The idea of working at home is not a new one. For many years moms have engaged in all sort s of things to make a little extra money, regardless of their current marital status. Although Tupperware parties and Avon sales are still good ways to up the bottom line, the internet has allowed for income and careers that previously didn’t even exist.
There are a few tricks to be a successful work at home mom. You need to be able to manage your time effectively, and choose a job or career that you enjoy. The job that you find needs to fit into your needs.
If you have young children, then doing call center work from home might not be appropriate. On the other hand, if your hearing is not what it should be or you hate spelling, you might not be an ideal candidate for any type of transcription job.
There are quite literally hundreds of different things you can do from home. But is it for you? I work from home as a freelance writer, and most of the time I love it. However; sometimes I feel like I’m going to go crazy if I have to look at the walls one more time. And sometimes you miss the camaraderie of hanging out with your co-workers near the water cooler, or meeting new friends at the time-clock.
Sales From Home
There is a reason that Mary Kay, Avon, and other similar companies have been around as long as they have, and done as well as they have in that time. They are still in existence because many people have made a lot of money with them over the years. You might do well in this industry if you’re good with people, enjoy sales, and don’t mind participating in at home-parties to sell your product. These are typically commission based employment, so the more product that you sell, the more money you make.
Something to keep in mind if you’re interested in sales, is that you are usually required to make an initial investment. This means that you are actually a small business owner, instead of an employee somewhere, and will probably effect your tax burden.
Call Center Jobs
As employment costs escalate, many call centers have turned to hiring people to work from home. This will usually lower their own costs, because the workers they hire are usually required to maintain their own computers and will often make less per hour than the employees at their brick and mortar centers.
Many of the moms who choose to work from home find that although they are performing the same jobs as they would in the call center, they are not considered employees of the company, and are not entitled to benefits. They also find that they have to budget for the payment of state and federal income taxes, because since they are not actual employees they do not have them deducted from their checks.
Ebay, Auctions, and Craigslist
The creation of Ebay in 1995 gave millions of moms a way to work from home, on their own time, and in their own way. Whether you are only on Ebay to sell your the clothes and toys that your kids have outgrown, or you are actively seeking out things at garage sales and flea markets to re-sell, Ebay is a way to make money pretty quickly. Amazon works in a similar manner, but with both of these, you do have the risk of having people bid on and win your auction, but not pay at the end. Craigslist can provide an even faster sale, and will not charge a listing fee. It is important to think about what you need, and how much of a profit you’re expecting when you decide where you’ll be listing your items.
You always have the option of listing items on Craigslist, and if they don’t sell quickly enough, then list them in an auction.
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is something that a lot of moms dream about, but relatively few realize they can actually do. The internet is an ever changing and always evolving source of information. As such, there is always a need for accurate, well-written information, and single moms are meeting that need all over the country. If you have basic word-processing software, an understanding of the written word, and enjoy writing, you could produce inter content. http://www.textbroker.com/ is an excellent resource for the new writer, and provides feedback as well as a variety of topics to write about. You will usually be paid per word, so good typing skills is vital to your success.
Transcription
Transcription involves typing the recorded conversations of others. General transcription requires you to type really fast, but otherwise you may be able to do it without any extra training. Legal and Medical Transcription generally require you to either have a few months experience or training. It is not unusual for companies to require a six hour turnaround of their materials.
There are a lot of other jobs that you can do from home. One important thing to remember is that employers should pay you to work. Anyone requiring an application, start-up, or materials fee is probably not going to be legitimate. The exception to that is that some companies, particularly call centers or anyone that allows you access to banking information, may ask you to pay for a background
check.
A variety of websites exist to help you find the job or jobs that will be best for you. My favorite forum that I refer to on a regular basis ( and that has some really great contributors) is http://www.wahm.com. I refer to it regularly to check on new job leads and have found it to be an invaluable resource. It could take a while to get started in your endeavour. As single moms, you probably should try not to quit your regular job until you’re sure that working from home works for you, and that the job you get is one you’ll like to keep. There is a lot of competition for these types of jobs, so you will almost always need to spend a lot of time looking for the perfect career before you find it. And if you find that your new job is not what you expected, keep in mind how nice it is to work in your pajamas ans see more of your kids. That always seems to make my day easier!
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