Work-at-Home Opportunities: Upcoming Series

I ran this Work-at-Home series a year or so ago, but thought this would be a good time to re-run this series.  Each day this week, I'll introduce a different type of work-at-home adventure including:  

• Direct Selling
• Online Selling
• Virtual Assistants
• Online/Paid Surveys

If you would like to see another Work-at-home opportunity highlighted here or would like to write a guest post, please contact me.

I get asked (A LOT) by moms who want to earn some extra money, but don't want to sacrifice the precious time we have to spend with our children. 

Many SAHMs (stay-at-home moms) are finding that living on one income is even harder than ever and, now, SAHMs exploring telecommuting opportunities to help ease these difficult times.
Deciding to become a WAHM (work-at-home mom) can be a tough decision with so many questions... How will I work while raising my children? How will I get everything done? What kind of work will I do? Where do I begin?
 
Why Telecommute? Not only will you be saving gas money, you are readily available to your family when you are working from home. You can deduct business expenses from your taxes and, often times, you can set your own hours. More and more companies are looking for telecommuters, since it saves them money in the long run.

What kind of work can I do? A quick Google search online and you'll soon discover a plethora of WAH jobs. Finding a WAH opportunity that fits in with your schedule is quite easy. Finding an opportunity that you will actually enjoy just takes a bit more thought. Ask yourself this question: What am I skilled at (crafts, people, organizing, computers, etc.)? If you're a people-person, you might consider becoming a consultant for a well-known company selling products to earn a commission. If you're crafty, you might consider selling you products online. If you're tech-savvy, you might offer your skills to entrepreneurs or small business owners in your area. Whatever your skill set, I firmly believe in the old adage: If you do what you love, success will surely follow.

How will I juggle everything? Structure, Structure, Structure. Working from home requires a huge amount of self-discipline. Have a plan for your "work" hours and try to organize family time around that. It's important, especially for children, to know that this transition won't affect your family time. Likewise, if you have small children at home, setting up a routine that includes structured play time and planning your workload around naptimes will allow for the easiest transition.

Will I have to pay anything upfront? When I began on my search, I noticed a disturbing trend..."a one-time start up fee." Are these people serious? They actually want me to pay them so I can get a job? Nothing about that sounds right, and it isn't. Any WAHM will tell you that you shouldn't have to pay anything to get a job!

Whether you want to work full-time or part-time, there are many opportunities for those who want to telecommute. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll explore a range of Work-at-Home opportunities as well as provide some valuable resources to get you started on a path that's right for your family.

FREE Telecommuting Job Search Resources:

1. Monster.com - Search for jobs in your area or by 'telecommute'
2. Craigslist - Once you click on a job field, you can select 'Telecommute.' Dont just stick with your city, since you're telecommuting you can work with anyone anywhere.
3. Guru.com - You supply a quote for various projects and work as a freelancer.
4. DoMyStuff - Some telecommuting opportunities and other jobs from people in your area
5. Simply Hired - Type in keyword 'Telecommute'
6. Career Builder - Browse through Telecommuting jobs

Stay tuned for some legit Work-at-Home possibilities coming up this week!