I’m looking for a summer job right now, and I’m currently working in at the University’s tutoring center. I’m also applying to another tutoring center to work the other half of the week. But I was also thinking about tutoring independently. Only, I don’t know how to go about that.
I’m moving into a larger apartment, so I could have people come to my house, and I have experience tutoring elementary school kids as well as college students (including non-native speakers.) However, I’m kind of a wuss, and I’m scared of failure, and I don’t know where to start.
My biggest question is, how should I advertise? Put an add in the paper? Put fliars up in the local schools? Get in contact with school districts and ask if they are in need for afterschool tutors?
I tutored a bit in college, mostly other college students, but I also gave my name to the student employment center people and made clear to them that if people called looking for a tutor to give them my name & number and I’d talk to them. Between freshman and senior years, I only tutored two or three students outside of college, but I made pretty good money doing it. By my senior year (1989-1990) I was charging something like $25/hour with a 1 hour minimum, plus half-hour travel time. Of course, that was a somewhat special case because I basically told the lady (whose high-school age son I was tutoring) that I would handle whatever he needed help with, including Latin.
That situation worked great, because about two-thirds of the time, the kid would be off doing some other activity and Mom would forget to call me, so I’d show up at the house and there’d be a see-the-neighbor-for-your-check-and-see-you-next-week note.
I’m sorry for killing your thread, pepperlandgirl. 
I’ve thought about tutoring again, and this was my plan:
Put up fliers in the local libraries and grocery stores. Be sure that you include info about what ages and what subjects you’ll work with.
Spread the word among your current pupils, in case they need extra help or they can pass the word on to other parents.
If you know any teachers, let them know, so they can pass on your name/info to interested parents.
I wouldn’t tutor at home, just because I have so much going on here, but I had considered tutoring 2-3 kids at a time at the local library and giving them a slight discount since they would be in a group.
You can do it…good money and you can set your own hours! And charge them even if they don’t show up, as KneadToKnow mentioned.
Good luck!
~karol