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The Top 10 Ways to Earn Money at HomeYou do not have to
read many success stories before you start wishing you could work for
yourself. The opportunity to be your own boss and the potential for high
income are enough to entice us to venture on our own. But what can you do?
What kind of business would you be suitable to start? We have compiled the
top 10 ways to earn money at home, enough to be a full-time self-employed
businessperson!
1. Antiques
The buying and selling of antiques has been and
should continue to be a very productive business, financially, for those
that do it. Here, you only need an extra room in the house, or the use of
your garage -- and you have an office! If you have a large home that has
some antique furnishings, you might consider turning it into a showroom
for your antique acquisitions and sales, providing you satisfy any local
zoning regulations. The interest in antiques will survive into the
foreseeable future. Many people choose to spend their free time on the
weekends "antiquating" from place to place to try and pick up a few odds
or ends and maybe a jewel or two. If you know anything about antiques,
this may be a great opportunity for you.
2. Baking
Have you ever
been told that you have a recipe that people would line up to get if they
could? Ever had anyone tell you that you should be selling those cupcakes
you make? There are a number of success stories about people who have
launched successful businesses by cooking at home and then marketing to
local people first. You may specialize in on just one well-tried and
tested food product; or you may innovate on a product that you created
yourself and which has never been marketed before. Having perfected the
recipe you then turn to packaging and marketing. Word of mouth on a good
product may start to get restaurants or bakeries interested in acquiring
your culinary masterpieces. Then you progress to selling them statewide
and you're on your way to a profitable home-based business.
3.
Bed-and-Breakfast Proprietors
Have you ever stayed in a bed and
breakfast and thought, "Hey, I can do this!" You probably went on vacation
and simply chalked your thought up as one of those pipedreams one gets
when they stay in a beautiful spot. Don't toss that thought away! While
it's not easy work as the hours can be long and it's usually a seven days
per week business, it's often something that you can work into a daily
schedule. After all, it's merely an extension of doing the housework for
family, right? More and more Americans are taking after Europeans and
opening their homes to travelers. If you have an extra room or two since
the kids moved out, you can start a bed and breakfast in your own place!
Bed and breakfast popularity will continue as more and more vacationers
and business travelers seek a different accommodation away from the
predictability of the average hotel room. If they enjoy their stay, many
become "repeat" customers, coming back to the same familiar surroundings
time and again. If you don't need to do any major renovations in the house
to accommodate this type of establishment, you can be off and running with
very little money invested, other than advertising and some new "guest
room supplies". If your dream is to buy a bed and breakfast somewhere in a
vacation paradise, there are probably houses for sale that will work for
this purpose.
4. Childcare
Due to the financial pressures faced by
many families today, parents work outside of the home to bring in enough
income to pay daily living expenses. A single parent is obviously working
but all too often, both members of a two-parent family are in the
workforce. This creates a home-based opportunity. Children must be
watched, all day if they're not in school, or, otherwise, for a brief time
after school before the parents finish work for the day. Most parents want
their children immersed in a more stimulating environment than is usual
with the average babysitter. You can begin small at home, offering a more
stimulating and educational environment setting for client children.
Caring for one additional child may not be that lucrative, but taking care
of several children can certainly be a full-time, financially successful
business. Often, taking care of several children is made somewhat easier
as the youngsters often will play together. You can do this at home for
only a small investment in basic equipment and toys for the kids in
addition to the advertising of your business.
5. Computer
Specialist
The advent of the computer age has changed the concept of
self-employment. Having a computer at home has opened a number of
opportunities for running your own business utilizing this equipment.
Companies everywhere are "outsourcing" work that can be done by someone
else on their computer, out of their own home. If you are a whiz in
computers, you may end up working as a consultant, writing programs for
companies. If you are a beginner, you may find yourself able to obtain
work as a writer, using your computer to produce copy that is easy to
edit. You can also keep accounting and payroll records for companies on
your computer's database. Word processing software can be used not only
for writers but for those that can offer secretarial services out of their
house. Desktop publishing software can allow you to do newsletters for
businesses and other organizations. If you can operate a computer, you can
find work in the information age today. Of course, the advent of the Web
has opened a lot of business opportunities for the enterprising
individuals. If you have skills in lay-outing and graphic design, you can
be a website designer. Website designers earn significant amounts of money
nowadays.
6. Gardening
If you like working in your garden each year
, it's a definite possibility for home-based employment. Imagine clearing
a little more space and growing more items that you can sell directly to
the consumer. You can produce vegetables, bedding plants, bonzai tree,
exotic plants, flower trees, herb, house plants, landscaping plants,
orchids and many more. Most produce stands will buy from you if your
product is one of high quality. If you enjoy gardening, this could be your
ticket! If you have some more land to use, do it! Plant what you can, when
you can! Contact your local produce stands to ascertain their buying
habits. You can even inquire about your own produce stand if you have
enough product. The more space you have on your land, the more likely you
will be able to generate enough crops to run the business. People love
homegrown vegetables. They just do not have the time or want to be
bothered doing it themselves. That is your open door! You can also engage
in selling other gardening products and supplies such as compost,
earthworms, herb boxes, beneficial bugs, or drip irrigation systems.
7. Importer and Distributor
There are a substantial number of
products manufactured in other countries that can be bought inexpensively
and sold in your country at a profitable level. The Government and the
formation of international trade organizations have made it easier to
bring in other products from other countries. This is a business easily
operated out of the home, depending on the types of stock you're carrying.
You may have to rent some storage space, but the capital required to start
should essentially be limited to the products you're buying to sell here.
If you know the type of product you want to import and the market most
likely to purchase your goods, you have great potential for a successful
home-based business.
8. Interior Decorator
Interior decorating is a
business that will require you to be mobile, constantly meeting with
customers. It offers flexible hours, a good variety of activities, and a
very lucrative return. If you have a fascination for decorating a home,
this could be your line of work. Many people do not know where to start
when they are remodeling or buying a house for the first time. If you have
the knowledge of colors and patterns and what looks good together, plus
the expertise of knowing where to get materials and furnishings, this can
be a winning home-based business for you. To be able to decorate a room so
that it conveys the mood that the homeowner wishes will be your goal.
Strive for the skillful, personal touch in all you design.
9.
Photographer
The sky is the limit here! Armed with your trusty camera
and some good advertising, you can do weddings, models, family portraits,
passports, student photos, local newspaper coverage; almost anything that
requires a picture! You can easily start this work, part-time, and work
into full-time work based on your success and inclination. Not much
equipment is necessary to get going as a camera off the store shelf can
often do the trick today. Picking up a tripod and having a room sufficient
for developing your pictures, and you're in business -- at home!
10.
Sewing and Alterations
Many people love to sew. If you are one of them,
consider offering this service out of your home. When someone buys a new
outfit, it rarely fits perfectly, meaning some kind of alteration must be
done. People look long and hard to find reliable individuals to do their
alterations. If you can sew, you are well on your way to opening the doors
of this type of business.
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