By HBNinja
Unless you’ve been living in the subterranean caverns on the planet mars for the past 20+ years, you know that video games are a worldwide, multi billion dollar, industry phenomenon. There probably isn’t anywhere on the face of our planet where someone or somebody isn’t sitting in front of a television screen or computer monitor, glued to their seats, playing 3D video games. Of course most people think that only the big boys like Electronic Arts, Nintendo and Konami can create and produce top selling video games. After all, they have huge amounts of money for research, development and distribution of highly sophisticated, 3D video games to sell to their waiting public.
So what about the independent game maker, who creates video games in his bedroom for fun or just to distribute to his close friends via the internet or on CD. Perhaps you’re one of those independent gaming gurus that have the creativity and the smarts to create your own video game. Did you ever consider that those video games you spend countless hours creating in your bedroom might be an avenue to starting your very own home based video game company? Instead of giving them away, why not put up a website, sell your games as downloads and possibly make a nice sum of extra money in the process.
Now if you are an experienced computer programmer and you’ve created what you think are top notch video games, think about this--Sell your games for money! If you’ve never considered the thought of selling video games you have produced, now is the time. Even though you may not be producing a multi million dollar game title like Halo, you still, with a little bit of creativity and moxy, can come up with a great game title that may have the possibility of selling enough games to a potential worldwide video gamer customer base by marketing your games via the internet.
Now suppose you have no programming background and you don’t know the difference between Java, BASIC and C++. Can you still create your own video games to sell? Believe it or not, the answer is “Yes.” By using a video game creation software program called FPS Creator you can accomplish this seemingly impossible feat. FBS Creator is created and sold by The Game Creators, a company located in our long lost, former mother country, Great Britain. For a software program that required no programming skills, with FPS Creator you can create some very nice looking 3D video games that you can sell via the internet or on CD.
With FPS Creator you can create some really bang for your buck action/fantasy video games. For creating lap based racing car driving games, first person shoot ‘em up games, space invader type games and 3D kid’s type games, you might want to check out 3D GameMaker which is another programming already done for you type game creator. You can even be the star of your games by using their simple picture grabber that will enable you to place your face on the in-game characters. You get to create various levels with background locations that you create and build from , characters and enemies with over 500 3D objects and over 320 sounds.
For more advanced, skilled programmers The Game Creators also have a game development software program called Dark Basic. Dark Basic is for experienced programmers. With Dark Basic you can create incredible 3D video games that will play on your computer.
One thing that you should be aware of regarding 3D GameMaker is that in order to have unlimited license to sell as many copies of the video games your produce using their software, you are required to pay a Unlimited Prodcut CD License, which is quite costly. The price of the license is $500.00, which, as stated, allows you to sell an unlimited number of games created with The 3D GameMaker Software. Whether you sell over the internet, via a store or distribution network, the license fee remains the same.
To determine if the above software programs are for you, check out The Game Creator websites at http://www.thegamecreators.com/ and http://www.fpscreator.com/ as well as http://t3dgm.thegamecreators.com/?f=index plus http://darkbasicpro.thegamecreators.com/
The main problem is that once you have finished creating your game, the big question and obstacle is how to sell it. Check out Protexis, a company that could help distribute your independent video games.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Start A Home Based Learning-Tutoring Center
Do you have a special skill, expertise or knowledge of a subject that other people would like to learn? Are you good with people? A good speaker? Are you a natural born teacher at heart. If you have the above qualities, then you may be on the threshold of launching your own home based business. What business you ask? I’m talking about running a home based instructional class from your home or running an actual a series of home based classes taught in different homes in your local area that you act as the enrollment department for these self help or tutoring courses.
How does having certain marketable skills translate into starting a home business? Well if you are say, an experienced handyman, you could run a class for the average person who would like to know how to acquire basic knowledge in plumbing, electrical and home repair that could save them money by doing simple repairs themselves. If you happen to be a talented musician, you could give music lessons out of your home. Maybe you’re a very good gourmet cook in your kitchen and have talent in preparing very special and exotic dishes. You could teach gourmet cooking right in your home. Or perhaps you are well versed in financial matters and could teach a class on investing, mutual funds and other ways to secure a person’s financial future. I think you kind of get the idea. If you have any skill or talent that someone would like to learn, this may prove to be a good part time or full time opportunity for you to teach out of your home. And the great part is that you don’t necessarily have to have a college degree. Just an expertise in something that other interested people would like to learn to do for themselves.
Years ago, when I lived in New York City learning about filmmaking and video production, there was and possibly still is a business called Apple. Apple operated as a type of non credit, educational school that hired various individuals throughout New York City who had various skills and expertise and were willing to teach those skills out of their apartments in NYC. I took a film sound recording course from a very talented, professional, female, sound mixer-recordist. We would meet once a week in her apartment and for two hours she would teach us all about the basic operation of the use of a Nagra Tape Recorder, the different type of microphones used in film production, as well as theory of sound recording. Classes lasted for about four weeks. I also took a four week, basic photography course from Apple. All of Apple’s classes were taught by professionals or people with experience in the subjects they taught for the four week course.
The thing I’m trying to demonstrate is that the people who were running Apple did not actually teach any classes themselves. They hired knowledgeable people, in various fields, who were open to teaching from their homes. Apple did all the media advertising and enrollment for potential students, marketing and the printing of a catalog that listed all courses available. They then collected all student course fees of which they shared with each individual instructors.
You could also do this as a home business. Find a group of people willing to teach from their homes and act as the middle person, advertising and enrolling the students, collecting their tuition, paying the instructors and taking your cut from the fees.
Another money maker is to operate a home based tutoring business. From your home, you could tutor school students having trouble with certain subjects in school or students who are preparing for their SAT’s and other courses they would need to get into college. This could be a good business for retired elementary, high school or college teachers who would like to start a home business and who enjoy teaching.
Even though teaching from your home could become an ongoing, profitable work at home business, always remember that you are letting strangers into your home. So be very careful of who has access to your home. And do not leave anything valuable or personal in the bathroom. You’d be surprised how many students will need to possibly use your home bathroom. Try to get as much information about your potential student as possible and ask for ID. And if you are a woman, take all safety precautions to protect yourself from possible suspicious enrollees in your course.
Otherwise, the above suggestions could be the home based opportunity you have been looking for.
How does having certain marketable skills translate into starting a home business? Well if you are say, an experienced handyman, you could run a class for the average person who would like to know how to acquire basic knowledge in plumbing, electrical and home repair that could save them money by doing simple repairs themselves. If you happen to be a talented musician, you could give music lessons out of your home. Maybe you’re a very good gourmet cook in your kitchen and have talent in preparing very special and exotic dishes. You could teach gourmet cooking right in your home. Or perhaps you are well versed in financial matters and could teach a class on investing, mutual funds and other ways to secure a person’s financial future. I think you kind of get the idea. If you have any skill or talent that someone would like to learn, this may prove to be a good part time or full time opportunity for you to teach out of your home. And the great part is that you don’t necessarily have to have a college degree. Just an expertise in something that other interested people would like to learn to do for themselves.
Years ago, when I lived in New York City learning about filmmaking and video production, there was and possibly still is a business called Apple. Apple operated as a type of non credit, educational school that hired various individuals throughout New York City who had various skills and expertise and were willing to teach those skills out of their apartments in NYC. I took a film sound recording course from a very talented, professional, female, sound mixer-recordist. We would meet once a week in her apartment and for two hours she would teach us all about the basic operation of the use of a Nagra Tape Recorder, the different type of microphones used in film production, as well as theory of sound recording. Classes lasted for about four weeks. I also took a four week, basic photography course from Apple. All of Apple’s classes were taught by professionals or people with experience in the subjects they taught for the four week course.
The thing I’m trying to demonstrate is that the people who were running Apple did not actually teach any classes themselves. They hired knowledgeable people, in various fields, who were open to teaching from their homes. Apple did all the media advertising and enrollment for potential students, marketing and the printing of a catalog that listed all courses available. They then collected all student course fees of which they shared with each individual instructors.
You could also do this as a home business. Find a group of people willing to teach from their homes and act as the middle person, advertising and enrolling the students, collecting their tuition, paying the instructors and taking your cut from the fees.
Another money maker is to operate a home based tutoring business. From your home, you could tutor school students having trouble with certain subjects in school or students who are preparing for their SAT’s and other courses they would need to get into college. This could be a good business for retired elementary, high school or college teachers who would like to start a home business and who enjoy teaching.
Even though teaching from your home could become an ongoing, profitable work at home business, always remember that you are letting strangers into your home. So be very careful of who has access to your home. And do not leave anything valuable or personal in the bathroom. You’d be surprised how many students will need to possibly use your home bathroom. Try to get as much information about your potential student as possible and ask for ID. And if you are a woman, take all safety precautions to protect yourself from possible suspicious enrollees in your course.
Otherwise, the above suggestions could be the home based opportunity you have been looking for.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Five Steps To A Profitable Home Business
For many years people have been looking for a way to turn home offices, dens, and even kitchen tables into money making machines by starting their own work at home businesses. Now that the Internet has came into play it has only accelerated the want and desire of millions around the globe who are looking to cash in on the new Internet and Home Business revolution.
But how is your average person supposed to find work at home business success? Although many think that it's as simple as putting up a website and away you go, the hundreds of thousands who have failed would tell you different. The truth is that finding the right work at home business can be an easy or a hard task depending on where you are looking. As for achieving success that comes after you establish your new business and turn on that invisible open sign in cyberspace.
Over the next few minutes I'm going to expose to you how a rookie was able to locate and start a work at home business as well as make it profitable in a short period of time. After reading this information you too should be able to locate, start, and build a home business that gives you serious long term results.
Introducing the "5" simple steps to starting a profitable work at home business...
#1 - Discover Your Work At Home Business Options
Everyone can agree that there are thousands of ways to start a work at home business. Unfortunately most of these ways require a full-time commitment and a leap of faith. This usually eliminates 95% of the people who would like to make money from home but don't have the time, money, or resources to make something like that fly.
Of course with the advent of the Internet we have been exposed to many new possibilities that do not require a full time commitment or a lot of money. Here are just a few examples of how people are making money from home these days:
Affiliate Marketing
Google Adsense
Private Label Products
Network Marketing
Niche Marketing
Direct Sales
Etc.
While all of these are viable options, I personally endorse network marketing for a few meaningful reasons. First off, it's a residual income business meaning that if you do the work once you can get paid on it for years to come. Second, it's a people helping people business and I've been able to meet some of the greatest people thanks to network marketing. Third, it's an easy business that anyone can get started with regardless of past experience or current situation.
With that said please understand that all network marketing companies are not created equal and there are many out there that aren't much more than fly-by-night operations posing as legitimate network marketing opportunities. If you choose to go network marketing stay away from "pre-launch" opportunities and companies that only offer an opportunity without a real product to back it up.
Whatever avenue you choose make sure it makes sense to you. Nobody has ever been successful with something they didn't believe in so make sure the home business you pursue is something you are passionate about.
#2 - Uncover the finances involved with your new venture.
Every business will be a bit different in costs but one thing is universal. Your start up costs is not the only thing you need to factor in when looking at how you're going to finance your new venture. Besides start up costs you are also going to have the costs of doing business and marketing / advertising costs.
Here is a breakdown of the different costs you need to account for:
Start up costs: Your start up costs is how much money it takes you to get the ball rolling with your new venture. Any type of work at home business is going to have some kind of upfront money needed to simply get the material in place to open up shop.
Costs of doing business: Your costs of doing business are going to be the money that is needed to keep your day to day operations functional. For most home businesses this is simply a phone line, an internet connection, office supplies, book keeping, monthly fees, and product inventory. Another reason I like network marketing is because it greatly reduces your costs of doing business.
Marketing / Advertising costs: For some reason this is the one cost that everyone forgets to factor into the equation. Here is the bottom line, without marketing or advertising nobody will be exposed to your business meaning it can't grow. Some things in business will never change and this is one of them. However, the good thing about a home business is that if your smart (or have a smart mentor or coach) you can market your business without spending very much money.
Okay, so now that we established the three different business costs you can come up with a game plan on the finances your going to need to make your new business fly.
#3 - Use tools but don't take the relationship factor out of your business.
Isn't modern technology wonderful? We now have so many great tools at our disposal that cost us next to nothing. Unfortunately this modern technology has also been the downfall to many entrepreneurs who didn't know how to use it correctly. While technology does make a home business owner's life easier it is not a replacement for building relationships.
I've ran into hundreds of home business owners (not profitable ones) who hide behind the screen of their computer and wouldn't come out to actively build their home business. They never wanted to talk to anyone, help anyone, or be publicly proud about what they were doing and who they were helping. Just imagine if you went down to the local tire shop and nobody wanted to answer your questions, give you recommendations, or guide you through the sales process. Do you think that tire shop would make any money or have any customers? Of course they wouldn't!
The same rule applies for Internet / work at home businesses. You need to build relationships if you want to be successful.
#4 - Dedicate both time and resources to grow your budding venture.
Want to know the biggest obstacle home business owners face? It's treating the business like a real business and not like a hobby. Of course this isn't how it starts out to be but a few weeks after your business has been officially started is when some "hobby mentality" will try and creep in. Pretty soon your business is getting absolutely no attention and you are there wondering why it isn't working.
The truth is that you will only get out of your business what you put in and if you are not actively doing things on a daily basis to grow your business than who is? Nobody! If nobody is doing any work then it's only obvious that the business can't become profitable.
I call this having a hobby mentality because most people treat their hobbies as something that is on the back of their mind and they get to it when time permits. If you attack your work at home business like this or you will not achieve success.
#5 - Always set goals and work towards them.
The final thing you must do to achieve work at home business profits is make sure that you are constantly setting goals and achieving those goals. Goals serve as your road map and keep you focused on the business at hand. Without goals you will find yourself drifting away from your home business and not staying on track to put profits in your pocket. You should have daily, monthly, and yearly goals.
Daily Goals: If you can set out to make a positive difference in your work at home business everyday than pretty much nothing can hold you back. Every night before you go to bed, get on your laptop or pull out a notebook and write down your goals for the next day. Daily goals should be simple but big enough to make a difference in your business.
Monthly Goals: Each month you should evaluate where you stand in your business. Make it a goal to be progressing every month. If you are doing this, not only will it keep your spirits high, but also assure you that you are on the right path. If for some reason you do experience a drop (that does happen) don't get discouraged and let it motivate you to do even better the next month.
Yearly Goals: The great thing about a home business and network marketing is the fact that you can see results much faster than a traditional business model. While traditional business models usually require 5 years before a profit is reached, someone working a network marketing business hard could be a multi-millionaire by then.
The first yearly goal you want to make when you get started is that you will work your business for at least 12 straight months before you decide to press on or give up. Since most people quit before they get started (2 to 3 months), this goal will stop you from making the same mistake and actually give yourself a realistic chance to succeed.
In closing, I hope this short lesson serves as a guide to go out and find your own profitable work at home business. Don't take shortcuts, steer clear of the "to good to be true" opportunities, and take personal responsibility to make yourself successful when you find the right home business.
Remember that there are only two factors that can make a home business a success or a failure, the business itself or the person working it. So get out there, find something that fits you and then make a promise to yourself that you will be the reason it succeeds.
But how is your average person supposed to find work at home business success? Although many think that it's as simple as putting up a website and away you go, the hundreds of thousands who have failed would tell you different. The truth is that finding the right work at home business can be an easy or a hard task depending on where you are looking. As for achieving success that comes after you establish your new business and turn on that invisible open sign in cyberspace.
Over the next few minutes I'm going to expose to you how a rookie was able to locate and start a work at home business as well as make it profitable in a short period of time. After reading this information you too should be able to locate, start, and build a home business that gives you serious long term results.
Introducing the "5" simple steps to starting a profitable work at home business...
#1 - Discover Your Work At Home Business Options
Everyone can agree that there are thousands of ways to start a work at home business. Unfortunately most of these ways require a full-time commitment and a leap of faith. This usually eliminates 95% of the people who would like to make money from home but don't have the time, money, or resources to make something like that fly.
Of course with the advent of the Internet we have been exposed to many new possibilities that do not require a full time commitment or a lot of money. Here are just a few examples of how people are making money from home these days:
Affiliate Marketing
Google Adsense
Private Label Products
Network Marketing
Niche Marketing
Direct Sales
Etc.
While all of these are viable options, I personally endorse network marketing for a few meaningful reasons. First off, it's a residual income business meaning that if you do the work once you can get paid on it for years to come. Second, it's a people helping people business and I've been able to meet some of the greatest people thanks to network marketing. Third, it's an easy business that anyone can get started with regardless of past experience or current situation.
With that said please understand that all network marketing companies are not created equal and there are many out there that aren't much more than fly-by-night operations posing as legitimate network marketing opportunities. If you choose to go network marketing stay away from "pre-launch" opportunities and companies that only offer an opportunity without a real product to back it up.
Whatever avenue you choose make sure it makes sense to you. Nobody has ever been successful with something they didn't believe in so make sure the home business you pursue is something you are passionate about.
#2 - Uncover the finances involved with your new venture.
Every business will be a bit different in costs but one thing is universal. Your start up costs is not the only thing you need to factor in when looking at how you're going to finance your new venture. Besides start up costs you are also going to have the costs of doing business and marketing / advertising costs.
Here is a breakdown of the different costs you need to account for:
Start up costs: Your start up costs is how much money it takes you to get the ball rolling with your new venture. Any type of work at home business is going to have some kind of upfront money needed to simply get the material in place to open up shop.
Costs of doing business: Your costs of doing business are going to be the money that is needed to keep your day to day operations functional. For most home businesses this is simply a phone line, an internet connection, office supplies, book keeping, monthly fees, and product inventory. Another reason I like network marketing is because it greatly reduces your costs of doing business.
Marketing / Advertising costs: For some reason this is the one cost that everyone forgets to factor into the equation. Here is the bottom line, without marketing or advertising nobody will be exposed to your business meaning it can't grow. Some things in business will never change and this is one of them. However, the good thing about a home business is that if your smart (or have a smart mentor or coach) you can market your business without spending very much money.
Okay, so now that we established the three different business costs you can come up with a game plan on the finances your going to need to make your new business fly.
#3 - Use tools but don't take the relationship factor out of your business.
Isn't modern technology wonderful? We now have so many great tools at our disposal that cost us next to nothing. Unfortunately this modern technology has also been the downfall to many entrepreneurs who didn't know how to use it correctly. While technology does make a home business owner's life easier it is not a replacement for building relationships.
I've ran into hundreds of home business owners (not profitable ones) who hide behind the screen of their computer and wouldn't come out to actively build their home business. They never wanted to talk to anyone, help anyone, or be publicly proud about what they were doing and who they were helping. Just imagine if you went down to the local tire shop and nobody wanted to answer your questions, give you recommendations, or guide you through the sales process. Do you think that tire shop would make any money or have any customers? Of course they wouldn't!
The same rule applies for Internet / work at home businesses. You need to build relationships if you want to be successful.
#4 - Dedicate both time and resources to grow your budding venture.
Want to know the biggest obstacle home business owners face? It's treating the business like a real business and not like a hobby. Of course this isn't how it starts out to be but a few weeks after your business has been officially started is when some "hobby mentality" will try and creep in. Pretty soon your business is getting absolutely no attention and you are there wondering why it isn't working.
The truth is that you will only get out of your business what you put in and if you are not actively doing things on a daily basis to grow your business than who is? Nobody! If nobody is doing any work then it's only obvious that the business can't become profitable.
I call this having a hobby mentality because most people treat their hobbies as something that is on the back of their mind and they get to it when time permits. If you attack your work at home business like this or you will not achieve success.
#5 - Always set goals and work towards them.
The final thing you must do to achieve work at home business profits is make sure that you are constantly setting goals and achieving those goals. Goals serve as your road map and keep you focused on the business at hand. Without goals you will find yourself drifting away from your home business and not staying on track to put profits in your pocket. You should have daily, monthly, and yearly goals.
Daily Goals: If you can set out to make a positive difference in your work at home business everyday than pretty much nothing can hold you back. Every night before you go to bed, get on your laptop or pull out a notebook and write down your goals for the next day. Daily goals should be simple but big enough to make a difference in your business.
Monthly Goals: Each month you should evaluate where you stand in your business. Make it a goal to be progressing every month. If you are doing this, not only will it keep your spirits high, but also assure you that you are on the right path. If for some reason you do experience a drop (that does happen) don't get discouraged and let it motivate you to do even better the next month.
Yearly Goals: The great thing about a home business and network marketing is the fact that you can see results much faster than a traditional business model. While traditional business models usually require 5 years before a profit is reached, someone working a network marketing business hard could be a multi-millionaire by then.
The first yearly goal you want to make when you get started is that you will work your business for at least 12 straight months before you decide to press on or give up. Since most people quit before they get started (2 to 3 months), this goal will stop you from making the same mistake and actually give yourself a realistic chance to succeed.
In closing, I hope this short lesson serves as a guide to go out and find your own profitable work at home business. Don't take shortcuts, steer clear of the "to good to be true" opportunities, and take personal responsibility to make yourself successful when you find the right home business.
Remember that there are only two factors that can make a home business a success or a failure, the business itself or the person working it. So get out there, find something that fits you and then make a promise to yourself that you will be the reason it succeeds.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The ABC's of Using PayPal For Your Business
Using PayPal: Receiving Funds
Merchants who want to use PayPal to accept payments have a wide range of options available. For basic payments, such as online auctions or simple Web site sales, the merchant can simply provide buyers with their e-mail address, and buyers can make the appropriate payments to the merchant's PayPal account. eBay sellers can place PayPal buttons on their auctions, and the checkout invoice PayPal sends to auction winners will include a link to pay via PayPal. You can use PayPal to request money from anyone.
PayPal also provides extensive services for online merchants. Prior to services like PayPal, someone who wanted to accept credit card payments online had to set up a merchant account through a credit card company. Creating a Web interface to use this account could be confusing and difficult. PayPal bypasses this problem. Business or Premier PayPal accounts can set up a Buy Now button, a PayPal shopping cart, or options for ongoing subscriptions and recurring payments.
A Buy Now button allows merchants to paste a small piece of HTML code into their site, creating a button for buyers to click when they want to purchase an item. This takes the buyer to a secure payment page, where they enter their credit card information and shipping address. Once the transaction is complete, the money, minus PayPal's fees, is transferred directly into the merchant's account.
The PayPal shopping cart is more involved, but it has the same result. HTML code for various buttons (add to cart, view cart) is added to lists of items, and the item details are added by the merchant. Buyers can add the items they want to purchase to their cart, and when they check out, they'll go to a secure payment page, just like a Buy It Now page.
The transaction process for a Standard Merchant account
PayPal's two main merchant account types, Standard and Pro, offer slightly different packages. With a standard account, when a customer checks out at the shopping cart page, they go to the PayPal site to log in and make the payment. With a Pro account, PayPal processes the transaction in the background -- the customer makes the entire sale on the merchant's site. A Pro account has higher percentages on transactions (2.2 to 2.9 percent versus 1.9 to 2.9 percent) and a $20 monthly fee. It also requires knowledge of Web services and APIs (Application Program Interfaces), as well as a minimum of two days for installation.
The transaction process for a Pro Merchant account
PayPal also streamlines transactions for merchants who sell to international users. It can convert funds to whatever currency the merchant wants for 2.5 percent. Currently, PayPal accepts funds in the following currencies:
Canadian Dollar Euro
Pound Sterline
U.S. Dollar
Yen
Australian Dollar
Check out PayPal at: https://www.paypal.com/
Merchants who want to use PayPal to accept payments have a wide range of options available. For basic payments, such as online auctions or simple Web site sales, the merchant can simply provide buyers with their e-mail address, and buyers can make the appropriate payments to the merchant's PayPal account. eBay sellers can place PayPal buttons on their auctions, and the checkout invoice PayPal sends to auction winners will include a link to pay via PayPal. You can use PayPal to request money from anyone.
PayPal also provides extensive services for online merchants. Prior to services like PayPal, someone who wanted to accept credit card payments online had to set up a merchant account through a credit card company. Creating a Web interface to use this account could be confusing and difficult. PayPal bypasses this problem. Business or Premier PayPal accounts can set up a Buy Now button, a PayPal shopping cart, or options for ongoing subscriptions and recurring payments.
A Buy Now button allows merchants to paste a small piece of HTML code into their site, creating a button for buyers to click when they want to purchase an item. This takes the buyer to a secure payment page, where they enter their credit card information and shipping address. Once the transaction is complete, the money, minus PayPal's fees, is transferred directly into the merchant's account.
The PayPal shopping cart is more involved, but it has the same result. HTML code for various buttons (add to cart, view cart) is added to lists of items, and the item details are added by the merchant. Buyers can add the items they want to purchase to their cart, and when they check out, they'll go to a secure payment page, just like a Buy It Now page.
The transaction process for a Standard Merchant account
PayPal's two main merchant account types, Standard and Pro, offer slightly different packages. With a standard account, when a customer checks out at the shopping cart page, they go to the PayPal site to log in and make the payment. With a Pro account, PayPal processes the transaction in the background -- the customer makes the entire sale on the merchant's site. A Pro account has higher percentages on transactions (2.2 to 2.9 percent versus 1.9 to 2.9 percent) and a $20 monthly fee. It also requires knowledge of Web services and APIs (Application Program Interfaces), as well as a minimum of two days for installation.
The transaction process for a Pro Merchant account
PayPal also streamlines transactions for merchants who sell to international users. It can convert funds to whatever currency the merchant wants for 2.5 percent. Currently, PayPal accepts funds in the following currencies:
Canadian Dollar Euro
Pound Sterline
U.S. Dollar
Yen
Australian Dollar
Check out PayPal at: https://www.paypal.com/
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Things to Consider When Starting A Work At Home Business
Are you contemplating the idea of starting your own home based internet business? While the benefits of owning your own home based internet business are impossible to ignore, to make a fully informed decision you must also consider the disadvantages.
If you determine that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages in your personal situation, then you should feel comfortable in proceeding with your new business venture. Here are some of the disadvantages of owning an internet business that you must consider before you decide to take the leap into business ownership.
1. Your family may have a hard time adhering to the boundaries of your chosen working hours. Your two-year old does not understand that each interruption to show you his/her toy puts you further behind schedule. You may have to work during holidays or inconvenient times. Even though you do not have a boss calling you into work, your business will not run without you. If something needs attention on a holiday, you may have to tend to it or risk losing money.
2. You must be self-motivated to get the work done because no one will be there to hold you accountable. You cannot call in sick and have someone cover for you. You are 100% responsible for the success of your internet business. In fact, you may initially have to work more than you are used to get your business up and running.
3. You will need to have some initial capital to pay the bills. You will not have a consistent paycheck to look forward to every two weeks. If you are not good at budgeting or saving, you could run into serious financial trouble. While you can virtually write your own paycheck, it takes time for that paycheck to start coming in. Money will not starting rolling in right away. You will also need to address the issues of any insurance programs such as, health, dental and life that you will need.
4. You will need to have the proper home equipment and space to run your internet business. Some of the things you will need are a high-speed internet connection, a personal computer and any software required to run your business. If you are going to sell products online and cannot store them in your house, then you will need to consider warehouse space and security for your goods. You will also have to consider any additional expenses such as extra utility charges.
5. You do not need to quit your day job but you will end up having to work essentially two jobs until your internet business starts bringing you income. You have to be willing to sacrifice some of your free time to work on your internet business and that may mean that you may be sacrificing some family time, extra sleep, and leisure activities if you plan to keep your day job.
6. You will be working alone and social interaction is non-existent as compared to traditional jobs. You will have to develop your own team and resources when you need help. You cannot go to the Help Desk, Human Resources, or the Technical Support Department. In fact, all those duties will be yours. You will need to find mentors if you need help with something that you do not know how to do.
Take these points into consideration as you are deciding whether a home based internet business is right for you. Make a pros and cons list to help you with this process.
If you determine that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages in your personal situation, then you should feel comfortable in proceeding with your new business venture. Here are some of the disadvantages of owning an internet business that you must consider before you decide to take the leap into business ownership.
1. Your family may have a hard time adhering to the boundaries of your chosen working hours. Your two-year old does not understand that each interruption to show you his/her toy puts you further behind schedule. You may have to work during holidays or inconvenient times. Even though you do not have a boss calling you into work, your business will not run without you. If something needs attention on a holiday, you may have to tend to it or risk losing money.
2. You must be self-motivated to get the work done because no one will be there to hold you accountable. You cannot call in sick and have someone cover for you. You are 100% responsible for the success of your internet business. In fact, you may initially have to work more than you are used to get your business up and running.
3. You will need to have some initial capital to pay the bills. You will not have a consistent paycheck to look forward to every two weeks. If you are not good at budgeting or saving, you could run into serious financial trouble. While you can virtually write your own paycheck, it takes time for that paycheck to start coming in. Money will not starting rolling in right away. You will also need to address the issues of any insurance programs such as, health, dental and life that you will need.
4. You will need to have the proper home equipment and space to run your internet business. Some of the things you will need are a high-speed internet connection, a personal computer and any software required to run your business. If you are going to sell products online and cannot store them in your house, then you will need to consider warehouse space and security for your goods. You will also have to consider any additional expenses such as extra utility charges.
5. You do not need to quit your day job but you will end up having to work essentially two jobs until your internet business starts bringing you income. You have to be willing to sacrifice some of your free time to work on your internet business and that may mean that you may be sacrificing some family time, extra sleep, and leisure activities if you plan to keep your day job.
6. You will be working alone and social interaction is non-existent as compared to traditional jobs. You will have to develop your own team and resources when you need help. You cannot go to the Help Desk, Human Resources, or the Technical Support Department. In fact, all those duties will be yours. You will need to find mentors if you need help with something that you do not know how to do.
Take these points into consideration as you are deciding whether a home based internet business is right for you. Make a pros and cons list to help you with this process.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Receive Online Payments Through PayPal
PayPal today is not a payment system: it's a suite of many different payment systems. Paypal is located in San Jose, California. It was founded in 1998 and was acquired by eBay in 2002.
Paypal is one of the most popular trade names in ecommerce. There are over 50 million users who utilize the services of Paypal.
Here the payment transfers are done via e-mail payments.
The parties between whom the payment is exchanged cannot see each others credit card or bank information. It is somewhat similar to an escrow payment because it holds the money for the two parties thereby acting as a middleman.
Paypal keeps the information of its customers in an encrypted form. No one can decrypt the confidential information.
This specialty makes Paypal one of the safest gateways of transactions. Paypal is ideal for money transactions between strangers. It doesn't matter which part of the globe you are sitting in.
Only two main requirements are essential to open a Paypal account, a valid e-mail address and a valid credit card or bank account.
Though Paypal is free for the buyers, the sellers have to give a fee of 1.9% to 2.9%.
The money is withdrawn from the buyer's credit card or the bank account and there is no cost involved in paying the money to the Paypal users. Paypal will charge only if you receive funds in your account.
Paypal also works when you want to make payments to an online store apart from making payments to friends or business associates.
There are three types of paypal accounts; Paypal Personal account, a Paypal Premier account and a Paypal business account.
The features of the personal account are limited. Even though you can send and receive money to and from other Paypal account, you cannot receive money from credit cards or debit card payments. To activate this facility, you have to upgrade your status to a Premier account.
The fee structure is slightly different and you can get the details on the Paypal website. The Business account is best suited for people who are having huge business set-ups or are running large online stores.
It is useful if your transactions involve complex deals. You can always upgrade your existing Paypal account to the Business account. The process is very simple but you have to check the site to have a look at the fee structure.
Indeed, Paypal has become one of the most significant tools in eCommerce today.
To learn more about PayPal and how it can help your business, go here.
Paypal is one of the most popular trade names in ecommerce. There are over 50 million users who utilize the services of Paypal.
Here the payment transfers are done via e-mail payments.
The parties between whom the payment is exchanged cannot see each others credit card or bank information. It is somewhat similar to an escrow payment because it holds the money for the two parties thereby acting as a middleman.
Paypal keeps the information of its customers in an encrypted form. No one can decrypt the confidential information.
This specialty makes Paypal one of the safest gateways of transactions. Paypal is ideal for money transactions between strangers. It doesn't matter which part of the globe you are sitting in.
Only two main requirements are essential to open a Paypal account, a valid e-mail address and a valid credit card or bank account.
Though Paypal is free for the buyers, the sellers have to give a fee of 1.9% to 2.9%.
The money is withdrawn from the buyer's credit card or the bank account and there is no cost involved in paying the money to the Paypal users. Paypal will charge only if you receive funds in your account.
Paypal also works when you want to make payments to an online store apart from making payments to friends or business associates.
There are three types of paypal accounts; Paypal Personal account, a Paypal Premier account and a Paypal business account.
The features of the personal account are limited. Even though you can send and receive money to and from other Paypal account, you cannot receive money from credit cards or debit card payments. To activate this facility, you have to upgrade your status to a Premier account.
The fee structure is slightly different and you can get the details on the Paypal website. The Business account is best suited for people who are having huge business set-ups or are running large online stores.
It is useful if your transactions involve complex deals. You can always upgrade your existing Paypal account to the Business account. The process is very simple but you have to check the site to have a look at the fee structure.
Indeed, Paypal has become one of the most significant tools in eCommerce today.
To learn more about PayPal and how it can help your business, go here.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Being a Jedi Knight was no picnic. Long hours, battling Sith Lords, gigantic alien monsters, no pay, living on different, lousy planets. Not to mention, no health plan benefits whatsoever. Well, now after turning to the Dark Side, I enjoy all the benefits of working at home plus a nice stylish black outfit with a cape and matching helmet. Now I have advanced bionics, a large, spacious home(The Death Star) where I can run my home based business of crushing the rebellion and ruling the known universe. Feel the power of the Home Business Side of the Force.
Make Money Through The Best Online Turnkey Store
Author: fellyre
These days everyone wants to work from home. Who can afford a long commute with the gas prices as high as they are now. Even if you don't have much experience online there are tons of business opportunities
available to you. With so many phony claims about making thousands a month it is hard to know where to start when looking for your own online business opportunity. The best place to start is to choose something that interests you and create an affiliate store.
Before you can open you own affiliate website you must know what an affiliate website is. An affiliate store is a store that you set up in order to sell someone else's products. You must first go to the different affiliate network sites like clickbank or link share and sign up to be an affiliate. Once you belong to the network you must sign up for each retailer that you wish to be an affiliate for. Many retailers will want to see a functional website before approving your affiliate status. Another way to go is to create a niche affiliate store using one large affiliate program like ebay or amazon. Both of these websites offer a turnkey affiliate store program.
If you are new to the web then a turnkey affiliate store is the best way to go. A turnkey affiliate site is that is easily set up using a template. You then tell the retailer about your niche market and they automatically feed your store with related products. Some Turnkey affiliate store programs will offer SEO optimization for a fee which will create content in your store that will improve your ranking in Google.
When it comes to a turnkey affiliate store, marketing is your number one concern. A lack of quality marketing is the most common reason affiliate stores do not succeed. It is important to set up a marketing plan and then follow through with it. You can start by introducing your store to people in forums related to your niche market. You can set up a blog about your market and your store. The best thing you can do to really boost your web presence is to start an email marketing campaign
. There are several companies who can provide you with targeted email lists and some will even sent the email advertisement for you.
Setting up an affiliate store take very little time but it will take some money depending on the program you choose. Marketing your store will take a bit more money in order to do it right but the return will make it all worthwhile. There is nothing better than being self employed in your own home. Start you own affiliate store and be on your way to financial freedom.
Giuseppe Lo Monaco, a successful online store owner has always strived towards giving online customers the best quality and price ever. He has created an interactive tool that allows his visitors to get the product they need via his online store http://www.BetterOfBusiness.com
These days everyone wants to work from home. Who can afford a long commute with the gas prices as high as they are now. Even if you don't have much experience online there are tons of business opportunities
available to you. With so many phony claims about making thousands a month it is hard to know where to start when looking for your own online business opportunity. The best place to start is to choose something that interests you and create an affiliate store.
Before you can open you own affiliate website you must know what an affiliate website is. An affiliate store is a store that you set up in order to sell someone else's products. You must first go to the different affiliate network sites like clickbank or link share and sign up to be an affiliate. Once you belong to the network you must sign up for each retailer that you wish to be an affiliate for. Many retailers will want to see a functional website before approving your affiliate status. Another way to go is to create a niche affiliate store using one large affiliate program like ebay or amazon. Both of these websites offer a turnkey affiliate store program.
If you are new to the web then a turnkey affiliate store is the best way to go. A turnkey affiliate site is that is easily set up using a template. You then tell the retailer about your niche market and they automatically feed your store with related products. Some Turnkey affiliate store programs will offer SEO optimization for a fee which will create content in your store that will improve your ranking in Google.
When it comes to a turnkey affiliate store, marketing is your number one concern. A lack of quality marketing is the most common reason affiliate stores do not succeed. It is important to set up a marketing plan and then follow through with it. You can start by introducing your store to people in forums related to your niche market. You can set up a blog about your market and your store. The best thing you can do to really boost your web presence is to start an email marketing campaign
. There are several companies who can provide you with targeted email lists and some will even sent the email advertisement for you.
Setting up an affiliate store take very little time but it will take some money depending on the program you choose. Marketing your store will take a bit more money in order to do it right but the return will make it all worthwhile. There is nothing better than being self employed in your own home. Start you own affiliate store and be on your way to financial freedom.
Giuseppe Lo Monaco, a successful online store owner has always strived towards giving online customers the best quality and price ever. He has created an interactive tool that allows his visitors to get the product they need via his online store http://www.BetterOfBusiness.com
Using QuickBooks Accounting Software To Run Your Business
I’ve made mention in other postings about QuickBooks software accounting program. Just to recap, QuickBooks is an accounting software program package for small to medium sized businesses. With QuickBooks you will be able to produce full financial statements, bank reconciliations, payroll reports, and anything else you could want or need to run your business. QuickBooks uses double-entry accounting while Quicken, which is tailored more for personal finances, uses single entry accounting. QuickBooks also provides full financial statements which is required for corporations, partnerships, and LLC's. If you are operating as a sole proprietorships may not need this feature.
QuickBooks enable the business owner to be able to chart exactly where your money is being spent and money that is coming into the business. QuickBooks can organize and keep exact records of all business transactions which will put you at ease in trying to remember all your money transactions for the past year. This will be a life saver at tax time. Instead of rummaging through hundreds of receipts and invoices, QuickBooks provides a lightning fast method of organizing all expenditures, expenses and profits associated with your business.
QuickBooks also contains totally complete reports options. With QuickBooks it makes it very easy to create and maintain the following accounting reports:
• Balance Sheet
• Income Statement (Profit & Loss)
• Receivables
• Payables
• Job Costing & Loan Draw Reports
• General Ledger
• Many other essential reports.
Quicken is another accounting program but Quicken is designed for tracking personal finances, such as your checkbook and investments. Quicken does have the ability to accomplish complete investment tracking, which QuickBooks does not. QuickBooks, on the other hand, is built to track your business accounts, including assets, liabilities, receivables, payables and equity accounts. For running a small out of the home business, I would suggest QuickBooks which is geared for running a business rather than handling your personal finances.
QuickBooks Pro accounting software, on the other hand, will offer you bonus reports and tracking features such as job costing, estimating, detailed payroll, and time tracking. QuickBooks Pro is the software chosen most frequently by home based businesses.
Because your accounting is so important to your business, always remember to back up your QuickBooks data in case some unfortunate occurrence such as a nasty virus or worm causes your computer system to become corrupted, or worse accidentally deleted. The simple task of creating backup disks of your accounting files on a regular basis could save you hours of tedious file rebuilding. You should back your files up at least once a week.
You can find out more information about QuickBooks and Quicken here
QuickBooks enable the business owner to be able to chart exactly where your money is being spent and money that is coming into the business. QuickBooks can organize and keep exact records of all business transactions which will put you at ease in trying to remember all your money transactions for the past year. This will be a life saver at tax time. Instead of rummaging through hundreds of receipts and invoices, QuickBooks provides a lightning fast method of organizing all expenditures, expenses and profits associated with your business.
QuickBooks also contains totally complete reports options. With QuickBooks it makes it very easy to create and maintain the following accounting reports:
• Balance Sheet
• Income Statement (Profit & Loss)
• Receivables
• Payables
• Job Costing & Loan Draw Reports
• General Ledger
• Many other essential reports.
Quicken is another accounting program but Quicken is designed for tracking personal finances, such as your checkbook and investments. Quicken does have the ability to accomplish complete investment tracking, which QuickBooks does not. QuickBooks, on the other hand, is built to track your business accounts, including assets, liabilities, receivables, payables and equity accounts. For running a small out of the home business, I would suggest QuickBooks which is geared for running a business rather than handling your personal finances.
QuickBooks Pro accounting software, on the other hand, will offer you bonus reports and tracking features such as job costing, estimating, detailed payroll, and time tracking. QuickBooks Pro is the software chosen most frequently by home based businesses.
Because your accounting is so important to your business, always remember to back up your QuickBooks data in case some unfortunate occurrence such as a nasty virus or worm causes your computer system to become corrupted, or worse accidentally deleted. The simple task of creating backup disks of your accounting files on a regular basis could save you hours of tedious file rebuilding. You should back your files up at least once a week.
You can find out more information about QuickBooks and Quicken here
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Is Making Money Online the Best Option
By : Rudy Gonzalez
As we all know, we are living in some rough economic times. The pressures of staying afloat are enormous. The costs of basic necessities are becoming more and more difficult to provide for our families. Because our regular nine to five job alone is no longer sufficient, we must explore other options of making money. Why waste your energy and time with a part-time job making just a few dollars a week, when you can make a fantastic living online by only working a few hours a week. There has never been a better time to make the decision to explore online money making opportunities then now. The tips that you will learn in this article will guide you in the right direction toward making a good living online.
The Benefits: Then benefits of making money online are amazing. If done correctly, what will begin with just a few hundred dollars extra per month; will blossom into a six figure income. Just stop and think of how different your life would be on a $10k per month income. Also think of the luxury of only working at most 10 hours a week. Having the ability to spend more time with your family alone is more then enough reason to want to explore online money making opportunities.
State of Mind: Even before selecting the right online opportunity, you must first start by making sure your state of mind is ready. Let me start of by mentioning, you will not make a million dollars over a commercial break. Please make sure that you understand that making money online will not come easy. You must be prepared to commit at least 1 to 2 hours a day. You have to get beyond the get rich quick mentality. Making a six figure income or more online is very realistic for anyone, but you must have the right expectations and the mental conditioning to stick it out. In case you do not know, almost 100% of online money makers, make no money online at all. More then any other reason, failure will come due to someone’s state of mind. Most of the time, they go into a business opportunity expecting to make a million dollars over night, so when the money does not come, they eventually give up and move on to another opportunity and thus keep on repeating the cycle. State of mind is everything, so please do not take this fact lightly. Your enthusiasm will get you started, but your determination and passion will keep you going.
The Selection Process: Be aware of fraudulent home business opportunities, as most of them are just pretty websites with outrageous claims that can not be proven. At this stage of the process you want to investigate different online opportunities. You want to be cautious but yet be willing to explore a good number of different programs. Let me start off by asking you, what are your interests? Do you like art or maybe sports? Its always better to get into a business that you have a liking for. Now for the rest of us that are not so fortunate enough to have a hobby that we can translate into a business then we will just have to keep moving forward anyway. Second, be realistic as to how much time you could actually commit per week, as some business will require more then others. Lastly, besides asking for references and asking questions of the program operator, make sure to check with the better business bureau, you will want to know if the business has any major complaints.
Goals: Once you select the right program that is right for you, you then must get into motion. So many times we are so quick to spend our money on a program, that when we finally get it we tend to procrastinate. You need to hold yourself accountable to your goals and expectations. As mentioned earlier, you will not make a million dollars overnight, so be realistic. Goal one should be to master the program, goal 2 should be to make $500.00 a month, and goal 3 should be by the end of the year to get to or as close as possible to a six figure income.
Making money online is not difficult, but you must be willing to stick it out through the first month, and you must make sure to follow the exact steps that the program requires to succeed.
Author Resource:- Your enthusiasm will get you started, but your determination and passion will keep you going. For more information on legitimate online business opportunities, Rudy invites you to visit his websites http://sixfigureyearlysecrets.info and http://articlesandlinks.com
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
As we all know, we are living in some rough economic times. The pressures of staying afloat are enormous. The costs of basic necessities are becoming more and more difficult to provide for our families. Because our regular nine to five job alone is no longer sufficient, we must explore other options of making money. Why waste your energy and time with a part-time job making just a few dollars a week, when you can make a fantastic living online by only working a few hours a week. There has never been a better time to make the decision to explore online money making opportunities then now. The tips that you will learn in this article will guide you in the right direction toward making a good living online.
The Benefits: Then benefits of making money online are amazing. If done correctly, what will begin with just a few hundred dollars extra per month; will blossom into a six figure income. Just stop and think of how different your life would be on a $10k per month income. Also think of the luxury of only working at most 10 hours a week. Having the ability to spend more time with your family alone is more then enough reason to want to explore online money making opportunities.
State of Mind: Even before selecting the right online opportunity, you must first start by making sure your state of mind is ready. Let me start of by mentioning, you will not make a million dollars over a commercial break. Please make sure that you understand that making money online will not come easy. You must be prepared to commit at least 1 to 2 hours a day. You have to get beyond the get rich quick mentality. Making a six figure income or more online is very realistic for anyone, but you must have the right expectations and the mental conditioning to stick it out. In case you do not know, almost 100% of online money makers, make no money online at all. More then any other reason, failure will come due to someone’s state of mind. Most of the time, they go into a business opportunity expecting to make a million dollars over night, so when the money does not come, they eventually give up and move on to another opportunity and thus keep on repeating the cycle. State of mind is everything, so please do not take this fact lightly. Your enthusiasm will get you started, but your determination and passion will keep you going.
The Selection Process: Be aware of fraudulent home business opportunities, as most of them are just pretty websites with outrageous claims that can not be proven. At this stage of the process you want to investigate different online opportunities. You want to be cautious but yet be willing to explore a good number of different programs. Let me start off by asking you, what are your interests? Do you like art or maybe sports? Its always better to get into a business that you have a liking for. Now for the rest of us that are not so fortunate enough to have a hobby that we can translate into a business then we will just have to keep moving forward anyway. Second, be realistic as to how much time you could actually commit per week, as some business will require more then others. Lastly, besides asking for references and asking questions of the program operator, make sure to check with the better business bureau, you will want to know if the business has any major complaints.
Goals: Once you select the right program that is right for you, you then must get into motion. So many times we are so quick to spend our money on a program, that when we finally get it we tend to procrastinate. You need to hold yourself accountable to your goals and expectations. As mentioned earlier, you will not make a million dollars overnight, so be realistic. Goal one should be to master the program, goal 2 should be to make $500.00 a month, and goal 3 should be by the end of the year to get to or as close as possible to a six figure income.
Making money online is not difficult, but you must be willing to stick it out through the first month, and you must make sure to follow the exact steps that the program requires to succeed.
Author Resource:- Your enthusiasm will get you started, but your determination and passion will keep you going. For more information on legitimate online business opportunities, Rudy invites you to visit his websites http://sixfigureyearlysecrets.info and http://articlesandlinks.com
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
How do you generate income from the Net?
I am in the information marketing business, which means that I sell ebooks, software or any other solutions that help other business owners to improve their own Internet based business. As long as there is a need for information on a certain market, I will survey that market, find the solutions, package it and sell it on the internet.
How much do you make (a ballpark figure if you do want to disclose the actual sum)
I make between RM20,000 to RM30,000 per month, depending on the trends and the amount of sales. By end of the year my earnings will reach close to RM100,000 a month or hopefully, more than that.
Based on your estimates, how many such people are there in Malaysia?
As a matter of fact, I’m probably one the first people in Malaysia to conduct an extensive survey of over 1000 people in Malaysia who are interested in starting their own small Internet based business. From my research, the market in Malaysia is very new to the idea of making money online. About 67% said they have just discovered the idea, and have yet to try it. 33% said they have started in some way, and only 3% are actually making money from the Internet on a consistent basis.
Most of these results will be analyzed and discussed in my upcoming book, which will be published around August 2007.
What are their main sources of income (Google Adsense perhaps?)
Google Adsense is probably the easiest way to make money online, as all you need to do it put some codes on your website and make sure you get as much traffic as possible to those sites.
However, there are so many other ways. I have personally interviewed over 12 local entrepreneurs on my site TheMalaysianRevolution.com and from that I can see that the other popular methods are selling on Ebay or auction sites, selling products via a dropshippers, selling advertising space, selling as an affiliate for a commission, and much more.
So each person’s source of income varies according to what market he targets, and how he approaches that market.
Tell us something about yourself (eg age, edu background, how you got started).
I’m actually from a small town in Johor called Kluang, and that’s where I grew up. I graduated from Multimedia University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Multimedia Marketing. As relevant as that may seem, in 2005 when I decided to go full time with my own internet business I had to learn everything from scratch, by trial and error.
Prior to that, I was working in Telekom Malaysia Berhad as a sales & account executive for almost 4 years since I graduated. I realized that a 9-5 job doing something meaningless was not what I wanted my future to look like, so I decided to take a risk and I can’t say that I regret it.
What you enjoy most doing this?
I enjoy the fact that every extra hour I put into my own business translated to more income for me. And you can actually see this happening in a few weeks or months, so you get a sense of closure and accomplishment.
I also enjoy the freedom of time that I have now, to go where I choose, do what I choose, when I choose.
What are the drawbacks?
The drawback is that you’re now in charge of everything. If you fail to plan both short-term and long-term goals, it’s only a matter of time before you face difficulties in your business. But if you can have the discipline to do what you’re supposed to do every day, there are no drawbacks.
It’s certainly better for me now than any job or business I’ve tried in the past.
How do newbies identify money-making scams?
Basically if it’s too good to be true, it’s a probably a scam. Anything that promises you can make money on the Internet without any capital or work is something you should be wary of. Just a like an ordinary business, it takes capital, time, and dedication to make it work.
Gobala Krishnan
www.gobalakrishnan.com
How much do you make (a ballpark figure if you do want to disclose the actual sum)
I make between RM20,000 to RM30,000 per month, depending on the trends and the amount of sales. By end of the year my earnings will reach close to RM100,000 a month or hopefully, more than that.
Based on your estimates, how many such people are there in Malaysia?
As a matter of fact, I’m probably one the first people in Malaysia to conduct an extensive survey of over 1000 people in Malaysia who are interested in starting their own small Internet based business. From my research, the market in Malaysia is very new to the idea of making money online. About 67% said they have just discovered the idea, and have yet to try it. 33% said they have started in some way, and only 3% are actually making money from the Internet on a consistent basis.
Most of these results will be analyzed and discussed in my upcoming book, which will be published around August 2007.
What are their main sources of income (Google Adsense perhaps?)
Google Adsense is probably the easiest way to make money online, as all you need to do it put some codes on your website and make sure you get as much traffic as possible to those sites.
However, there are so many other ways. I have personally interviewed over 12 local entrepreneurs on my site TheMalaysianRevolution.com and from that I can see that the other popular methods are selling on Ebay or auction sites, selling products via a dropshippers, selling advertising space, selling as an affiliate for a commission, and much more.
So each person’s source of income varies according to what market he targets, and how he approaches that market.
Tell us something about yourself (eg age, edu background, how you got started).
I’m actually from a small town in Johor called Kluang, and that’s where I grew up. I graduated from Multimedia University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Multimedia Marketing. As relevant as that may seem, in 2005 when I decided to go full time with my own internet business I had to learn everything from scratch, by trial and error.
Prior to that, I was working in Telekom Malaysia Berhad as a sales & account executive for almost 4 years since I graduated. I realized that a 9-5 job doing something meaningless was not what I wanted my future to look like, so I decided to take a risk and I can’t say that I regret it.
What you enjoy most doing this?
I enjoy the fact that every extra hour I put into my own business translated to more income for me. And you can actually see this happening in a few weeks or months, so you get a sense of closure and accomplishment.
I also enjoy the freedom of time that I have now, to go where I choose, do what I choose, when I choose.
What are the drawbacks?
The drawback is that you’re now in charge of everything. If you fail to plan both short-term and long-term goals, it’s only a matter of time before you face difficulties in your business. But if you can have the discipline to do what you’re supposed to do every day, there are no drawbacks.
It’s certainly better for me now than any job or business I’ve tried in the past.
How do newbies identify money-making scams?
Basically if it’s too good to be true, it’s a probably a scam. Anything that promises you can make money on the Internet without any capital or work is something you should be wary of. Just a like an ordinary business, it takes capital, time, and dedication to make it work.
Gobala Krishnan
www.gobalakrishnan.com
Monday, November 17, 2008
Home Business Interview With Vivien by Laura Spencer
Today's interview is with Vivien. Vivien is one of many home business owners who juggle a full-time job and a part-time home business. Her home business is as a freelance web and graphics designer. She also blogs at Inspiration Bit(where I met her).
I know that many of you will be able to relate to Vivien's story as she shares her experiences as a business owner, an employee, and a mom:
Work From Home Momma: How many years have you worked from home?
Vivien: I launched my own business, VG Universe Design, in 2002. Actually, my very first client is still working with me and keeping me busy.
Work From Home Momma: What made you decide to start a home business? Why did you choose to go part-time with it?
Vivien: Ever since the companies saw that I'm really good with programming, my resume primarily featured programming positions. I was eager to apply my creative side, so I decided to start my own business and build websites from scratch, including their interface design, plus it allowed me to have more graphic design jobs as well.
At that time I was still teaching part-time and freelancing from home. I wasn't ready to work from home full-time - I didn't have enough clients, my portfolio didn't have an extensive list of case studies.
Three years later my daughter was born, and it became very challenging to work from home - no time for client meetings, searching for projects to work on. Plus, I needed a steady income and the security blanket that a full-time job provides.
However, I haven't given up on the idea of working for myself, from home full-time. I'm working towards that.
Work From Home Momma: Why did you choose graphic design?
Vivien: In my case, it's a combination of graphic and web design. I specialize more in web, but would love to have more strictly graphic design jobs. I've been drawing ever since I remember and I've always been fascinated by the process of creating a work of art on a blank canvas. I would go to a park to watch artists work on their paintings, I could stare at the appearing lines, splashes of colours on the canvas for hours. I love the creative aspects of web and graphic design.
Work From Home Momma: What is your biggest challenge?
Vivien: Time. Why don't we have at least 36 hours in a day? It's hard to manage time for someone who works full-time, freelances from home part-time, and blogs in between. But it's double hard for mothers. I start my work very early, so that I can come home earlier, thus I leave home while my daughter is still sleeping and when I'm back from work, I want to spend as much time with her as possible, and she wants to play with me and constantly craves for my attention. I don't want my husband to feel neglected either, so it is quite a struggle to juggle the family life with career and blogging.
Work From Home Momma: What is unique about your web design business?
Vivien: There are not many designers who feel comfortable with both design and programming aspects of web design. Usually, if someone is a programmer they are not that good with the design, and vice versa - graphic designers often don't enjoy programming. I, on the other hand, find programming as creative and fulfilling as graphic design: after all, I do create websites that can interact with visitors. It's much easier for the clients to deal with one person who can take care of both the design and programming work of their website.
Plus because I've been teaching web design and programming for over ten years, I'm really good with consulting and educating the clients, providing and finding their exact needs for the website.
Work From Home Momma: Where do you see your business going in the next year? In the next five years?
Vivien: I'm hoping to get more clients from all over the world by using my blog, Inspiration Bit, as a promotional tool. But first I need to complete my blog's re-design. In the next five years I would like my company to go from a one-person studio to a larger company with a group of highly creative, energetic and friendly employees.
Work From Home Momma: Is there anything else about your business that you'd like to tell the readers of Work From Home Momma?
I just have one piece of advice for anyone who wants to launch a website for their business or re-design their existing site: Your website can become the best promotional tool for your business if you know how to get it to work for you and get the most out of it, so treat it as your biggest investment, and find professionals who you can trust, don't make your decisions based on the cheapest rate for the site's design.
Always remember that "a good website, like a baby, is a product of love and hard work" - the motto of my business. Article by Laura Spencer
http://www.workfromhomemomma.com
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Steps to Getting Started On eBay
Below are the steps to getting set up on eBay.
1. Become a registered eBay seller.
To become a seller, you:
Provide eBay with a valid credit/debit card or bank account information or become ID Verified.
Let us know how you would like to pay your seller fees.
Make sure your Feedback Profile is public.
Find out how.
2. Sign up to accept electronic payments.
All new sellers must offer at least one electronic payment method allowed by eBay as a payment option. PayPal lets you accept credit card and electronic check payments online from your buyers.
Important: Including PayPal in your listing does not register you for PayPal. You need to sign up for PayPal to be registered for PayPal and receive any payments made to you through PayPal.
3. Research your item and the rules of play.
Do some research, especially about setting a starting price, listing format, and category, to list precisely and get the best price for your item. Compare your item with active and completed listings on eBay based on category, format, and selling price. Buyers feel more compelled to bid and buy when they know the shipping charges beforehand. Package, weigh, and measure your item so you can use calculated shipping. If this is your first time selling an item, you may be required to specify shipping. Educate yourself on eBay's policies about prohibited and restricted items, as well as what's okay and what's not okay when listing and completing the sale.
Depending on your item category and which listing form you use, you'll get a variety of listing options. If you're selling an item associated with a product that's in our catalog, you can add pre-filled item information to your listing description. You can sell your item auction-style or as Buy It Now. Listing upgrades like highlighting, font, and picture enhancements make your item stand out. You can even donate a portion of your sale to a cause that you choose.
5. Manage your listing.
Once you've got your listing up and running, you can check in on it to see how bidding is going. You do this from the Sell section in My eBay, which comes up when you sign into your eBay account. You can also:
Set notification preferences to let eBay know how and when you want to receive alerts or notifications.
Set seller preferences about picture hosting, receiving payments, shipping, and more.
Set member-to-member communication preferences to say how buyers can connect with you.
Set general preferences for searches, My eBay preferences, and more.
If you want to change anything in your listing, see Changing Your Listing at the eBay website.
Be sure to answer any questions you receive about your listing. This will help you sell your item by establishing good rapport with potential buyers. When buyers give you positive Feedback, you become a stronger seller on eBay.
And when your listing ends . . .
6. Wrap up with your buyer.
Here too, how you handle these last steps will go a long way toward your personal satisfaction and getting great feedback from your buyer.
Communicate with your buyer – When you use eBay’s Checkout service and your buyer completes checkout, you’ll be notified by email. If you don't specify shipping and payment details in your listing, the buyer can use Checkout to request this information. You can also use Checkout to send the buyer an invoice.
If you didn't use Checkout, contact the buyer directly by email or phone.
Important: Contact your buyer directly if you haven't heard from your buyer or received Checkout or PayPal notification within three days of your listing's end.
Receive payment – If your buyer paid with PayPal, you'll receive an email confirming payment. If you haven't registered for PayPal, you'll be prompted to register so you can accept the payment.
Ship the item to the buyer – Pack it well! Use bubble wrap or crumpled up newspaper to protect the item from shipping damage. Make sure any fragile parts of the item are well padded and located toward the center of the box if possible.
Leave the buyer feedback – eBay’s Feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.
To learn all about selling on eBay, go to the links below:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sell-getstarted.html
http://www.jennyhow.com/
1. Become a registered eBay seller.
To become a seller, you:
Provide eBay with a valid credit/debit card or bank account information or become ID Verified.
Let us know how you would like to pay your seller fees.
Make sure your Feedback Profile is public.
Find out how.
2. Sign up to accept electronic payments.
All new sellers must offer at least one electronic payment method allowed by eBay as a payment option. PayPal lets you accept credit card and electronic check payments online from your buyers.
Important: Including PayPal in your listing does not register you for PayPal. You need to sign up for PayPal to be registered for PayPal and receive any payments made to you through PayPal.
3. Research your item and the rules of play.
Do some research, especially about setting a starting price, listing format, and category, to list precisely and get the best price for your item. Compare your item with active and completed listings on eBay based on category, format, and selling price. Buyers feel more compelled to bid and buy when they know the shipping charges beforehand. Package, weigh, and measure your item so you can use calculated shipping. If this is your first time selling an item, you may be required to specify shipping. Educate yourself on eBay's policies about prohibited and restricted items, as well as what's okay and what's not okay when listing and completing the sale.
Depending on your item category and which listing form you use, you'll get a variety of listing options. If you're selling an item associated with a product that's in our catalog, you can add pre-filled item information to your listing description. You can sell your item auction-style or as Buy It Now. Listing upgrades like highlighting, font, and picture enhancements make your item stand out. You can even donate a portion of your sale to a cause that you choose.
5. Manage your listing.
Once you've got your listing up and running, you can check in on it to see how bidding is going. You do this from the Sell section in My eBay, which comes up when you sign into your eBay account. You can also:
Set notification preferences to let eBay know how and when you want to receive alerts or notifications.
Set seller preferences about picture hosting, receiving payments, shipping, and more.
Set member-to-member communication preferences to say how buyers can connect with you.
Set general preferences for searches, My eBay preferences, and more.
If you want to change anything in your listing, see Changing Your Listing at the eBay website.
Be sure to answer any questions you receive about your listing. This will help you sell your item by establishing good rapport with potential buyers. When buyers give you positive Feedback, you become a stronger seller on eBay.
And when your listing ends . . .
6. Wrap up with your buyer.
Here too, how you handle these last steps will go a long way toward your personal satisfaction and getting great feedback from your buyer.
Communicate with your buyer – When you use eBay’s Checkout service and your buyer completes checkout, you’ll be notified by email. If you don't specify shipping and payment details in your listing, the buyer can use Checkout to request this information. You can also use Checkout to send the buyer an invoice.
If you didn't use Checkout, contact the buyer directly by email or phone.
Important: Contact your buyer directly if you haven't heard from your buyer or received Checkout or PayPal notification within three days of your listing's end.
Receive payment – If your buyer paid with PayPal, you'll receive an email confirming payment. If you haven't registered for PayPal, you'll be prompted to register so you can accept the payment.
Ship the item to the buyer – Pack it well! Use bubble wrap or crumpled up newspaper to protect the item from shipping damage. Make sure any fragile parts of the item are well padded and located toward the center of the box if possible.
Leave the buyer feedback – eBay’s Feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.
To learn all about selling on eBay, go to the links below:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/sell-getstarted.html
http://www.jennyhow.com/
Sample List Of Home Based Businesses
Below is a listing of possible home based businesses you can run out of your home. Although it doesn’t cover every possible business that one could think of, it should serve to show you the many possibilities of the types of businesses that can be operated out of your place of residence.
A
Accountant
Adventure Tourism
Advertising Agency
Advertising Copywriter
Advertising Maps
Advertising Sheets
Advertising Specialty Sales
Aerobics Classes
Amusement Rides, Inflatable
Animal Behavior Consultant
Answering Service
Antifreeze Recycling Services
Antique and Collectibles Dealer
Antique Book and Magazine Dealer
Apartment Locator
Apiary
Appliance Repair
Architect
Art Consultant
Art Gallery
Artist, Freelance
Artist Management
Art Restoration
Assembling Products
Association Management Service
Astrological Charts
Attorney
Author -
Auto Sales
B
Baby Handprint and Footprint Bronzing Service
Baby Proofing Service
Baby Shoe Bronzing Service
Balloon Animals
Balloon Decorating
Balloon Rides
Basketball Tournaments
Baskets, Specialty
Beautician
Beauty Consultant
Bed and Breakfast
Bicycle Repair
Bill Auditing Service
Billiards, Amateur League
Birthday Greeting Service
Blind Cleaning
Bookkeeping Service
Braille Transcribing
Building/Home Inspection Service
Bulletin Board Advertising Service
Bumper Stickers
Business Broker
Business Consultant
Business Financing Service
Business Network Organizer
Business Plan Consultant
Business Plan Writer
Buttons/Badges
C
Cabinet Making
Cable TV Spots
Cake Decorating
Calligraphy
Candle Making
Canning
Car or Van, Using to Make Money
Carpenter
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
Cartoonist
Catering
Ceramics
Chair Caning
Cheese Making
Childbirth Instructor
Children's Clothes
Children's Transportation Service
Chimney Sweep
Cleaning, House/Apartment
Cleaning Broker
Cleaning Service
Clip Art
Closet Organizer
Clothing and Accessories Design
Clown
Coaching
Coin Dealer
Collection Agency
Color Consultant
Columnist
Commercial Artist
Communications
Computer Animator
Computer Bulletin Board Owner
Computer Consultant
Computer Data Back-Up Service
Computer Programmer
Computer Repair
Computer Training
Computer Tutor for Children
Concert Promotion
Construction Management Consultant
Consultant, Art
Consultant, Beauty
Consultant, Business
Consultant, Color
Consultant, Computer
Consultant, Home Business
Consultant, Home Security
Consultant, Image
Consultant, Internet
Consultant, Landscaping
Consultant, Small Business
Consultant, Time Management
Consultant, Wedding
Contractor Referral Service
Cooking School
Co-Op Coupons
Copy Service
Copywriter, Online
Correspondence Club
Cosmetics Sales
Cosmetologist
Costume Design
Coupon Books
Crafts
Craft Broker
Crafts Instructor
Craft Supplies Catalog
Credit and Debt Counselling Service
D
Dance Instructor
Dating and Escort Service
Daycare Center
Daycare for Adults
Dental Claims Processing
Designer Pet Houses
Desktop Publishing
Desktop Video
Dinner Delivery Service
Directory Publisher
Direct Sales
Disk Duplication
Diversity Consultant
Dog Trainer
Dog Walker
Doll Maker
Doula
Dressmaking/Sewing
Dried Floral Arrangements
Dry Cleaning Pick-Up and Delivery Service
E
Editor
Elder Services
Email Processing
Embossed Stationery
Employee Trainer
Employment Agency
Engineering Consultant
Errand Service
Event Management
Event Planner
Executive Search
Expert Services Broker
Expert Witness
Export Agent
Exterminator
Ezine Publishing
F
Facialist
Family Tree Researcher
Filing Systems
Finance Broker
Financial Advisor
Financial Planner
Firewood Supply
Fishing Supplies
Fish Tank/Bird Cage Maintenance and Sales
Fitness Trainer
Flea Market Seller
Floral Arrangements
Foley Artist
Food Delivery Service
Forum Manager
Framing (Picture) Service
Franchise Consultant
Franchise Owner
Freebie Ad Magazines
Free Give-Aways
Freelance Artist
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Writer
Fundraiser
Furniture Restoration and Refurbishment
G
Garage Sales
Garage Sales Promotion
Garden Consultant
Gardener
Genealogist
Ghost Writer
Gift Baskets
Gift Baskets, Gourmet
Give-Aways
Gourmet Jam and Jelly
Grant Proposal Consultant
Grant Proposal Writer
Graphic Artist
Greenhouse
Greeting Cards
Greeting Card Sending Service
Grocery Shopping Service
H
Hairdresser
Handmade Soaps
Handyman/woman Service
Hauling Service
Healthcare Consultant
Herbalist
Herb and Spice Business
Herb Gardener
Herb Wreaths and Crafts
Home Accessories Sales
Home Business Consultant
Home Decorating
Home Furnishings
Home Healthcare Agency
Home Inspection Service
Home-Made Booklets
Home-Made Foods
Home Maintenance
Home Office Organizer
Home Organizer
Home Plan Designer
Home Security Consultant
Home Swapping Registry
Horse Boarding
Horse Exerciser
Hospital Bill Auditing
Household Management
Housekeeper
House Sitting Registry
House-Sitting Service
Housewares
"How-To" Videos
Human Resources Consultant
I
Image Consultant
Image Transfer
Import/Export
Imprinting
Independent Contractor
Indoor Environmental Tester
Indoor Fountains
Information Broker
Infopreneur
Insurance Sales
Internet Consultant
Interior Decorating
International Consultant
Internet Marketing
Internet Recruiting
Internet Service Provider
Interpreter/Translator
Inventory Taping Service
Invitation Printing
J
Jewelry, Wire
Jewelry Designer
Junk Car Removal
L
Lamaze Instructor
Landscaping Consultant
Landscaping Service
Laundry Service
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mower and Motor Repair
Lawn Sign Rentals
Leadlighting
Legal Transcription Service
Limousine Service
Lingerie Sales
Locating Service
Locksmith
Long Distance Telecommunications Products
M
Magician
Mailing List Service
Mail House
Mailing List Services
Mail Order
Make-Up Artist
Management Consultant
Manicurist
Marketing Consultant
Market Research
Massage Therapy
Matchmaker Service
Meals for Handicapped
Medical Billing
Medical Claims Processing
Medical Coding
Medical Office Consultant
Medical Transcription Service
Meeting and Event Planner
Menu Planner
Microfarming
Mini-blind Cleaning Service
Mobile Car Wash/Detailing Service
Mobile Disc Jockey
Mobile Manicurist
Mobile Notary Public
Mobile Pet Groomer
Mobile Puppet Theater
Monogramming
Moving Service
Music
Music Lessons
Mystery Shopper
N
Name Certificates
Nanny Finding Service
Nature Hikes
New Media/Multimedia Production
New-Mom Care
Newsletter Production for Clients
Newsletter Publishing
Newspaper Clipping Service
Notary Public
Nutritional Supplements Sales
O
Office Organizer
Office Plant Care
Office Support Service
Online Internet Training
Online Newspaper
Online Researcher/Abstractor
Online Retailer
Outdoor Adventures
P
Packing/Unpacking Service
Painting
Paper Recycling
Paralegal
Party Catering
Party Planner
Party Plan Sales
Payroll Service
Personal Chef
Personal Fitness Trainer
Personalized Stationery
Personal Shopper
Personal Sports Scorecards
Pet Breeding
Pet Fashions
Pet Food and Supplies Delivery
Pet Grooming Service
Pet Hotel
Pet Matching Service
Pet Photography Service
Pet Products
Pet Show Business
Pet Sitting/Home-Care Service
Petting Zoo Owner
Pet Transportation
Pet Walking
Photos, 3-D
Photos to Video, Transferring
Photography
Photography, scenic (for homesick expats)
Piano Tuner
Picture Framing
Plant Nursery
Polling/Surveying
Pool Cleaning
Portrait and Wedding Photography
Portrait Artist
Potted Plants
Poultry Farmer
Pregnancy Fitness Class
Printing Business, Small
Printing Broker
Printer Toner Recharging
Printing, Invitations
Private Investigator
Private Practice Consultant
Process Server
Product Assembly
Product Development Consultant
Professional Organizer
Proofreader
Property Damage Appraisal Service
Property Manager
Proposal Consultant
Public Relations Agency
Public Relations Specialist
Public Speaker
R
Real Estate Appraiser
Real Estate Magazine
Realtor
Recipe Collections
Referral Service
Relocation Consultant
Reminder Service
Remodeling Contractor
Reporter
Restaurant Booking Service
Restaurant Delivery Service
Resume Writing Service
Retail Consultant
Reunion Organizer
Reviewer
Risk Management Consultant
River Rafting Guide
Roommate Finding Service
Rubber Stamps
S
Safety Consultant
School Photographer
Screen Printing
Scopist
Screen Printing
Secretarial Service
Secret Shopper
Security Consultant
Security Video Service
Self Defense Instructor
Self-Improvement Seminars
Self Publishing
Seminars and Workshops
Seminar Promotion
Seniors Exercise Classes
Sewing/Dressmaking
Shareware Programmer
Sharpening Service
Shopping Service
Show Promoting
Shuttle Service
Sightseeing Tours
Sign Design and Painting
Sign Language Interpreter
Singer
Small Business Consultant
Snow Removal Service
Software Creation
Software Trainer
Song Writer
Speakers Agency
Special Event Videos
Specialty Consultant
Stained Glass
T
Tarot Reader
Tax Return Preparation Service
Teaching
Technical Writer
Telemarketing
Telephone Answering Service
Telephone Service Reseller
Temporary Help Agency
3-D Photos
Time Management Consultant
Tool Rental Service
Tour Guide
Training
Transferring Photos to Video
Translation Service
Transcript Digesting Service
Transcription Services
Translator/Interpreter
Travel Agency
Travel Agency, Specialty
Travel Club
T-Shirt Design
Tupperware Sales
Tutoring
TV Repair
Typing Service
U
Used Cars
Used CDs
Using Your Car or Van to Make Money
Utility Auditing
V
Vacation House Swap Service
Vending Machine Business
VCR Repair
Video Duplication Service
Video Taping Service
Vitamin/Nutrition/Weight Loss Product Sales
Voicemail
Voice Instructor
Voice Over
W
Website Design
Website Development
Web Hosting Services
Web Marketing
Wedding Consultant
Wedding Coordinator
Wedding Planner
Wedding Video Service
Welcoming Service
Window Washing Service
Windshield Repair
Woodworking
Word Processing
Workshops, Seminars and
Writing Audio Cassette Scripts
Writing Press Releases
Y
Yard Clean Up
A
Accountant
Adventure Tourism
Advertising Agency
Advertising Copywriter
Advertising Maps
Advertising Sheets
Advertising Specialty Sales
Aerobics Classes
Amusement Rides, Inflatable
Animal Behavior Consultant
Answering Service
Antifreeze Recycling Services
Antique and Collectibles Dealer
Antique Book and Magazine Dealer
Apartment Locator
Apiary
Appliance Repair
Architect
Art Consultant
Art Gallery
Artist, Freelance
Artist Management
Art Restoration
Assembling Products
Association Management Service
Astrological Charts
Attorney
Author -
Auto Sales
B
Baby Handprint and Footprint Bronzing Service
Baby Proofing Service
Baby Shoe Bronzing Service
Balloon Animals
Balloon Decorating
Balloon Rides
Basketball Tournaments
Baskets, Specialty
Beautician
Beauty Consultant
Bed and Breakfast
Bicycle Repair
Bill Auditing Service
Billiards, Amateur League
Birthday Greeting Service
Blind Cleaning
Bookkeeping Service
Braille Transcribing
Building/Home Inspection Service
Bulletin Board Advertising Service
Bumper Stickers
Business Broker
Business Consultant
Business Financing Service
Business Network Organizer
Business Plan Consultant
Business Plan Writer
Buttons/Badges
C
Cabinet Making
Cable TV Spots
Cake Decorating
Calligraphy
Candle Making
Canning
Car or Van, Using to Make Money
Carpenter
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
Cartoonist
Catering
Ceramics
Chair Caning
Cheese Making
Childbirth Instructor
Children's Clothes
Children's Transportation Service
Chimney Sweep
Cleaning, House/Apartment
Cleaning Broker
Cleaning Service
Clip Art
Closet Organizer
Clothing and Accessories Design
Clown
Coaching
Coin Dealer
Collection Agency
Color Consultant
Columnist
Commercial Artist
Communications
Computer Animator
Computer Bulletin Board Owner
Computer Consultant
Computer Data Back-Up Service
Computer Programmer
Computer Repair
Computer Training
Computer Tutor for Children
Concert Promotion
Construction Management Consultant
Consultant, Art
Consultant, Beauty
Consultant, Business
Consultant, Color
Consultant, Computer
Consultant, Home Business
Consultant, Home Security
Consultant, Image
Consultant, Internet
Consultant, Landscaping
Consultant, Small Business
Consultant, Time Management
Consultant, Wedding
Contractor Referral Service
Cooking School
Co-Op Coupons
Copy Service
Copywriter, Online
Correspondence Club
Cosmetics Sales
Cosmetologist
Costume Design
Coupon Books
Crafts
Craft Broker
Crafts Instructor
Craft Supplies Catalog
Credit and Debt Counselling Service
D
Dance Instructor
Dating and Escort Service
Daycare Center
Daycare for Adults
Dental Claims Processing
Designer Pet Houses
Desktop Publishing
Desktop Video
Dinner Delivery Service
Directory Publisher
Direct Sales
Disk Duplication
Diversity Consultant
Dog Trainer
Dog Walker
Doll Maker
Doula
Dressmaking/Sewing
Dried Floral Arrangements
Dry Cleaning Pick-Up and Delivery Service
E
Editor
Elder Services
Email Processing
Embossed Stationery
Employee Trainer
Employment Agency
Engineering Consultant
Errand Service
Event Management
Event Planner
Executive Search
Expert Services Broker
Expert Witness
Export Agent
Exterminator
Ezine Publishing
F
Facialist
Family Tree Researcher
Filing Systems
Finance Broker
Financial Advisor
Financial Planner
Firewood Supply
Fishing Supplies
Fish Tank/Bird Cage Maintenance and Sales
Fitness Trainer
Flea Market Seller
Floral Arrangements
Foley Artist
Food Delivery Service
Forum Manager
Framing (Picture) Service
Franchise Consultant
Franchise Owner
Freebie Ad Magazines
Free Give-Aways
Freelance Artist
Freelance Photographer
Freelance Writer
Fundraiser
Furniture Restoration and Refurbishment
G
Garage Sales
Garage Sales Promotion
Garden Consultant
Gardener
Genealogist
Ghost Writer
Gift Baskets
Gift Baskets, Gourmet
Give-Aways
Gourmet Jam and Jelly
Grant Proposal Consultant
Grant Proposal Writer
Graphic Artist
Greenhouse
Greeting Cards
Greeting Card Sending Service
Grocery Shopping Service
H
Hairdresser
Handmade Soaps
Handyman/woman Service
Hauling Service
Healthcare Consultant
Herbalist
Herb and Spice Business
Herb Gardener
Herb Wreaths and Crafts
Home Accessories Sales
Home Business Consultant
Home Decorating
Home Furnishings
Home Healthcare Agency
Home Inspection Service
Home-Made Booklets
Home-Made Foods
Home Maintenance
Home Office Organizer
Home Organizer
Home Plan Designer
Home Security Consultant
Home Swapping Registry
Horse Boarding
Horse Exerciser
Hospital Bill Auditing
Household Management
Housekeeper
House Sitting Registry
House-Sitting Service
Housewares
"How-To" Videos
Human Resources Consultant
I
Image Consultant
Image Transfer
Import/Export
Imprinting
Independent Contractor
Indoor Environmental Tester
Indoor Fountains
Information Broker
Infopreneur
Insurance Sales
Internet Consultant
Interior Decorating
International Consultant
Internet Marketing
Internet Recruiting
Internet Service Provider
Interpreter/Translator
Inventory Taping Service
Invitation Printing
J
Jewelry, Wire
Jewelry Designer
Junk Car Removal
L
Lamaze Instructor
Landscaping Consultant
Landscaping Service
Laundry Service
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mower and Motor Repair
Lawn Sign Rentals
Leadlighting
Legal Transcription Service
Limousine Service
Lingerie Sales
Locating Service
Locksmith
Long Distance Telecommunications Products
M
Magician
Mailing List Service
Mail House
Mailing List Services
Mail Order
Make-Up Artist
Management Consultant
Manicurist
Marketing Consultant
Market Research
Massage Therapy
Matchmaker Service
Meals for Handicapped
Medical Billing
Medical Claims Processing
Medical Coding
Medical Office Consultant
Medical Transcription Service
Meeting and Event Planner
Menu Planner
Microfarming
Mini-blind Cleaning Service
Mobile Car Wash/Detailing Service
Mobile Disc Jockey
Mobile Manicurist
Mobile Notary Public
Mobile Pet Groomer
Mobile Puppet Theater
Monogramming
Moving Service
Music
Music Lessons
Mystery Shopper
N
Name Certificates
Nanny Finding Service
Nature Hikes
New Media/Multimedia Production
New-Mom Care
Newsletter Production for Clients
Newsletter Publishing
Newspaper Clipping Service
Notary Public
Nutritional Supplements Sales
O
Office Organizer
Office Plant Care
Office Support Service
Online Internet Training
Online Newspaper
Online Researcher/Abstractor
Online Retailer
Outdoor Adventures
P
Packing/Unpacking Service
Painting
Paper Recycling
Paralegal
Party Catering
Party Planner
Party Plan Sales
Payroll Service
Personal Chef
Personal Fitness Trainer
Personalized Stationery
Personal Shopper
Personal Sports Scorecards
Pet Breeding
Pet Fashions
Pet Food and Supplies Delivery
Pet Grooming Service
Pet Hotel
Pet Matching Service
Pet Photography Service
Pet Products
Pet Show Business
Pet Sitting/Home-Care Service
Petting Zoo Owner
Pet Transportation
Pet Walking
Photos, 3-D
Photos to Video, Transferring
Photography
Photography, scenic (for homesick expats)
Piano Tuner
Picture Framing
Plant Nursery
Polling/Surveying
Pool Cleaning
Portrait and Wedding Photography
Portrait Artist
Potted Plants
Poultry Farmer
Pregnancy Fitness Class
Printing Business, Small
Printing Broker
Printer Toner Recharging
Printing, Invitations
Private Investigator
Private Practice Consultant
Process Server
Product Assembly
Product Development Consultant
Professional Organizer
Proofreader
Property Damage Appraisal Service
Property Manager
Proposal Consultant
Public Relations Agency
Public Relations Specialist
Public Speaker
R
Real Estate Appraiser
Real Estate Magazine
Realtor
Recipe Collections
Referral Service
Relocation Consultant
Reminder Service
Remodeling Contractor
Reporter
Restaurant Booking Service
Restaurant Delivery Service
Resume Writing Service
Retail Consultant
Reunion Organizer
Reviewer
Risk Management Consultant
River Rafting Guide
Roommate Finding Service
Rubber Stamps
S
Safety Consultant
School Photographer
Screen Printing
Scopist
Screen Printing
Secretarial Service
Secret Shopper
Security Consultant
Security Video Service
Self Defense Instructor
Self-Improvement Seminars
Self Publishing
Seminars and Workshops
Seminar Promotion
Seniors Exercise Classes
Sewing/Dressmaking
Shareware Programmer
Sharpening Service
Shopping Service
Show Promoting
Shuttle Service
Sightseeing Tours
Sign Design and Painting
Sign Language Interpreter
Singer
Small Business Consultant
Snow Removal Service
Software Creation
Software Trainer
Song Writer
Speakers Agency
Special Event Videos
Specialty Consultant
Stained Glass
T
Tarot Reader
Tax Return Preparation Service
Teaching
Technical Writer
Telemarketing
Telephone Answering Service
Telephone Service Reseller
Temporary Help Agency
3-D Photos
Time Management Consultant
Tool Rental Service
Tour Guide
Training
Transferring Photos to Video
Translation Service
Transcript Digesting Service
Transcription Services
Translator/Interpreter
Travel Agency
Travel Agency, Specialty
Travel Club
T-Shirt Design
Tupperware Sales
Tutoring
TV Repair
Typing Service
U
Used Cars
Used CDs
Using Your Car or Van to Make Money
Utility Auditing
V
Vacation House Swap Service
Vending Machine Business
VCR Repair
Video Duplication Service
Video Taping Service
Vitamin/Nutrition/Weight Loss Product Sales
Voicemail
Voice Instructor
Voice Over
W
Website Design
Website Development
Web Hosting Services
Web Marketing
Wedding Consultant
Wedding Coordinator
Wedding Planner
Wedding Video Service
Welcoming Service
Window Washing Service
Windshield Repair
Woodworking
Word Processing
Workshops, Seminars and
Writing Audio Cassette Scripts
Writing Press Releases
Y
Yard Clean Up
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Establish Your Online Presence With A Great Website
Let’s face it, we’re now living in the 21st Century and a business that doesn’t show it’s presence with a website is living in the past. Now some of you are saying “What do I need with a website. I’m just selling toenail clippers.” Well, do you know how many people in the world need to clip their raggedy toe nails. Believe me, after a trip to the beach, a lot. So why not expand your horizons and stop thinking only of local sales. There’s a whole planet out there in need of toenail clippers.
All corny joking aside, a website can do two important things. First a well designed website can put you on the same playing field as the big boys (the giant corporations). After all, a website is a website. Believe me, a potential customer doesn’t know if you are operating from a multi billion dollar, fifteen story office building or from a one bedroom apartment building in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It doesn’t matter to the customer as long as you have a product or service he is willing to pay for and you deliver the goods.
Second, the internet is worldwide. As if you didn’t know that already (Even Sponge Bob knows that). And this means that through your website, you have the capability to reach millions of potential customers both in your immediate area and the rest of the world. Of course if you’re Joe the local plumber, you probably won’t be getting any clients seeking your services in Istanbul. But the fact still stands, that even for local advertising, having your own website can be a great asset to your business.
Concentrate more on making your website effective rather than turning it into a circus side show. Your home page is the most important page of your website. If you have multiple pages, your homepage is the gateway to your home based business. Steer clear of creating your website with gaudy, eye popping colors that assail your eyes with all the fire power of a level 10 military assault. Simplicity is the best way to go. Do not make your website hard to navigate or your customers might get frustrated and seek another provider thereby costing you a possible sale and a possible repeat customer. Flash intros may be cool looking but some potential customers get impatient waiting for the darn thing to load before getting to your home page.
On your home page, describe your home business and resist the temptation to over blow your home business and make claims that you cannot back up. Be truthful with your potential customers. Tell them what you provide, whether service or product. Sell them on what your service or product can do for them. You want these people, after reading your website to investigate further, if you have additional pages(product photos, list of services your provide, etc), what your home business is all about.
Make sure your website gives current, up to date contact information regarding your home business company. Your home page and every page on your website to have: Company name, mailing address (PO Box also), phone number, fax number, email address. Also provide directions to your company if that is necessary for customers to do a face to face.
Provide a few testimonials and other backup material from customers to give potential customers a feeling of knowing you are a legitimate business and not some home based scam artist. With all the countless online scams coming from the internet, customers want to know you are real and trustworthy.
One thing you will want to be concerned with, if you have a home based business that can appeal to customers outside your local area as well as worldwide is how to raise your search engine ranking on Google so that you are on the first page of a potential Google search. The best method is to get other websites to link to you. The best way to do that is to publish information on your website that other websites akin to yours will want to place a link on their website that links back to your website. This link exchange is a good way to increase your presence on the internet and bring more customers to your home based business website. Also writing articles for other websites with a link back to your website is another good method to increase your web visibility to potential customers which will translate into greater potential sales.
To build your website you can either hire a professional website designer or there are a few webpage creation software programs on the market that will enable you to build your own website without having to know programming language. Basically with these programs you simply select a template website page and using the easy to use and easy to understand web creation tools to create your own personal home based business website. Web design can be as simple as 1-2-3.
All corny joking aside, a website can do two important things. First a well designed website can put you on the same playing field as the big boys (the giant corporations). After all, a website is a website. Believe me, a potential customer doesn’t know if you are operating from a multi billion dollar, fifteen story office building or from a one bedroom apartment building in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It doesn’t matter to the customer as long as you have a product or service he is willing to pay for and you deliver the goods.
Second, the internet is worldwide. As if you didn’t know that already (Even Sponge Bob knows that). And this means that through your website, you have the capability to reach millions of potential customers both in your immediate area and the rest of the world. Of course if you’re Joe the local plumber, you probably won’t be getting any clients seeking your services in Istanbul. But the fact still stands, that even for local advertising, having your own website can be a great asset to your business.
Concentrate more on making your website effective rather than turning it into a circus side show. Your home page is the most important page of your website. If you have multiple pages, your homepage is the gateway to your home based business. Steer clear of creating your website with gaudy, eye popping colors that assail your eyes with all the fire power of a level 10 military assault. Simplicity is the best way to go. Do not make your website hard to navigate or your customers might get frustrated and seek another provider thereby costing you a possible sale and a possible repeat customer. Flash intros may be cool looking but some potential customers get impatient waiting for the darn thing to load before getting to your home page.
On your home page, describe your home business and resist the temptation to over blow your home business and make claims that you cannot back up. Be truthful with your potential customers. Tell them what you provide, whether service or product. Sell them on what your service or product can do for them. You want these people, after reading your website to investigate further, if you have additional pages(product photos, list of services your provide, etc), what your home business is all about.
Make sure your website gives current, up to date contact information regarding your home business company. Your home page and every page on your website to have: Company name, mailing address (PO Box also), phone number, fax number, email address. Also provide directions to your company if that is necessary for customers to do a face to face.
Provide a few testimonials and other backup material from customers to give potential customers a feeling of knowing you are a legitimate business and not some home based scam artist. With all the countless online scams coming from the internet, customers want to know you are real and trustworthy.
One thing you will want to be concerned with, if you have a home based business that can appeal to customers outside your local area as well as worldwide is how to raise your search engine ranking on Google so that you are on the first page of a potential Google search. The best method is to get other websites to link to you. The best way to do that is to publish information on your website that other websites akin to yours will want to place a link on their website that links back to your website. This link exchange is a good way to increase your presence on the internet and bring more customers to your home based business website. Also writing articles for other websites with a link back to your website is another good method to increase your web visibility to potential customers which will translate into greater potential sales.
To build your website you can either hire a professional website designer or there are a few webpage creation software programs on the market that will enable you to build your own website without having to know programming language. Basically with these programs you simply select a template website page and using the easy to use and easy to understand web creation tools to create your own personal home based business website. Web design can be as simple as 1-2-3.
Friday, November 14, 2008
A Satisfiend Home Business Owner
I have been able to establish my own business that is run from my home. Well actually it's run from a subterranean basement area in my $200,000,00 mansion estate outside Gotham City. But even so, it's nice to go down into the old bat cave, suit up in my custom made bullet proof, cowl and body armour and use the computer to obtain background data on a host of bizarre, psychotic, maniacal, super villains in the sanctity of my own home. Home Business-It's great.
Working At Home Using Your Computer
How To Work At Home Using Your Computer - 5 Ways To Profit
Author: Truby Johnson
People all over the world are looking for a way to stay at home and make money.Today this is not only a reality,but there are millions of people doing just this all around the world. You can join them and in this article we are going to talk about 5 ways to work at home using your computer.
1. If you have some background in customer service you can use this to your advantage by becoming a virtual assistant. Today telecommuting has become very popular and companies are willing to pay employees to work out of their home.
One website to take a look at is Telecommuting jobs.com. They match employers and employees and are in constant need of customer service agents to work at home. You can get paid to do things such as answering the phone, replying to emails, and providing customer service.
2. Starting an Internet business is a great way for people to make money working at home using their computer. There are many different ways to do this including network marketing, selling private label right products, selling resell rights products, selling your own product, or selling a service such as website building or graphic design.
3. If you like to write you can make money providing blog content for people. There are many blogs today that are in desperate need of short articles that they can use for content. You can make a full time living just writing blog articles as there are literally millions of blogs in need of content right now.
4. Email marketing
has been around almost since the beginning of the Internet. You could sell products of your own or as an affiliate to an email marketing list that you build.
An easy way to build a list is to buy co-registration leads and letting a lead company build your list for you. You then make money selling to that list as you develop the skills professional email marketers use.
5. One of the most popular ways to work at home using a computer today is to become a professional affiliate marketer. Getting paid to sell other people's products is an easy way to make money once you develop the skills on how to do it.
In summary these are five ways to work at home using your computer. There are other ways that you can make money with nothing more than a computer and Internet access, but these 5 are very popular today.
Author: Truby Johnson
People all over the world are looking for a way to stay at home and make money.Today this is not only a reality,but there are millions of people doing just this all around the world. You can join them and in this article we are going to talk about 5 ways to work at home using your computer.
1. If you have some background in customer service you can use this to your advantage by becoming a virtual assistant. Today telecommuting has become very popular and companies are willing to pay employees to work out of their home.
One website to take a look at is Telecommuting jobs.com. They match employers and employees and are in constant need of customer service agents to work at home. You can get paid to do things such as answering the phone, replying to emails, and providing customer service.
2. Starting an Internet business is a great way for people to make money working at home using their computer. There are many different ways to do this including network marketing, selling private label right products, selling resell rights products, selling your own product, or selling a service such as website building or graphic design.
3. If you like to write you can make money providing blog content for people. There are many blogs today that are in desperate need of short articles that they can use for content. You can make a full time living just writing blog articles as there are literally millions of blogs in need of content right now.
4. Email marketing
has been around almost since the beginning of the Internet. You could sell products of your own or as an affiliate to an email marketing list that you build.
An easy way to build a list is to buy co-registration leads and letting a lead company build your list for you. You then make money selling to that list as you develop the skills professional email marketers use.
5. One of the most popular ways to work at home using a computer today is to become a professional affiliate marketer. Getting paid to sell other people's products is an easy way to make money once you develop the skills on how to do it.
In summary these are five ways to work at home using your computer. There are other ways that you can make money with nothing more than a computer and Internet access, but these 5 are very popular today.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Hey Brother/Sister, Can You Spare Some Health Care?
It has always been a question, I guess, for greater minds than mine why if The United States is the richest country on the face of the earth, why is it that we are near the bottom of the list in providing affordable health care for it’s citizens.
And without continuing to perch shakily on my political soapbox, this brings us to the subject of affordable health care for the individual who decides to take the risk, quit his regular 9-5 job, with company health benefits(probably not the greatest but better than nothing at all) and chuck it all for the pleasure of being an independent home business owner who will no longer have a company health insurance program to depend on. So are there any health care avenues for a weary home biz owner to walk down.
Well let’s first lay down a fact every American knows. Health cost have shot through the proverbial roof like a Titan Rocket breaking free of earth’s gravity and engaging thruster engines to race to the planet mars. Since 1983 health care cost have risen far over tenfold. What was once reasonably affordable is now only affordable if your surname happens to be Gates or Trump.
So what to do. What options do you have to obtain health insurance. Well if your spouse happens to have a job that has a health care benefit program, check to see if she is able to add you as an addition to be covered under her/his healthcare program. If you have decided to leave your full time job, check to see if you are able to qualify for coverage extension under the Federal Consolidated Ombibus Budget Reconciliation Act(COBRA). This option applies only to employers who offer group health insurance coverage and have at least 20 employees or more.
For further details check: www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic-tex/employ/cogra/cobra.htm
If by chance you do not qualify for COBRA and you have a good relationship with your former or soon to be ex-employer, attempt to ask them if they will allow you to continue under their health insurance plan until you can obtain alternate health insurance coverage. Of course the downside is that you now will have to assume 100% of the premium costs and fees.
When you do decide to seek out your own health insurance benefit program, begin by listing your needs. How much coverage to you actually require? What is your age and state of your current health? How much of out of pocket expense can you safely afford? Remember, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium will be.
You may be able to lower health insurance cost by joining various organizations that offer group health insurance programs with their membership. Check these organizations that you would possibly like to join and check what each organization’s health benefits are being offered. Some examples of organizations that offer group health insurance programs to members are: Local Chamber of Commerce, Professional Associations, Automobile Clubs, Various Membership Organizations, ARC(Association Of Retired Citizens) if you are of retirement age and any of the many diversified Professional Associations.
If a group plan is out of the question and far beyond your means your next stop is to shop around and check with the many health programs being offered such as the various health programs as Blue Cross/Blue Shield(www.bcbs.com). Blue Cross/Blue Shield has different types of health care coverage that may fit into your affordability. Your personal insurance agent is also a possible asset at this time. He may be able to steer you to an affordable health insurance program. Some states also offer low cost health insurance programs that may fit into your requirements. Check your state government website for further information(www.Pa.gov as example) and do a search. And of course the good, old handy internet and google search engine can provide you with a list of websites of different health care insurance providers at your disposal.
Another note: If you have elected to structure your home based business as a corporation, you will have the added benefit of being able to deduct your health care expense as a business deduction. But be sure to discuss this with your accountant or check with the IRS just to be safe. We definitely don’t want the IRS sending us an nasty little audit letter do we in case for some unforeseen reason we don’t quality for the deduction.
Even after you find a health care insurance plan that you can live with, do not stop checking other programs for cheaper rates. You never know, you might just stumble upon a health care insurance carrier that offers a cheaper rate than your current insurance carrier. And always, and I mean always, keep all your medical receipts, bills, forms you filled out, etc. on file. You will need this for your accountant, you or whoever files your income taxes not to mention just for your own files for anytime you may need to evaluate medical expenditures. And remember, you may get an insurance package where you are paying a $450 monthly premium and a year down the road find yourself now facing a premium increase to $650. Oh well, that’s the insurance game.
Here are a few helpful Resources for Health Care Insurance Packages:
National Association For the Self-Employed- www.nase.org
National Small Business Association- www.nationalbusiness.org
U.S. Chamber of Commerce- www.uschamber.com
National Small Business Association, Inc.- www.nsba.net
US Government Made Easy www.USA.gov
And without continuing to perch shakily on my political soapbox, this brings us to the subject of affordable health care for the individual who decides to take the risk, quit his regular 9-5 job, with company health benefits(probably not the greatest but better than nothing at all) and chuck it all for the pleasure of being an independent home business owner who will no longer have a company health insurance program to depend on. So are there any health care avenues for a weary home biz owner to walk down.
Well let’s first lay down a fact every American knows. Health cost have shot through the proverbial roof like a Titan Rocket breaking free of earth’s gravity and engaging thruster engines to race to the planet mars. Since 1983 health care cost have risen far over tenfold. What was once reasonably affordable is now only affordable if your surname happens to be Gates or Trump.
So what to do. What options do you have to obtain health insurance. Well if your spouse happens to have a job that has a health care benefit program, check to see if she is able to add you as an addition to be covered under her/his healthcare program. If you have decided to leave your full time job, check to see if you are able to qualify for coverage extension under the Federal Consolidated Ombibus Budget Reconciliation Act(COBRA). This option applies only to employers who offer group health insurance coverage and have at least 20 employees or more.
For further details check: www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic-tex/employ/cogra/cobra.htm
If by chance you do not qualify for COBRA and you have a good relationship with your former or soon to be ex-employer, attempt to ask them if they will allow you to continue under their health insurance plan until you can obtain alternate health insurance coverage. Of course the downside is that you now will have to assume 100% of the premium costs and fees.
When you do decide to seek out your own health insurance benefit program, begin by listing your needs. How much coverage to you actually require? What is your age and state of your current health? How much of out of pocket expense can you safely afford? Remember, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium will be.
You may be able to lower health insurance cost by joining various organizations that offer group health insurance programs with their membership. Check these organizations that you would possibly like to join and check what each organization’s health benefits are being offered. Some examples of organizations that offer group health insurance programs to members are: Local Chamber of Commerce, Professional Associations, Automobile Clubs, Various Membership Organizations, ARC(Association Of Retired Citizens) if you are of retirement age and any of the many diversified Professional Associations.
If a group plan is out of the question and far beyond your means your next stop is to shop around and check with the many health programs being offered such as the various health programs as Blue Cross/Blue Shield(www.bcbs.com). Blue Cross/Blue Shield has different types of health care coverage that may fit into your affordability. Your personal insurance agent is also a possible asset at this time. He may be able to steer you to an affordable health insurance program. Some states also offer low cost health insurance programs that may fit into your requirements. Check your state government website for further information(www.Pa.gov as example) and do a search. And of course the good, old handy internet and google search engine can provide you with a list of websites of different health care insurance providers at your disposal.
Another note: If you have elected to structure your home based business as a corporation, you will have the added benefit of being able to deduct your health care expense as a business deduction. But be sure to discuss this with your accountant or check with the IRS just to be safe. We definitely don’t want the IRS sending us an nasty little audit letter do we in case for some unforeseen reason we don’t quality for the deduction.
Even after you find a health care insurance plan that you can live with, do not stop checking other programs for cheaper rates. You never know, you might just stumble upon a health care insurance carrier that offers a cheaper rate than your current insurance carrier. And always, and I mean always, keep all your medical receipts, bills, forms you filled out, etc. on file. You will need this for your accountant, you or whoever files your income taxes not to mention just for your own files for anytime you may need to evaluate medical expenditures. And remember, you may get an insurance package where you are paying a $450 monthly premium and a year down the road find yourself now facing a premium increase to $650. Oh well, that’s the insurance game.
Here are a few helpful Resources for Health Care Insurance Packages:
National Association For the Self-Employed- www.nase.org
National Small Business Association- www.nationalbusiness.org
U.S. Chamber of Commerce- www.uschamber.com
National Small Business Association, Inc.- www.nsba.net
US Government Made Easy www.USA.gov
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Balancing Your Child’s Needs with the Needs of Your Home Business
Category Rss Feed - http://www.talkinmince.com/rss.php?rss=16
By : Curt Miller
Submitted 2008-10-30 12:15:55
Many people who start a home business do so because they would like to stay at home with their children. Leaving the workforce to raise your children is indeed a noble endeavor and starting your own home business is a great way to make a living while staying at home. The problem is that many people do not anticipate the needs their children will have and how those needs will affect the needs of their home business.
Children Do Not Watch Themselves
When starting a home business to stay at home with your children, the first thing you need to understand is that children do not watch themselves. Just because you are in the same house as your child does not mean that child will not find ways to get themselves in trouble when you are not looking. This means even though you are working, you need to know where your child is and what they are doing at all times.
Planned Activities
The best way of keeping an eye on your child while still being able to get work done is by providing structured activities for the child. For example, if you have a four-year old you may want to sit them at the table and let them color in a coloring book from 9:30 till 10:00. Then put on an educational DVD from 10:00 till 10:30. When the video is over they can do arts and crafts from 10:30 till 11:30 and at 11:30 you can give them lunch. While your child is occupied with the tasks you have set before them, you can attend to the work that needs to be done.
Make Rules
When you have children, you are going to need to give them rules to follow. The first rule you need to teach is about talking to you while you are on the phone. Make sure your child knows not to talk to you while you are on the phone unless it is an absolute emergency. This will help you avoid the embarrassment of your child loudly exclaiming he or she needs to go potty while you are on the phone with a potential client.
Another important rule for parents operating a home business to implement is one that prohibits noisy toys during business hours. There is nothing worse than trying to concentrate on a report as your child runs around with an alien laser gun that makes horrendous sounds at a ridiculous volume. Make sure your child knows which toys are acceptable and which ones are not.
Let Them Help
If your child becomes bored, let them “help” you out. Most children jump at the idea of helping mom or dad with the home business. How your child helps will depend on the age of the child. For little ones, keep a container of colored paper clips and ask them to sort the paper clips by color. For older children, see if they can help you with filing, faxing, copying, etc.
You may even want to consider paying your child when he or she helps you. I am not suggesting paying your child a salary, but a five-year old will jump with delight when given fifty cents for sorting a pile of paper clips.
Know When to Enlist Help
If your home business really starts to boom and you have absolutely no time to attend to the children, it is time to hire a nanny. Many people do not think they should hire a nanny if they are working from home. This could not be further from the truth. If your business is exploding and occupying each and every minute, you should be generating enough income to hire the help and the help will be needed to keep your children safe and keep their day well-structured. Author Resource:-
Curt Miller spends his time making residual income from home online with his computer - showing others where to get paid to post ads or find cheap pay per click advertising.
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
By : Curt Miller
Submitted 2008-10-30 12:15:55
Many people who start a home business do so because they would like to stay at home with their children. Leaving the workforce to raise your children is indeed a noble endeavor and starting your own home business is a great way to make a living while staying at home. The problem is that many people do not anticipate the needs their children will have and how those needs will affect the needs of their home business.
Children Do Not Watch Themselves
When starting a home business to stay at home with your children, the first thing you need to understand is that children do not watch themselves. Just because you are in the same house as your child does not mean that child will not find ways to get themselves in trouble when you are not looking. This means even though you are working, you need to know where your child is and what they are doing at all times.
Planned Activities
The best way of keeping an eye on your child while still being able to get work done is by providing structured activities for the child. For example, if you have a four-year old you may want to sit them at the table and let them color in a coloring book from 9:30 till 10:00. Then put on an educational DVD from 10:00 till 10:30. When the video is over they can do arts and crafts from 10:30 till 11:30 and at 11:30 you can give them lunch. While your child is occupied with the tasks you have set before them, you can attend to the work that needs to be done.
Make Rules
When you have children, you are going to need to give them rules to follow. The first rule you need to teach is about talking to you while you are on the phone. Make sure your child knows not to talk to you while you are on the phone unless it is an absolute emergency. This will help you avoid the embarrassment of your child loudly exclaiming he or she needs to go potty while you are on the phone with a potential client.
Another important rule for parents operating a home business to implement is one that prohibits noisy toys during business hours. There is nothing worse than trying to concentrate on a report as your child runs around with an alien laser gun that makes horrendous sounds at a ridiculous volume. Make sure your child knows which toys are acceptable and which ones are not.
Let Them Help
If your child becomes bored, let them “help” you out. Most children jump at the idea of helping mom or dad with the home business. How your child helps will depend on the age of the child. For little ones, keep a container of colored paper clips and ask them to sort the paper clips by color. For older children, see if they can help you with filing, faxing, copying, etc.
You may even want to consider paying your child when he or she helps you. I am not suggesting paying your child a salary, but a five-year old will jump with delight when given fifty cents for sorting a pile of paper clips.
Know When to Enlist Help
If your home business really starts to boom and you have absolutely no time to attend to the children, it is time to hire a nanny. Many people do not think they should hire a nanny if they are working from home. This could not be further from the truth. If your business is exploding and occupying each and every minute, you should be generating enough income to hire the help and the help will be needed to keep your children safe and keep their day well-structured. Author Resource:-
Curt Miller spends his time making residual income from home online with his computer - showing others where to get paid to post ads or find cheap pay per click advertising.
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
Five Interesting Ways to Market Your Home Business
Category Rss Feed - http://www.talkinmince.com/rss.php?rss=16
By : Curt Miller
Submitted 2008-10-29 19:27:57
When it comes to marketing your home business, you should definitely use the tried-and-true methods such as Internet advertising, newspaper advertising, yellow pages advertising and flyer advertising. However, there is absolutely no rule that says you can not utilize innovative and interesting marketing techniques to spread the word about what your home business has to offer. If you like the idea of marketing your home business using unique and interesting ideas, you will definitely want to read on.
Everyone Loves Candy
Personalized candy bar wrappers have become very popular ways of announcing marriages and births, why shouldn’t they be used to advertise a home business? Everyone loves getting candy. If you wrap Hershey bars with personalized candy bar wrappers that advertise your home business and hand them out in front of a mall or another high-traffic area, word about our home business will certainly get out.
This is an especially good idea if your home business involves catering, gift basket creation or other food-related products or services.
Billboard Body Advertising
Using temporary body tattoos to advertise your home business may be a great way to get the word out. Some home business owners have experienced great marketing success by renting “body space” from people and then putting temporary tattoos on them and having the person sign a contract to display the tattoo in public for a certain number of hours each week. If you want some “shock value” advertising, having your home business web address tattooed on someone’s forehead is surefire way to get noticed.
Get Media Attention
One of the best advertising methods is media attention. While it is not always easy to get the media to do a story about your home business, it is indeed possible. The first thing you need to do is create a buzz about your home business. If the product or service your home business offers is newsworthy, that should not be hard to do. However, most home business owners need to rely on more creative measures to get the buzz going about their home business.
Some good ways to create a buzz about your home business include making a substantial gift to a charity, giving away a certain amount of the products or services offered by your home business, sponsoring a local contest or event, or holding a food drive for the homeless.
Once you have something newsworthy to report about your home business, you need to get it to the media so they can cover the story. To do this, you will need a press release. You can either write the press release for your home business yourself or you can hire a writer to write the release for you. Once the press release has been created, you just need to submit it to the different media outlets and then give interviews to the news people who contact you. Make sure you plug your home business each and every time you give an interview.
Sponsor a Local Little League Team
If you live in an area where local businesses sponsor little league teams, you may want to think about getting in on the action. Little league sponsorship is surprisingly affordable and the kids will be wearing uniforms displaying the name of your home business for an entire season. That is quite a bit of exposure.
Get Into the Movies
Getting movie theater advertising may be a lot easier and cheaper than you would think. In some areas, movie theaters rent out slide ad advertising. The theater rotates different slide ads for local businesses before the movie trailers and feature film begin. When people arrive early to a movie, they have nothing better to do than watch the ads rotating on the screen. If your ad is one of the ones they are looking at, it is going to draw a lot of attention for your home business.
While you may think this form of advertising would cost thousands, many movie theaters offer this type of advertising for well under $100 a month. If you think about how many people see movies each and every day, you begin to realize how much exposure this type of advertising can give you. Author Resource:- Curt Miller spends his time working at home online making residual income with his computer - showing others where to get paid to post or find cheap pay per click advertising.
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
By : Curt Miller
Submitted 2008-10-29 19:27:57
When it comes to marketing your home business, you should definitely use the tried-and-true methods such as Internet advertising, newspaper advertising, yellow pages advertising and flyer advertising. However, there is absolutely no rule that says you can not utilize innovative and interesting marketing techniques to spread the word about what your home business has to offer. If you like the idea of marketing your home business using unique and interesting ideas, you will definitely want to read on.
Everyone Loves Candy
Personalized candy bar wrappers have become very popular ways of announcing marriages and births, why shouldn’t they be used to advertise a home business? Everyone loves getting candy. If you wrap Hershey bars with personalized candy bar wrappers that advertise your home business and hand them out in front of a mall or another high-traffic area, word about our home business will certainly get out.
This is an especially good idea if your home business involves catering, gift basket creation or other food-related products or services.
Billboard Body Advertising
Using temporary body tattoos to advertise your home business may be a great way to get the word out. Some home business owners have experienced great marketing success by renting “body space” from people and then putting temporary tattoos on them and having the person sign a contract to display the tattoo in public for a certain number of hours each week. If you want some “shock value” advertising, having your home business web address tattooed on someone’s forehead is surefire way to get noticed.
Get Media Attention
One of the best advertising methods is media attention. While it is not always easy to get the media to do a story about your home business, it is indeed possible. The first thing you need to do is create a buzz about your home business. If the product or service your home business offers is newsworthy, that should not be hard to do. However, most home business owners need to rely on more creative measures to get the buzz going about their home business.
Some good ways to create a buzz about your home business include making a substantial gift to a charity, giving away a certain amount of the products or services offered by your home business, sponsoring a local contest or event, or holding a food drive for the homeless.
Once you have something newsworthy to report about your home business, you need to get it to the media so they can cover the story. To do this, you will need a press release. You can either write the press release for your home business yourself or you can hire a writer to write the release for you. Once the press release has been created, you just need to submit it to the different media outlets and then give interviews to the news people who contact you. Make sure you plug your home business each and every time you give an interview.
Sponsor a Local Little League Team
If you live in an area where local businesses sponsor little league teams, you may want to think about getting in on the action. Little league sponsorship is surprisingly affordable and the kids will be wearing uniforms displaying the name of your home business for an entire season. That is quite a bit of exposure.
Get Into the Movies
Getting movie theater advertising may be a lot easier and cheaper than you would think. In some areas, movie theaters rent out slide ad advertising. The theater rotates different slide ads for local businesses before the movie trailers and feature film begin. When people arrive early to a movie, they have nothing better to do than watch the ads rotating on the screen. If your ad is one of the ones they are looking at, it is going to draw a lot of attention for your home business.
While you may think this form of advertising would cost thousands, many movie theaters offer this type of advertising for well under $100 a month. If you think about how many people see movies each and every day, you begin to realize how much exposure this type of advertising can give you. Author Resource:- Curt Miller spends his time working at home online making residual income with his computer - showing others where to get paid to post or find cheap pay per click advertising.
Article From Talkinmince Article Directory
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Where The Hell Do I Put My Home Business?
Okay, you’ve decided to push ahead and start your very own home based business. Now the magic question--where do I put it, how do I make the room and how do I set it up?
Well let’s start off by checking out your residence and finding the perfect place for your home office. Every home and apartment are different, so it’s going to require a little visualization from you in deciding which area of your abode will be your new home business office or work space. Perhaps you could sacrifice that extra guest bedroom now that your mother-in-law refuses to stay in the same house with you. Or maybe the garage. Or the bedroom of your multi-tattooed, 18 year old daughter whose about to move out of her bedroom and your home to live with her unemployed, punk rocker boyfriend. Or maybe the corner of your bedroom in your tiny one bedroom apartment. Of course, if the fates have smiled upon you and deemed you lucky to reside in either a large house or expansive, roomy apartment then you’re way ahead of the game.
Now before you do select which area of your residence to locate your home business office or work area, there are a few things to take into consideration. Is your home business the type of business where customers or clients will have to come to your home office in order for you to conduct your particular business? Is there a proper entrance? If some of your customers are handicapped, is your entrance to your business area handicapped accessible? Does your home have a great deal of distraction such as kids screaming, wife screaming or the family dog barking? If so, then perhaps, if possible, you will need to locate your home business away from these noisy distractions. Do you have enough room and space for the required office equipment and office furniture needed? Enough room to feel comfortable and enough room for you and other employees you might have? You have to have the unbiased, logical mind of an inhabitant from the planet Vulcan when choosing the room or area of your residence for your home business office or workspace. Below are some possible choices.
The Extra Bedroom--An obvious choice. The extra bedroom is commonly used for visiting guests or unwanted, unshaven, unemployed brother-in-laws. It’s a room that basically stays unused unless someone in your immediate circle of family and friends decides to pay you’re a visit. With the advantage of being able to be written off as a tax deduction for the square feet of the guest room, or any room you use for your home business, this is a very good choice. Of course the one disadvantage is that your customers have to actually walk through your house to get to your office. Hopefully this will not be a time when your spouse, unexpectantly exits your bathroom wearing only a towel.
Your Bedroom--If you live in a one bedroom house or apartment, this may be the only choice open to you. If it’s a small bedroom then you may have to regulate your business work area to a small corner of the bedroom. Yes, it will be cramped, but hopefully when your business become successful and begins making a good profit, you may be able to move into a larger place of residence. Until then, if all that is available to you is a small bedroom, make the best of it. Of course you will be working and sleeping in the same room. So you may have to shut down various equipment at night in order to get a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, as you lie in bed, your work has now become you new bed partner. Hope your spouse or significant other is not the jealous type.
Downstairs Rooms-Rooms such as the living room, dining room, family room in a pinch can serve as your home business office. Advantages of using these rooms are that they are usually the largest rooms in the home. Partitions, bookcases, screens or other pieces of furniture can serve to separate your home office or work space from the other areas of these rooms. Another advantage is that customers or clients do not have to walk through the more private upstairs areas to get to your office. The disadvantage of using these rooms is that these rooms tend to be very heavily people and foot traffic areas of the house. And with foot traffic comes noise and distractions because these areas are always the main gathering areas of a home.
The Kitchen--If at all possible, unless you are really pressed for space, try to avoid using your kitchen for your home based business office. Besides the fact that an area primarily used for both cooking and stuffing our faces with food, you will be inundated with people traffic, food smells. You will also be subjected to both steam and humidity from food being cooked which may play havoc or damage sensitive electronic equipment like your computer. Not to mention the possibility of enduring the annoyed, no so happy stares of your spouse because you have the audacity of invading her sacred temple of food preparation. Trust me, you will not be welcomed here. You will be underfoot and targeted for elimination.
Basement--Then of course there’s the one area of your home that gives you all the privacy that you could desire-the basement. If you are the owner of a finished basement then you are in luck. If you are the owner of a damp, moldy, unfinished basement you have a lot of work ahead of you to convert this type of basement into an area that will act as your home business office. Now as stated, a basement is on most occasions the least likely used area of a house, unless it is a finished, lower level family room type of area. In that case, if your basement covers a large amount of area, there probably is some part of the basement that you can partition off as your home office.
If your basement is a cross between Grampa Munster’s moldy, damp, basement laboratory and one of the creepy basements haunted by lost spirits on SCI FI TV’s “Ghost Hunter” TV series, then my friend you now have another grander problem.
Basements are a collection of water pipes, electrical wires, shut off valves and the like. If you have a basement with a cobwebs, concrete flooring, dampness and mold, this will require some extensive renovations as well as expense on your part to turn your family dungeon of horrors into a respectable home business environment. Working in an environment containing mold and dampness is not conducive to good healthy living. Also not a good place to have office furniture, computers and other electronic devices needed to operate your business. If you do decide to use your basement and dampness is a problem, then please do yourself a big favor and invest in a good dehumidifier which will take care of your dampness problem. Also is the floor is not up to par you probably will have to put in a subfloor and cover it with carpeting or other forms of flooring.
The Attic--Another area that provides tons of privacy and depending on what type of area it encompasses is the good old attic. You know, that room below your roof where you keep tons and tons of material items that have long since outlived their usefulness or storage for the yearly Halloween and Christmas decorations.
On the downside, attics come with their own built in disadvantages. Many attics are accessed by a pull down stairway which might make it a bit of a turn off for some of your customers. Also attics, unless finished and equip with both air conditioning and heating can be a large deterrent for putting your home business office there. In the hot summer months, attics can reach temperatures of 100+ degrees. So unless you wish to experience what a lobster experiences when put into a boiling pot, locating your business in your attic could be a very large black mark against working in that area of your home. In the winter, unless there is proper insulation and heating in the attic, you could soon find yourself feeling like a human popsicle while working in your attic work space.
Also many attics are not capable of holding a great deal of weight on the flooring. It would not be a happy day to find all your office furniture, computer, filing cabinets and other furnishings and equipment that had been in the attic suddenly materialize with a thunderous crash and settle in your master bedroom flooring and all. Unless you are a skilled carpenter or have knowledge of how much weight your attic flooring can handle, I would get the advice of a professional before going ahead with the move to the attic. Another thing to be aware of is that building codes require a certain amount of clearance from the floor to the ceiling in an attic before it can be certified as livable space. The standard measurement is 7’6” of clearance. So for your safety and to keep from possible code violation fines from your local government official, take this to heart.
The Garage--One place that can be used as a home office is your garage. The garage has many advantages including expansive area space(most garages measure between 500-600 square feet and electrical outlets. Most garages will have already been built in accordance with local city building codes, so that will not present a problem as long as your garage is in decent shape. You will need to add air conditioning and heating as well as insulating the walls and ceiling to reduce outside, extraneous noise and to lessen temperature changes.
Because of possible safety and liability reasons, you will probably have to add an entrance door to your office because most to all local safety inspections will not allow a garage door to be used as the main entrance to your business. Heaven forbid if a faulty garage door falls on you or one of your customers. Not good.
The Sunroom or Enclosed Patio-Many homes also have either a sunroom or enclosed patio addition. These two areas could also be used as your home business office or work area if feasible. These also would require heating for the winter and some form of air conditioning for the hot summer months to operate your business. If you do not have such additions to your home, note that this is a potentially expensive avenue to take for a home office work space.
So take your pick. Just make sure it’s the right area of your house and can accommodate all your business operation needs.
Well let’s start off by checking out your residence and finding the perfect place for your home office. Every home and apartment are different, so it’s going to require a little visualization from you in deciding which area of your abode will be your new home business office or work space. Perhaps you could sacrifice that extra guest bedroom now that your mother-in-law refuses to stay in the same house with you. Or maybe the garage. Or the bedroom of your multi-tattooed, 18 year old daughter whose about to move out of her bedroom and your home to live with her unemployed, punk rocker boyfriend. Or maybe the corner of your bedroom in your tiny one bedroom apartment. Of course, if the fates have smiled upon you and deemed you lucky to reside in either a large house or expansive, roomy apartment then you’re way ahead of the game.
Now before you do select which area of your residence to locate your home business office or work area, there are a few things to take into consideration. Is your home business the type of business where customers or clients will have to come to your home office in order for you to conduct your particular business? Is there a proper entrance? If some of your customers are handicapped, is your entrance to your business area handicapped accessible? Does your home have a great deal of distraction such as kids screaming, wife screaming or the family dog barking? If so, then perhaps, if possible, you will need to locate your home business away from these noisy distractions. Do you have enough room and space for the required office equipment and office furniture needed? Enough room to feel comfortable and enough room for you and other employees you might have? You have to have the unbiased, logical mind of an inhabitant from the planet Vulcan when choosing the room or area of your residence for your home business office or workspace. Below are some possible choices.
The Extra Bedroom--An obvious choice. The extra bedroom is commonly used for visiting guests or unwanted, unshaven, unemployed brother-in-laws. It’s a room that basically stays unused unless someone in your immediate circle of family and friends decides to pay you’re a visit. With the advantage of being able to be written off as a tax deduction for the square feet of the guest room, or any room you use for your home business, this is a very good choice. Of course the one disadvantage is that your customers have to actually walk through your house to get to your office. Hopefully this will not be a time when your spouse, unexpectantly exits your bathroom wearing only a towel.
Your Bedroom--If you live in a one bedroom house or apartment, this may be the only choice open to you. If it’s a small bedroom then you may have to regulate your business work area to a small corner of the bedroom. Yes, it will be cramped, but hopefully when your business become successful and begins making a good profit, you may be able to move into a larger place of residence. Until then, if all that is available to you is a small bedroom, make the best of it. Of course you will be working and sleeping in the same room. So you may have to shut down various equipment at night in order to get a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, as you lie in bed, your work has now become you new bed partner. Hope your spouse or significant other is not the jealous type.
Downstairs Rooms-Rooms such as the living room, dining room, family room in a pinch can serve as your home business office. Advantages of using these rooms are that they are usually the largest rooms in the home. Partitions, bookcases, screens or other pieces of furniture can serve to separate your home office or work space from the other areas of these rooms. Another advantage is that customers or clients do not have to walk through the more private upstairs areas to get to your office. The disadvantage of using these rooms is that these rooms tend to be very heavily people and foot traffic areas of the house. And with foot traffic comes noise and distractions because these areas are always the main gathering areas of a home.
The Kitchen--If at all possible, unless you are really pressed for space, try to avoid using your kitchen for your home based business office. Besides the fact that an area primarily used for both cooking and stuffing our faces with food, you will be inundated with people traffic, food smells. You will also be subjected to both steam and humidity from food being cooked which may play havoc or damage sensitive electronic equipment like your computer. Not to mention the possibility of enduring the annoyed, no so happy stares of your spouse because you have the audacity of invading her sacred temple of food preparation. Trust me, you will not be welcomed here. You will be underfoot and targeted for elimination.
Basement--Then of course there’s the one area of your home that gives you all the privacy that you could desire-the basement. If you are the owner of a finished basement then you are in luck. If you are the owner of a damp, moldy, unfinished basement you have a lot of work ahead of you to convert this type of basement into an area that will act as your home business office. Now as stated, a basement is on most occasions the least likely used area of a house, unless it is a finished, lower level family room type of area. In that case, if your basement covers a large amount of area, there probably is some part of the basement that you can partition off as your home office.
If your basement is a cross between Grampa Munster’s moldy, damp, basement laboratory and one of the creepy basements haunted by lost spirits on SCI FI TV’s “Ghost Hunter” TV series, then my friend you now have another grander problem.
Basements are a collection of water pipes, electrical wires, shut off valves and the like. If you have a basement with a cobwebs, concrete flooring, dampness and mold, this will require some extensive renovations as well as expense on your part to turn your family dungeon of horrors into a respectable home business environment. Working in an environment containing mold and dampness is not conducive to good healthy living. Also not a good place to have office furniture, computers and other electronic devices needed to operate your business. If you do decide to use your basement and dampness is a problem, then please do yourself a big favor and invest in a good dehumidifier which will take care of your dampness problem. Also is the floor is not up to par you probably will have to put in a subfloor and cover it with carpeting or other forms of flooring.
The Attic--Another area that provides tons of privacy and depending on what type of area it encompasses is the good old attic. You know, that room below your roof where you keep tons and tons of material items that have long since outlived their usefulness or storage for the yearly Halloween and Christmas decorations.
On the downside, attics come with their own built in disadvantages. Many attics are accessed by a pull down stairway which might make it a bit of a turn off for some of your customers. Also attics, unless finished and equip with both air conditioning and heating can be a large deterrent for putting your home business office there. In the hot summer months, attics can reach temperatures of 100+ degrees. So unless you wish to experience what a lobster experiences when put into a boiling pot, locating your business in your attic could be a very large black mark against working in that area of your home. In the winter, unless there is proper insulation and heating in the attic, you could soon find yourself feeling like a human popsicle while working in your attic work space.
Also many attics are not capable of holding a great deal of weight on the flooring. It would not be a happy day to find all your office furniture, computer, filing cabinets and other furnishings and equipment that had been in the attic suddenly materialize with a thunderous crash and settle in your master bedroom flooring and all. Unless you are a skilled carpenter or have knowledge of how much weight your attic flooring can handle, I would get the advice of a professional before going ahead with the move to the attic. Another thing to be aware of is that building codes require a certain amount of clearance from the floor to the ceiling in an attic before it can be certified as livable space. The standard measurement is 7’6” of clearance. So for your safety and to keep from possible code violation fines from your local government official, take this to heart.
The Garage--One place that can be used as a home office is your garage. The garage has many advantages including expansive area space(most garages measure between 500-600 square feet and electrical outlets. Most garages will have already been built in accordance with local city building codes, so that will not present a problem as long as your garage is in decent shape. You will need to add air conditioning and heating as well as insulating the walls and ceiling to reduce outside, extraneous noise and to lessen temperature changes.
Because of possible safety and liability reasons, you will probably have to add an entrance door to your office because most to all local safety inspections will not allow a garage door to be used as the main entrance to your business. Heaven forbid if a faulty garage door falls on you or one of your customers. Not good.
The Sunroom or Enclosed Patio-Many homes also have either a sunroom or enclosed patio addition. These two areas could also be used as your home business office or work area if feasible. These also would require heating for the winter and some form of air conditioning for the hot summer months to operate your business. If you do not have such additions to your home, note that this is a potentially expensive avenue to take for a home office work space.
So take your pick. Just make sure it’s the right area of your house and can accommodate all your business operation needs.
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