Archive for the ‘Home Business’ Category

Being a freelancer and working from home gives you the freedom to set your own hours, avoid the rush-hour commute, and even work in your pajamas. Working outside of a corporate environment might make you the envy of your friends, but it’s important to remember that freelancing begets a high level of financial responsibility. While most employers take taxes out of paychecks and cover a percentage of health insurance costs, freelancers are not afforded this opportunity. Thankfully, there are deductions you can take to soften the blow of expenses that eat into your freelancing income.

1. Security system

Since you’ll be working from home, consider investing in an ADT security system. The installation of such will help protect your property and can even reduce your home insurance costs. Keeping your home, apartment, or condo safe is important, especially if you’ll be working alternate hours (e.g., late in the evening) or working alone. You’ll also want to make sure the office equipment you’ve purchased is safeguarded, especially in your absence during meetings or conferences.

2. Home expenditures

Working out of your home reduces your tax liability because you will be able to subtract a percentage of your household expenses. Understand, however, that you must have a designated office space in your house to qualify. You don’t need to add an addition on your house complete with wingback chairs and all-walnut furniture, but the IRS will expect something more than a card table in your foyer. You will be able to write off the square footage of your office space, as well as a portion of your water, electricity, heating/cooling, and telephone bills.

3. Health insurance

Medical expenses, such as doctor bills and health insurance premiums, are a high expense for everyone. Freelancers, in particular, often pass on insurance coverage because they can’t afford monthly premiums. Thankfully, as a self-employed person, you can write off 100% of your medical expenses and reduce your tax liability. Be sure to keep records of payments made to your insurance provider, and request an itemized list of expenses from your doctors to make your life easier at tax time.

4. Business equipment

Every piece of equipment you purchase for your freelance business, including computers, printers, ink, paper, pens, stamps, and envelopes, are eligible write-offs. Create a folder or spreadsheet at the beginning of each tax year. Deposit receipts into the folder and enter dollar amounts into your spreadsheet. This is a simple and effortless way of keeping record of all your business expenses and maximizing your return.

5. Travel expenses

Did you travel to attend a business seminar, meet with a client, or set up shop at a trade show? It doesn’t matter how you reached your destination – bus, train, car, or airplane. Expenses associated with your travels, such as tickets, fuel, car rentals, and mileage can be deducted.

You may need to do some research with the IRS to determine which expenses are permitted – for instance, that new plasma TV might raise an eyebrow or two if you can’t prove it’s necessary for your business – but many expenses are IRS-authorized. Once you’ve done the groundwork to start your career as a freelancer, just keep an eye out for allowable expenses that can help you breathe a little easier when it’s time to review your 1099s.

Danielle has been freelancing under the security of ADT for a year and makes the occasional cross-country trip for business reasons. For once, she’s actually looking forward to tax time! Read her eatbreatheblog.com.

If you’re looking to work from home, Real Estate Licensing might be a good option.

While the housing market has taken a tumble in recent years, it’s soon expected to begin a gradual climb upwards as the economy and unemployment rates improve. When the housing market again begins to grow, there will be a great need for various real estate professionals to help guide buyers and sellers throughout the process.

Would Real Estate Licensing be a good fit for you? Check out the guidelines below and see if you’re cut out for the job!

The Job Description

Real Estate brokers and salespeople work with consumers who buy and sell property to keep them informed and protected during each stage of the buying and selling process.

The licensing agent works between the both the buyer and seller to moderate the process and ensure that the title transfers smoothly from one owner to the next. The agent is a resource for buyers and sellers during a process that can be harrowing and mystifying.

While the laws differ for each state for the amount of education needed, the classes can be completed online, in the comfort of your own home and at your convenience. Real estate licensing also includes room for growth and the ability to easily transition into being a Real Estate Agent or broker.

How To Get Started

While you do need to complete classes to work in real estate licensing, the skills are rewarding and transferrable to other fields. You may also have to renew your license yearly, as laws and markets in real estate tend to change quickly.

To get started, you’ll need to research the laws and requirements for becoming a real estate license agent in your state. The states differ on the laws, rules, regulations, education required, type of examination, difficulty of exam, and whether or not more courses are required for renewal each year.

With research completed, you should create an action list, with registering for classes at the forefront. Be sure to set aside any money needed for start up costs and plan to have an income for the time it takes you to complete the class. Since most classes are offered online, working while taking classes is easy to do.

Once you are a licensed agent, you can transition into other Real Estate positions and continue your career growth! It all starts with you!

Danielle has several friends who are real estate brokers that say their favorite part of the job is helping owners of commercial real estate keep their property records up to date, as well as assisting in finding tenants for the unused space. Read more of her work at eatbreatheblog.com.

By Corrie Petersen

No matter what type of business you run, when you have a family it’s hard to get everything done in a day. You have the family, the house, and your business to focus on each and every day and that makes it really hard. Even if you’re the best organizer in the world and you create a to-do list that’s really easy to follow, it will all seem impossible if you have too many things to get done.

One of the best ways to handle everything is to outsource what you can. When you eliminate certain tasks from your to-do list you’ll be able to accomplish everything you need to and at the end of the day your to-do list will be empty.

While a traditional way to outsource is to hire a Virtual Assistant to help you, here are some creative ways to outsource to your family and still feel good about everything you’re doing for them and your business.

Of course, this all depends on the age of your children or if you have any at all for that matter. For all practical purposes let’s say your children are in the tween to early teen years and that they don’t have a job outside of the home.

One of the easiest things to outsource to your children is housework. Not only is it a good idea for them to learn how to do certain things around the house, but it eliminates certain tasks from your to-do list and that will give you more time to do other things they can’t do for you.

I don’t know about you, but my children don’t mind doing things for me, but they do things without whining and complaining when there is money involved and if you think about it, you’re the same exact way, so paying them is the right thing to do. For this age group they can help with dishes, laundry, vacuuming, and dusting just to name a few; all of which take time, but are easy enough to do.

Growing a business from home is difficult enough as it is, but it’s not impossible when you involve the family. They can help with the chores around the house, leaving you time to grow your business. Not only will this give you more time to grow, but it will also give you more time to spend with your family and that’s what working at home is all about.

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She enjoys helping her clients reach their goals through the services she offers. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, click here to see how she can help you make that happen.

If you work at home and are looking to occasionally get out of the house and be paid for it, consider becoming a mystery shopper. There are many pros and cons to being a mystery shopper.

Pros:

You can do a lot of interesting things. While there are many mystery shopping assignments that require the shopper to go in the store and purchase something, there are many other mystery shopping assignments that ask for restaurant, nightclub and movie theater experiences.

Mystery shopping is also generally free to you. While you will have to pay for gas, parking fees, and gratuity, mystery shopping companies will pay for all items you are scheduled to shop for, as well as items that are not returnable. Most items that fall under the latter category include meals and admission fees.

Mystery shopping also can put a small bit of money in your pocket. Most mystery shopping assignments will pay around ten or twenty dollars apiece, while some special mystery shopping assignments might pay more.

Mystery shopping is also very flexible. Under most circumstances, you can pick and choose your own assignments. Some mystery shopping companies might have monthly assignment quotas you must fulfill in order to continue shopping with the company, but as long as you complete your quota, you can choose whatever assignments whenever you want. Want to shop during the weekends? No problem. Is shopping during the week easier for you and your family? Just sign up for weekday shopping assignments.

Another bonus to mystery shopping is that you can bring along a guest or significant other during many of your shops. If you want a nearly-free date night with a loved one, take them shopping with you. Your guest must not divulge the purpose of your visit or your identity, however. If your cover is blown, you will be dismissed from your company.

While mystery shopping sounds easy and great, there are a few drawbacks to doing it.

Cons:

There’s a bit of paperwork to do for the assignments. You have to fill out and submit reports as quickly as possible to your company. If you do not submit your paperwork to your company within 24 hours, you will not be paid or otherwise compensated for your work.

There are also many small fees to becoming a secret shopper. In many states, you have to be fingerprinted and submit fingerprint records, and in many states you have to obtain a Sheriff’s Card or other certification at cost.

As stated before, there are monthly assignment quotas. If you can’t fulfill these numbers, you will be dismissed by your shopping company. Therefore, it is important that you have the time to travel to and complete all of your shopping assignments.

If you’re working from home or are a stay-at-home mom, mystery shopping might be a good way to make a little extra money. While you will probably not make a living off of mystery shopping, it is a fun way to not have to pay for eating out or for some forms of entertainment.

About The Author

Sally tried mystery shopping once before and enjoyed her stint with it, but ultimately found that it wasn’t a good fit for her schedule. Instead, she prefers clipping coupons to save money and find deals at restaurants and stores. But that doesn’t mean it won’t work you for! Read her blog on active living and green lifestyles at Eat Breathe Blog

By Tammy Embrich

Typically a work at home professional uses a work schedule to get daily tasks completed. Are they really necessary? Does one make more money by checking off a to do list? It basically depends on lifestyle, your children and ages, your business needs, your family’s needs, and how much time you need to work.

Work at home schedules aren’t for everyone. Some people don’t even follow any set routine. They just get up each day knowing what needs to be done and gets working. And yet some desperately needs a daily routine to keep them on track and successfully checking things off as the day unfolds. I for one, fall in the latter category. I’m not naturally organized, so I significantly benefit from a work from home schedule.

Below is my typical work schedule for the week (updated for the new year)

Tasks I do daily… First thing in the morning and last thing I do before turning in for the night, I check all emails and website stats. I also do my job lead search and postings in the morning after emails. Twitter networking is also on my daily things to do (depending on how my day is going). Forum rounds, for the ones I help moderate and a few of my favorites.

Monday – Website updates and backups, article idea searches, writing (for my own submissions and sites, guest blogging, ghostwriting)

Tuesday – Blog updates and blog rounds, writing (for my own submissions and sites, guest blogging, ghostwriting)

Wednesday – I try to make it to most forums on my list, then if time allows, I do more writing.

Thursday – Article idea searches and writing.

Friday – I highlight the tasks that needs doing for the following week and check for any needed site updates. If time allows, more writing.

Evenings – Sometimes I work an hour or two, only if I feel like it or if needed. It’s usually just 1 or 2 nights during the week, give or take.

Weekends – I work on weekends ONLY if I absolutely need to. Otherwise my weekends are for family and me time.

I realize that the above type of schedule won’t work for everyone, as we are all unique and have various types of home businesses. For my business, I offer free work at home job leads and advice and this routine is ideal for me.

If you find yourself not getting things done (on time), you may benefit from a set schedule. Set one up that meets your individual needs. If you already have one and still find getting things done challenging, you may need to do some tweaking and also make a few lifestyle changes. I have a large desk calendar with ample space for listing tasks for each day of the week/month. It’s in front of me at all times and I try to plan out each week every Friday. This helps me out immensely and makes me feel more in control of my business.

Article Written By Tammy Embrich 

Tammy  is the founder of Work At Home Jobs, a free work at home resource website offering free job leads, work at home articles, home business ideas, and much more.

You can also visit Work At Home Articles for more work at home job leads, articles, and more.