Monday, July 31, 2006

Work At Home Opportunities Are Available Right Now

Everyone is looking for the best work at home opportunities these days. And why not! Working at home is a great thing compared to the typical get up and go to work outside of the home day! It's a 30 second commute is a great idea that I fell in love with and have come to embrace. No more bosses. No more traffic jams. No scheduled lunches. No coffee breaks. No co-worker hassles. If you want to work at home then here is a great idea you can use to get started today.

Use the internet to start your own home business. Thousands of people all over the world are taking advantage of the internet to do this. When it comes to work at home opportunities it is hard to beat working online for ease of operation.

Anyone can get started in a matter of minutes with all of the ways to make money online available today. This can be good and bad. Because it is so easy to join a program thousands of people do it. The bad thing about that is with no idea what to do next most will fail due to lack of experience and guidance.

Here is a suggestion that you can use to make sure that doesn't happen to you. Join a work at home opportunity that comes pre-packaged to help you be successful. A business in a box satisfies that need beautifully. Here's what that means.

1. You are going to need products, programs, or services there is a need for

2. You must have a money making website

3. You will need an automatic follow-up system in the form of an email autoresponder

4. 24 hour a day access to training allows you to work around your schedule

5. You want a business that can grow as your expertise does as well

6. You are looking for a business that is inexpensive to start

7. You might as well be profitable right away

8. You want access to the best ways to advertise and promote your new business

9. You need classified and display ads that you can use right now

This is a comprehensive list of things you need when you consider all of the work at home opportunities available today. I left one of the most important things out. Find a mentor that is interested in your success. You want this person to be available by email and phone if neccessary. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to when things are not going well.

The benefit of having a mentor is you can get good advice when you need it most. Many potential home businesses have failed because of poor advice online. Well meaning people who have not actually made money working at home are eager to jump in and tell you what to do. This is a bad idea.

You want to find someone who is active in with their own business and is working it on a daily business. Their experience is invaluable because they already have made the mistakes you want to avoid.

About The Author

Jeff Schuman

Team-Schuman.com contains the best make money online and make money websites available today. If you want to make money check us out here: http://www.team-schuman.com/work-at-home-opportunities.html

Friday, July 28, 2006

Work At Home Careers! Is Working For Yourself For You?

Have you been trying to think of all of the work at home careers that are available these days? There certainly is a lot of publicity about working at home.

More and more employers are having their employees work from home as a cost cutting measure. It just makes sense sometimes for them to have you do your work at your home.

What about if you don't want to work for your employer anymore? Is leaving your current career to start a work at home career of your own something you find yourself thinking about over and over.

You really have to step back and do a Ben Franklin close on yourself on this. What that means is get a legal pad and draw a line down the middle. On the left write the word "Positives." On the left write "Negatives." Then start listing everything you can think of that is a positive or negaitive on leaving your current job.

A few positives might be : no daily commute, no having to dress for the office, no difficult bosses, more time with the family.

A few negatives might be: no company health insurance, no steady pay check, need office space, distractions at home from kids and chores, etc.

You really need to spend several days on this. When a plus or minus pops in your head write it down. Do you have the qualities to succeed in your own work at home career?

You need patience and perseverance, self-discipline and a positive attitude. You need good time management skills as well as a stick to it attitude. You need to be able to see the big picture when things are not going well.

To me the benefits of a working at home far outweighed continuing to work for someone else. You can't put a price on the freedom and flexibility that comes with working for yourself. But you have to decide that for yourself.

If you find more positives than negatives on your legal pad then it is time to get serious thinking about what you can do to make money working at home and how you can get started.

For me working on the internet creating information web pages around different niches was the way to go. There are so many ways to make money online that sometimes it is mind boggling. The key is to find something that you are interested in and get started.

About The Author

Jeff Schuman

Team-Schuman.com contains the best make money online and make money websites available today. If you want to make money check us out here: http://www.team-schuman.com/work-at-home-careers.html

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

How To Stay Motivated After Work At Home Failures

Let's face it, we've all been through failure. Be it online or offline, we've experienced it in some form or the other. Failure is specially hard when it's your work at home business. You've put in so much into your work at home business and sometimes nothing seems to be working. And there comes a time when you fell you have to face the facts and call it a failure. Did you actually fail? And if you did, how do you stay motivated? Is this the end of the world for you? Here are a few things to think about that might help you pick yourself up and move on towards success.

Failure is a necessary step towards success. Changing your perception about "Failure" can help you overcome it. Take for instance your first swimming lesson. Did you swim the length of the pool the very first time you jumped in? Of course not. You failed the first time. You might even have failed the second time. But did that stop you? Of course not. You kept trying and kept failing. And today you can swim like a champ. So looking back do you think you really failed that first time? Or did you merely "try". Did you fail the second time? Or did you merely "try"? Failing is trying. Failing is practicing. Failing is learning. And thus failing is making progress towards success.

Realize and tell yourself that you have not failed as a person. Just because your work at home business failed does not mean that you are a failure yourself. The "failure" is simply a temporary set back that failed to reach your goal at this time. It merely tells you that you might have to chose differently the next time or chose more wisely. It simply means you were "Man" ( or “woman “ ) enough to make a decision and stick with it and saw it through to the end, regardless of what the outcome was. Do not berate yourself. Pat yourself on the back for not giving up.

Set yourself goals and work towards them constantly. Your "failure" might have been due to the fact that you did not set goals. Or perhaps the ones that you did set were too hard to achieve. Set yourself goals that are easily achievable and work towards them constantly. Do no wander off the path. Stay focused and make sure that you achieve your goals at regular intervals. When you begin to achieve your goals one by one, you will find that you are that much closer to success.

Set a time table for all of your work at home business chores and goals. JFK didn't say "Lets go to the moon SOME day" He said "Lets be the first to put a man on the moon" and he set a time. Set a timeframe for every goal and make sure you abide by it. If you do this, there'll be no time for failure.

Think of failure as God's way of telling you that you've still got lots to learn. Think of all the others who've suffered failure like you and who have bounced back on to their feet. Perhaps it wasn't your time to succeed yet because you weren't really ready for it. And perhaps the "big guy" upstairs sent you a "wake up call" just to let you know it's time to rethink your goals. Don't think of the message much, but think of the sender. HE is watching, and the fact that you were in his sights was a success by itself.

Did you know that the Chinese characters for "Crisis" and "Opportunity" are the same? If you can find the "Opportunity" in your "Crisis" then did you in fact suffer a "Crisis" in the first place? Treat failure as a temporary setback and an opportunity to get back onto track, on the way to success. It's a little wake up call to make sure that you're on the right track. Rid yourself with all negative thoughts and you will find that you are once again on the path to success.

So what is failure really? It's a mindset. Train yourself to be rid of the negative "failure" mindset and embrace the "setback" as a gift. Pull yourself together and focus on achieving your goals in a timely manner and don't let temporary "hiccups" bring you down. Think of "Failures" as a stones you step on the path to success. Each "stone" will bring you that much closer to being a rock solid success.

About The Author

Khemal Dole owns and operates http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E service which helps many first-timers and even experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

7 Ways To Avoid A Dot-Con Work At Home Scam

If you are one of millions of people who are looking to find a work at home job online then you simply MUST learn to spot a scam. Online work at home scams are now frequently referred to as “Dot Cons” after the term “Dot Coms”. When you are desperately seeking a work at home job, most often that not you tend to "buy" into an opportunity without doing much research. Hundreds of dollars later you'll find out the hard way that you were a victim of a scam! Here are 7 ways to identify a scam and how to avoid them.

1) Extravagant Claims

Many websites or work at home opportunities will promise you that you can make "millions" in a matter of days. Many will display their so called "proof of income" on their websites, which often turn out to be touched up pictures of fake checks or bank statements. Don't fall for these "gimmicks" If you feel that these claims to riches are extravagant, then guess what? They are. Get all claims and promises in writing before you sign up or pay to join at any of these websites. Remember that if the claims are real then these companies will have no reason to deny you real proof on request. If they refuse, you KNOW it's a scam.

2) Read The Fine Print

Many fraudulent websites bury the fine print in tiny letters at the bottom or their webpage or on another page with a link to it that's hard to find. Make sure that you read these fine prints for any clauses that can come back to bite you if ever you want your money back. Click on all the links that provide more information and make sure you read them completely. Do not simply assume that the website is legitimate. Assume that it's a fake and let it prove to you that it's real.

3) Look For Privacy Information

Many websites collect your personal information like your name and email address. Make sure that these website tell you exactly what they intend to do with it. If they don't tell you what they will do with it, it's time to move onto another website because the chances are that your personal information might be shared - or worse - SOLD to others. Make sure you don't volunteer information such as your SSN or Credit card information unless you are absolutely sure of what the website will do with it.

4) Look For Business Name, And Contact Details.

Legitimate businesses and websites will always display their business name, address and other contact information clearly on their websites. If you do not see any contact information, then be very skeptical about that site. Shady websites won't display this information since they don't want you to contact them. Do you really want to do business with suck a website?

5) Know What You Are Getting Before You Buy

Many websites refuse to tell you what they will provide you with until you pay for it. This is unacceptable. You, as a consumer, MUST know before hand what you are getting before you buy. I'm not talking about knowing the exact details of a work at home job, but you should at least get SOME idea of what to expect after you pay. If a website does not clearly state what you will receive once you pay, you might end up getting scammed. So be weary and always make sure you know what you are buying.

6) Refund Policies

Some websites clearly provide refund policies. You should be able to return the goods or ask for your money back within reasonable terms. Many legitimate websites will let you get your money back as long as you ask for it within 30 days. But some plainly state that you simply WILL NOT receive your money back. Be weary of these types of web sites. The reason they are afraid of refunding your money is because they anticipate many refund requests. This is a BIG reason for you to NOT do business with this type of website.

7) Beware of MLM type websites.

MLM or multi level marketing websites are related to pyramid schemes. These scams can be easily spotted since their claims to riches are made purely on mathematical probability and nothing else. These schemes are almost always a scam and their claims to riches are simply unrealistic in real life. If a website depends heavily on mathematical probabilities of you making money and if that is the ONLY proof they offer you, you might be about to get ripped off by an MLM scam. It's time to move on!

The bottom line is that you simply must use common sense when looking for an online work at home job. Think of it as looking to buy a new car or a house. Use the same attitude, even though the price tag is much smaller. Remember that the risk involved is almost the same since you are investing your hard earned money or lifetime's savings on ONE website. So you better make 100% sure that you aren't the next victim of "Dot Con" scams.

About The Author

Khemal Dole owns and operates http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E service which helps many first-timers and even experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

How to Find Balance In Your Work At Home Career And Your Personal Life

Work at home moms face challenges that are very unique. The decision to work outside the home or stay with your children is difficult, with each option having advantages and disadvantages. If you stay home you may lose income and you will lose interaction with fellow employees, and if you work outside the home you live with separation from your children and pay caregiver expenses. Many women are choosing to work at home and finding the right opportunity is the first step in finding success as a work at home mom.

You could use the knowledge and skills you have and become a consultant, develop a career in design or writing, telecommute to a job, or start a home-based business. The opportunities are endless.

It can be difficult for a work at home mom to balance home, family, and career. Even if you are not a parent it is hard to find time for a personal life when you operate a home-based business. It is very easy to become consumed by your work when you work from home and it can be a challenge to find time for yourself and your family.

To successfully balance a home and career you must create a work schedule. Decide what hours will be set aside for work and try hard to stick to that time-frame. It very beneficial to create a boundary between work and home. Setting a work schedule will give you a routine to follow.

To give yourself the opportunity to socialize and meet new people, try geting involved with community or other volunteer activities. If you do not get out of the house regularly you may begin to resent your work and your family obligations.

During your workday, take short breaks to get up and move around. A simple stretching routine or a short walk will do wonders for your outlook. It will be necessary for you to deliberately schedule time for personal activities such as reading, picnics, or exercise. By adding these activities and free time to your schedule you will ensure that you get some much needed "mommy" time and that your family spends quality time together. You will find that if your leisure and family time suffer too much, your relationships will suffer as well. Make time for the fun things and times shared with children and family.

If you implement these ideas into your life as a work at home mom, you will be better able to achieve balance between work and your home life.

About The Author

Aurelia Williams is the mom of four busy children, a Personal Life Coach: http://www.reallifcoaching.net/ and the owner of http://www.reallifesolutions.net/ which is an informational site that also offers products, articles and a great newsletter. You can also hear Aurelia daily on the http://www.wahmtalkradio.com show, she is the Resident Life Coach.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Working At Home? How To Avoid Piling On The Pounds!

It's so tempting isn't it? Work is not going well. Or you have a deadline looming. Or you've got to update your accounts. Much easier to make endless trips to the fridge to fill up on snacks!

But when you start working at home, it can be alarming how quickly the pounds creep up, just because food is so available. And you bitterly regret all those snacks next time you get on the scales or try to do up something you haven't worn for a while.

Now, a normal office is not always the easiest place to control overeating either - everyone brings cakes and candy to share for the most minor celebration, and you have more opportunity for social type eating and drinking at lunch and after work. But a full fridge is a bigger threat - after all no one is watching you like they would be if you had three pieces of the cake at work!

Keeping out of the kitchen altogether would be one solution. You could pack your lunch and healthy snacks before you start the day, have a supply of cool drinks and set up tea and coffee making facilities in your home office - pretend you don't have a kitchen. But most of us won't do that. We like being at home because we have access to all the facilities that home offers. Sometimes it's great to be able to start dinner early or do a couple of chores while we take a breather from our other tasks.

But there are a few things you CAN do without making the kitchen and the fridge a "no-go" area.

* Make your lunch before you begin work - or at least know exactly what you are going to have. This way you are less likely to dive for the nearest fattening snack because you suddenly noticed you worked way past the point when you should have eaten and you are ravenous.

* Also prepare some healthy snacks so that you can grab them from the fridge and go. Sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery and the like make great nibbles when you haven't time to stop for a full meal. Put a tablespoonful of low-calorie dip into a small bowl if you don't like them just as they are.

* If you know you are going to be grazing all day - plan for 5 or 6 mini-meals throughout the day, rather than grazing AND eating a whole lunch. While this might be impractical in an office, at home you can do exactly as you like - make the most of it. A typical day might be

* A bowl of fruit for breakfast.
* 2 crackers with sugar-free peanut butter half way through the morning.
* Vegetable soup or salad for lunch.
* A yogurt with chopped up apple in the afternoon.
* 10 or so pretzel sticks to keep you going until dinner.

*If you can, try and take a break away from your work area while you eat so that you have time to focus on the food. It's too easy to wolf down a whole snack or meal and not even notice you've eaten it. If you don't have that focus it's harder to feel satisfied by the food you've had and you're more likely to want more straight away and overeat as a result. And of course you avoid those problems with keyboards getting sticky and work getting spoiled with bits of food.

*If you're working at home, you may find you have to keep some foods out of the house because they are just too dangerous to have around all day. My downfall is chocolate. So, if I buy chocolate biscuits for my kids I choose the kind that I don' t like that much and they do. But you may have to decide not to buy chocolate and junk snack foods at all if you really can't resist. It will do everyone else good too. And you can only eat what is there.

*As for exercise, at least make sure you move around throughout the day if your job is desk based. It's a huge bonus that no one can see you pacing around when you are on the phone, or doing exercises to avoid getting too tense such as rolling your neck, circling your shoulders or arms or doing leg extensions. If you make it a habit to move around just a couple of minutes every half an hour - the kind of break you need to be taking anyway - you will have taken over 30 minutes exercise in an 8-hour day! I find that when things get on top of me and I haven't had time for an early-morning aerobics session, 10 minutes vigorous housework once an hour works for me. I get some exercise, go back to my huge work task list feeling ready to tackle it AND I don't worry that my home is falling apart while I stay attached to my computer.

*Look like you mean business. I know it's great to be able to slob around all day in sweat pants and a t-shirt but it will do your self-image no good and you won't feel that waistband expanding half so much as you do when you wear normal smart casual clothes. Wear something comfortable but smart. You have to show yourself that it's worth looking good just for you so you get the message when you eat too.

*Keep regular hours. Although there may be a crisis or two where you absolutely have to work through the night and fortify yourself with pizza or ice-cream, you can't make this a regular habit for the sake of your weight, your health or your sanity.

*By the same token, get plenty of rest. There have been studies showing that a lack of sleep causes us to eat more during the following day.

Working at home IS fantastic. You are in control of your own time and your own choices much more than you ever were working for someone else. Design your working life to suit YOU and how you want to live. Want to be healthy and slim? Then DESIGN your day to meet your goals. You are the one who calls the shots now.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

About The Author

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach and author of "The Diet Exit Plan". Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

Friday, July 14, 2006

Work At Home Moms Enjoy Family and Career

The industrial revolution and feminist movement saw many changes in the work place. Women left the home to work along side men. Women fought for equal rights and equal salaries. Now, however, some women want to also enjoy their role as a mother during the fleeting years of their children's youth. For decades, a woman has had to choose a satisfying career or a family, and often the choices did not coincide gracefully.

Gone are the days, though, when a woman had to kiss her family life goodbye in pursuit of a career. Thanks to online businesses and at home marketing schemes, women can be successful bread winners and still witness the first steps, ballet classes, and play groups that ask for so short a period of time.

Work at home moms have a lot of resources at their disposal. The Internet is the number one most effective tool for work at home moms. Successful women who work from home know how to utilize the Internet and make it work for them.

The Internet provides a source of communication and networking to stay at home moms. This tool connects them and offers them a forum in which to discuss their challenges and struggles, as well as to offer one another support and helpful ideas.

The Internet is also a source of business. This virtual community is a marketplace where the exchange of information and ideas is also the exchange of money. Work at home moms often run their own Internet businesses, maintaining their web pages and providing a variety of services and functions.

Programs such as affiliate programs make this avenue even more lucrative because a stay at home mom can earn two incomes: the first from her web site and the products or services she sells, and the second by providing a link to an affiliate's web site. The affiliate pays the site owner each time someone visits their site from the owner's link.

This program requires little maintenance, little initial effort, and provides continual income. Marketing opportunities also present mothers with ample chances to make money and succeed in business. These ventures require an outgoing personality and ability to look at a stranger and see a potential client. Mothers with these skills can effectively market for other people, make money when they bring new marketers into the corporation, and benefit from the connection they have to the world outside their home.

Work at home moms have the best of both worlds. They are able to be with their families and enjoy their time as a mother to the fullest. They are able to succeed in business and challenge their minds to grow and expand with knowledge. They are strong women with heart, who have the courage to demand that all of their heart's desires be met. These women refuse to just be one thing, but know they can be anything and succeed at everything.

Copyright 2005 Benjamin Scott

About The Author

Benjamin Scott operates a successful internet business working from his home personal computer. Grab a FREE copy of his 9 lesson e-marketing course at: http://www.eazyhomebusiness.com/.

Copyright © 2005 Benjamin Scott

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Myths and Truths of an Online Work at Home Parent

You decide that working 40-70 hours per week out of the home is just not for you. Now what?

You begin to explore the internet for options, most sound to good to be true. Are they?

Who do you ask? Who do you trust? Does this really work? Can you be successful?

Discover Myths and Truths of becoming an Online Work at Home Parent!

Myth: Working from home is easier than working outside of the home.

Truth: Working from home successfully is usually much harder. You only depend on yourself for your paycheck. You will need to organize your time around your children and family, which is much harder than asking your coworker when they are free for lunch. Working from home takes extraordinary organizational skills and a true commitment from yourself and your family.

Myth: I'll be able to work whenever I want.

Truth: You'll be able to work when you can convince your spouse and children that you need to work. Life doesn't stop because you need to sit at the computer or go to the post office. There are still needs that your family will have and because you are home, you'll be expected to help fulfill those needs.

Myth: I'll be able to do it all...housework, kids lunches, balance the checkbook, etc...

Truth: You'll be able to attempt to do it all. However, if you are truly working from home you will still be dedicating much of your time to your work. Although you have gained the time of your commute, you have also gained many more responsibilities. Finding a balance will be difficult in the beginning. Keeping the balance will always be a challenge.

Myth: My kids will enjoy having me around more.

Truth: Yes, your children will enjoy having you in the home, however; they also will become more frustrated with you because you will have other responsibilities than playing with them. They will see you at home and wonder how come they can't always have your attention.

Myth: I'm going to quit my job within 2 weeks because I can create a six figure income almost instantly on the internet.

Truth: If you are going to work from home and use the internet you can work towards a six figure income. 98% of network marketers fail within the first year. You cannot build a website and expect people to visit. You must work at creating you business, products and customers.

Myth: Everybody will want to be part of my new business.

Truth: Although you may have some supporters, most people will smile and go back to their regular job. It's up to you to find people who truly want to change their daily lives by working at home.

Myth: Every opportunity on the internet is a scam.

Truth: Many opportunities give false hopes about becoming a millionaire overnight. Luckily there are a few true tools on the internet to help you build a successful business with hard work and persistence.

Overall, if you want to become a work at home parent the odds are stacked against you. However, with a strong desire to see your children for more than moments every day you can succeed in working from home and using the internet to build residual income. My financial future and family lifestyle are in my hands and I wouldn't have it any other way.

About The Author

Catherine Whitcher, has found success working at home by building a true business using FREE tools. She has beaten the 98% failure rate and leads a WAHP coaching program to allow other parents to stay at home successfully. To learn more about this FREE MENTORING email: support@yourhomebusinessinfo.com

Learn more about residual income: http://www.yourhomebusinessinfo.com

support@yourhomebusinessinfo.com

Sunday, July 9, 2006

So, You Want to be a Work at Home Mom

But Where do you Start?

Right Here!!!!

#1 Plan

Before you sign up for anything, buy anything, do anything, you must plan. Ask yourself the important questions, like what do you want out of this and what are you passionate about.

#2 Prioritize

Many of us jump into things that we really can't handle. Don't get me wrong, we are all Super Mom!!! However, we need to know what is the most important to us, and how to fit all of the pieces together.

#3 Budget

Similar to time prioritizing, except with money. It is easy to spend all of your money at the beginning not thinking of this venture as long term. Or make the mistake of spending money you simply just don't have. Let's not forget why you are doing this. It is to make money, to contribute to your family, not to break to bank trying.

#4 Research

Before investing in something, whether it is time, money, or both, you must know what you are investing in. Flashy websites, big promises, and dollar signs can distract you away from the real issue at hand. You want an opportunity that fits your needs, not one that simply looks good.

In addition, in order to create an accurate budget you will need to know how much start up, promotion, and maintenance will cost. When researching an opportunity those are the three things you will want to find out.

There are basically two routes to go. You can either join a pre-existing opportunity, or if you have a completely new idea, start a new eBiz.

#5 Discuss

A confidant is a wonderful person to bounce off ideas. Share your priorities and plans with your friend/spouse. Allow them to be objective about whether the opportunity you have chosen fits with what you want. I recommend have two or three choices in mind.

#6 Sleep

Any good salesperson will tell you, that the biggest part of a sale is made based on the emotion evoked by the product and the environment surrounding it, not truly how good the product is. If the opportunity is as good today as it was yesterday, than you have probably found what you have been looking for.

Caron Bush
Mom Home Biz, Working at Home for Beginners
http://www.momhomebiz.ws
Copyright 2005

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Is Working at Home Really Right for You?

If you've just begun your search for a work at home job, you probably have a beautiful concept of what working from home is like. You probably imagine yourself waking up whenever you want, sliding your feet into fuzzy slippers and shuffling to the kitchen to get some coffee, then shuffling along to your office to put in another wonderful day at work, then later going to the mailbox to pick up your weekly paycheck of several thousand dollars. I hate to burst your bubble, but it doesn't work that way. Actually, let me clarify that and say it doesn't always work that way.

The truth is, working at home is usually a lot harder than working in an office somewhere. Scammers and hyped-up business opportunity ads have given us the belief that working at home is oh-so-easy. We just relax on a tropical beach, then go collect our paychecks. I'm sure you've seen ads like that. Those of us who already work at home know better!

Here are some things you should consider before jumping into a work at home job:

How much do you want to earn? - If you want to work for an employer as a telecommuter, be prepared to earn less than you would at a job outside the home. A job that pays $11.00 an hour in the regular workforce might pay $7 or $8 an hour at home. There are exceptions of course. Some jobs, like virtual assisting, web design and graphics, medical transcription and coding and other professional jobs will probably pay more than a simple data entry or customer service job. Many work at home jobs don't pay hourly either. For data entry work, you might get paid per piece, and for telephone jobs you might get paid per "talk minute" (only those minutes you are actually on the phone with a customer.)

Do you need benefits? - The majority of work at home jobs do not provide benefits like health insurance or life insurance. Again, there are exceptions.

Taxes - There are companies that will hire you as an actual "employee" and they will take taxes out of your pay. But some will only hire you as an "independent contractor," and you are responsible for paying your own taxes.

Work availability - If you are hired as an independent contractor, it's important to understand that your employer is not obligated to provide any work for you. Most companies have busy seasons and slow seasons. During a busy season, you might be working 40-50 hours a week, and then the slow season arrives and suddenly you're fighting to get even 10 hours of work per week. If your income is especially important to your household, definitely keep that in mind. However, many people choose to work more than one job at a time. If one slows down, they simply start working more for the other.

How motivated are you? - If you are the type of person who usually needs a kick in the rear to get moving, working at home will be very hard on you. You have to be extremely disciplined to sit down at the computer, log in and actually WORK each day. There are so many distractions in the home that will pull you away from work if you let them. You have to be very focused and set a schedule for yourself, just like you would at a job outside the home.

Do you mind solitude? - Working at home can be lonely. If you thrive on social interaction, working alone can be difficult to adjust to. However, you can ease this by spending time with friends frequently, or joining some online groups to chat with like minded people.

Flexibility - Some employers require you to work a specific set schedule, while others might be more flexible, allowing you to choose your own hours. Give some thought to which type of schedule would work best for you. When I first decided to work at home, I made the mistake of choosing a job that had a rigid schedule, and I hated it! I had forgotten that that was one of the things I disliked about working outside the home - living by someone else's schedule. Think about how you work best, and choose accordingly.

Childcare - So many mothers want to work at home so they can raise their own children, rather than sending them to a daycare. However, working at home with small children underfoot is no easy task! It's not impossible, and it depends greatly on the ages of your children and what type of work you are doing at home. If you work a telephone job, most employers will require a very quiet background, which is impossible if you have small children. You also can't stop working every few minutes to entertain the kids, unless you want to put in a very long day at the computer to make up for all the interruptions. There are certainly things you can do to make it easier, like have a neighborhood teenager come in for a few hours to watch your children while you work, or work only when your spouse is home and can keep an eye on the kids.

Choosing work that fulfills you - This is SO important! Right now you're probably thinking, "I don't care what type of work I do, as long as it brings in a paycheck." I guarantee that attitude won't last long. Like I said, you will need to be extremely self-motivated and self-disciplined to work at home, and your job will be a lot easier if you actually like what you do! Think about the type of person you are, and the type of work that suits you best. Are you creative and free-spirited, or nose-to-the-grindstone efficient? Give some thought to your "vision" of working at home, and try to find a job (or business) that will complement that.

Do you even want a "job?" - When some people decide they want to "work at home," they don't want a regular J-O-B at all. What they want is the freedom to set their own schedule and do work they love. It's certainly possible to find those qualities in a job, but it can be difficult. If this describes you, consider starting your own business instead, focusing on your existing talents and abilities. I think many people shy away from this idea because it seems so overwhelming. But people do this every day! It's not hard at all. If you don't know much about business but have an interest, start learning! There are so many great resources on the internet today. If you're still not sure what type of work at home is best for you, get out a pad of paper and a pen. Write this sentence along the top of the page: I want to work at home because . . . and then write down as many endings to that sentence as you can think of. If most of your answers have to do with freedom and passionate, fulfilling work, a "job" might not be the best thing for you.

Regardless of what type of work you decide on, understand that working at home can be difficult and challenging. But for most of us who do it, it is also wonderful. Personally, I wouldn't trade it for anything! And once you find the right job or business, you will probably feel the same.

If this article has given you the impression that working at home might not be for you, remember that you can change if you want it badly enough. If you're not very motivated, work on that. Give yourself little challenges every day and strengthen your level of self-discipline. If you need health benefits, keep searching for a job that provides them, or research other possibilities like affordable health insurance for the self-employed. If your resolve is strong enough, you can make it happen! Never give up on your dreams.

About The Author

Wendy Betterini is a freelance writer and web designer who has been successfully working from home since 2003. In 2005 she launched http://www.CreativeWorkAtHome.com, a community and resource center for home-based professionals, and those who aspire to be. Visit today for tools, tips and information on how you can create your own home-based career, or further improve the one you already have!

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

How To Work At Home Without Costs

Work from home businesses are growing ever year. Everyone wants to be their own boss. Not to be told what to do, take holidays whenever, start and finish work whenever and the list multiplies for each individual. There are millions of people stuck in jobs simply for the money.

Good or bad, but this thing, money, makes the world go round. But people are realising slowly that you have to start somewhere. And the most common tried technique is to work at home or at least try it from there.

So what can you do from home?

There are millions of opportunities to choose from, but which one would you choose? There is an unlimited supply of business opportunities to allow you to make a start from home. People and entrepreneurs are looking for a break or the 'perfect' work at home opportunity. A break from the corporate life, to be their own boss or simply to be more financially independent!

Or an opportunity that would release them from the many debt problems, which seem to build up month after month! That, something that would pay bills and make ends meet without difficulty. Something your normal 9 - 5 job just isn't doing well at. So where can you start in order to work at home?

Check Your Post (So Called Junk Mail)

This is probably the easiest of the lot. You don't need to search for a business opportunity as they're searching for you. Companies have you on a mailing list and every so often they would send you a new business opportunity. Now should you be grateful to these companies for doing so? That's gratefulness all boils down to experience.

What kind of problems can you come across...

HYPE...

* You can make xxxx amount...
* You'll be financially free within 3 years...
* Never worry about money again...
* If I can do it, so can you...
* Check out the our satisfied customers
* Reply with 48 hours to avoid disappointment...

Now here are some catches...

* If they claim you can make xxxx amount. then why isn't there any form of proof to show this? Why are there no bank statements to prove this?
* If you're to be financially free within 3 years, is this how long it took them? Have they considered your background and experience? Or are they giving an approximate guideline to achieve this?
* Never worry about money again... they're taking money from your pocket in order for you to receive the material, so effectively you still need to worry.
* If I can do it, so can you... everyone is unique with personal wants and needs. Each person has different qualities and abilities.
* If you reply within 48 hours... does that mean you're guaranteed to receive the material. Or is that a technique to make more money quicker within 48 hours.
* The opportunity has never been available before and you are the first. Now look over couple of pages, you see a testimonial page of 25 people who have used the system?! Just a second ago, you were told that you are one of the first.

Testimonials are one of the most powerful marketing mediums in the direct mail industry and it works. It shows people what others have thought of the system and what kind of results they achieved.

Repeat Business (Backend Sales)

Now you are placed on more mailing lists and companies sell their mailing lists to others to make extra profit. So don't be surprised if 2 months later some other company sends you another opportunity or maybe even the same.

However as soon as you buy one, ultimately you will be sent another one soon.

How?

You're an 'active' buyer on a list. You have money to spend. So you'll be sent more...

Have you also noticed this?

Someone is selling someone else's stuff to make money! Person A is selling person B's material. What you'll get is an introduction letter of person A then the actual sales letter from Person B.

But Person B is the one who's 'probably' made the money, however what's in it for Person A. They make money from what they expose to you. (i.e. they make money if you buy Person B's material)

Now Person A would probably have never checked or tested Person B's system but are in the process of selling it to you, so make no mistake there.

Now that you are armed with this information you can become more cautious to what you are about to order. Is it hype or is it for real...?

About The Author

Ahmad Usman makes it easy to launch a successful part-time or full-time business, which you can work at home with. To receive your free work at home course visit: http://www.FreeConsultancy.co.uk.

Saturday, July 1, 2006

Tips For Making Your "Work at Home" Business Work For You

After a careful thinking and spending hours and days together on the net, you have finally chosen your work at home opportunity and you look forward for a fast income from your business. But to your dismay, you are not able to find that much success, as you had imagined.

One of the main reasons could be that you were not contributing your time and concentration as you had planned earlier. When you do a self assessment you will find that you had not taken your home business as serious as you had thought.

Why?

Most often the reply to this question would be that you had too many distractions from your work since it was just at home only. As you had no boss to report about your work, you took it at ease. You find time for everything else at home, but not for your business. You thought now your online business would run on its own.

You are wrong. You should set up a proper time to make your home business a success.

I have found the following tips helpful to me.

1. Keep away from distractions. I choose a time where less distractions are expected and I have informed my friends and relatives also accordingly. So they know I will be busy with my work on the computer and many of them avoid calling me during that time unless it is urgent.

2. Before switching on my computer itself I will plan what I am going to do today for my business. Only then I will look at other offers waiting for my attention in my mail box. After finishing my regular promotion job, I will take up my other things. Otherwise my work will get neglected and I get distracted to other hype opportunities.

3. I will switch off the television when I am working at home. Otherwise without my knowledge my attention will be diverted to the TV program.

4. When I am doing something very serious which requires more attention such as making an online transaction etc, I will either switch off the mobile or at least leave it in silent mode, so that I won't get distracted if it happens to ring during that time.

Conclusion: If you take care of the distracting factors affecting your business, you will find that you can make your work at home business work for you in a more successful way.

About The Author

Lakshmi Menon is a internet marketer and the owner of http://www.net4homeincome.com.