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This is a guest post by reader Marie.
Is working at home possible – orjust a dream many of us have? Here are tips to capitalize on your own special interests and talents, and avoid home-based work scams.
How do you separate the true work opportunities from the scams? The biggest indication of a scam is that bogus opportunities will ALWAYS ask for some type of money upfront. A genuine work opportunity will never require you to cough up a fee for information.
Some years ago, a hard-up friend responded to a newspaper advertisement asking for a $25 check for information on profitable home-based work. After her check cleared from her account, she received the promised information. The letter instructed her to place the identical newspaper advertisement and collect checks sent to her!
Most good home-based jobs require a high-speed Internet connection and a dedicated land line. Home-based word processing or tutoring jobs require strong word processing skills or in-depth knowledge to tutor a language or skill.
Don’t hesitate to put out your own feelers. Contact temporary agencies to apply for word processing jobs. Want to tutor math to college students? Call the math department of your local college and ask them to put your offer on their notice board. If that fails to get results, you can call the college newspaper and insert a paid advertisement for your tutoring services. Persistence usually pays off.
Many companies, like 1-800-flowers begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-flowers end_of_the_skype_highlighting, hire home-based workers to take calls and orders. To apply for home-based work, go to AlpineAccess.com. Pay is usually about $9 an hour, but ask about incentives and benefits too.
There are also home-based jobs you can apply for directly from your neighbors. Create a flyer to drop off at your neighbors’ homes advertising pet-sitting or home-sitting services. Rates vary, but $25/day is common for pet-sitting services. And once you get the first pet-sitting job, referrals can bring in many more.
In short, home-based jobs are as close as your creativity and imagination. Pluck up your courage and away you go!
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
I have worked from home for 6+ years as a full time 40+hour a week employee with full benefits. My computer is work provided, my internet is reimbursed and I go into the office (which is 5 miles away) an average of once a year. I would not trade it for anything! The tradeoff is that I can’t be promoted to a supervisory role unless I choose to work in the office, but while my kids are growing up, this is totally worth it. Many companies have realized that at home employees tend to be more productive and are happier. It does take a certain amount of self discipline and the ability to ignore distractions, so it isn’t for everyone.
I have been giving the idea of retiring from my full-time job as a “clothing sample maker” and doing some independent work at home since I have all the machinery as a way of keeping busy and supplementing my social security. In case you weren’t aware a “clothing sample maker” is someone who makes (sews) the original clothes that models wear in the catalog shoots to show to potential customers. I’ve been sewing since I was 14 so I’ve learned a little in the past 60+ years. Whenever someone finds out what I do they immediately want me to make them a custom outfit. So I don’t think I would have a problem staying busy, maybe too busy, but like many things I enjoy the work, but I’m not sure I would care for all the paperwork and reports for tax purposes, etc. I look forward to hearing what others are thinking.
@chi Wow! What a cool talent. I bet you have some interesting and valuable information about where those samples end up? Maybe you could find a way to buy them and sell them. I’ve gotten some really neat pieces at sample sales. I’d walk a mile to a one-of-a-kind sample sale if the prices were right. Just a thought.
Hm.. making money at home has sometimes really been so difficult; most of the time I get some books and get money from those. although they are extremely expensive! Trying to make money without any sort of job experience is even harder. Some things is just useless, however this post surprisingly helped me out. Great Info! 🙂