By: Tammy Embrich

First of all…let me just say you can honestly make money online. It is a real possibility…and there are lots of opportunities available to you. It’s just a matter of knowing what you would like to do.

I started searching for a work at home job as additional income from my brick and mortar job back in 1999. I was working full time as a floral designer. I enjoyed it, but I was hoping to supplement my income. Unfortunately, I had stumbled upon a couple of those ad typing schemes, and yes, fell for them…just like many others have done. I was totally unaware of the whole concept of it all. I did however, finally learn my lesson.

The sad part of it is…a lot of these scammers are still getting away with it! Many of them have been shut down by the FTC–Federal Trade Commision. But, new ones keep coming up everyday.

I want to take this opportunity to warn people that are searching for honest work they can do from home. These (so called) home typing jobs, ad placing schemes, data entry jobs, or whatever you want to call them are all scams. They charge you for your registration just so you can place ads all over the Internet to get people to join in to do the very same thing. Never pay for a work at home job. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.

Example 1: For a customer service job, a lot of the time, you are required to purchase a headset in order to do the job.

Example 2: For a transcription job, you are most likely required to purchase a foot pedal to do the job.

Example 3: Sometimes you are required to pay a small fee for a background check.

These are all normal fees and come from legitimate work from home companies.

Other than the above examples…you should not have to pay for working at home. If there are other charges, then most likely, they are scams. Stay away from them.

Beyond my search for additional income, I have made a fair amount of cash on a select few of some affiliate programs. I have also met some great online friends along the way.

Throughout my endeavors, I realized I had to take this work at home situation a little more seriously. My Mother was diagnosed with cancer and I had to quit my job in order to take her back and forth to her chemo therapy treatments and to her doctor appointments. During this time, I had decided to start a website of my own. An online friend helped me get it set up. I have learned a great deal since then and have enjoyed every minute of it.

I quickly discovered that I could earn money with my website through Google Adsense, advertising space, and affiliate programs. I also discovered that there were real telecommute jobs that you could do online. Customer service, transcription, admin assistant, and the like.

This is where I found my niche. I could finally offer something viable to the work at home job searcher. Ironically, job leads such as these that are offered on both my work from home websites is what I’ve been searching for all these years…an honest way to earn an income from home.

But, I was already earning some income with my website. I was enjoying keeping it updated and adding new things to it. So, I made a choice…I decided to stick with my website and continue to offer the public job leads, business articles, business tips, and more.

There have been many ups and downs and many times I’ve come real close to giving it all up. A lot of people have given me some sarcastic remarks…even members of my own family (including my husband). But, I’ve learned so much by trial and error about marketing and I know what works and what doesn’t work for me.

“Work at home jobs” is one of the most searched out phrases people search for on the Internet. Home jobs are in big demand, and I believe they will be for a long time to come. I’m witnessing more and more Mothers as well as Fathers working from home today. The greatest benefit is of course being able to be at home with your family, and especially your children.

I feel good about what is offered on my sites. And the really awesome part about it all, I enjoy it.

And now, even my husband gives me his full support at what I do. No more laughing, no more remarks…as he finally saw what kind of income can be made online.

If you’ve been wanting to work from home, the truth is, you can! There are many, many options available to you. You can find telecommute jobs, affiliate programs, blogging jobs, and still more. You can even start your own online business. Consider these options carefully and make for sure you choose something that you will enjoy doing for the long run. Your success depends on it.

Article Written By: Tammy Embrich

Tammy is an Internet marketer and the owner of Work At Home Opportunities and Real Work At Home Jobs.

Tammy’s two work at home websites focus on free telecommute job leads, articles, and more.

By: Tammy Embrich

If you’re new to the World Wide Web, then this can be an overwhelming choice for you to make.

First of all…you need to to be aware upfront, the differences of a work at home job and a work at home business. All too often newbie Internet surfers that want to work from home does not distinguish between the two. Let me tell you…there is a significant difference! And I think it should be addressed. But, I’ll get to that in a bit.

Everyday I see individuals on forums that are desperately searching for a way to earn money from home. And when they are asked what they would be interested in pursuing, they don’t have a clue…except that they want to earn “instant cash.”

Well, the hard truth is there is no such thing as “earning instant cash” online. If there were, everyone would be following suit.

Right? Hopefully the above statement gets a unanimous vote. You can search all you want, and you won’t find such an opportunity.

So now, let’s explore the differences of a “job” and a “home business” and the fees involved.

A “job” is when you are hired by an employer or company to perform specific duties in return for a set hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly wage. Usually you are required to have specific skills and/or experience, and will be asked to supply a resume. Routinely, an interview will follow to determine if you are fit for the job.

Sometimes you will find a position where there is no experience required. And you will be trained or you will have to take an online test. It all depends on the employer or company.

There should not be any fees required for a job…except for a few instances.

For example: Sometimes a headset is required for customer service positions. Or, a foot pedal is required for transcription positions. Also, there may be a background check with a minimal fee attached. These fees are all normal and necessary in order to acquire the requested position. You are paid as long as you complete the job to the employer’s expectations and satisfaction.

Here are some examples of online jobs:

1. Customer Service

2. Data Entry

3. Admin Assistant

4. Transcription/Medical Transcription

5. Tutoring

6. Blogging or Writing Jobs

A “home business” is a whole other situation…

With a “home business”…your success depends on sales. And for the most part, it takes a lot of patience, motivation, and hard work, as well as initial fees to get one set up and get off the ground. The fee amounts will depend on your particular situation and needs.

Here are some examples of home businesses:

1. You may have a particular craft skill and desire to sell products created by you.

2. You may have a passion for scrapbooking and wish to start a scrapbooking business.

3. You may have graphic design skills and would like to start a business in graphic design.

4. You love web design and have the required skills to start a web design business.

5. You may want to become an associate or a distributor for businesses such as, Watkins, Tupperware, Avon, Ameriplan, etc.

There are many options available to you…the possibilities are substantially endless.

However, there will be various factors you will need to take into consideration:

Do you have the readily available funds to start and run your business?

Do you have the funds for purchasing the appropriate insurance (if needed, it may not be required for your particular situation)?

Do you have the knowledge of web design for creating a website?

How do you intend on promoting your business?

As you can see, there are lots of variables there for you to think about.

With a business, you MUST have a passion for the products/services you promote and sell. If you don’t love what you are doing, then it’s highly unlikely that you will succeed.

Bottom line:

With a home “job” you are an employee and are paid set wages for performing specific duties.

With a home “business” you are paid for the products or services you promote and sell.

With either option, there are good possibilities of earning an income from home.

So now, you have an important decision to make for yourself. You need to determine what it is you would really like to do and would also continue to enjoy doing. Weigh in the variables, make an informed decision, and go for it!

Whatever decision you make, I wish you much success.

Article Written By: Tammy Embrich

Tammy is an Internet marketer and is the owner of Work At Home Opportunities and Real Work At Home Jobs.

Tammy’s two work at home websites focus on free telecommute job leads, articles, and more.

By: Audrey Okaneko

Today, more than ever before, parents want to stay home with their young children. Many of these same families invest money in a personal computer and now want that computer to produce an income for them.

You can use your computer to produce an income, however the computer is only a business tool, much like a pen or pencil are each a business tool.

This article will explore five ways with which you can use your computer to aid you in producing an income from home.

Affiliate Marketing – Ten years ago, no one had heard this term. Today, it’s the rage. So what exactly is affiliate marketing? Well, let’s break down the two words. Affiliate means to be “attached” or “associated” with. Marketing means to sell. So, let’s say you are an affiliate for Walmart. You would be “attached” or “associated” with them. In other words you form a relationship with them, where you sell their products and they pay you a commission. Walmart is just one of the thousands of companies that allow you to join as an affiliate. When someone clicks the Walmart link on your page and makes a purchase you earn. As of this writing, the commission structure for this one company is between 5% and 12%. Not bad for having someone click through and buy. Keep in mind, you’ll need visitors to your site in order to find folks who want to click your ad. But this is what affiliate marketing is all about.

Virtual Assistant – This is yet another phrase that 10 years ago, no one had heard of. A virtual assistant is similar to an administrative assistant, the difference being the work is done at home, not in office. Here is just a partial list of what virtual assistants are hired to do:

Word Processing
Data Entry
Article Submission
Proof Reading
Ad Placing
Data Entry
Document Production
Business Card Design
Flyer Design
Letter Writing

These are all services you can offer via your computer and can complete using your computer. Many women I know have gone into virtual assisting as it’s very flexible for those with children.

Writer – More and more folks today are becoming freelance writers. People are writing poetry, short stories, magazine articles and ebooks. I own at least a dozen ebooks. Some were given to me as gifts, some were free and some were purchased. I actually have an ebook I’m working on right now. There are now article sites online that pay you for your articles.

Medical Billing and Bookkeeping – Many women today have bookkeeping and billing services they run right out of their home. Keep in mind that bookkeeping and billing are the lifeline to any business, so business owners will not place this job into the hands of someone without experience. If you have experience in billing or bookkeeping consider purchasing the latest software and marketing your services to small businesses. Check help wanted ads for part time bookkeeper jobs in your local area. Market your services. Offer to come in once a week, while doing the remainder of your work at home.

Sell on ebay- This is one avenue that many sellers have chosen because of the name brand. Ebay is known world wide. You can sell literally anything on ebay. I have purchased crochet patterns which were nothing more than pages ripped out of a magazine. However I wanted the pattern and so I was willing to pay the price. I’ve purchased scrapbook supplies. I’ve purchased multi line phones for work. My daughter has sold products on ebay. She has visited garage sales and then resold those wares. She has purchased items on sale with coupons in stores and then sold those items. There are no limits on the items you can sell on ebay.

These are just 5 ways you can put your computer to work for you and make money at home with the use of your computer. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can do to earn an income.

About The Author

Audrey Okaneko has worked at home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.recipe-barn.com.

 By: Jill Hart

Work-at-home moms face many different challenges. From learning to accept help when needed, to building confidence in ourselves, to remembering the reasons why we chose to work from home. Below is the first in a series of tips to help work-at-home moms in the simplest of ways – the ABC’s.

A = Adjustments. A work at home mom must expect the unexpected. She must be prepared to adjust her schedule at any given moment for any number of reasons - a sick child, a backed up drain, or an upset client. A mom who learns to welcome these moments as a chance to show love to her family and concern for her clients will be ahead of the game in the end. Approach these “interruptions” with a great attitude and see what a difference it makes.

B = Better. Works at Home Moms have to be on top of their game. To run a business as well as manage a household takes determination and scheduling. You may not feel like you have a schedule, but take a look at your day/week and see how you are spending your time. Next, think about what you can do better, what you can delegate and what would be better off removed from your schedule to allow you to spend your time in a better manner.

C = Confidence. You wouldn’t be a work at home mom without it. Take time to celebrate each success no matter how minute it may seem. Each success will help grow your confidence and turn you into a savvier businesswoman.

D = Dry - Don’t let things dry up. Keep content fresh, offer new products and services whenever possible. This will keep you motivated and keep customer returning.

E = Effort - Don’t kid yourself. It takes a TON of effort to make a home-based business successful. Don’t give up with thing get rough. Keep plugging away - it will pay off

F = Feisty - Every work at home mom has to be at least a tad bit feisty. Stand up for your business when need be - don’t be afraid to say no when necessary.

G = Generosity - When I fist began my business I sought advice from many successful work-at-home moms. One of the best pieces of advice I received was that what I gave to others would come back tenfold. I’ve found that to be very true. Helping others is as much a blessing to me as it is to others.

H = Help - There will come a time that you’ll need help. You must be willing to accept it, to allow others to do for you what you cannot. In turn, try to be a help to other when they are in need.

I = If - If you don’t do it, who will? Mothering is such an important role that gets overlooked so often these days. Always remember that being there for your children is the BEST gift you can ever give them.

J = “Just for you” - Take a little time to do something just for you each day. Even 5 minutes of doing something you enjoy can revive a tired mommy.

K = Keep - Keep your chin up. It will get better. Don’t let a lag in business growth get you down. Find some creative ways to get the ball rolling again.

L = Laugh - Take time to laugh with you kids each day. And don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself when need be.

M = Mommy - Remember, the reason you do all that you do is for those little ones who call you “Mommy.”

Working from home can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. By keeping things in perspective we can reduce the stress that we put on ourselves. Remember these ABC’s and you’ll go far in your work-at-home career.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Hart is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings, due out in November 2006 for Christian moms who want to work at home. Hart and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children.

By: S. Mcintyre

Back in my days when I worked in retail for a number of years I wished I had a job where I would evaluate sales associates on their customer service skills. We had comment cards available to all our shoppers if they chose to comment about our service, but it wasn’t quite the same thing because once the shopper filled out the comment card it was given back to the sales associate to hand in at the end of the day with the cash deposits. One day I overheard the supervisor say to one sales associate she was secretly shopped! It was the first time I’ve heard of mystery shopping.

What is Mystery Shopping?
A lot of retailers hire marketing research companies to anonymously evaluate their employees for quality of service. Mystery shoppers are given instructions on what is required for their assignments. This involves going to ABC Store and making a purchase or ordering a particular food item/s. It doesn’t stop there; as part of an assignment, one may have to check the cleanliness of a restroom. The mystery shopper will make mental notes and are required to fill out a form to report the experience. Most times the shopper will be reimbursed and can keep the product.

If Mystery Shopping is something you’re interested in pursuing then here are ten tips to help you get started.

1. You should never have to pay for a list of mystery shopping companies. You can find a list for free.

2. Legitimate companies don’t charge an application fee and many accept applications online. In most circumstances many companies are free to join, but if a company offers different types of membership, for example, free and paid make sure it is a legitimate company before you pay.

3. You may be required to have the following equipment scanner, printer or fax machine to submit receipts or payment invoices.

4. Visit the Mystery Shoppers Providers Association (MSPA) at http://www.mysteryshop.org. Here you can search for assignments and mystery shopping companies.

5. It’s known for companies to ask you to fill out a W9 form or issue a 1099 form for income tax purposes, provide your SSN/SSI or bank account/routing number, but don’t give out personal information to anyone unless you know for sure it is a legitimate and reputable company.

6. Make yourself available, but don’t overwhelm yourself with too many assignments.

7. It’s important to submit your reports in a timely manner. Make sure you make accurate reports and be specific.

8. Don’t bring children while you’re working unless it is specified in your assignment. Children can be a distraction and you want to be focused on completing your job as accurately as possible and small details are still important. Remember, it is a job.

9. Check the sites daily for new shop assignments.

10. Mystery shopping is a part-time job and a good extra income earner.

Before you go out and become a mystery shopper visit Volition.com because it will be worth your while and it is a great resource for mystery shoppers in obtaining information on legitimate and not so legitimate companies, job openings, and other topics related to mystery shopping.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

S McIntyre owns Work At Home Space, a free work at home resource offering telecommuting jobs, daily job leads, articles, business resources and other work at home related issues. You can also visit her blog Healthy Perspectives, featuring an array of health topics, nutrition, fitness and recipes for maintaining a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.