Thoughts on Working from Home

Hank asks:

 

Hello. I was wondering if you can do a column or post on legit home-based
businesses.

 

Well, first of all, what I'm about to say is probably not what you are looking to hear. Working from home is not easy. While telecommuting in general has risen in popularity, many who telecommute first worked in an office setting and then, after gaining the blessing of their supervisors, moved some or all of their job to their home. That being said, here are some ideas of things that you could do from home. Perhaps our readers will have more ideas.

 

Everyone has at least one subject where they know more than anyone else. Why not offer consulting services over the phone or via an online chat platform like Skype.

 

Similarly, if you're a good writer, you could publish electronic books (Ebooks) on subjects where you are an expert. Clickbank is perhaps the most popular site for helping you publish your material online. Even if you aren't an expert in an area, careful research could yield you some promising results.

 

If you prefer to write shorter articles, try a site like Associated Content. They pay a few dollars for articles, stories, or reviews on just about any subject. If you run or have thought about running a blog, you could rework some of your blog posts and submit them for cash.

 

One of the most popular businesses to run from home is buying and selling merchandise. In many cases, you could buy items in bulk and then resell them on sites like EBay or Amazon Marketplace. This probably works best if you stick to a nitch market, such as GPS receivers or handbags.

 

As a general rule, don't pay money for any home-based business opportunity. These are generally scams or pipe dreams. While their claims about getting rich may be true, they are likely very hard to attain and much of the information that is being sold is freely available.

 

There are many other ways to make money at home. Some companies, especially those with a strong online presence, will hire remote technical support or customer service representatives. The online bargain shopping site Dealnews, for example, has advertised for remote dealwriters paying $9 an hour. Find an area that you're interested in and start searching.

 

as I said, working from home isn't easy, but it certainly is possible, with the right motivation.