Home-Biz-Help

Buyer Beware In The Home Business Market

2009-10-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

Remember the old Rocky and Bullwinkle show where every episode had two titles? The title for this article might well be "Buyer Beware or Investigate Before You Invest." (I know, there is supposed to be a pun, but . . . )

We have all heard both phrases so often we go yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, and then blow them off and ignore what they are trying to tell us. That's often a big mistake on our part. If we do even the simplest of investigations, we could save ourselves a lot of grief, embarrassment, and heartache, not to mention money.

Let me give you a case in point. I won't give you the name of the business advertised because I don't want to give this guy any more publicity. But I will tell you some of what he did and how you could have discovered it for yourselves.

This guy came up with an idea, built a simple (but long) wordy pitch page on which you are made to feel like you have to act RIGHT NOW or lose out forever, registered his domain on the internet, and put up a website. That act RIGHT NOW or lose out forever approach is a big red flag in and of itself. If it won't be around tomorrow or won't be a good deal tomorrow, you should be v-e-r-y wary of it today.

But back to our guy. So far so good. Then he signed up with Clickbank, and is still selling his product as I write this, using affiliates to do the legwork, splitting the profits. That's also OK.

So what's the big deal?

Remember the old TV show The Munsters? Their fictional address was

1313 Mockingbird Lane
Mockingbird Heights, USA

As things would have it, the address this guy gave when he registered his website was . . . . .

1313 Mockingbird Lane
Beverly Hills CA 90210

That address does not even exist!

Why, oh why, oh why would anybody plunk down their hard-earned money, in this case month after month after month because he strings you along with a monthly subscription, to anybody that gives that kind of bogus information when they register a web site? It's like he is making fun of you for being so stupid! Do you REALLY want to do business with somebody who thinks that of you?

So how do you go about checking out such obvious attempts to avoid being located?

To check on where a business is located - or claims to be located, enter the domain name here: http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp . You can see if the web site was registered years ago, meaning they business has been around for awhile, or only registered last week. You can also see if it was registered for several years, meaning they intend to be around awhile, or only for one year which MIGHT mean they intend to take the money and run.

Don't be too quick to make snap judgments on this information. This guy has been around awhile. That doesn't necessarily mean he's honest and legit. It could mean he's just a chameleon, always changing his colors and sales pitch. Also, realize that moms doing business from home might not want to put their family at risk by posting their home address on the internet. The web site may list a post office box as the business address. Play that one by ear. Also, the web site may be registered for a short period of time rather than ten years because the business is just starting out and money is tight. Play that situation by ear as well. A mom starting a home business is going to be totally different than a guy full of hot air trying to make you believe he is a Madison Avenue big shot.

To see if the given business address even exists, go to the USPS web site and attempt to look up the ZIP Code: http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp .

Type the address into Google and use the map feature. This is a great way to tell if the address is the mansion the webmaster wants you to believe it is, a private mailbox place in a suburban strip mall, or if is a dilapidated dump on the wrong side of the tracks.

Is there a phone number? Does it match up with the address? Again, use Google or Whitepages.com.

We all want to be able to make life a bit easier by having a bit more money. Don’t let that desire overtake your common sense. God gave you a brain and He expects you to use it.

"Buyer Beware or Investigate Before You Invest."

Seven Steps To Starting Your Own Home Business

2009-08-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

1) Know yourself. What are your skills and interests? You will neither do well nor enjoy a business that involves something you don’t like or something about which you know little or nothing. You must also have the skills to go along with your interest. You may love the piano and know a lot about piano music, but if you can’t play the piano, don’t start a business giving piano lessons. You get the idea.

2) Decide if you are going to market a product or a service. A product could be a craft that you make and sell. It could also be something that you buy and resell on eBay or elsewhere. I know people who sell tickets, sports trading cards, fabrics, books, antiques and collectibles from yard sales, and home made crafts. They all do well, but only because they work hard and are knowledgeable about what they sell.

A service could be in-home daycare, a cleaning business, mobile or in-home pet grooming or sitting, or teaching or tutoring a subject about which you have knowledge. It would also include totally internet based services such as transcription or being a virtual assistant, or perhaps freelancing writing skills or web designing skills.

3) Is there a market for that? Can you create a market for that? Can you meet a need that is not now being met? Is there a niche market or segment within that community whose needs you can meet? Don’t start a business that does not offer something that nobody wants or does not solve somebody’s problem or meet somebody’s need. Note: people may not necessary think they need or even want what you have to offer. That does not mean you don’t have a marketable product or service. It just means they don’t yet realize they need or want what you have to offer! Think disposable diapers, paper towels, TV Dinners, or even pet rocks!

4) Have or be able to get the necessary equipment. This could include whatever you need to make your crafts or provide your service, a scale to weigh things you need to ship, and of course a good computer with all the necessary bells and whistles. Think your way through this baby step by baby step so you don’t forget anything.

5) Have or be able to get office space, storage space, or work space. Sometimes the garage, a corner of the extra bedroom or even the dining room table works, but you really need an area set aside dedicated to your business. This prevents personal stuff from getting mixed up with business stuff, keeps your business separate and organized and is essential for tax purposes.

6) You will need at least some start-up capital. Some types of businesses require more than others. Check into what you will need and make sure you have enough in reserve to last until your business is profitable.

7) Enlist support from friends and family. Listen to them and bluntly evaluate what they say, but don‘t let them discourage you. That will require some serious discernment on your part in order to differentiate between the Negative Nellie Nay-Sayers and those who truly want you to succeed but see some serious problems you need to fix before you start.

For a selection of Home Business Ideas carefully chosen for moms who want to make money working from home, visit:

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

MLM - The Good, The Bad And The Really Ugly

2009-07-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

MLM stands for Multi-Level Marketing. It is a long standing tried and true business model based on the pyramid structure. Now before you run off screaming, “ACK - pyramid scheme!” you need to understand that nearly all businesses, governments, and the military are built on the pyramid structure. Businesses have a CEO, a few vice presidents, a few more managers and such on down to all the regular employees. There are decades old BBB-member multi-million dollar companies based on the MLM concept. Countries have a “Fearless Leader” who has advisors or department heads etc. on down to the ordinary citizens. Militaries have a Commander in Chief who is often the “Fearless Leader,” followed by officers of lower and lower ranking and finally enlisted or conscripted personnel at the bottom.

The structure is a sound one. It just means there are fewer units at the top than at the bottom. It is also a stable one UNLESS there is no real product or service and unless it depends ONLY on upper levels bringing in more people under them in order to achieve success and make a profit. Simple math will show you that before long you will run out of people on the planet and the pyramid scheme will collapse.

Any successful business, whether it is mom and pop or huge conglomerate, home based or brick and mortar, MLM or whatever, absolutely must have a marketable product or service. If there is no product or no service, and the only way to make money is to recruit others who pay to get into the opportunity, then you have a classic pyramid scheme. Run away.

-> The Good. So what can be GOOD about a business with a marketable product or service that happens to me MLM? First of all, unless you are the person who started the business, there will be someone in your upline who is supposedly more knowledgeable and experienced than you are, and who can give you guidance, tips and pointers to help you succeed. It is in that person’s best interest to do so, because part of their success depends on your success. Also, as begin to do well, there will be people in your downline whom you can train for success. If you take ownership of your business, believe in your product or service, and are cut out for sales, this could work for you.

-> The Bad. The BAD has a lot in common with the GOOD, and that would be that you have an upline and a downline. Both your upline and your downline can be filled with duds. Your upline may not have a whole lot more experience than you do, so they can’t help you much. They could also be lazy and expect to make money from the work you do without doing anything themselves. Your downline could be a lot like your upline, expecting to make money without having to do any work. These people have been reading too much internet hype. Unless you are willing and able to shoulder the whole load, you might want to find another company or product.

-> The Really Ugly. Some companies have a product that is overpriced and not worth what has to be charged in order for your upline, you, and your downline to make any money. Some companies want to charge you money to buy into the opportunity to sell their product. Some companies put an incredible amount of pressure on new prospects by trying to make them feel they are missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity if they don’t jump at it right now. Some companies make unrealistic demands as to how much product you have to sell, and if you don’t sell that much to others, you have to buy it yourself. Some companies fail, go bankrupt, and start all over again doing the same thing under a different name. Some companies do all of the above.

So, is MLM right for you? Only you can answer that, and it is absolutely necessary that you leave no stone unturned as you do your research before you make your decision.

For a selection of Home Business Ideas carefully chosen for moms who want to make money working from home, visit:

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Just Another Work From Home Scam?

2009-05-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

The internet is awash with websites and e-mails offering to show you how you can make money working from home. All too many of these so-called latest and greatest and newest bizopp ideas from supposed millionaire gurus are actually last year’s rehashed and reworked "biz-flops" from people who didn’t make any money on them last year either. Others are never meant to be anything other than just another clever way to separate you from your money, aka "scam" "fraud" or whatever else you want to call it.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to tell legitimate home business opportunities from totally dishonest scams. There are a lot a variables and fewer hard and fast rules than you might think. For instance, some have said never to pay for anything in order to work for someone. That is not true on the internet any more than it is true in the brick and mortar world. It is even less true if you plan to start your own home business.

Conventional employers often ask you to pay for your own fingerprinting, background checks, DMV printouts, etc. Online employers may want a background check. You may need to have certain office equipment that you are expected to provide at your own expense. Some freelance sites allow you to view teaser job offers for free, but if you want full access to everything there is a monthly or quarterly fee. This is legitimate.

However, before you pay anything to anyone, do your homework!

Visit the website of the opportunity you are investigating. Copy and paste the website address (url) into the search box on http://whois.domaintools.com/ . Look at when the domain name was registered. If it was very recently and only for a year or two, you might want to look elsewhere. If it has been a year or more and the registration expires several years down the road, that is a good sign. If the server is blacklisted, that is not good. Again unfortunately, these are not hard and fast rules.

Type the website name - probably the same name as the offer you are investigating - into your favorite search engine. Add "+ scam" or "+ fraud" (without the quotes) and see what comes up. Also type any person’s name into the search engine with the same two additions and also "+ legal action" or "+ lawsuit." Keep in mind that you may get a lot of results for a common name and you need to check whether any of the "hits" are really the person you are looking for. Check with the Better Business Bureau and look for unresolved complaints. Legitimate businesses do get complaints because it is impossible to please everybody, but if you see a lot of ignored or unresolved complaints, that could indicate a problem.

Type the business or offer name into the search engines with the above additions. You have to be especially careful here because you might get hits for a lot of forums where people are venting frustrations. They may have tried something legitimate thinking the money was going to flow into their bank accounts without doing any work. When that doesn’t happen, they cry "scam" or "fraud" when it may not be at all. Perhaps they tried to contact the offer and got no response. They cry "scam" or "fraud" when the problem is really with blocked e-mails. Some internet service and e-mail providers are not very good at discerning the difference between spam and legitimate communication.

If you are looking at an ebook that has been written to help get you started in a home business, investigate the reputation of the person who wrote the book as well as the people who are endorsing it on the sales page. Have they been around awhile? Have they been at this business awhile? Who else is their name associated with and what kind of reputation do they have?

As you can tell, starting up a home business is not something to be taken lightly. You need to spend time - a lot of time - doing research. If you are a praying person, spend time in prayer. Once you are confident you have chosen the right home business for you, pour your heart and soul into it. Make it work for you!

For a selection of Home Business Ideas carefully chosen for moms who want to make money working from home, visit:

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Article Writing: Top 5 Skill In Demand By Businesses And Waiting For You

2009-04-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

(How To Cash In While The Market Is Still Hot!)

A recent hiring trend report for February, 2009, from Elance.com noted that article writing is one of the top 5 skills businesses are outsourcing to freelancers. This is not surprising information coming from Elance as Elance caters mostly to online businesses. Think about it. The internet consists of images and WORDS. The choice of words and how they are used is crucially important.

Believe me, most Internet marketers have neither the skill nor the time to write. That means a lucrative opportunity for people like you with some writing skills.

In addition to article writing, there are other in-demand skills for online ghostwriting, such as copywriting, blogs, press releases, email marketing, white papers and more. The market is wide open for you! There are many opportunities to specialize and actually charge MORE for your services.

If you’ve been thinking of breaking into ghostwriting and doing it quickly, I recommend this Ghostwriter Starter Kit. It will show you:

- How to market your services without spending on advertising
- Where to find clients with deep pockets
- Why and how to put up a professional website
- Which industries are virtual gold mines for ghostwriters
- How much to charge to actually make profit
- How to set yourself apart from your competition
- How to develop your portfolio especially when you haven’t had a single client yet
…and more!

To have a successful ghostwriting business, you need the right tools and strategies - the same ones successful entrepreneurs use. This Ghostwriter Starter Kit gives you the inspirational stories of two successful ghostwriters who earn a full-time income writing from home and includes some great tips on how they do it!

The best part is, because this guide is written for Moms, the price is just right. In fact, you’ll easily earn back the cost of this guide with your first writing assignment.

Check it out for yourself. Ghostwriter Starter Kit

Also check out the Just Add Sweat Home Business Ideas for Women for more great home businesses!

QUIZ: Are You Ready to Work at Home and Start Your Own Business?

2009-03-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Have you been thinking of starting an online business, but
aren't sure if it's right for you?

This quick quiz that will show you if you're suited for an at home career, what type of business you might set up and additional tips to help you get started.

The quiz only takes a couple of minutes and you can take it by clicking on the title above.

Download FREE Questionnaires For Your Ghostwriting Clients!

2009-03-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Most experienced ghostwriters have had the frustrating experience of writing some articles for a client only to have the client say, "This is not what I wanted at all" or "That's not what I expected."

If you are just a beginning ghostwriter about to take your first client, this is something you want to avoid at all costs. Nobody wants to do all that work only to end up with an unhappy customer.

Ghostwriters all want to serve their clients and serve them well, but that requires good communication by both parties. It's important to gather as much information about your project as possible BEFORE starting.

To help you do this, check out these very handy, fully-customizable ghostwriting client questionnaires.

Now all you have to do is quickly send the appropriate questionnaire to your client and you're well on the way to delivering EXACTLY what your client wants.

The questionnaires come at absolutely no charge, no sign ups or any type of obligation.

Just go to this page to get yours.

FREE Questionnaires For Your Ghostwriting Clients!

Home Based Tutoring Business

2009-03-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have a casual acquaintance who is no longer able to be in the workforce because of health issues. However, she is still bright, cheerful, articulate, intelligent, and in need if an income to support herself. She decided she would try tutoring in a subject about which she has knowledge.

The other day she mentioned that she had to take her advertising sign off of her car because she had more business than she could handle!

There is a great need out there for tutors. Adults as well as school children and teens often are looking for that little bit of help. What do you know that you could teach others?

Although there is great interest in and demand for tutoring in basic school subjects such as The Three R's, there is also demand for typing, computer use, music, arts, sports, you name it. Do you speak more than one language? You could tutor others in a second language. Do you speak only English? Teaching English as a Second Language is a booming business where there is great demand!

Here are some sources to help you start your Home Based Tutoring Business.

Bizymoms Tutoring Service Home Business Kit

Online Tutoring Step-By-Step

Confessions Of A High Paid Tutor!

Three Pitfalls To Avoid In Your Work From Home Search

2009-03-02T21:10:00.000-08:00

I have been working from home now for several years, and I am always amazed by how many people are enticed by internet hype. They think they can just sign up for this or that wonderful program they find advertised online and the money will somehow automatically come pouring in. It's so sad that people can be so desperate for money that their common sense just shuts down. It's even sadder that there are predators out there who are all too happy to prey on the people who are only looking to make their lives a little easier.

Unfortunately, these desperate people set themselves up for disappointment and failure. If they keep trying to make money from these get-rich-quick programs, they set themselves up for repeated disappointments and failures.

The good news is this doesn't have to happen to you!

By the time you finish reading this article, you will have learned three valuable tips that can help you avoid falling victim to brazen internet hype. Begin now to prepare yourself to successfully work from home.

1. Do not confuse "simple" with "easy." No matter what work from home business you select, the concept should be simple, but the application will not be easy. Make sure you understand thoroughly and completely what you are getting into before you start. Make sure you have the skills, resources and temperament to succeed at your chosen profession.

Many of the opportunities and ideas you will come across will present themselves as being really "simple" to do. I absolutely cringe when I read ad copy saying things like, "Simply do this." "Simply do this" is NEVER all there is to it. For instance, the ad copy may say "Simply sell 3 of these widgets a day and you will make $_.__ every month!" The ad copy doesn't tell you HOW to sell 3 widgets every day. If you have no idea how you would convince 3 people a day to buy a widget from you, then this so-called simple bizopp won't be easy for you at all.

2. Be very skeptical of ads that show models standing next to a very expensive car with a mansion in the background. The marketers can't get away with saying that if you buy their product you will live like the people in the ad, but the implication is clearly there. It may be possible to do that well, but it's also possible for any given baby born in the U.S.A. to become president. It just is not very likely, and the odds are probably about the same.

Many of these ads don't really tell you what you would be actually doing should you get involved in the business. You find that out after they have your money and contact information, That should be a very big red flag for you. If they are afraid you would run away if they told you "too much" up front, that's exactly what you should do. Run away!

3). Be wary of bizopps that provide you with a cookie cutter website and tell you that is all you will need. What's a cookie cutter website? It's a website that is identical to thousands of other websites except for your affiliate contact info. You have no control over content or appearance. That means your site would look like everybody else's site that is in the same business you are looking into. Competition would be fierce and you would stand NO chance of ranking well with the search engines.

To be fair, there are a few legitimate bizopps that provide you with such a cookie cutter site, but they tell you up front that you really need to have you own site with your own domain name and total control over the content. They tell you to use your site to attract customers whom you then redirect to the cookie cutter site which is a professionally written sales page from which the customer can place their orders. That's OK. Also OK are the bizopps that provide you with a site as part of the package you buy. You have control over the content and can optimize your site for search engine ranking.

In conclusion, if you avoid the pitfalls I've just outlined, you will save yourself a lot of grief and regret as you search for the perfect work from home opportunity for you.

Find your perfect work from home job or home based business on one of the sites below. Choose from dozens of carefully selected work from home ideas and opportunities.

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home Based Business Works 4 Me

Work At Home 101 from CWAHM.com

2009-02-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

CWAHM.com Announces Work At Home 101
A FREE online 3 week course designed to give moms a work-at-home starting place.

If you are one of the many people who has recently lost your job, you have probably given considerable thought to working from home.

Most people are curious about working from home. We know others do it, but aren't sure how they do it.

CWAHM.com's Work at Home 101 is designed to give you an overview of the choices available that will allow you to work from home. This online course will give you the starting place you've been searching for.

No matter what happens to the economy in the upcoming months, you may find working from home so rewarding that you decide to never again enter the workforce again!

Best of all - Work at Home 101 is completely free! CLICK HERE!

Some of the things covered during Work at Home 101:

* Where to Start

* Telecommuting

* Home-Based Businesses

* Avoiding Scams

* Entrepreneur Tips

*AND MUCH MORE!

A Perfect Work from Home Opportunity: Start a Transcription Business

2009-02-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

A transcriptionist is an individual who types verbatim (word-for-word) something that’s been recorded on either a micro-cassette or digitally. If you are looking for a business to start from home, you might consider working as a transcriptionist because it is a legitimate home business that doesn’t require much in terms of office space, equipment or start up costs.

Special transcription software and equipment helps the transcriptionist listen to the recorded material for tape players and digital files. Both generally use a foot-pedal that attaches to the transcriber or the computer and it allows the transcriptionist to start, stop, go back, and slow down the recorded material to keep their hands free for typing. Most transcriptionists also utilize a highly sensitive headset so that the recording is clearer to hear and understand.

As a transcriptionist, you should have a keen sense of hearing and sight, excellent grammar and fast typing skills. You should also be able to work well under tight deadlines, be able to work independently for most of the time and handle the repetition of typing, which can be a strain on the hands and wrists and the back from sitting for long periods of time. A sharp eye for detail is also essential to this job.

If you want to start a home based business doing transcription, here are some ideas to get you started:

· Get training in transcription & typing. It’s important to get the proper training in order to become a skilled transcriptionist. Check out the local colleges, online programs and be sure to pick up your copy of the Transcription Starter Pack.

· Write a business plan. Just like any other business, a business plan outlining how and what services you plan to offer is essential for clarity, setting up your marketing plan and acquiring business capital if it is needed.

· Set up a home office with the proper equipment. Transcriptionists need some specialized equipment. In addition to having a complete home office, you will need to invest in a reliable transcriber, software, and foot pedal.

· Market your services. You can either get work through a large national transcription company or you can find your own clients to work directly with. A good place to start looking is with any business that involves recording of meetings, notes, research studies or educational materials.

Be sure to set up a website where potential clients can learn more about your services, read testimonials and more. Make sure you also have business cards handy as well.

Let others know who you are and what you do. Often, the best clients come from word-of-mouth. Also, always ask your satisfied clients for referrals.

Transcription is in high demand in the US and according to the Department of Labor statistics, transcriptionist jobs are growing at a higher than average rate. Being a transcriptionist is a career that is easily managed in a work from home setting, which makes it a very attractive opportunity.

Recommended Additional Resource:

To find out exactly what it takes to start a transcription business, step-by-step, sign up to receive your Transcription Starter Pack. You’ll find out how to get clients, set your prices and grow your business.

Creative Home Business Ideas - Sewing Arts

2009-02-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

"They" say you should find out what you enjoy doing and then figure out how to make a living doing it. That idea sounds great to me so let's explore a few home business ideas that make use of your love of and ability to sew.

1) Clothes for Children. Consider creating your own line of clothing in standard sizes featuring your unique designs or appliqués and quality fabric and work. Small details in quality can make all the difference in the world. Take the little bit of extra time and care to produce quality items and your customers will reward you with repeat business. You could also offer clothes for hard to fit kids such as preemies, or children of any age with special needs that require custom fitted clothing. Definitely follow your heart on this one.

2) Doll Clothes. There are several paths to go down here. You can make standard clothes for the dolls available on the market, but in styles not available off the shelf. OR you can make clothes using ethnic fabrics in classic styles from a variety of homelands. As more and more people move around the globe in search of education or employment, this could tap into a new niche and be very popular. OR you can make matching outfits for little girls and their dolls!

3) Dog Clothes. Even though dogs already have a fur coat, many breeds have such short hair that they still need protection from cold, wind and rain. There is a huge market for dog sweaters and vests made from a variety of fabrics. Knitted items are also popular. Owners of pampered pooches love to dress them up for Christmas, Halloween, and other occasions. You could have a lot of fun with this home business!

4) Drapery and Furniture. If you have taken classes in interior design or interior decorating, this might be a home business for you. Because of the skills, training and equipment needed this home business is not for everyone, but that can work to your advantage as you would have limited competition!

5) Tailoring. We all know that much of the clothing purchased "off the rack" fits OK - sort of - but could fit a little better with a bit of tailored tweaking. Other times tailoring needs arise because the owner changed sizes (either way!) and does not want to discard an otherwise perfectly good garment when some skilled tailoring will extend its life. If you have tailoring skills, this could be a great niche market for a home business.

6) Wedding gowns and bride's maid dresses. After watching a few "bridezillas" on TV I almost hesitate to even mention this one. BUT if you are the right combination of seamstress and psychologist, you could make it work.

Find the Home Based Business or Work At Home Job that's waiting for you! Don't procrastinate any longer! Visit one of the two websites below and get started TODAY!
123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Creative Home Business Ideas - Kitchen Arts

2009-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

"They" say you should find out what you enjoy doing and then figure out how to make a living doing it. Sounds like a good idea so let's explore a few home business ideas that make use of inborn creativity. We will limit this article to kitchen arts.

1) Baking. Baking what? Well, darn near anything.

Try baking and decorating wedding cakes and other wedding treats, birthday cakes, anniversary cakes, or cakes for any special occasion! You could try cookie baskets or huge whole cookie sheet cookies in special shapes for special occasions.

The number of people who are intolerant to certain foods is growing exponentially. I would NOT recommend getting into making treats for these people unless you are VERY familiar with what is involved in their food preparation, but IF you are, special treats for these people would be a Godsend and oh, so appreciated.

Treats for sale at local truck stops or sandwich shops. There are certain legal requirements and permits that need to be passed before selling home baked goodies, but if you are willing and able to navigate through those, this home business could become quite lucrative.

Gourmet treats for dogs and cats. Some people pamper their pets like royalty. If they have the money to do so, they indulge in all sorts of pet finery, including custom made biscuits without dyes, preservatives or other unhealthy ingredients. There will be legal requirements and permits required here, also.

2) Candy Wrapping. Would you believe there is quite the market for candy bars in wrappers created specially for that certain event? Every event you can think of that calls for celebration might also call for specially wrapped candy bars to be handed out. Think birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, new babies. There are several e-books on the market on this topic. Some come with templates for the wrappers as well as for gift tags, gift cards, address labels, etc. Others come with instructions for creating your own unique templates and designs. All come with information on marketing your business.

3) Candy Making. Special events sometimes call for special treats in special shapes or flavors. With pure wholesome natural ingredients and your creativity, your quality product could become a very lucrative business. Chocolates and hard candies can be poured into molds of almost any shape, or you can make them free hand. Colors and flavors are limited only by your imagination! The same legal requirements and permits as before will apply here.

4) You could also combine your candy making business with your candy wrapping business!

For information on these and more Work-At-Home Business Ideas and Opportunities, visit

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

How Can I Work From Home?

2009-01-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

Finding the Right Home Business

There are two basic ways you can work from home: start a home based business or find a work from home job.

If you want to start your own home business you need to break the concept down further into two basic types: sell a product or service, or become in essence a one man (or one woman) company and market yourself as an independent contractor to people who contract for your skills. The distinction between that and finding a work from home job can be a bit fuzzy, so we will focus on working from home with your own home business.

All of us are interested in something, good at something, passionate about something. Figure out what you are passionate about, and then figure out how to make money from it.

Do you enjoy children? You could start a home daycare, but you certainly are not limited to that. If you are also good at writing, you could start a "Santa Letter" business and market it to parents of kids you know. Those letters are not only from Santa; they can be from any character and the business can be operated all year. If you like to sew, you could create and sell custom made clothing. Market to friends, at craft fairs and swap meets. If you have skills in subjects taught in school, you could tutor. Tutoring can be done in person (your house or theirs) or online. You choose the subjects, location, and times. If you have outstanding skills in music, art, or sports, consider giving private lessons. Depending on your skill and skill level you may be able to make a good income!

Teaching sign language to moms and their babies is really popular. You could also offer your services to daycare facilities (home or professional) and churches who have nursery workers that could benefit from understanding what a baby is telling them. Consider also offering the teaching to pediatricians and their nurses, children's hospital workers, police and firefighters, and anyone else who might come in contact with an infant.

Perhaps you would rather work around adults. There are seemingly countless services that adults somewhere are looking for. Consider starting an errand service, or ironing/laundry. You could start a cleaning business, become a professional organizer, party or event planner, or you could sell almost anything through home parties. Create and sell gift baskets or craft items. Consider focusing on a particular ethnic group, either yours or one with which you are very familiar. Almost everyone is interested in genealogy. Acquire the necessary certification and research family trees for people who have "hit a brick wall."

The possibilities are almost endless.

You can find more Home Business Ideas and Opportunities by visiting

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Work From Home - Earn Money Writing as a Ghostwriter

2009-01-29T12:51:00.000-08:00

Got Writing Skills? Get Paid to Write Every Day as a Ghostwriter

If you have ever dreamed about having a career in freelance writing, you might look into the growing opportunity of ghostwriting. Ghostwriting is the practice of writing works (books, articles, etc.) anonymously for a client. In turn, the client gets full rights to place her name on the writing and publish it as her own.

Side Note: If you’ve heard of ghostwriting before and you already know it’s a career path you want to pursue, I recommend you pick up a copy of Just Add Sweat’s “How to Become a Ghostwriter” Guide. It will show you exactly what you need to know to get started.

But if you’re new to the idea of becoming a ghostwriter, let’s continue…

To get into ghostwriting, there are a few skills you should have or work to acquire:

- Excellent Writing Skills: Certainly to be a ghostwriter, you need to be able to write well. Your writing should flow well, cover topics thoroughly and in many cases, your clients will expect you to capture their unique voice in your writing.

- Research Skills: As a ghostwriter, you’ll be responsible for finding and process all of the information that you will need to be able to do your writing on a specific topic.

- Grammar & Spelling: It might seem obvious, but it’s important to note. All of the work that you turn into your clients as a ghostwriter must be free of any grammar and spelling errors.

Many different types of businesses and individuals readily use ghostwriting services. Authors, business executives, celebrities and others may look to ghostwriters to write books for them. Online business owners, blog publishers and other websites hire writers to create articles and other content. Information product sellers look to ghostwriters to publish how-to and other instructional guides. The sky is the limit when you are looking for people who want to hire ghostwriters.

There are many things you can do put yourself ahead in this field (and the How to Become a Ghostwriter Guide covers these and more in depth).

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

- Start building a resume that will get you noticed. Highlight any writing experience and if you don’t have any, you can offer to do a few free small projects to build your resume. Approach a non-profit business or someone that you know that might need writing services.

- Determine which topics you are qualified to write about. Although many ghostwriters are well-rounded and can write on many researchable topics, having a specialty can help you get work. For example, you might have special knowledge of health, finance or parenting topics. Use this to your advantage.

- Have relevant samples readily available to showcase your writing skills. Many clients are more concerned with how well you write, rather than the amount of experience you’ve had.

To get more help, get a copy of Just Add Sweat’s “How to Become a Ghostwriter” Guide. It will help you discover if ghostwriting is indeed the right career for you, how to break into the business, service rates and more. Ghostwriting can be a competitive business, but there is plenty of room for new writers if you’re armed with the right approach and that’s exactly what the guide will give you. Click here for all the details.

How Can I Work From Home

2009-01-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

How Can I Work From Home?

Finding the Right Home Business

There are two basic ways you can work from home: start a home based business or find a work from home job.

If you want to start your own home business you need to break the concept down further into two basic types: sell a product or service, or become in essence a one man (or one woman) company and market yourself as an independent contractor to people who contract for your skills. The distinction between that and finding a work from home job can be a bit fuzzy, so we will focus on working from home with your own home business.

All of us are interested in something, good at something, passionate about something. Figure out what you are passionate about, and then figure out how to make money from it.

Do you enjoy children? You could start a home daycare, but you certainly are not limited to that. If you are also good at writing, you could start a "Santa Letter" business and market it to parents of kids you know. Those letters are not only from Santa; they can be from any character and the business can be operated all year. If you like to sew, you could create and sell custom made clothing. Market to friends, at craft fairs and swap meets. If you have skills in subjects taught in school, you could tutor. Tutoring can be done in person (your house or theirs) or online. You choose the subjects, location, and times. If you have outstanding skills in music, art, or sports, consider giving private lessons. Depending on your skill and skill level you may be able to make a good income!

Teaching sign language to moms and their babies is really popular. You could also offer your services to daycare facilities (home or professional) and churches who have nursery workers that could benefit from understanding what a baby is telling them. Consider also offering the teaching to pediatricians and their nurses, children's hospital workers, police and firefighters, and anyone else who might come in contact with an infant.

Perhaps you would rather work around adults. There are seemingly countless services that adults somewhere are looking for. Consider starting an errand service, or ironing/laundry. You could start a cleaning business, become a professional organizer, party or event planner, or you could sell almost anything through home parties. Create and sell gift baskets or craft items. Consider focusing on a particular ethnic group, either yours or one with which you are very familiar. Almost everyone is interested in genealogy. Acquire the necessary certification and research family trees for people who have "hit a brick wall."

The possibilities are almost endless.

You can find more Home Business Ideas and Opportunities by visiting

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Finding A Work From Home Job During A Recession

2009-01-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

If you are one of the millions who have been laid off or downsized out of your job, working from home looks really good to you right now! But how do you find a job you can work from home?

Consider freelancing.

When you freelance, you offer your services to those who need to hire your skills for a mutually agreed upon fee. Work is typically done on a per job basis, but can lead to repeat jobs and even permanent part time or full time employment. However, you need to keep in mind that when you bid on a job, there is no expectation of repeat jobs or assignments.
When you look for freelance work, look for jobs that require the skills you used at the job you just left, or skills you have acquired some other way. Some examples might include:

Bookkeeper
Computer Programmer
Consultant - literally subject about which you have knowledge
Desktop publishing
Graphic Designer
Language translator
Proofreading and editing
Transcription - medical or otherwise
Tutoring - literally subject about which you have knowledge
Virtual assistant
Web site design

If you want to work for local people, some of whom might be familiar with you and the quality of what you can do, consider advertising on Craigslist.

If you want to expand your horizons nationally or even globally visit sites like GoFreelance. Keep in mind that GoFreelance and other freelance sites may let you look at jobs for free, but if you want to bid on jobs, especially the quality jobs, there will be a fee. That's how they stay in business.

Don't let the fact that the world economy is currently in a recession keep you from looking for that home based job. Now more than ever employers are looking for just what you have to offer!

For other work at home ideas and home based business ideas, visit

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

Professional Organizer

2009-01-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Some people are just naturally organized and tidy. I think they are born that way. They just naturally keep their rooms, desks, closets, homes, garages, cars, whatever clean and neat. Either that, or they learned the skill at an early age and realized how much easier life is when you can find things!

Others are not so organized. They never quite seem to get it, or they struggle mightily trying.

A growing trend even in today's economy is for more and more naturally organized people to start home businesses as professional organizers.

Professional organizers have total control over whose stuff they organize and what kind of spaces they organize. They can choose to limit themselves to homes or even certain rooms such as kitchens or garages. They can even limit themselves to closets only! Through networking with others in their area, they can make mutual referrals for others who prefer to organize different areas. Everyone wins!

Professional organizers can set their own rates and can choose to charge by the hour or the job. Depending on the economics of the area, the nature of what is being organized, and the experience and reputation of the organizer, rates can range from around $25 per hour to $200 per hour or even more.

If this sounds good to you, here are a few links you can explore for more information.

Becoming a Professional Organizer

Before & After

Virtual Assistant

2009-01-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

There is a lot being said these days about being a Virtual Assistant. The field is growing rapidly because many office professionals have discovered they can cut expenses while maintaining top-notch quality when they contract with a professional Virtual Assistant.

So just what is a Virtual Assistant? In a nutshell, a Virtual Assistant is someone who assists someone else through cyberspace. Almost any type of office work that does not actually require your physical presence in the office can be done as a Virtual Assistant.

This would include phones, appointment setting, document preparation, transcription, proof-reading, etc. The only thing you couldn't do is make the coffee for the boss!

If you have general office and computer skills, this might be the work at home opportunity for you. You decide who you want to work for and when. Schedules are usually quite flexible and you normally do not need to keep regular office hours, as long as the work gets done by the deadline. Just match your skills with their needs

Here are some sources of information to get you started and set up. Yes they come at a cost because the people who put these packages together work at home, too, and are asking for compensation for the effort put into what you get.

Prices vary widely. Some come with just an e-book while others offer support, and web site and more.

GoFreelance is a place to find work. Virtually all freelance sites charge a membership fee for access to all offers - especially the best ones, so don't be put off by that

Have a look around, and enjoy your Virtual Assistant career!

Go Freelance

BizyMoms ExpertVA

Hire My Mom

Virtual Assistant Classroom

Suits 2 Sweats

Just Add Sweat Virtual Assistant Starter Kit

Use your skills - become a tutor!

2009-01-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have often read of moms who have set aside their careers when their children were born. Instead of putting their kids in daycare or dropping them off at Grandma's, they opted to stay home and invest their time and energy in their kids.

That is the best investment they could ever make.

HOWEVER, conversation with a toddler tends not to be intellectually stimulating. Before the mom invested in her kids, she may very well have invested in a college degree or other business training, and she might miss the challenges of those days.

She might also miss the income she once made!

So how can she put those skills to good use while still being able to spend time with her family?

Become a tutor! I think this is a great way to combine hard-earned marketable skills with being a stay-at-home mom.

Somewhere "out there" are people struggling to learn what she has already mastered. This mom has valuable and marketable skills that others will pay her to teach them! This can be done in the home or online and is a great opportunity for moms and others to earn income from home.

So what subjects could you tutor? How about

All subjects taught in school
A foreign language, or English as a second language
Any type of Sport
Any type of musical instrument
Voice lessons
Reading (Children and Adults)
College Entrance Exams
Computers (The senior citizen market is a great area to tap into)
All types of art

For more information on becoming a tutor, click here.

Where To Find Home Based Work In Hard Economic Times

2008-12-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

If you have lost your job recently, you may be looking for some type of work you can do from home. The idea of saving money by not commuting and by not needing to wear profesional attire every day is very attractive.

The type of home based job you are most likely to find is either as a telephone customer service rep or doing some type of virtual assistant work.

Many businesses are discovering the hard way that their customers prefer dealing with representatives in their own country, rather than half way around the world. Unfortunately no matter how nice those people are or how hard they try to please, there is a language accent barrier that is almost impossible to overcome. Therefore many companies are hiring local customer service reps to meet their customers' needs. You can find a well-maintained and always updated selection when you sign up with Ignotius.

Virtual Assistants do everything an office manager or "Gal Friday" might do, but usually only for one person. When you find the right match - your skills and their needs - the arrangement can last for years. Virtual Assistant Positions can be found through Ignotius, LegitOnlineJobs, or Virtual Training Solutions.

For more information on becoming a Virtual Assistant, I recommend the BizyMoms Virtual Assistant Home Business Kit. As a bonus take advantage of their Holiday Special! Buy ANY Premium kit get the 2nd FREE (equal or lesser value)Purchase a Premium kit for yourself and give one as a gift- Or get them both for yourself! Not sure of which FREE kit you want? Get a Gift Certificate and decide later!

Stock Assault 2.0

2008-08-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm not a stock market junkie, but I do know that a lot of what is traded world-wide is done by computer. For each stock you are trading, a computer is programed to buy it when it reaches a certain price and sell it when it reaches a certain price. The "trick" is knowing when to do what.

This Stock Assault 2.0 software is so affordable it appears to put that high tech trading ability into the hands of darn near everybody. They call it Artificial Intelligence, and I find it very intriguing. You just let the software do it's thing and you do what it tells you to do! Even I could do that!

Check it out!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: One Month Affiliate

2008-08-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Many of the people quietly making a very nice living on the internet do so with Affiliate Marketing. By that I mean they sell someone else's product(s) and receive a commission for each one they sell. It is a win-win deal because the product developer sells far more than he or she could have alone, and both the developer and the affiliate make money.

I confess to being a bit "old school" in that I am not a big fan of internet videos. I like to read. I immediately click away from sites that start talking to me (over my radio that I listen to online) and can count on the fingers of one hand (with fingers left over) the number of times I have visited YouTube.

Nevertheless, I am intrigued by this new product One Month Affiliate. His story has a ring of truth to it - be sure to follow the link and check it out.

There are many many Affiliate Marketing courses online, some of them better than others. This one is different because it is entirely video from start to finish. Alex comes across as a very capable young man who has created a very good product. It comes with a money-back guarantee so if you learn well from videos and think this might finally be the product that will get you on your way to finally making money online, check out One Month Affiliate now!

How To Choose A Successful Home Business

2008-08-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

It may seem obvious and overly simplistic, but knowing your likes and dislikes can help stear you into a home based business that is perfect for you. Think about what you enjoy. Gardening? Baking? Cars? Antiques? History? Travel? Fishing? Sports?

Also it is important to know what your abilities are and maybe even more important what they are not. For instance, if you are a stickler for details and obsess over grammar, you might want to become a virtual assistant and proofread for someone who writes about a topic (such as one of the above) in which you also have an interest. However, no matter how interested you are in a topic and no matter how much you know about it, if you can't spell words right yourself, that would not be the business for you.

I know someone who could work as a Graphic Artist from home or anywhere else. Personally I could NOT work as a graphic artist anywhere. My friend is artistic. I am not.

For a great selection of tested home business career ideas, click on the banner below!

How To Start A Successful Home Business

2008-08-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

If you want to start a successful business, either home based or brick and mortar, do *not* look for a product or service you think will sell, and then try to convince everybody how wonderful it is. It may truly be wonderful, and may be your fascinating passion, but do other people think they need it or want it? Would they be willing to pay for the information or the product?

Are you sure?

If you want to start a successful business, either home based or brick and mortar, look for a perceived or real need, or a want, and fill it.

People are always looking for new recipes, new ways to lose weight, new ways to make life easier, new ways to have fun, etc. Don't just look around - actually SEE what you are looking at! You should see needs - both perceived and real - absolutely everywhere. Better yet, there are wants associated with those needs.

Watch your neighbors, your co-workers, your friends. Do you see them frustrated or struggling with something? Something that you can do better than they can? Something they might be willing to not only pay for but recommend you to others?

For nearly every business idea you might think of, someone else is likely already offering some sort of similar service. In order for you to get your fair share of the market, you MUST do a better job, with complete, clean, friendly, on time service with a smile because that is what people WANT.

NEVER FORGET THAT.

If you decide to make a product, do a quality job and deliver on time with a smile and maybe even something extra to thank them for their business.

Planning For Your Successful Home Based Business

2008-07-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

Plan for your home based business to be successful, and fully expect your home based business to be successful, but don’t expect it immediately. Depending on what type of business you are starting, success may take months or even a few years. As has been said, "Don’t quit your day job" until you can support yourself reliably with your home business.

To put this another way, assume your new home business will be a successful one, and then make plans to assure that success. As has been said, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Yikes! Don't let that happen to you!

The United States Small Business Administration has many resources available to you for absolutely free to get your home business off to a good start. In fact there are pages and pages and pages of valuable, essential information to help you formulate your business plans.

One of the greatest advantages of a home based business over a brick and mortar business is the cost of overhead. In a traditional brick and mortar business, you either buy or rent space, and then add utilities, insurance, furniture, inventory, and whatever else. That cost alone has done in more than one small business. When you work out of your home, you have none of those expenses above and beyond what you are paying in your home, anyway. There will be a financial investment that you will have to make, but it pales in comparison to starting a traditional brick and mortar business. Financial success may take months or even years, depending on what type of business you are starting. Being aware of that and planning on it not only will enable you to "ride it out" but will help you avoid discouragement.

In addition to financial planning, you need to plan what you will actually do on a typical day. If you are starting an internet business, will you write? Will you network? Will you research? Will you maintain your website?

If you are starting a home business dealing with either a product or a service, plan how to attract and even more importantly keep customers. Plan your advertising strategy.

Refer often to that SBA website. It will help you get your business off to a great start!

Work Is A Four Letter Word

2008-07-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Any business, home based or brick and mortar, is a lot of work. Be prepared, at least at first, to work longer and harder in your home based business than you do in your job. Once your home business is established, you will be able set the hours you choose to work. Often, you can choose the location as well. While the beach on a south sea isle may be a bit far fetched, you are not limited to your office. Take your laptop and go somewhere enjoyable.

However, remember that the only place "success" comes before "work" is in the dictionary. As I wander around the internet reading the testimonies of the very successful, one thing has really stood out. They virtually never work less than a 40 hour week. Often it is more like 50-60 hours per week.

So why is this better than your current 40 hour week at your drudgery job? Because these people are doing what they love to do. They are their own boss. They do things their own way. They are free to go pick up a sick kid from school as necessary. They are free to meet an out-of-town friend or relative for lunch and not have to rush back to work. They can take the afternoon off to smell the roses.

Sometimes of deceptive sales landing pages you read of someone claiming that a typical day for them goes something like, "Ho-hum, wake up when I feel like it, drink a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper and checking how my stocks did, answer a few e-mails, spend a few minutes writing this or that, and I'm done for the day." Don't believe it. Either this person is lying, or isn't as successful as they would like you to think.

No matter what business you have, if your don't invest yourself in it, you won't get anything out if it.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: SFI - Part 4

2008-07-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between 45-50 MILLION people do not have health coverage in the USA.

Some of them, often referred to as the "working poor" cannot get health insurance through their employers because it isn't offered. Many "mom and pop" and other small businesses cannot afford to offer health insurance and still stay in business. These employees make too much money to qualify for public assistance, but do not make enough money to buy their own health insurance, which can cost hundreds of dollars per month. One site I looked at showed a national average monthly cost per family of nearly $500! While some states were less, one state was over 3 times that much!

So they pray a lot that no one gets sick or injured.

Other people have been turned down by health insurance companies because of "pre-existing conditions" which can be just about anything that is ongoing (diabetes, blood pressure, etc) or anything for which the person has received recent treatment, including pregnancy.

So why am I bringing this up in a discussion about SFI? SFI now offers membership in the International Association of Businesses (IAB) which offers health care benefits and medical discounts.

EVERYONE is accepted. There are no physicals to take and there is no qualifying.

You CANNOT be turned down or rejected.

Better than that, the cost starts at only $83.90 per month for the entire family, no matter how many members, no matter how old, no matter the health.

Upgrades are available, but the cost of the highest upgrade is still w-a-y less than the cost cited above and includes many benefits besides medical.

Now you do need to understand a few things.

NOTICE ON IAB MEDICAL SAVINGS PLAN

1.This plan is not a health insurance policy.
2.This plan provides discounts at certain health care providers for medical services.
3.This plan does not make payments directly to the providers of medical services.
4.As a plan member, you are obligated to pay for all health care services but will receive a discount from those health care providers who have contracted, directly or indirectly, with IAB.

So if you cannot afford, or cannot even get health benefits, I strongly recommend that you sign up with SFI (free) and then join the IAB.

You don't have to join SFI to join IAB, but why wouldn't you? If you are part of that 45-50 million people who don't have insurance, chances are you know others who don't have it either. Share your knowledge with them. Sign them up through your link and it becomes one of those wonderful win-win situations. You help someone out and make some money in the process.

It doesn't get much better than that!

Click Here For More Information!

Home-Biz-Help Bizopp Review: Medical Billing

2008-07-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

With more and more people looking to work from home or start a home based business, the topic of medical billing comes up frequently.

Search engines have literally millions of choices for schools or jobs, and warnings about the schools and jobs the other sites are offering. Proceed with caution.

This is not a job or bizopp suitable for on-the-job training. If you are going to start a medical billing business from your home, you have to know what you are doing. You must be a stickler for details and obsess over accuracy. You cannot be prone to mistakes, because you are dealing with people's medical records. You must also have an appreciation for the need for privacy.

The person most suited to start this home business will have had the necessary schooling, and some experience working in an office doing the same kind of work. This person will be comfortable with medical terminology including anatomy, will know the proper codes for insurance company forms, and will know how to fill out the forms.

This person must also be a people person because they will be dealing with patients, doctors and insurance personnel.

Doctors in clinics and large practices usually have staff who take care of their medical billing, or else they use a professional firm. So whose business would you seek out? Look for small practices - one doctor offices. Look for chiropractors or optometrists or alternative medical practitioners. Present your credentials, let them know the experience you have, and that you are starting a home business because - insert your own personal reason here.

Stress the personalized service they will receive. You most likely won't be swamped with business right away, but it will come.

I know of someone with experience in the field who had to go out on her own because the company she had been with went out of business. She now has four doctors as clients and may soon pick up more. It can be done!

If you have the knowledge but would like to pick up experience, click on the image below. there you will find hundreds of jobs in the medical billing field as well as many others.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: SFI - Part 3 - Personal Care Products

2008-06-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

One of the great products featured by SFI is their Veriuni Hair and Body Shampoo. It is gentle for all skin types and is safe for permed and damaged hair. It is non-toxic and contains only biodegradable ingredients.

As important as what is in it is what is NOT in it.

Non-toxic.
All ingredients are biodegradable or break down into harmless natural elements.
Biodegrades without forming micro-toxins.
Contains no hazardous ingredients as per OSHA regulations.
Contains no Petroleum Distillates, EDTA, NTA, Ammonia, Benzene, Grain Proteins, Enzymes or Formaldehyde.
Free of all known or suspected carcinogens.
Gray water and septic tank safe.
Biodegradable without effluent treatment processes.

In my lifetime of watching people, I have seen many switch from cheap chemical laden products available everywhere to more healthy products which may cost more to use but save your health in the long run. I don't ever remember seeing anyone switch from healthy stuff to cheap stuff. Once people realize what a lifetime of accumulating chemicals in their systems can do, they don't ever want to go back.

THEREFORE, your market for such a product as Veriuni Hair and Body Shampoo is only going to grow, as more and more people switch to using healthy products.

Use it yourself. Give it as a gift to someone with a new baby. If you know anyone with dry or sensitive skin, introduce them to this wonderful product. You'll have lots of customers in no time!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Autosurf For HYIP

2008-06-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

HYIP is an acronym for High Yield Investment Program. They are essentially pyramid schemes where it is possible for the first few in to make a lot of money, but that is always at the expense of everyone else involved. Highly unethical IMO, but some people don't seem to care.

The autosurf part comes in because some programs claim that you are getting advertising for your website for your "entry fee." Everybody supposedly pays to get into the program and then supposedly looks at each other's sites, so you are advertising to each other. See my post below about how that works. Or doesn't.

Anyway, unless you are in at the very beginning - and that could mean within hours of launch - you are guaranteed to lose money. If you do make money, it is only ONLY ONLY because somebody else lost money.

Again JMO, but what kind of a sad sorry sucker thinks any part of that is OK.

*************************************************************************************

For genuine work at home opportunities click on the banner below.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Autosurf For Traffic

2008-06-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

There are two types of autosurf programs, and I don't recommend either one of them. This post is about Autosurf For Traffic programs. The next post will be about Autosurf HYIP programs

Autosurf For Traffic is where a bunch of webmasters join a program and they look at each other's web sites. The goal is to increase traffic and as people pass (surf) by they will see something they like and buy it, or at least sign up for the free newsletter. Often the page changes every few seconds automatically, hence the name "autosurf."

The reality is that almost nobody pays attention to the pages as they pass by. People do other computer work, read the newspaper, do crossword puzzles, study, even leave the room! The few programs that require a manual page change merely mean the surfer interrupts whatever he is doing every 20-30 seconds to click his mouse and then resumes whatever he was doing.

The best I can say for this type of program is, *IF* you pay attention to the sites as they pass by, you *might* see something interesting, and you *might* get an idea of just what is out there on the internet. You might also realize just how many people have this or that cookie cutter website, all of them competing for the same traffic, and how small your chances of making any money would be with that already over saturated market.

So if you hope to increase your business with Autosurf For Traffic programs, you are pretty much wasting your time. Worse, these programs violate Google's TOS, so if you have AdSense on your site, Google will cancel your account and keep any money you may have earned from "real" traffic.

Why would you want to do this?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A much better investment of your time and efforts would be to get 30 days of One-on-One Internet Marketing Advice for just $3.27! That's not a typo! You can get a full MONTH of expert website consulting for the price of a cup of coffee!

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How To Start A Home Based Business

2008-06-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

With gasoline prices spiraling upward out of control, some people are finding it difficult to afford the gas to even get to work and back home again. A recent news story told of a highway service that helps stranded motorists needing to help the same guy every Friday because he couldn't quite make it from payday to payday.

That is really sad and it's probably going to get worse.

Wouldn't it be great to just thumb your nose at your expensive commute and work from home with your own Home Based Business? You're probably thinking, "Yeah, but I wouldn't even know where to start!"

Start here: ==> How To Start A Home Based Business

Written by Laurie Neumann, owner of Christian Home Business Connection, How To Start A Home Based Business gives you step by step guidelines in small doses that you can handle. The 3 month course costs just $10 per month, comes with a money-back guarantee, and you can drop out at any time if you feel this is not for you.

Learn from the personal experience of a Christian woman who walks the walk and talks the talk.

Click here for more information.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: ChaCha

2008-05-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

ChaCha is a service whereby people send a text message from their cell phones asking a question to a specific number (which I won't give you here but you can find easily enough if you want to) and they get back a text message supposedly within 3 minutes with the answer.

So if you asked "who was the first president of the United States" you would get back "George Washington" along with the web site where the person found the answer.

ChaCha "guides" do the research and get paid as independent contractors.

On the surface it sounds like a great deal for someone who is somewhat internet savvy, needs or wants flexible hours, and enjoys learning new information.

However, when I went to sign up, they said there was nothing suitable for me, and didn't tell me why. I fit the above criteria, have a high I.Q. and innate curiosity, so I thought I would be a good fit.

Oh, well. After doing further research, I think I can do better, and you can too. Read on.

In reading various work-at-home forums I found a few happy ChaCha "guides" and a lot of unhappy ones. The happy ones like the flexibility and have figured out how to get a lot of questions sent their way, so they make enough money to justify their time in their own minds.

The unhappy ones are really unhappy. Many of them were unceremoniously dumped by ChaCha and none of them seemed to know why - no reason was apparently given, and I guess ChaCha doesn't have to give them one. Some felt they were making w-a-y less than minimum wage, as in $2-3 per hour of research. Others felt that pranksters were taking up all their time, and the "powers that be" at ChaCha didn't believe them. Others felt that actual ChaCha employees did not take the concerns and experiences of the "guides" seriously. Some felt they needed to pull their pay out as soon as they reached their minimum balance because they were afraid ChaCha was going to go under at any time.

Not having any inside experience, I have no idea how realistic the complaints are. They could be dead on, and they could be disgruntled venting. From the volume and the agreement, I tend to lean toward believing the complaints are probably valid.

Should you sign up? As always, it's totally up to you. It might work out very well for you, But if it doesn't, dust off your feet and move on. If people are struggling to make minimum wage, and often making only a third of that, you do better elsewhere.

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For genuine work at home opportunities click on the banner below.

Marketingtips.com Extreme Challenge

2008-04-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about Derek Gehl's FREE "Build-a-Biz" video training series that's going to be released next week.

It seems that Derek was challenged by a frustrated blog reader to "put his money where his mouth is" and PROVE it's possible to build a niche website from scratch in ONE WEEK or less....

And Derek's agreed to do it!

Not only that -- he's going to videotape the whole process! These videos will be released over a 4-day period (April 21-24th) -- so you can use the strategies Derek's demonstrating to create your OWN money-making website in just a matter of days!

You can register for these free "hands-on" instructional videos NOW at Build A Biz Challenge.

According to Derek the videos will cover the following EXTREMELY POWERFUL principles

DAY #1: Find your niche and a product to sell
DAY #2: Write sales copy that gets people to BUY
DAY #3: Build a website that WORKS!
DAY #4: Start driving traffic with PPC and SEOAs

Derek uses these strategies to create his "built from scratch" website, he'll explain how YOU can make them work for your OWN website. So if you want to learn the steps you need to take to build your own money-making website in as little as ONE WEEK (or less!) Reserve your FREE "front-row seat" NOW at Build A Biz Challenge.

Mother's Day Special Offer From BizyMoms.com!

2008-04-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is less than a month away and BizyMoms is celebrating by offering $30 off the price of any Career Kit (except Kindersigns) ordered between now and Mother's Day. Just use the discount code "mom" when placing your order.

If you know a mom who would love to start her own home business but needs a little boost, what a great Mother's Day gift this would make!

Choose from Candy Wrapping, Cleaning Service, Crafting, Errand Service, Event Planner, Jewelry Store, Santa Letters, Tutoring, Virtual Assistant, or Welcome Service.

Each Career Kit comes with many extras including your own website, and comes with a money-back guarantee. Click on the link or the banner for more information.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Starting a Virtual Assistant Business

2008-04-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

Starting a home business is becoming more and more popular for a lot of reasons. One business that is really catching on with moms who have left the workplace to raise a family is that of becoming a Virtual Assistant.

What the heck is a Virtual Assistant?

A Virtual Assistant does basic office work from home. This can include administrative duties, website design and maintenance, graphic design, data entry, phone, transcription, just about any type of work that a "boss" would need done from the office.'

The beauty of being a Virtual Assistant from home is the freedom to choose who you work for, what you do, and when.

So how do you find clients who need a Virtual Assistant? Once you get started, word of mouth through personal referrals is great. Also ads online (free or PPC), ads in the newspaper, Pennysaver, Craigslist, and posting in forums or free lance sites could bring results.

How do you choose clients? Most clients are going to want a particular set of skills, so you need to polish yours. Then, because you are no longer constrained to your former employer's line of work, what interests you?

If you are you interested in show business or archeology or some branch of medicine or art or whatever, look for people in those fields who need skills that you have! How exciting would it be to combine skills you worked hard to get, with a subject that fascinates you? Would that be cool or what!

If you would like more information, or would be interested in a kit to launch your new career, I highly recommend the BizyMoms ExpertVA Home Business Kit.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review : My Power Mall

2008-04-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

Is it really true that you HAVE to spend money every month with My Power Mall? The same My Power Mall that shouted from the rooftops that it would always be FREE???

It wasn't true when MPM first started up, but it is true now.

They tell you to just do your regular online shopping from stores in your own Mall to make money. In reality you need a substantial downline, and I think I read that your best income potential comes from shopping not from your own Mall but from your 3rd level down.

The money comes from rebates the stores provide. It is money they would have otherwise spent on advertising but as Mall owners and MPM in general are "spreading the word" so to speak, the stores are spending less on advertising, and so rebate the difference to MPM and then to you.

The business model was explained as if everyone spent something like $300 per month shopping on the internet.

It was even suggested that you buy toothpaste, that "other tp" and stuff like that instead of from your local discount store. Yeah, right.

Anyway, they send out tons and TONS of e-mails with shopping specials and suggest that you do the same to build your Mall downline. Between that and the sappy "happy all the time" Pollyanna life is wonderful and so is your Mall outlook (happy is good - positive is good - but enough is ENOUGH!) my own Mall just languishes.

I think the idea is a good one, but it is based on people spending more money than is happening. The people who joined for FREE (back when it WAS free) joined BECAUSE it was free. They don't have $300 per month to spend on the internet. They don't have ANYTHING to spend on the internet.

How is MPM doing as a business? I have no idea. I don't read the emails and haven't visited the site in months. My guess is it is like all other businesses. It works for some and not for others.

Will it work for you? If you have disposable income and would like more of it, and have friends or relatives in your boat who can join under you, then yes, it probably would work very well. If you are struggling to keep afloat, then MPM may not be the life raft for you.

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If you are looking for a home-based JOB, rather than a home based BUSINESS, look no further than IGNOTIUS. Click on the image below to download a FREE demo cd and explore all the wonderful home job opportunities that await you!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: MyMommyBiz

2008-04-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Do a search for moms work from home on Google and you get 4,720,000 responses!

On the front page (at least when I looked) you will see MyMommyBiz. There you will find enough free information to keep you reading for a long time, and a very long list of original and unique e-books, each one on a different home business for you to start!

Check them out here!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Becoming The Avon Lady

2008-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

For a lot of us, the sound of a doorbell ringing triggers those words in the back of our minds, "Avon Calling . . . "

Stay at home moms of earlier generations, formerly known as "housewives" would open the door to a friendly neighbor with samples of all sorts of cosmetics in a wonderful array of colors and scents. Together the two women would go through the catalog checking to see if favorite items were on sale. The Avon Lady usually left at least one sample product.

You can still do that, you know. There are still product catalogs, and sales, and a lot more stuff in the catalogs than nail polish, lipstick, and Skin-So-Soft. The biggest difference is there are fewer stay at home moms as potential customers.

So what do you do? If you work outside the home, there are always your co-workers. If you have kids, try handing out catalogs at parent meetings, in the parking lot when you lick kids up, on the sideline at the soccer game, etc. If you go to church you could see if the ladies there are interested. If you sew or craft or quilt or scrapbook, all those people are potential customers.

This is one of those home based businesses where your success depends on many things including your personality, aptitude for sales, customer base, creativity, even location.

If you like Avon products, check out the Avon website for more information.

If on the other hand you really don't want to start a business, you just want a job you can do from home, may I suggest The Home Job Group.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: That Great Offer In Your E-Mail Inbox

2008-04-04T18:23:00.000-07:00

On several Work At Home forums you can find posts by members who received this or that "too good to be true" offer in their e-mail inbox and are asking whether or not it is legitimate.

The answer is an unqualified NO!

NO legitimate work from home opportunity or home-based bizopp needs to advertise by sending out spam.

One poor naive soul posted that the offer being questioned did not arrive in her spam folder. It was in her Yahoo inbox. Unfortunately that only means the spammers are better at sending stuff out that will get through the filters than the e-mail providers are at creating filters to stop the spam.

If you did not subscribe to that person's mailing list, it is spam.

If you get such an offer and are lazy or pressed for time, just delete it. If you want to you can open up the header, copy it, and paste it above the message body when you forward the spam to spam@uce.gov.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Comparing "Data Entry" to "Envelope Stuffing"

2008-03-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Read the title and then read my lips: There is NO comparison!

I just read yet another article on a well established and well respected website about so-called data entry typing from home programs. This article basically equated data entry with envelope stuffing.

Huh? What in the world made anyone think the two concepts were anything alike? Has this author ever actually looked at either one?

"Envelope Stuffing" works like this: You answer an ad that tells you to send $5 for more info. You think, what the heck, I can afford $5, so you send it in. The answer comes back telling you to place ads like you answered, telling other people to send you $5 so you can tell them what the original ad placer told you. It is a genuine scam and illegal. Watch the Postal Inspectors make a bee-line to your door. I cannot for the life of me understand why Google shuts down accounts for legitimate online business owners (including ads for data entry) and yet continues to run envelope stuffing ads. Just boggles my mind.

Data entry typing from home offers are entirely different. First of all, they are NOT the mindless repetitive copying of info that some naive people think is going to make them hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for a couple of hours a day of work. Anyone who thinks that will happen needs a serious reality check.

They are an opportunity for the program buyer to learn affiliate marketing. All of these programs are more or less the same concept. They show you where to find affiliate products to sell online, they give you hints as to which kinds of products sell better than others, and they walk you through the process of placing pay-per-click (ppc) ads on the search engines. They also tell you where you can place ads for free; fewer results, less effective, but doable.

Most of them use a bit too much hype, but they do involve typing or data entry, and you probably will be doing it at home. They also show you screen shots of the ad forms you place in the search engines, and screen shots of a Clickbank Daily Sales chart.

To be successful, you have to have some skill, some talent, some insight, and probably a bit of seed money. Does it work for everyone? Absolutely not. Can it work? You betcha.

Example. I have access to the back office of one program that runs a monthly contest and gives prizes to the people who sell the most products, which is why numbers are posted. Anyway, so far this month, one person has sold over 1100 of this product. Rounding down to 1100, that is $38,445. Projecting out to the end of the month, (1100 / 23 x 31) = almost 1500 sales = almost $52,000. For one month. Not a bad chunk of change, for only one of who-knows-how-many products this person markets.

Person #25 has sold about 100 which projects out to about $4700. Could you use an additional $4700 per month? I know I could!

I have no way of knowing, but would not be surprised if these people are using the methods outlined in the program to actually market the program. No doubt this is not the only product they are marketing with this method, either.

So you see it can be done because it is being done.

You won't make that kind of money stuffing envelopes.

Am I doing this? No, I'm not, because I'm not that good. But that does not make the whole concept a scam, or the people that offer these programs scammers. Some, frankly are less reputable than others, and that's most unfortunate. But the concept is valid. It is a legitimate method of affiliate marketing that works very well for some people.

So where did the bad reputations come from? Envelope stuffing has a bad reputation because it really is a scam and it deserves a bad reputation.

Data entry typing from home offers probably got their bad reputation partly from the aforementioned hype (people see what they wanna see rather than what is actually there) but mostly because a few affiliates marketed using spam, and their accounts were not cancelled. They more or less got away with spamming, but the programs they marketed that way got blacklisted by e-mail servers.

Home Based Work Can Be Hedge Against Unemployment

2008-03-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

From real estate to schools to beauty salons, jobs are going away.

Fewer agents can sell homes because fewer buyers make enough money to buy. So not only are the agents not making a living, but the people in title search offices and escrow companies are hurting as well.

Here in California, thousands of jobs are being cut in the schools due to budget issues. This includes teachers, aids, nurses, and principals among others.

Something I had never thought of, but a manicurist told me the other day that people are removing their artificial nails because they cannot afford to maintain them. I guess if you have to buy gas at more than $3.50/gallon to drive to the unemployment office, you would put acrylic nails down at the bottom of your list, too. (I have NEVER had them but . . . . )

There are no doubt many more stories of people losing their jobs. This will bottom out and recover, but it hasn't yet. Until it does, you might want to start looking now for some sort of home based work, either your own home business or home employment.

It could be the best financial decision you'll make for a long time!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit

2008-03-07T14:32:00.001-08:00

Back in November when I made this post about assembling crafts at home, The Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit was not available. Even if it had been, The Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit is what you should do INSTEAD OF the types of things I posted about in November if you are interested in making money by doing crafts at home.

The Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit is designed to help you take your own original craft items and sell them to people who prefer to buy hand-made items instead of mass-produced ones. These would be the types of items you would find at your local craft fairs such as:

Stained Glass
Colorful Scrubs
Scented Candles
Handmade Clocks
Specialty Pillows
Children’s Clothes
Custom Wedding Gowns
Knitting and Crochet Items
Stuffed Animals
Covered Photo Albums
Handmade Bridal Accessories
Quilts
Etc. - you already know what you create!

If you have been to these fairs and would like to market what you make but don't know how to get started, or how to expand your business, The Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit just might be for you.

Remember, this is not for someone who wants to mindlessly piece together machine-produced parts. This is for someone willing to roll up their sleeves and work hard at producing one-of-a kind creations, and sell them.

If you think this might be you - if you have something you have created that brings joy to others, check out The Bizymoms Crafters Career Kit .

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: 2-up programs

2008-03-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

2-up programs have been around for a few years, which might make you think they are OK. Think again. Most people need to run as far away as they can, as fast as they can.

Here is how they work.

There will be some kind of ad - TV, print, internet, phone, whatever. The pressure to join is relentless - they are skilled in making you think you are really blowing the opportunity of a lifetime if you don't sign up RIGHT NOW! That ought to be a big red warning flag right there. If the offer isn't as good tomorrow or next week as it is right now, it isn't any good at all.

Anyway, if your resistance folds and you sign up, you are frequently if not always into the program for $1000-$2000 up front. You get your money back by selling the opportunity to others. There is a product of some sort so they skate barely on the legal side of the Ponzi issue, but you make your money selling the opportunity to others.

Unfortunately there are just enough people who are able to make it work that the desperate wannabes are drawn like moths to a flame in the hopes of escaping their intolerable lives and living a better one.

The catch ~ and why the offers are called 2-ups ~ is that the commissions from your first 2 sales go to your upline sponsor! Most people who get involved in this type of thing are not natural-born sales people, have few if any sales skills, and have no chance whatsoever of convincing a total stranger that parting with $2000 hard-earned dollars is a good idea.

Therefore they turn to their "warm market" aka friends and family. Or should I say former friends and family. Before this comes to a pitiful end, the poor hopeful soul will have totally alienated everyone he or she knows, probably without making a sale. Not only that, but the upline sponsor is all over their case because they haven't produced any commissions and "what the heck is the matter with you anyway can't you try a little harder?"

In the end the once hopeful person is out $1000-$2000 and the laughing stock of the family - circle of friends.

Here is a list of just a few of these programs in alphabetical order:

Automatic Money Machine
Coastal Vacations
Easy Daily Cash
EDC Gold
Emerald Passport
Passport to Wealth
Perfect Wealth Formula
Road Map to Riches
Your New Fortune

They promise you the moon but leave you smelling like moldy cheese.

JMHO

For home business opportunities that might just work for you, check out the links in the right hand column.

When The Traditional Work Place Doesn't Work For You

2008-02-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

I spent 33 years working for the same employer, and saw a lot of people come and go. Some were viewed a absolute assets - the "boy, if we only had a few more of those" types. Some were viewed as liabilities because, frankly, they were. They thought the world owed them a living and all they had to do for pay was show up and hang out.

But some didn't fit either category. There were a few people whose health - or the health of a family member - just kept getting in the way. These people were intelligent, capable, hard-working, loyal, and all those things you want in an employee. But they came to be thought of (usually not to their face) as "high maintenance." They became "a bother" because they always needed something - time off, to leave early, a schedule change, something. There were times when the air was just thick with impatience as management was forced again and again to deal with their neediness, and forced to pretend that it was OK when it wasn't.

No one wants to be treated this way. No one wants to be thought of this way. No one wants to be sick, and no one wants to be in the position of caring for a chronically sick family member. At the very least, the stress is not healthy for anyone involved.

But life happens.

It has made me realize just how many people would be better off working from home. Depending on what type of work they did, they could sit or stand as much or as little as necessary. They could move around and change positions if that was what they needed to do. They could - again depending on they type of work they did - be interrupted as necessary and it would be OK.

They could work in short spurts - odd hours - frequent breaks - whatever. Perhaps they could even work on a laptop in a doctor's office waiting room!

They could work long hours one day and no hours the next, if that is what needed to happen. They could work 45 minutes and rest for 15 if that is what needed to happen.

The point is, there are countless ways to work from home - either as an employee, an independent contractor, an freelancer, or a home business owner.

If working in the traditional workplace is not working for you, look seriously into the ways you can work from home.

Check out my 2 sites below. There you will find many opportunities that fit into one of the above mentioned categories. To the best of my knowledge, there are NO scams. All require work and ability on your part, but can be done. Check them out and see if one is for you!

123 I From Home 4 Me
123 Home Based Business Works For Me

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Bookkeeping From Home

2008-02-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

I used to know I single mom who really needed to be available for her son before and after school. She also obviously needed to have a source of income to provide for herself and her son, and she was able to do that by working as a bookkeeper from her home.

She had at one time worked in an office as a bookkeeper, so she knew what to do and how to do it. She was also able to obtain references from her boss and from clients when she left the workplace to strike out on her own.

If you have experience, working from home as a bookkeeper can provide you with a nice income, complete control over who you work for and with, and great flexibility with your work hours. This would be a great home business for that Work At Home Mom with a head for numbers and organization.

There are many small businesses, not necessarily home based, who need someone very part time to keep their books. For more information on how to find these potential clients, convince them that you are just what they need, and other vital information you will need to start your Home Based Bookkeeping Business, click on the link below.

Secrets to Starting and Running Your Own Bookkeeping Business,

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: "Welcome Service" from Bizymoms

2008-02-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of home based business that is legitimate and viable for the right person who wants to work at home. You would need to be out-going, energetic, and like to meet new people. It would allow for total flexibility and would be especially good for a mom whose kids are in school. The following is quoted from an e-mail I received. There is a link at the end if you would like to explore further. Bizymoms is a totally respected source of home business opportunities geared especially for moms who want to generate income from home.

"Are you on the look out for a home based business idea? Would you be interested in a Welcome Service business? A welcome service is a community venture where you personally welcome new residents and provide them valuable information regarding the neighborhood. In this profession your services need not be limited to new residents alone, you can also cater to newly married couples, new babies or students in your neighborhood.

While providing you with immense satisfaction of owning your own business, this also allows you to give back something to the community you love. In addition, you would be conducting your business from the comfort of your own home, which in turn allows you to spend more time with your family. If you are an outgoing person who loves to meet and acquaint yourself with new people, this would be ideal for you.

Being a newcomer in the community can be hard and intimidating for anyone. Finding out the location of grocery stores, utility companies or even a place to hangout at, can be overwhelming. Any newcomer will want to fit in as soon as possible. Your service would be a welcomed assistance for them in familiarizing themselves with the community.

You would be providing your new neighbors with a free “Newcomer Welcome Bag” which contains useful information such as the location of shops and utility companies, tourist attractions, upcoming events, etc along with ads of the local businesses, coupons, gift certificates and freebies.

As stated at the beginning, your services need not be curtailed only to new residents. For example, for newly married couples you can provide information such as locations of furniture shops, electrical item shops, etc, for families with new babies’ information regarding baby shops, toy stores, hospitals and clinics, etc can be provided.

After deciding on your target audience, the next step in this business is to find your sponsors. You would be paid by the businesses in your area for delivering their advertisements to the local community. Since you are offering inexpensive and personalized marketing to the targeted audience, many businesses would grab this opportunity. Your sponsors could range from grocery stores, clothing shops, salons, barber shops to sports centers and movie theaters. Once the business owner is willing to sponsor your newcomer welcome bag, you can sign up a contract with him/her for a particular period of time. A contract is extremely beneficial in protecting your interests as well as your sponsors.

A competitive price should be fixed for your services before you offer it to the local business community. Since you would be creating the welcome bag and printing the advertisements for your sponsors, it is important to incorporate these costs into your price. Also you should consider elements such as the amount of effort and time you put in, traveling costs involved, the competitive advertising rates, cost of supplies, etc. as well.

Designing your welcome bag is fun and exciting. You can decide what type of bag to create and also what colors and styles to use for it. But you should always remember that the main focus should be on the ads in the bag. In addition, you should create within your budget. Your welcome bag would be the main marketing tool of your business. In addition to the welcome bag, you should also utilize flyers, posters, business cards, marketing letters, etc. to attract sponsors.

The Welcome Service Venture is a great home based business, which not only benefits you but also your community.

Bizymoms’ Welcome Service Home Business Kit is the easy way to start a business! Check it out today and start your welcome service for only $69! "

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: SFI Part 2 - Veriuni Health and Wellness Products

2008-02-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

Back on October 26, 2007, I posted Part 1 of the SFI Home-Biz-Opp BizOpp Review. I discussed the opportunity to market the Veriuni All Purpose Cleaner, the best all-purpose cleaner money can buy, IMHO.

Today I am going to discuss the Veriuni line of nutritional health and wellness products marketed through SFI.

It has often been said that the best home business to start is one about which you are both passionate and knowledgeable. Also, the best advisory sources say, don't find a product and then try to sell it; find a need and meet it.

Do you or a loved one have food allergies or intolerances? Do you or a loved one have other health conditions that make it beneficial to take an easily absorbed nutritional supplement?

If your answer to any of these questions is "YES" then becoming an SFI Affiliate may just be the opportunity for you to make some money with your own home business, and provide a wonderful product that will benefit many others. You truly would be helping yourself by helping others. It doesn't get much better than that.

First of all joining SFI is absolutely FREE. You are invited to look around as long as you like. You can make a purchase for resale, and recoup your purchase price. Or you can have people buy directly from your SFI-provided website, without spending a penny from your own pocket.

Perhaps the best marketing technique might be to purchase the products for your personal use, and then recommend them from your own experience. There is nothing like a personal testimony to get people to try something new.

Let's face it. The Veriuni product line is suffering from a lack of recognition. Even though there are millions of SFI affiliates world-wide (not all of them active) that is a small drop in the bucket of the 6 Billion people in the world, most of whom have not heard of the Veriuni product line.

In the USA alone, there could be 7-10 million people with food allergies and/or intolerances. Many of these people are not properly absorbing the nutrients from the food they eat, and their health suffers even more because if it.

These people are your potential customers for Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition.

If your digestive system is not absorbing enough to keep you healthy, it is to your advantage to make it as easy on your digestive system by providing it with Veriuni Advanced Liquid Nutrition. "You are what you eat" because of what you absorb from what you eat. If you are not absorbing what your body need to maintain optimum health, your health suffers, and so do you.

So in conclusion, marketing the Veriuni line of nutritional supplements by becoming an affiliate of SFI could be a very lucrative home based business for someone interested in natural products and personal health and wellness.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Tutoring

2008-02-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 5.4 million moms have put their careers on hold to stay home and raise their families. I would not be surprised to find that a sizable portion of those moms had been teachers, trained to be teachers but started a family before actually entering the field, or had acquired a skill that others want or need to know.

When my daughter was in high school, there was a mom who made some nice money thankyouverymuch, by tutoring students in math. There was a need and she had the knowledge and skills to meet that need.

Tutoring is definitely a legitimate home based business that can be done by moms - or dads - who have the knowledge and ability to teach, have decided to stay home to raise a family, but need some extra income. It lends itself to great flexibility because it can be done at home, in the student's home, or online. Tutors can select hours of availability, and hours that are off limits. Tutors can choose to teach either adults or children of all ages in small groups or one-on-one.

Any subject taught in school can be tutored. Also, if you were an outstanding athlete in your high school or college days, there are some really competitive parents willing to pay good money for you to teach your skill to their kid. Trust me on that one.

Don't forget music and the arts. Many schools do not offer the level of instruction they once did, but parents still want their kids to be able to play an instrument, sing, draw, sculpt or at least appreciate the abilities of those who can. :)

If this post has made you realize that this could be for you or someone you know click here then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the TutorMonster banner.

Home-Biz-Help Boz-Opp Review: Survey Savvy

2008-02-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Back on October 14, 2007, I posted a Biz-Opp Review on taking online surveys. If you read that post you will see that I didn't have the best of experiences. >:(

However there is one company I have found whose record and "behavior" has been impeccable, and that company is Survey Savvy. When you sign up you are given the opportunity to complete several questionnaires that will establish a profile about you. Once you have done that, you are only sent surveys that are potential fits for your profile. You are never sent "junk" surveys that are really trolling for your contact info to sell to marketers.

As with other types of online survey companies, you are not going to rich from this, but there are 4 ways to make money from Survey Savvy.

You make money when you qualify for and complete surveys.

You get paid for every survey every person you refer qualifies for and completes.

You get paid for every survey each of their referrals qualifies for and completes!

If you don't qualify for the surveys you are sent, you are entered into monthly drawing, so you still might make some money!

I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience with Survey Savvy. Sign up and see for yourself why I highly recommend this one!

Is A Home Business Really For You?

2008-01-25T19:11:00.000-08:00

When all the individual uniqueness of each business is stripped away, a business is still “the buying and selling (or providing) of goods or services,” and it really doesn’t matter whether the business is located in a home, or in a traditional brick and mortar store front.

If you are a business owner, you are the seller. You are a successful business owner when you convince others to become your customers and buy whatever product or service you are selling. You are even more successful when you convince them to become repeat customers and buy from you again. Repeat customers are worth their weight in gold!

It takes a certain personality type and temperament to be able to sell anything to another person. I have observed three levels of ability and temperament. The lowest level is not cut out for sales. Such a person would squirm just reading about it. The thought of trying to talk anyone into buying anything makes these people clam up and unable to get the job done at all. I think they hate being on the receiving end of sal;es pitches so much that they absolutely HATE the thought of making one! This person should not own a business unless they can hire or partner with someone else to sell the product or service.

The middle level is very good at selling to people who come to them for something, but not good at going out and initiating the sale. For instance, if a customer came into a store looking for a particular item, this middle-type person could not only show the customer what they came for, but also something else to go with it, all the while engaging in conversation. The customer leaves happy, the business owner is happy, and the middle-type person has done a great job. But that middle person would clam up just like the lowest level person if they had to go out and make sales calls, probably for the same reason. The difference here is the customer came to the business looking to buy - BIG difference.

The highest level person is able to go out and make calls, selling whatever he or she has to offer. This person is not afraid of rejection. This is the person who should own a home business.
So what can your home business offer? There are party-type businesses selling clothing, home decor items such as candles, toys, educational supplies, jewelry, etc. There are businesses offering character letters to kids, virtual assistant services, medical transcription, bookkeeping, proof reading, wedding planning, candy wrapping, catering, organizing, etc. Or how about yard service, day care, home and/or office cleaning, repair of almost anything, computer techie service, and on and on and on.

What do all of these have in common? The business owner has to not only sell the service or product, but sell themselves as the one the customer wants to choose to provide the service or product.

Easy if you’re cut out for it. Difficult to impossible if you’re not. And so we end where we began: Is A Home Business Really For You? Only you can answer that one.

Sandi Moses has been involved in internet marketing since November, 2003, and working from home since 2005. For more Work From Home information and home shoring opportunities, visit her sites at
123 I Work From Home 4 Me
http://www.123iwork4me.com/
123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me
http://www.123-home-based-business-works-4-me.com/

Jobs For Work At Home Moms

2008-01-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why mothers look for ways to work from home but they can be usually be summed up as necessity. Mothers want to be home to raise and nurture their children and need to contribute to the family income. Working from home is the ideal solution.

In the past, women often took in laundry and ironing. It wasn’t glamorous or exciting, but it paid the bills. Believe it or not, some still offer this service. It seems there are “business professionals” who have few domestic abilities and even less time, and are quite happy to pay someone else to do those things. This is definitely a win-win situation.

There is a new field of work called “home shoring” (as opposed to “off shoring”) that is very appealing to a lot of Work At Home Moms.

Probably all of us have at one time or another called a large corporation for customer assistance and found ourselves speaking to someone with a thick foreign accent that we had trouble understanding and who did not seem to understand us all that well, either. What many people haven’t realized is that person is in a call center on the other side of the planet, because wages “over there” are so low that it is cheaper for the corporation to maintain a foreign facility than to pay going domestic wages. This is called “off shoring” and has been common for years.

However, many businesses have discovered that their customers are taking their business elsewhere out of sheer frustration with the whole international call center process.

Enter the idea of “home shoring.” With high-speed internet connections, a good quality phone with headset, and a pleasant speaking voice, many moms are now doing from home what the international people were doing in the call centers.
This is also a win-win arrangement. Businesses hire people who can culturally identify with their customers, and have little to no overhead as their employees are working at home. This means no building, no utilities, no equipment, fewer supervisors, etc. Sometimes the “employees” are actually “independent contractors” responsible for their own taxes and insurance, further reducing expenses for the businesses. Maybe the best “win” of all is that jobs stay “home” instead of being shipped overseas, thereby reducing the unemployment rate instead of making it worse.

The moms have some flexibility in their schedules, although they must schedule work during times when the house is quiet. This is essential as businesses still demand a professional atmosphere for callers, and normal household noises (dogs, kids, doorbells, lawnmowers, etc.) don’t give a professional impression. The irregular work hours leave the mom free and available to tend to the needs of her children after school or when ill, and also provide a steady income for the family.

“Home shoring” is a trend that is likely to continue. The price of gasoline keeps going up, and working from home eliminates the commute. More and more moms are realizing the need to find a way to be there for their kids as well as contribute financially to the family. For many moms, “home shoring” is the ideal solution. Businesses, recognizing the value of utilizing a home-grown labor force, are increasingly tapping into this growing resource.

Sandi Moses has been involved in internet marketing since November, 2003, and working from home since 2005. For more Work From Home information and home shoring opportunities, visit her sites at
123 I Work From Home 4 Me
123 Home Based Business Works 4 Me

Are you looking for work you would do "at the office" but you need to do it at home? Become an Ignotius Associate and receive a list of employers who hire home workers. Many types of work are available such as online support, taking call center calls, writing for online advertisers, data and order entry and more. This could be the answer to your prayers.

'Tis The Season For A Work From Home Frenzy

2008-01-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Every January and February, more people than at any other time of year begin looking for ways to make money working from home. I'm not sure if it's because they spent too much money on Christmas gifts, or made a New Year's Resolution, or what, but it happens every year.

People who feature Work From Home Opportunities and Home Based BizOpps are very aware of this and are heavily advertising in hopes of snaring their share of the market.

Some of them are totally legitimate and are genuinely interested in helping you find what works for you. Yes, they are making a living off it, but when they connect you with something that enables you to also make a living from home, it is truly a win-win situation. There is nothing wrong with that.

Others couldn't care less whether they connect you with something helpful or not. As long as they make money off it, that's all they care about. Those are the people to avoid if you possible can.

Word to the wise from the voice of experience: Do Your Homework. As an old commercial used to say, "Investigate before you invest."

Don't be afraid to hold off. People who stick their big toes in the water before jumping in, so to speak, live longer.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Think about what you enjoy doing and what you detest doing.

What are your skills and what have you never been any good at doing?

If you are looking for home-based employment opportunities, please check out Ignotius. Your sign-up fee is immediately deposited back into your account, making your net cost *FREE* and that's about as good as it gets.

If you are interested in your own home business, check out Bizymoms or any of the other ideas listed down the right side of this blog.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Letters From Santa (and others)

2007-12-22T15:38:00.000-08:00

This is a very legitimate home business done successfully by many moms. You market it to schools, churches, hospitals, day care centers, anywhere there are kids and parents.

You really need 2 skills for this one and you need to be - or become - quite good at both of them.

First, you need to be able to market what you have to offer. Start with people you know such as your church, school, doctor's office, dentist's office, even co-workers, etc. Ask if you can leave fliers on a table or in a rack. Branch out to areas where you are not known. Hopefully that will include your local Childrens Hospital (if you are known there it means your lid is sick and that is not a good thing.)

If you get queasy at the thought of marketing, maybe this isn't the home business for you. In order to be successful at this you will have to sell folks on the idea that it will be fun for their kids to get such a letter, and you are just the one to put it together for them!

The other skill you will need is the ability to write. If the parents see a poorly composed letter riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, not only will you not get any repeat business, but they will tell their friends and neighbors what a crummy job you did! Word of mouth is powerful - good or bad!

This is a home business that can be done all year long with different characters. Think Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, any non-copyrighted character.

If you would like to explore the possibility of starting a home business like this, let me recommend a kit from Bizymoms. Right now they are running a Holiday Special - for a limited time you can get the kit for only $49, which is a whopping savings of $100 off!

If you are even a little bit interested, jump at this now so you don't kick yourself in the tush later!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Take the FREE Home Business Survey . . .

2007-12-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

Take the FREE Home Business Survey and get matched up with 5 Home Businesses!

There are several variations on this theme. Most of them have you fill out a short form with your name, address, phone number, and maybe interests or whatever.

You have just become a "prospect" or a "lead." The person whose site you signed up through is paid a small amount for doing the work of providing the lead - your name and contact info. Your contact info is sold to home business owners looking to expand and grow their home businesses.

==> There is no point in not providing good info. You won't get any information about the work at home opportunities you are interested in, and the company will take back the money they paid the person whose site you signed up from. That person is most likely a wahm as you would like to be. If it makes you feel better, provide a throw-away e-mail address.

Anyway, you are then contacted by up to five people to see if you would be interested in working the business they are working. They will do their best to state their case - it is up to you to know your self, you strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.

If you are not interested, just say so. Most of them will not waste any more of their time or yours. If you get a "bad apple" report him or her to the lead generation company (on the bottom of the form you filled out in the first place, and to the company they represent. You will be writing all this down for future reference, right?

Overall, this is a good way for you to find out some of the ways to make money from home that are "out there." There no cost to you, so you have nothing to lose.

Keep in mind that these are not the only work from home opportunities available, so if you don't find what you are looking for, you are welcome to visit my 2 sites, listed to the right. On both of them you will find a wide variety of choices!

Holiday Season Special

2007-11-27T06:43:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not know, Bizymoms is one of the most respected Home Business sites on the internet. Everything they offer is totally legitimate and geared towards helping you be a successful Home Business Mom.

This year they are offering the most incredible gift I have seen from a Home Business. For a limited time only you can get one their Premium Career Kits for only $49! That is an incredible $100 off!

If you have even considered becoming a Virtual Assistant, or starting a Candy Wrapping Business, a business writing personal Letters to Kids from their favorite characters, starting a Welcome Business or a Tutoring Business, you really need to check this out!

Hint: A Bizymoms Premium Career Kit might make the perfect gift for that mom who has been aching to Work From Home.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Home Assembly of Craft Items

2007-11-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

This one sounds so good! A wholesale distributor sends you "kits." You put them together, send the finished product back, and get paid for your time, effort and skill. All in the comfort of your own home.

You envision quality craft items similar to what you've seen at local craft fairs. Unfortunately what you get more closely resembles the mass-produced-in-China stuff you get as a consolation prize in the fun zone at the County Fair.

Worse than that, somehow your work never quite measures up to standards, so you don't get paid for what you did. You are out the money you paid for the "kits" and your chances of selling any remaining items to recover your costs are not good at all.

Let me give you a first-hand example of why that cheap mass-produced stuff will never be profitable to you.

I recently bought a pair of rubber flip-flops at Wal-Mart. They were not on sale - I paid the regular price. We have to assume that everyone who handled these items did so at a profit - no matter how small. The raw material was either produced in or sent to China - at a profit to someone. The raw material was processed and then formed into the finished product - at a profit to someone. The finished product was transported to a port city - at a profit to someone. The finished product was shipped across the Pacific Ocean, unloaded probably at Long Beach, transported to some central Wal-Mart distribution point, transported to my local Wal-Mart, unpacked, shelved, and sold. All at a profit to someone.

I paid $1.00. One whole dollar.

It does not matter what the product is - the process is the same. And this article is not the place to discuss the moral or political issues of so much work for so little compensation.

The point here is you cannot compete with this process. You will never win.

If you want to make money from home doing crafts, you need to have God-given artistic talent and create your own items. If God gave you other abilities, you need to find some other way to make money.

If you need to work out of your home, you need to associate yourself with someone reliable. I recommend Ignotius. Ignotius has hundreds of clients, growing by the day, that need data entry, telephone answering services, general writing, virtual assistants and clerical work done. This is the same type of work done in any business office. When they outsource their work to you, their clients get great service, and you get to make money while working where you are most comfortable - from your home.

Best of all you can do this right now for FREE! Click here for more information.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Blogsvertise

2007-11-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

As I have posted here, and here, a lot of people are searching the internet looking for ways to make money from home without having to sink a lot of money - or even any money - into the endeavor. Usually it's because they are struggling "to keep body and soul together" as it is and just cannot afford to spend any more money.

Businesses are always looking for new and creative ways to market their products and services. One of the latest and most innovative is to take advantage of the blog phenomenon by actually having bloggers write about these products and services in their blogs!

Enter Blogsvertise. This is the perfect opportunity for people who need to start up on a shoe string. There are several places to start a blog for absolutely free, including right here on bogger.com.

So how does Blogsvertise work?

If you are a blogger, first you register your blog with Blogsvertise. Once approved, you are assigned opportunities to write about in your blog. The rules must be followed (of course) but they are very straight-forward. Honesty is valued - you will not have to compromise your integrity for pay. If you have less than a glowing opinion of a website, product, or service, you are free to say so.

Business who would like to be featured in blogs across the internet can sign up with Blogsvertise and begin to greatly increase your internet exposure as your business travels virally through the blogging world.

Interested? Sign up with Blogsvertise today!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Cash This Check and Keep The Change

2007-11-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

There is a scam going around the internet - and spilling over into snail mail as well. It has been going on for years, but only recently has it been getting much attention, probably because it seems to be becoming more common.

It comes in almost infinite varieties, but when you strip away all of the details, you are left with the basics, which never change.

Someone offers to send you a check, usually for way more than fair compensation for what ever goods or services you have contracted to provide. They have some cock-and-bull story as to why but always always always you are to deposit the check and send them the difference.

The check is never good, and you are on the hook for the entire bogus amount. Because this does not get discovered until you have already sent off the check to these perpetrators, you are responsible for reimbursing your bank for the entire amount. You may also be subject to criminal charges for money laundering.

Yup. You are the victim and you are charged as a criminal.

These "offers" turn up on Craigslist, as mystery shopping jobs, as used vehicle purchasers, as almost anything.

Please do not fall for this scam. If you have received such an offer, show it to your bank manager. Perhaps they can work with the FBI and set up a sting operation to catch the perpetrator. I have heard of it happening.

Other that that,

Under no circumstances, for any reason, cash one of these
checks.

If you do, as I said above, you are responsible and liable to pay back to money to the bank.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Project Payday

2007-11-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

For some time now I have been concerned about the ethics of "Project Payday."

From information posted in various forums, it seems that what participants in Project Payday do is sign up for offers from credit card companies and others who pay the signer a certain dollar amount just for signing up. The company that is paying is doing so in hopes of gaining a new customer.

The Project Payday member has no intention of becoming a new customer: They just take the money and run - by immediately opting out as soon as they get the money.

In other words, instead of being scammed, Project Payday members are doing the scamming!

While some have posted that this sort of thing is just a cost of doing business, from a "Golden Rule" perspective, it certainly isn't ethical and I can't even believe it is legal!

It appears the lack of ethics flows both ways. Here is a link to a post by someone who thought she was doing everything according to the instructions she received, and instead would up with hundreds of dollars on her credit card without being paid anything.

Project Payday sounds like very bad news. My recommendation is to avoid Project Payday as if it were the bubonic plague!

****************************************************************************

For a much better opportunity to Work From Home without running up the tab, check out Ignotius. The entire amount of your small sign-up fee is immediately credited to your new account, making your net cost $0. You get immediate access to a wide variety of legitimate ways to make money from home, including some companies who actually hire you as an employee. You even will receive a brand new cd in the mail containing additional training materials.

Get Started For Free

2007-10-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

Back on October 7, I posted that it would be rather difficult to find work from home that did not have any up-front cost. That is still true.

HOWEVER, there are people who make hundreds or even thousands of dollars every month by working ads into their blogs. If they are skillful enough, the advertisers will pay them for what they wrote. Some only pay $5. Some pay w-a-y more than that. Remember when your English teacher made you learn punctuation and grammar? Remember when you protested because you would "never use that stuff?" Use your blog to apologize to your teacher once you start cashing those checks!

It does not cost anything to start up a blog. Once your blog has been active (posted several times per week) for at least 90 days, you can apply to PayPerPost. It does not matter what you blog about- there are categories galore! Once you have enough accepted (paid) posts, you can add another blog. You can add them one at a time as long as you keep the quality up and the quantity of posts up.

Word to the wise from the voice of the observant: you will want to host your blog on your own host rather than blogspot.com or wordpress.com because the advertisers that pay serious money don't accept blogs hosted on free sites. For information on very inexpensive web hosting, click here. For information on getting paid to post to your blog, click here.

Another no-cost way to make money from home that is taking the internet by storm (as "they" say) is My Power Mall. My Power Mall is a 9-Tier Shopping Rebate System. People are invited to have their own FREE online Power Mall. All they do is shop and then invite others to have their own FREE Mall. As people shop for things they are going to buy anyway, everyone receives a % of the shopping rebates. Buy stuff you would buy anyway and get a percentage back - 9 tiers down. The way I figure it, if you were going to buy the stuff anyway, why not try it? Have people sign up under you and they do their internet shopping from their own malls, etc. By the time you get down a few tiers with people just doing normal shopping, you could rake in a few hundred bucks.

So there you have two ways you generate income from home on your computer with no initial out-of-pocket expense at all. With PayPerPost you will eventually need to get your own web hosting, but I pay $6.95 per month (billed monthly - I do not have to pay for a year in advance) with AllWebCo. With My Power Mall you (theoretically anyway) don't spend anymore than you are spending now - you just spend it differently.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: SFI - Part 1 - Veriuni All-Purpose Cleaner

2007-10-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

SFI (which used to stand for "Six Figure Income" and now - I think - stands for "Strong Future International") has been around for abiout 20 years. They are members in good standing of the BBB.

You make money through SFI two ways: you market the busines opportunity as you build a downline, and you sell products. Ideally your downline does the same thing! Because SFI is quite complex, there will be a series of posts on various methods of making the system work, and on some of the products.

You can be profitable with SFI by never selling even one product while you build an active downline. You can be profitable with SFI by totally ignoring the downline concept and marketing the outstanding products they feature.

Today I am going to talk about Veriuni All Purpose Cleaner, or VAPC for short. IMHO, it is the best all-purpose cleaner you can buy. It smells great, it works great, it is totally non-toxic. Click HERE to see some of what it can do.

I live in the San Diego, California, area and we have been through our own local version of "Hell Week," an unfortunate repeat of what we went through 4 years ago. Around half a million people were evacuated from their homes because of huge wild fires. Smoke and ash are everywhere.

To get the ash residue off the car, I hosed the car off, sprayed it all over with a diluted solution of VAPC, hand-watered the lawn while the VAPC worked its magic, went over the entire surface of the car with a soft micro-fiber cloth, hosed the car down again and dried it off.

Cost: pennies
Time: a few minutes
Appearance: like a $20 car wash (or better)

The product is outstanding. If you are good at marketing, you can make money with this product. If you like swap meets and flea markets, buy this at wholesale, (buy a lot!) and sell it for a profit. Do demonstrations - you'll see! Be sure to check about your local resale laws, etc.

This is just one of many ways to make money through SFI. I will be discussing others over time.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Ignotius Associates Program

2007-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

EXCLUSIVE INSTANT REBATE!

From the keywords people use to find my website, it seems that a lot of people are looking for real "work from home jobs" rather than "home businesses."

If this is you, seriously consider signing up for the Ignotius Associates Program. Once you sign up you have access to a wide variety of employers who are looking to hire people to do assorted office work from home. There are also other ways that you can make money from home without actually starting a home-based business.

More and more employers are realizing that "offshoring" their customer service is not good for their own business image, is not good for the local economy, and is not good for the customers, who often wind up frustrated. Ignotius puts you in touch with companies who have elected to provide excellent customer service through "homeshoring" options.

As a bonus, if you sign up for the Ignotius Associates Program through THIS link, you are eligible for an EXCLUSIVE INSTANT REBATE!

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Make Money Taking Surveys

2007-10-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

The ads would have you believe that you can actually make a good living. or at least make your car or house payment or send your kids to college or . . . . by taking surveys on line.

Don't believe it.

Ironically, those who need the money the most stand the least chance of making it taking surveys. Why? Because those conducting the surveys are interested in the spending habits of people who spend money on their type of product. The people who most need to make money don't have any money to spend, so if they are honest in their responses, they don't qualify for many if any of the surveys.

In other words, the people who conduct the surveys ask questions like "Do you plan on buying a new car in the next 2 years or did you buy a new car in the past 2 years?" Or they ask about electronics purchases, furniture purchases, home remodeling, your investment accounts (!), how many credit cards do you have, all the prepackaged groceries and snacks you buy, how often do you eat out, etc.

People who are struggling to get to the end of the month before they get to the end of the money do not spend what little money they have on those things, so they don't qualify for the survey. Instead, they get a sweepstakes entry or some such. Nobody can pay any bills on that.

People who qualify for most surveys already have money to spend, and the survey takers are most eager to find out how they spend it so they can manipulate the market and get more of it! But unless they get into a focus group (this is rare) the pay-off is still $1-$5.

So just what happens when you buy a list of survey companies and start to sign up for them? I can't speak for everyone, I can only tell you what happened to me and it wasn't pretty.

First of all I used an email address designated only for surveys. That was good, but not good enough. I should have had a different unique address for each one. I immediately began getting spam e-mails from "affiliates" and "associates" and "partners" (oh, my!) of the people I signed up with. My inbasket overfloweth.

Some of the companies were only interested in trial offers and samples of products I had no interest in or use for. I opted out of them right away, but somehow even though I got into the company immediately it took weeks to opt out! There is no legitimate excuse for that. I was especially annoyed at having to opt out of lists I had not opted into but who had gotten my address from someone else who "shared."

It gets worse. After I began opting out and was actually off a few lists, I began to receive the most vile of pornographic spam. I suspect at least one if not more of the people I opted out of sold my e-mail address to a pornographic spammer so they could at least make some money off of me, but I can't prove it.

Remember I said to use a different unique address for each company? This is why. If each survey company uses a different address to send communications to you and passes that address on to a spammer, pornographer, or both, you can nail them dead to rights because NOBODY else had that address!

I contacted the people I bought the list from, but they were useless. They claimed they had anonymously signed up for each offer before they put it on their list. Maybe they did, I don't know. It sounds good, anyway. I suggested they opt out of some as I had done to see what would happen. I never heard from them again.

My recommendation? Go ahead and sign up to take online surveys if you want. Once you have your list, be sure to use a different address for each company. It can be fun to influence market choices such as newly designed labels for familiar products, but don't expect to get rich.

For more and better ways to make money working from home visit
123 I Work From Home 4 Me or
123 Home Based Business Works 4 Me

Wise Ways To Multiply Your Home-Based-Business Sales

2007-10-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

By: Sandi Moses

When you are in marketing, no matter what your product or service might be, and no matter whether you work from your home, from an office, or from a brick-and-mortar store front, you need to make sales. Studies show that once you have made a sale to a new customer it is wise to maintain a good and trusting relationship with that customer in order to keep that customer for the long term and have that customer make repeat purchases from you. It is also much cheaper to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one. With that in mind, here are a few ways to maintain the relationship and bring that customer back for more of what you have to offer.

1. When you make your first sale, follow-up with the customer. Send a "thank you" email or post card and make sure they are happy with your product. Include an advertisement in your email signature or as the picture on the post card for other products you sell. Follow-up every few months to see if they need more of what they bought. Keep the lines of communication open; make sure you are always on their mind - in a good way, or course!

2. Gently upsell to your customers without being pushy or obnoxious. Make sure you tell them about a few extra related products you have for sale, such as matching or coordinating accessories, nail polish, etc. If they like what they see, they can add it to their original order. If there is some ancillary product they will need to make what they just purchased produce at it’s best, make sure to offer it. (Have you ever purchased a new computer printer only to discover at home that the clerk did not bother to make sure you had the right cable and ink or toner? Ever bought something that needed batteries but nobody thought to make sure you remembered to buy some? Gr-r-r-r-r!) Upselling is more than just asking if “you want fries with that.”

3. Give incentives for referrals. Companies that sell products through home parties discovered this gold mine years ago. If enough product is sold at the party, the hostess gets a freebie from the product line. The more product sold, the better the freebie. Sometimes if a guest decides to book a party, both that guest and the hostess receive an incentive, and so it goes. Some internet web hosting services give free hosting or actually pay for referrals. With a bit of creativity, you should be able to make this concept work for just about anything.

4. When you sell a product, consider giving your customers the option of joining an affiliate program so they can make commissions selling your product, thus multiplying the sale you just made. Clickbank and PayDotCom are internet examples of this concept. Some of the home party companies do this, too.

5. Sell the reprint/reproduction rights to your products. Include an ad on or with each product for other products you sell. You could make sales for the reproduction rights and sales on the back end product. This of course is an option only of what you sell is your own original work. Two types of products to consider would be internet information or some type of art work or original craft idea.

6. Cross promote your product with other businesses' products in a package deal. You can include an ad or flyer for other products you sell and have other businesses selling for you. This type of arrangement has become known as a “joint venture” or “jv” for short and is enormously effective. Do you walk or groom dogs? Consider a “jv” with someone who makes doggie sweaters or home-baked doggie treats. Or, promote your friend’s scented candles at your cake decorating parties, and she will promote your cake decorating service at her scented candle parties. This is another area where you are limited only by your creativity.

7. When you ship out or deliver your product, include a coupon for other related products - or even more of the same product. This has worked for decades for almost everything. Many items you buy in your local supermarket have coupons either on the packaging or tucked inside to entice you to buy more of the same when you run out of what you just bought.

8. Whoever said you had to limit yourself to just one type of home-based business? It is perfectly OK to combine more than one type and make customers from one business customers from both. For instance, if you run a family day care center and sell environmentally friendly cleaning and personal care products, your daycare moms would be more than interested in these products for their own homes. Do you clean offices or work organizing homes or offices or do freelance bookkeeping? Those customers would buy such products from you, too.

9. Sell gift certificates for your products. You'll make sales from the purchase of the gift certificate when the recipient cashes it in. They could also buy other items from your web site. You may have to be well-established before you begin this one, but what a great idea for the holiday season as well as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, etc. You will have made two happy customers from the purchase of each gift certificate and widened your customer data base!

10. Send your customers free products with their product package. The freebies should have your ad printed on them. It could be bumper stickers, ball caps, t-shirts etc. This will allow other people to see your ad and order. Get a logo professionally designed or better yet barter your product or service in exchange for the logo design. Cross-market each other’s business afterwards!

Sandi Moses has been involved in internet marketing since November, 2003.
For more information on Work-At-Home Business Ideas and Opportunities, visit
123 I Work From Home 4 Me
and
123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

There Is No Free Lunch - But You CAN Get A VERY Inexpensive Sample!

2007-10-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

Thousands of times every month people go to search engines and look for ways to work from home at no cost to themselves. They type in a wide variety of search terms and then browse what comes up.

You might be tempted to lump them all into the "what can I get for nothing" or "the world owes me a living" crowd.

You might be wrong.

Maybe they really don't have the money to get started. Many online programs do have a $30-$50 cost. Even if it is one time only, that still may be too much.

Definitely they are wary of getting scammed, and they should be.

I doubt they will be able to find any home-based online work for no cost. The couple of sites I have encountered have waiting lists from months to years long! YIKES! W-A-Y too long!

Let me make an affordable suggestion. There is a site called Go-Freelance that has a very nice, very inexpensive trial offer. You can explore their entire site of freelance home-based work for only $2.95.

If you don't see anything you are qualified to do, and you don't think an offer will come in that you will be qualified to do, cancel before your trial period is up, and there will be no more expenses to you. You can even keep the free newsletter subscription!

Considering that $2.95 will buy you one bag of potato chips or one cup of premium ice cream, you can put that $2.95 to a much better use!

So You Want To Start A Home Based Business

2007-10-06T05:35:00.000-07:00

By: Sandi Moses

People decide to - or need to - work from home for lots of different reasons. Losing a job, a disability incompatible with the “9-5 grind,” or caring for family members are just a few of the reasons. But what to do?

Some people are best suited for being a “home-based employee.” In recent years some U.S. business have given up on “off-shoring” their customer service call centers to the opposite side of the planet, and begun “home-shoring” or hiring people right here in the USA to handle customer service calls from their own homes and computers with very simple and inexpensive software and phone hook-ups. It is a win-win-win situation for the business, the employee and the customer. You can find access to some of that type of home based work through a program called Ignotius.

Other people would rather start their own business and run it from their home. Before that happens, some very serious self-evaluation is mandatory. If this is you, first you need to make a list of your likes and strengths, and a list of your dislikes and weaknesses.

Let’s start with dislikes and weaknesses, because it’s every bit as important to know what sort of home business to avoid as it is to know what to consider starting. If you are not good with numbers and did poorly in math in school, don’t start a bookkeeping business. If your spelling and grammar are atrocious even with spell check, you should not become a proof-reader, a greeting card writer, or send “letters from Santa.” Are you uncomfortable around kids? Don’t open a day-care center. You get the idea. Make your own list and be brutally honest.

Now for your strong points. Make a list of your skills and things you enjoy doing. Don’t overlook skills that you have always taken for granted but not everyone has. List also any interests you may have that you have acquired a lot of knowledge about over the years.

Are you organized? There are people would will pay you big bucks to help them get organized. Do you have office skills? Be a virtual assistant. Good at finding flea market bargains? Sell them on eBay. There are many types of items sold at home parties, such as candles, personal care products, home cleaning products, cosmetics, etc. Be sure to do your home work before investing money - some of these are not as easy as they would like you to believe. Spend some time on the internet or in the library doing research on any established company before joining forces with them. It will be time well spent. Do not just gloss over this; really dig deep. (Read the post before this one to see why you need to do this.)

You could also provide services to people that need them. Run errands, house-sit or dog-sit, shop, interior decorate, etc. The list is nearly endless because everyone is gifted with a unique set of skills, abilities, ambitions, and needs. The time may be now to put yours to use by starting your own unique home based business.

Home-Biz-Help BizOpp Review: Rebate Processor Jobs Offer

2007-10-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

There is a new Work From Home opportunity seen recently on the internet called Rebate Processor Jobs and accessible through Cold Cash Partners.

==> EDIT: In addition to the ethical problems discussed below, some people are reporting having difficulties receiving payment from the person claiming to own Cold Cash Partners. I no longer recommend that you sign up for Cold Cash Partners even as a way to access Virtual Training Solutions as they are apparently owned b y the same person/people. <==

Here is their offer, straight from their web site:

Learn how to process simple customer rebates from home and earn $15 each GUARANTEED!

They are not being straight forward with the offer. It is more than "processing simple rebates. " It is more like "typing at home with a twist."

What they tell you, quoted directly from the landing page: "I will show you how I make money simply by filling out online forms. For each form I attach a special ID link that is assigned just for me and submit it online. I then check my account for orders processed, I verify the information, fill out another form and submit, I get $15! Believe me those small payments add up real quick!"

What they DON'T tell you: First of all you will be placing ads, both free and paid, for affiliate programs you select from Clickbank. There is nothing wrong with doing that. Many people who have bought any of the programs that teach how to do that such as this one, this one, this one, this one, or any of the others, have discovered they really can make a lot of money online as an affiliate marketer.

Second, what Cold Cash Partners also does not tell you is the rebates you process are the rebates you yourself offer when you place your ads!

Say What? I have read and re-read the ad copy and there is NO WAY you could have figured that out before buying the product.

And guess what. NO REFUNDS!

To be fair, the idea is that you will get so many more sales from offering a rebate than you would have had you not offered the rebate, that your bottom line will grow. After all which ad would you buy from, the one offering a rebate or the one that did not offer a rebate?

Furthermore, when I bought the program to check it out, I felt like I had been "duped" and I was angry. No one likes to be deceived, and this program definitely has deceptive ad copy. To tell someone they will be "processing" rebates does not even hint that they will be "giving" rebates, or "making" rebates.

Not only that, but offering rebates on Clickbank products is a clear and flagrant violation of Clickbank's Terms of Service #6e which states:
“You agree to make no such promotions promising customers rebates, coupons, tickets, or vouchers in connection with their ClickBank purchase”.
Clickbank may suspend your account and hold your funds once they find you in violation. YIKES!

HOWEVER

When you buy the program you are given total and unlimited access to a site called Virtual Training Solutions.

Check out what you have access to:

Freelance America

Rebate processing from home <== The one we've been discussing

Secret Shoppers MSAA Certification

Medical & Data Transcription Training/Resources

eBay Wholesale and Surplus Sales Program

Market Research and Focus Groups For Extra Cash

Local 'Hand out FREE samples' jobs - work weekends / flex hours

Get paid up to $2000 a month to Place Advertising on your late model car

Prescreened Virtual Assistants program - over 100 companies need help now

Paid to Read emails and view web based commercials over 200 companies listed

Consumer Surveys and opinion polls that pay cash. Research/training/links to over 300 companies

There are literally hundreds if not thousands of very legitimate opportunities here. I have spent quite a bit of time the past few days checking these out. The variety and volume of legitimate (not deceptive but real honest-to-goodness) home job offers and ways to make money from home is almost overwhelming. Some are online. Some are offline.

All are available to you just because you signed up for Cold Cash Partners. Therefore, even though you won't get what you thought you were signing up for, you are definitely getting your money's worth and then some.

My advice is to sign up for Cold Cash Partners only as an access to Virtual Training Solutions. Do NOT make any attempt to work the Rebate Processor program.

Instead, help yourself to the bountiful offers awaiting you at Virtual Training Solutions. It will be well worth the investment.

Beware of Outlandish Promises

2007-10-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

Have you seen flash web pages that promise you that you can make something like $12,000 your first week?

Or make $30,000 a month every month?

Or even . . . Unlimited Monthly Income!

Pick whatever dollar value and time frame you want here. It may be theoretically possible, it may be mathematically possible, (that’s how the ads avoid getting into trouble with truth-in-advertising laws) but not at all realistic.

It is also theoretically possible for every child born in the United States to grow up to be President, but the likely-hood of that happening for any given kid is minuscule.

The same line of logic applies to these wild promises of vast income. They attempt to sucker in those most vulnerable of desperate people who need to work from home for health or family reasons - or have just lost their job and have no idea where to turn next.

Lotteries use that t00 - "What if . . . . . . "

Gotcha.

Don't be a victim. Find something solid, that you are interested in and capable of doing. Find something that fits your personality type, temperament, abilities and desires.

If you are not in the habit of praying, now would be a good time to start. Ask the one living God to help you choose, and then listen for that still quiet voice as he answers your prayer.

Working from home is a great idea. Find a legitimate way to make it work for you.

God Gave You A Brain And He Expects You To Use It

2007-09-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today we will look at the idea that "somewhere out there over the rainbow on the internet there is a pot of gold with your name on it and I know just how you can claim it!"

Most ads read something like:

No Sales! No calls! No inventory! No work!

Spend nothing, do nothing, sit back, and

watch the massive residual profits roll in!

Earn Money Just Sitting At Your Computer!!

GET REAL! If nobody does anything or spends anything or sells anything, where the heck is the money supposed to come from?

Remember, everybody joined for free, just like you did! And no matter what they tell you and want you to think, there are no crazed drooling people running around “out there” with fists full of cash begging you to let them spend that wad of money on your latest “business venture.”

It just ain’t gonna happen. Do you know anybody like that? Neither does anyone else.

Don't Try This At Home

2007-09-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

In the world of home-based businesses and work from home opportunities, there are a few things to watch out for before you get involved as an owner, affiliate, or investor. These are important everywhere, but nowhere more important than for the so-called “internet newbie” who is looking for additional income and/or a better lifestyle. The internet is just infested with hype and unrealistic promises that sound oh, so good. The next few posts are going to pick a few of them apart. Learning to step back and think logically can be a financial lifesaver. It might even help to look at each offer and ask if you would want your kid or your grandparent or your best friend to get involved. If the answer is “NO!” then you shouldn’t, either!

Today we will look at the Envelope Stuffing Scheme. Most ads read something like, "Make $5 stuffing envelopes." The problem is, businesses have machinery that folds the paper and stuffs it into the envelope faster than your eyes can follow.

Why the heck would they pay people $5 to stuff each envelope when they are mailing out hundreds or thousands of them every day?

They are in business to make a profit, not keep you off of welfare, and all of this mindless, mechanical stuff is done by machinery.

This is an out-right scam and here is how it works. You pay somebody $5 (which you stuffed into an envelope and mailed to them.) They send you information and you find out that in order to get your money back you have to con some other sucker into paying you $5 (stuffed into an envelope and mailed to you) so you can tell them to con yet another sucker out of $5, and so it goes.

I see these on Google AdWords and AdSense often. Google should have enough integrity to refuse such ads.

For wiser and more legitimate options, visit

123 I work From Home 4 Me
123 Home Based Business Works 4 Me

Don’t Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket

2007-09-27T09:06:00.001-07:00

I vaguely remember a particular story from my childhood. It had something to do with transporting eggs to market. The main character, a little girl who thought she knew more than she really did, put all of the day’s eggs into one basket, and when she tripped and fell on the way into town to sell the eggs, all of the eggs broke. It seems that her grandmother (the voice of experience and wisdom) tried to tell her not to do that, but she wouldn’t listen. If she had divided them up into several means of transportation some would have been lost, but not all of them. It was a difficult lesson to learn.

Everyone is familiar with this concept by the time we reach adulthood. It is most often brought up in the field of financial investing. You know, don’t invest all of your nest egg in Acme Widgets, because who knows how long there will be a market for widgets. And then where will you be? Or maybe you are told not to invest all of your nest egg in the stock market, but diversify into mutual funds or bonds or real estate or . . . Everybody from the little girl in to above story to your mother to your neighbor to who knows who else eventually comes to see the wisdom in that concept.

So how come it is that we see over and over that people put all of their internet eggs into one basket? They have one product or one program on one website that they optimize for one search engine (probably Google) and if any link in that chain breaks, they are dead in the water. What could possibly go wrong? Glad you asked!

Demand for the product could wane. Maybe somebody comes up with a better one. I used to see a whole aisle - both sides - of garbage cans in my local Target Store. EVERYBODY needs garbage cans, right? I mean you gotta put the stuff out to be collected in SOMETHING! And then suddenly the company that collects the garbage began providing, at no charge to you, specialized containers designed to be picked up with a special mechanical arm on the truck and dumped right into the collection truck. The driver never gets out. There are three colors of cans; one for trash, one for recyclables and one for yard waste. One driver in each of three trucks instead of one driver and one collector per truck. The company paid for the specialized containers and truck modifications with the money they saved on injury compensation claims no longer being filed by the second person who had been lifting all those heavy garbage cans. Suddenly there is no market for regular old garbage cans and in my local Target Store there are very few to be found. I suspect those few are bought to hold sodas and ice at beach parties! Now if you had invested in the company that made and sold all those old garbage cans, you are out in the cold, and you never even saw it coming. Who would have ever thought there would be no more market for something that everybody needs? Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket.

I live in a part of the USA where there is a large military presence. Near one base in particular were located numerous fast food restaurants. I mean, talk about a gold mine! Young soldiers, mostly guys with huge appetites, plus families with small kids and it just seemed like an ideal combination. But the soldiers got sent to war and many of the families went “home” where there was moral support during a stressful time and the customer base was gone just like that. Many of the formerly prosperous fast food places went out of business. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket.

Remember the dot com era? People invested in dot com companies, got amazingly high paying jobs at dot com companies, and bought great big beautiful houses and cars with the money they made from those dot com companies. When everything collapsed, those people found themselves making and selling coffee at Starbucks, living back at home with mom and dad, and trying to finish making the payments on those cars that now are a chore to keep running. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket.

As I wander around the internet, I have run into more and more people who had been making decent money with one affiliate or marketing program or another, both online and offline. Then for whatever reason the program changed it’s compensation schedule and these people are left hanging out to dry. If this was all they had going for them, they were hurt big time. Only those who had other sources of income were able to make adjustments and keep going. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket.

Many people spend an inordinate amount of time, effort, energy and money optimizing their website(s) for Google. They listen to this or that guru, buy this or that software, and do whatever it takes to get their site to number one on the first page for whatever search terms they are trying to target. As long as their methods are ethical, there is nothing wrong with doing this because they are earning an honest living with their marketing efforts. It only becomes a problem when Google changes the rules. And sooner or later, Google WILL change the rules. The internet is a very dynamic place and nothing stays the same for very long. See http://www.123iwork4me.com/article196.html and http://www.123iwork4me.com/article29.html. If the people to whom this happens have all of their eggs in that one Google-basket, they will have just had the rug pulled out from under their feet and will have gone from top dog to junk-yard dog in no time at all. If they have multiple sites using different marketing techniques promoting different programs and opportunities, they will be able to re-group and re-coup, recover and survive. You know what’s coming next. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket.

Is That Type At Home Offer Just Another Home Business Scam?

2007-09-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

By: Sandi Moses

Maybe. Maybe not.

You have seen offers to “make money by typing at home” or doing “data entry” literally all over the internet. They are on home business sites, on search engine results, and on hate sites. You’ve read testimonials about money that has been made, and you’ve read rants about being ripped off. So who is right? How do you know?

Virtually all of the “make money by typing at home” or “data entry” offers feature essentially the same type of work. If you carefully examine their sales landing page, you will see that the forms you will be filling out look very much like the forms you fill out when you place ads on the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. You will also notice the screenshots of earnings look like Clickbank. There is a good reason for this. If you sign up for these programs you will be submitting ads to the search engines for companies who use Clickbank as a payment processor, and you will be receiving your checks from Clickbank.

The companies who sell this information range from very ethical to rather questionable. Some give you a great deal of training, both written and video, to show you what to do, how to do it, and helpful tips to get you off to a good start. Some offer extras and bonuses so you can diversify. Some offer support.

Some just give you a page to read and that’s about it. You’re kind of on your own to make heads or tails out of it.

Your potential for income is sky high, but I do need to advise you that if you decide to try your hand at this, sign up for an e-mail address through Google’s gmail. The reason I say this is many e-mail providers block messages both to and from these companies, which means your won’t be able to get help or a refund or anything else. With gmail, if you put an address into your contacts, gmail will deliver the messages from that address. Many of the cries of “scam” and “fraud” have been because of blocked messages causing people to incorrectly believe their requests were being ignored.

Now some of you may be thinking that you don’t want to get creative and write ads using your own words, talents and abilities. That was not at all what you had in mind when you read the words “make money by typing at home” or “data entry.” You just want somebody to provide you with info that you input. In almost 4 years of working on the internet, I have encountered only two (2) such companies. Both of them pay piece work, which means you might make more than minimum wage but not much. They both have a waiting list ranging from several months to a year or more. One of them requires you to qualify by passing a test. Both of them offer work 24/7, but it can be seasonal, which means at times there will not be any work for you to do and during those times you will not make any money. Also, when the work is posted, it is first come, first served, which means others may log in and scoop up all the work. It is possible but not likely that you will be able to just work away all day as long as you want.

So is that “make money by typing at home” or “data entry” offer a scam? Probably not. Is it what you had in mind? Perhaps not, but that does not make it a scam. The sales pages I have seen explain quite clearly what you will be doing. People I have talked to, whether they actually use the program or not, felt they got a good value for the money they spent, just because they learned so much about affiliate marketing from the information they bought. In the end, the final decision is up to you. I hope I have helped you to make an informed decision.

Sometimes I just wonder . . . .

2007-09-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you look on the internet you see people crying "scam" or "rip-off" in reference to the Type-At-Home bizopp.

There seem to be two major or most common reasons for this.

First, the people don't read the ad copy. I have never seen anything spelled out so clearly as this ad copy which tells you exactly what you will be doing. They even show you pictures. But people don't read and they don't think. Are they idiots? Are they victims of our culture and education system? Are they not taught to understand what they are reading? That used to be called "reading comprehension" but maybe that is not taught anymore. Do they want everything handed to them? Done for them? One person actually understood that she would be placing ads but posted that she thought they would tell her what to say - give her the words - and she would just type those words in. If companies are going to do all that, what do they need her for?

But I digress.

Many people who sign up and then cry foul because they don't read the ad copy don't even get as far as the person mentioned above. They think someone will supply them with something to type into something else. There are jobs like that but pay piece work and are part time at best.

It is not the fault of Type At Home if people can't understand what they read.

The other major cause of the scam and rip-off cries involves e-mail filters. Many providers prevent any communication either to or from these companies or their servers. So when people who sign up then ask for either assistance or a refund they get no response because the e-mail went nowhere. That never occurs to them so they blame Type At Home.

If you are interested in signing up for Type At Home or any other such bizopp, do yourself a great favor and get a Gmail account for your e-mail communications. Put Type At Home (or whoever) in your address book. Then at least you know messages will go through.

If you are interested also check out LegitOnlineJobs. It comes with some pretty incredible bonuses!

Managing Your Time In Your New Home Based Business

2007-09-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Managing Your Time In Your New Home Based Business

By: Sandi Moses

If you are just transitioning from working outside the home to working from home, your thoughts are probably spinning with all the things that you will get done now that you don’t have to waste all that time commuting, getting ready for work, etc. And then a few weeks into your new lifestyle, things just don’t seem to going along as smoothly as you had imagined! What the heck happened, anyway? Well, I certainly hope you didn’t toss that daily planner you used to fill out so religiously! You just might need to pull it out, dust it off, and put it back to work.

In the first place, you are “still working.” You are just working “here” and not “there.” You still need to keep a schedule, and maybe even a daily flow chart. It will just have different items on it. Instead of dealing with meetings, phone calls, reports, face-to-face chats with clients or customers or employees or “the boss,” deadlines, “managing by walking around,” countless interruptions, and all that, you will need to schedule time for focusing on the work you are doing from home, maintaining your home itself, your family, and maybe even YOU!

Take your planner out and come up with something that works for you. You might start with what worked before. In other words, if you had to be ready to leave the house by 7:00 AM, before, then be that way now. You don’t have to be “all dressed up with nowhere to go,” but you can be showered and dressed, etc. Assign times to focus on various activities, keeping in mind that none of this is etched in stone. Build your own individual situation into this, and remember that it is only a guideline. Your boss is not going to call you on the carpet if the schedule doesn’t work unless you stand in front of the mirror and have at it! Remember that you have flexibility that you didn’t have when you were working outside the home. You are the boss and you can arrange you day as you choose, to fit the needs of your family, health, interests, schooling, or whatever reason you chose to work at home. Keep adjusting until you find what works. It may need “re-tweaking” when school starts up or lets out, as days get longer or shorter, as the seasons change, etc. That’s OK!

If you are thinking, “but I quit work so I didn’t have to be scheduled!” remember that this is YOUR schedule, not someone else’s. You can take as many breaks as you need, and you can take them whenever you need them, not when you are told to go. You are working into the schedule YOUR needs and your family‘s needs, not the needs of the company for whom you used to work. Because you have control over what is happening instead of being at the mercy of someone else, you can handle it!

And one last thing: you will never, ever have to come home so exhausted that you stand at the kitchen sink in your coat and high heels doing dishes because you know that if you stop to take them off, you will never get up to get the dishes done. And yes, I actually heard of some poor soul who did that.

2007-09-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

God Feeds The Birds Of The Air, But He Doesn’t Drop It Into Their Nests

By: Sandi Moses

It has been said that God feeds the birds of the air, but He doesn’t drop it into their nests. The food is out there in amazing and unfathomable abundance, but they have to go out and get it. They have to go look for it, recognize it as food when they see it, capture it, and eat it. They have to be able to know what is good to eat and what isn’t. Bugs and seeds are nutritious and good to eat. Dryer lint and broken glass are not. Some of that knowledge is pre-programmed instinct. Some of it is learned. The bird works long and hard for its food, often spending most of its day doing little or nothing else. If the bird is a parent, usually a mom, then it must also bring food back to the nest for the children. Even though it might appear that the children just sit and wait for the food to be dropped into their mouths, closer investigation reveals the intense competition for the food. The baby with the biggest mouth and the loudest chirp gets mom’s attention and therefore the food. In some species, the oldest and biggest literally shoves the youngest and smallest out of the nest, thereby removing that source of competition forever. Those who work the hardest survive; those who kick back don’t.

So it is in the world of internet marketing. The opportunities are out there in amazing and unfathomable abundance, but you have to go out and get them. No one is going to drop riches into your lap (or laptop!). No matter how much you might want to believe it, you cannot sign up for some “join free” program and then just sit back, do nothing, and watch the money pile up in your bank account! Think about it for a minute. If everyone joined for free and then did nothing, where is the money going to come from?

There are many legitimate programs and opportunities out there, and many of them invite you to join up for free. That’s good, because it would not be ethical to take your money in order for you to find out what they are about. So don’t be put off by the “join free” offer; just don’t expect miracles if that’s all you do! In the world of internet marketing, you need to be able to recognize hype and worthless fuzz from legitimate solid opportunities. Some of this will require common sense on your part. Some knowledge will have to be acquired by reading and reading and more reading. Birds need to avoid predators such as poisonous snakes, bigger birds, “foxes in the henhouse,” etc. You need to learn to avoid internet predators whose only goal is to move money from your bank account to theirs without giving you anything useful in exchange.

When anyone starts up a business, there are costs involved. These might include such things as rent, utilities, inventory, personnel, etc. With traditional “brick and mortar” business, the cost can be overwhelmingly prohibitive. Some of these can be reduced or eliminated if you are the only person involved and you work out of your garage, off your kitchen table, or whatever. However you still are investing time, effort, and if you are making and/or selling something, you invest in inventory. If your business involves a service rather than a product, there may still be inventory and personnel involved. Think maid service or day care, for example. No matter what, there is always your time and effort. It takes that four letter word, W-O-R-K.

When you start up an internet business, you usually work from your own home on your own computer. So far, so good; no additional costs here. However, you still must advertise and/or market whatever business you are in. Amazingly enough, even though nearly every “brick and mortar” business has a website, there are people who sign up to join an internet business opportunity who balk when it comes to having their own website to market their business. Perhaps they think the cost is prohibitive, or they think they have to understand html or something. But registering a domain name (you know, www.whatever.com or .net or .biz or…) can be done for $5-10 per year (not month) and there is plenty of software available that will allow you to design a web site without knowing anything about any of the computer languages. There are hosting plans that put your site on the internet for $30/month or less - much less. Some even pay you for recruiting others so that you wind up with your site being hosted for free!

So if you are serious about starting an internet business and claiming your share of the abundance that’s available, leave your nest a.k.a. comfort zone, invest your time, your effort, and your money wisely, and let’s get started!

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Sandi Moses has been involved in internet marketing since November, 2003.
Visit her sites at http://www.123iwork4me.com and http://www.123-home-based-business-works-4-me.com