income. Our main aim at the moment is to clear some debt that’s been hanging around us for a while. And then, maybe a few treats for the kids and paying for next year’s holidays.

To help others work their way through what seems to be a quite complicated and befuddled process at the start (it gets easy I promise!) is actually quite a laudable thing in its own right too. I feel a great deal of responsibility if people start matched betting as a result of what I’ve written, hence all of the posts from me about how to make a success of it and avoid mistakes. And that extra money can help people in all walks of life – whether you’re in debt, unemployed, retired or are simply saving for a special occasion or want some extra cash! It’s quite an achievement to be able to help people do that.

So the next time someone asks me what I do, I’ll say it loud and I’ll say it proud – I’m a matched better and I write a blog telling people how they can make money doing it too!