How Do I
Make Money Working From Home? Let Me Count the Ways . .
. . .
by: Sandi Moses
Here in the USA, at
least, it seems to be increasingly popular to find some
way to earn a living from the comfort of your own home.
People - especially moms - are looking for ways to stay
home with their kids and yet contribute to the family
income. They prowl the internet at night or on their
lunch breaks, looking for just the right opportunity
that fits their interests and family. Let me suggest
their search may be too narrow.
More often than not,
they are looking at and for some variation of internet
marketing. But they don’t have a clue how to market, the
search engines offer literally millions of choices, and
scams and rip-off artists are more common than sand
fleas on the beach. There are a lot of other ways to
earn an income from home. Lets explore a few, and
combine them with some internet activity. The synergy
just might surprise you!
The first and most
obvious choice would be to open your home to day-care.
After all, you are there with your own kids, so you
might as well add a few, right? (Stop that laughing!)
Depending on your constitution, family size and make-up,
home and yard size, etc., this could be just the thing
for you. To run it like a business involves a whole lot
more than feeding the kids and keeping them from playing
in the street, but it works for many and it may work for
you. If you have older kids, involve them in the care of
the younger ones as well as some of the business
aspects. Think of it as on-the-job training in home and
business management. It is invaluable training they
cannot get elsewhere.
If you like to cook, you
might look into something involving cooking or baking.
There are candy-making businesses, catering businesses,
cake decorating businesses, etc. Some people supply
home-baked goodies to local convenience stores, truck
stops, sandwich shops and places like that. Of course
they have to go through the permit process, but that is
normal for starting up a business. Some people create
and bake treats for dogs and cats and sell them to pet
stores. These are also businesses that can involve your
older children. They can help with preparation and
clean-up. Teenagers can also learn bookkeeping and once
they get their drivers license can make deliveries if
necessary.
There are countless
products that can be marketed through home parties. It’s
not just for Avon and Tupperware anymore. Home
furnishings and decorations, candles, rubber stamps,
jewelry, children’s toys and clothing, and who knows
what I haven’t of are all options. This is popular with
moms who are home all day with kids and feel the need to
get out and have a conversation with another adult. They
schedule evening parties in other people’s homes. Their
husbands are home with the kids, and they are able to
socialize and make money at the same time. For many moms
this is just ideal.
Some people are
natural-born “cleanies.” They have figured out that
other people do not like to clean houses and offices and
are not much good at it either. So they come to the
rescue - for a price. Cleaning services do involve
leaving your home, which is what some people don’t want
to do, but if you have your own business, you are the
boss and to some extent can set your own hours. One
parent can work day hours and one parent can work night
hours. If you have teenagers, again you can involve them
in the business, both in labor and paperwork.
Some people are
naturally organized and can sell their skill to those
who are “challenged.” You would again have to leave your
home, but you can set appointments for while your kids
are in school and not make appointments on days when
they have after-school activities that you quit work so
you could attend. This too can be a great business for
the right person to run from their home.
You could also turn your
home into your business by converting part of it to a
bed-and-breakfast. This would require permits and a
check with zoning laws and all that. To succeed, you
would also have to have the gift of hospitality as well
as many of the skills necessary for the other businesses
mentioned above. But if you like meeting new people and
would enjoy opening up your home - for a price - then
maybe you should look into it.
There are many, many
other options including telecommuting, letter writing,
teaching sign language to moms and babies,
proof-reading, website and graphics design, greeting
card design and verse writing, and on and on and on!
Now what about that
internet part? Many businesses - even small local ones -
find they do better if they have a website. Websites can
be put up and hosted for surprisingly little money. Some
internet companies offer products that can be sold to
customers you acquired through some of the
above-mentioned businesses. For instance, if you use a
particular “green” cleaning product, maybe your daycare
parents or the people who work in the offices you clean
would be interested. Market your business on your
website and market your website to your customers. Print
and offer coupons. Put your website on the traffic
exchanges. There are even ones where you can earn while
you surf! Talk about easy money - and you are earning
exposure for your site, too!
