Monday, July 6, 2009
Sarah Palin’s resignation: A step back for working moms?
Sarah Palin in Missouri, August 2008. Photo by Tyler Warren. Palin was a popular figure in Central Florida during the 2008 Presidential elections. A September visit to the Villages outside Orlando drew a crowd of about 60,000 people.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Sarah Palin’s resignation. The Governor of Alaska, prominent working mom and one of the most polarizing female political figures announced Friday that she was stepping down from her post. The announcement came on the heels of a controversial Vanity Fair article in which advisors to Senator John McCain question her capability as a political leader. Palin’s resignation speech has been described as rambling and not well written, but the one thing many observers have noted was absent from her rationale was an opportunity to spend more time with her family.
But does she need to cite family as a reason for leaving the Governor’s mansion? Several analysts have said such an explanation would have made more sense than the “lame duck” excuse, especially since she has a special-needs toddler at home. Yet it is very rare to hear a male politician leaving his post list caring for his family among the reasons he decided to resign, and you’d never hear journalists asking why he didn’t mention his family. It could be because, as one analyst implies, when balancing politics and family, it is impossible to keep the former in the public eye while sheltering the latter.
Whatever your political leanings or however you feel about Sarah Palin as a leader, watching this working mom – and one with a small child with special needs, no less – leave her tenure as Governor of Alaska is a bit jarring. After all, there aren’t many working moms with small children leading companies or governments these days.
Author: Eileen Caines
Monday, June 29, 2009
The work vs. stay-at-home dilemma for autism moms
Moms of autism children have a lot of guilt – what could they have done to prevent this and are they doing enough to recover their child? Add on top of this the work vs. stay-at-home question and you have a double whammy. When my son was first diagnosed with autism, I was splitting my days working part-time at the office and part-time at home. I thought I had a pretty good balance as a mom. I had several therapists coming into our home to work with my son.
My husband and I worked fast and furious, long hours to pay for as much therapies as possible. We thought the more money we threw at him, the better he would get. And in some ways we were right. I would have not had any idea how to get my son to talk or to regulate his sensory issues. I had to sit and learn from the experts. In this regard, I have no regrets.
But, one day as I sat at my computer working, I listened to the therapist work on getting my son to call “Mom” when he needed something. I thought why am I zoned out over here instead of working on getting my son to engage with me? Shouldn't I be the one to teach him to call for me? Maybe if I quit work, I could be on the floor role with him. Would I have more energy to role play or talk back-and-forth with him? Maybe if I wasn't working at such a fast pace, I would have energy to roll the ball back and forth 100 times until he got the give-and-take of playing with others. I wondered if I was doing the right thing by not teaching him myself.
I read excerpts of the book Son-Rise about a mother who spent her days full-time engaging, playing and healing her son. (Here's more info if you haven't heard of his recovery story: http://www.
I felt a wave of guilt about not trying to be my son's own therapist or at least having much energy left over in my day to teach him to come out of his autism world. Would I regret not
So I took a big leap and quit my full-time job to do less demanding part-time work from home. I do not, however, regret the time I paid therapists to heal him. I had to learn from the experts, but I reached a point where I was ready to do a bigger chunk of the work. I knew I had to walk away from my career for a time to really work on my son's recovery. Now, I'm more available for him to have playdates where I can help guide him, I can joke around with him more or show him more things. I still do take him to some to expert therapists for OT and ST, but it's a lot less now. So, I don't know the right balance for every autism mom. But, I do know I learned that you may just be your child's best therapist.
For more info: This article was originally written for the newsletter of Autism Society of America, Collin County.
Sharisa Lewis is an Examiner from Dallas. You can see Sharisa's articles on Sharisa's Home Page.
Author: Sharisa Lewis
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Work-from-home moms finding jobs benefit finances, families
Photo by Alex Boerner
PALM CITY — Mary Washer, president of Mary Washer Designs, responds to e-mails and makes phone calls from her desk next to the dining room of her home while her daughters Macy, 8, left, and Maryn, 10, make cards for their teachers. Washer, who does interior design, had a gallery and office space on Indian Street, but recently moved the operation to her home. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.
As the economy sputters and unemployment increases, more Treasure Coast moms are working at home to bring in extra money quickly without disrupting their schedule.
Jean Jannetty of Vero Beach has been a stay at home mom for 14 years. But her husband’s construction company hasn’t been doing well, so Jannetty began looking around for work.
“Not being in the workforce for 14 years, I wouldn’t have been able to jump back in,” said Jannetty. She became a saleswoman for Mary Kay, a home sales company that specializes in beauty products.
Still, she was a little nervous making her first sales pitch to a stranger. She ended up recruiting that person into the company that same week.
And after two months, Jannetty is making enough money for groceries and gas. The first skin care class she hosted, in mid-June, drew seven women.
“It’s great to have the extra income that was taken away from my husband,” she said. “That is all about a mom’s needs. I can still volunteer at school and put gas in my car.”
Gwenda Thompson, chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions in Port St. Lucie, said in the past four or five months, she has seen “a lot of people who haven’t been able to find employment have been starting more home-based businesses or opening small storefronts.”
Mary Washer, an interior designer and mother of two, moved her company, Mary Washer Designs, from a Stuart storefront to her Palm City home as business slowed. She and a partner also just started a party planning business which she’s running from home.
Now Washer can do a load of laundry while on a business call and get something cooking on the stove while answering e-mails. She can pick her kids up from school and make it to all of their games and activities.
“I’m going to stay at home even if the economy gets better,” Washer said.
Jensen Beach resident Jen Shevalier who has been a stay-at-home mom for about two years while working on a novel, became an independent Pampered Chef saleswoman in April.
Shevalier said sales of kitchen tools are strong, allowing her and her husband to sock away some extra savings. She said she has about one Pampered Chef party a week, which brings in about $500 to $1,000 of extra income a month.
“It’s going really well because more people are cooking more at home than going out to eat,” she said. “And I’m just getting started.”
Tradition resident Risa Pearl, a single mother of two, was laid off from her health care job in October. She said working for Mary Kay “has given me enough to get by.” She has made about $3,000 by selling some $6,000 in products over the past few months. Pearl recently got a part-time job at a hospital, but she hasn’t quit Mary Kay.
“I’m still working full-time hours but I have the flexibility to work whatever time I want,” she said.
Pearl conceded that working from home does have pitfalls, such as getting easily distracted or losing motivation.
“You have to be in the frame of mind that this is my work and I have to do it so I can get paid,” said Pearl. “Most days I’m very diligent but some days I’m not, which is why I have to be organized. The negative part of working from home is not giving into temptation to goof off.”
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source: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/jun/23/work-from-home-moms-finding-jobs-benefit/
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Media Deception in the Working Moms Debate
Without a doubt, the biggest problem with the working mother debate is the fact that it doesn't get into specifics.For instance, when we talk about mothers at work, do we mean mothers who return to the workforce after a maternity leave -- as the women in the media do -- and hire nannies or send their kids to day care? Are we talking about mothers of older children who've been at home for a decade and return to work once their kids are in school? Are we talking about women who own their own businesses, have employees, and can come and go as they please -- bringing their children with them wherever they go? Are we talking about mothers who work part-time or from home?
These distinctions are critical -- and they are never made in the media. Part of the reason for this is that the women in the media -- "spin sisters," author Myrna Blythe calls them -- are what I call hard-core working mothers, meaning they work 10 or 12 hour days prior to motherhood, are never home, eat all their meals out, and then pop out a few babies and continue with this lifestyle. In other words, they do not represent the average woman in America -- not by a long shot. Nevertheless, they are the folks who report on the working mother debate; and they like to believe their lives are typical of most women. They are not.
Mothers in their category have very little in common with everyday mothers in America. While 70% of mothers now work outside the home -- a statistic the spin sisters love to report -- most of them are not absent from the home to the degree that "hard-core working mothers" are. Most parents in America have one parent home when the children are home. This means that during the first five years of life, and between the hours of 3:00 and bedtime for older children, most households in America have a parent at home.
Using the term "working mothers" as if this represents one group is fallacious. Mothers have always worked outside the home to some degree. The question is, How old are their children? How many are there? Do they work part-time or full-time? The distinction is critical because it can mean the difference between children who are raised primarily by their own parents -- and children who are not. We simply must come up with a different way to discuss this issue.
But don't look for the women in the media to help us out. They will never frame the debate any differently. If they did, they'd realize they're not the norm -- and their world would come crashing down. And we can't have that.
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Monday, June 22, 2009
Fabulous Freebies for Working Moms: A weekly feature
Let’s face it, ladies. Most of us are overworked, underpaid and overstressed. And trying to find a healthy balance between family life and work can be overwhelming.
With the slumping economy, many people are finding ways to save money and cut back on extra expenses. While money saving coupons are a great way to save a few bucks, who has time to go through the local papers and cut out coupons every week? Each week, the Working Moms Examiner website will be shining the spotlight on free items and steals-and-deals that will help save you money, time and make your life just a little bit easier.
Fabulous Freebies for Working Moms
Beauty & Health:
- Stopain Pain Relief Sample – Get a free sample of Stopain. A limited
amount of freebies is being offered each day – so check back later if the sample is gone for the day. - Johnson’s Soothing Natural Gift Set - This one is a keeper, ladies! The gift set includes a complete pack of products perfect for baby’s skin. Email confirmation is required.
- Free Cellnique’s Skin Action Sebum Gel
Free Tanning Butter – Fill out a short questionnaire and receive a free sample of tanning butter from the Skin Makeover Store. Appears to work for both US and Canadian households. Please allow 3 to 5 weeks for delivery. - Free Wax – Ladies, get a free Brazilian bikini, full bikini, underarm or eye brow wax at European Wax Centers. Men, try a free eye brow, ear or nose wax. For first time guests only. No purchase is necessary.
- Sundiwear Stickers Free Pack – This is a great product for parents or grandparents with young children! Just stick a Sundiwear sticker on your skin. When the little design turns red, it’s time to reapply your sunscreen! One pack per household.
- Poise OverActive Bladder Sample Kit - This Poise sample kit includes a liner, long liner, ultra thin pad and carrying case. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.
- Free Makeup Kit - Canadian and US residents can sign up for a free makeup kit from the Slimming Solution, while supplies last. A confirmation email is required.
Free Edibles & Goodies Galore:
- Free Chocolate Fridays – Every Friday, stop by the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act to get a free coupon for a free bar. 250,000 coupons will be given out each Friday and begins at 9:00 A.M. EDT.
- Free Kids Meal at Boston Markets – Color the coupon, print it and bring it to participating Boston Markets for a free kids meal in honor of Father’s Day. The coupon is valid until June 30, 2009, as long as a $5 purchase has been made.
- Free Strawberry Cereal Bar – Get a free 90 calorie strawberry bar from WalMart.
- Free White Castle Slider – Grab a free original Slider from White Castle with this coupon. One per customer and offer expires July 12th.
- Free Arby’s – Each Wednesday during the summer months, participating Arby’s will be giving away something free – with a purchase. This week, Arby’s will be giving away a free regular Roast Beef sandwich with any soft drink purchase .
- Free Coffee Recipe Book – Download this 53 page recipe book for coffee lovers from the Coffee Fair Team.
- Free Sun Crystals - Get a sample of this all-natural sweetener from WalMart.
Free Fun & Entertainment:
- Free Movie Rental from Redbox – Get a free movie rental, in-store only.
- Free iTunes – Check out free music, series and films downloads.
- Free Song of the Day – From Rhapsody. You do not need to install the downloader – just click “no” when prompted. Click on the free download with the 0.00 price and add to cart. US residents only.
- Free MP3 of the Week – Get a free download each week from WalMart. Click “buy”, “cart” and “checkout” to get your free copy. You’ll need to register first. A WalMart download manager is available for easy download although it is not required.
- Free Song of the Month – From JamJamJam
- Free Download of the Week - Free MP3 Download of the Week. Just register for your free download at V98.7
- National Park Service Free Weekends – Entrance fees at national parks across the United States will be waived during the June 20-21, July 18-19 and August 15-15, 2009, weekends.
- Free Family Crafts Summer Camp – Bass Pro Shops is offering a free crafts camp every weekend from May 30 through July 5, 2009. From noon until 6:00 P.M, while supplies last. Learn how to make your own leather keychain, paint a wooden lure or make your own birdhouse. Dad can shop while the kids can craft. How fun is that?
- Precious Places DVD – Get a free Episode 1 of the “Princesses Save the Ball” Precious Places DVD from Fisher-Price. Select “USA” in the upper right corner to begin.This offer is for U.S. residents, while supplies last. Allow 12 to 14 weeks for delivery.
- Fit for Kids DVD – Sign up to get a free Max’s Magical Delivery Fit for Kids DVD. Allow 3 weeks for delivery.
- Free Fisher-Price DVD – Just in time for summer, get a free Steamer & Samuel Save the Day GeoTrax DVD for free! No shipping or handling charges either! Offer is value only for US residents and one per household. Allow 12-14 weeks for delivery.
Freebies for Four-Legged Friends:
- Fire Safety Window Cling – The National Volunteer Fire Council, American Kennel Club and ADT Security Services are working together in order to help save 500,000 pets that are affected in home fires annually. The Pet Alert Window Clings alert emergency personnel that pets are inside the home, in case of an emergency. Allow 4 to 6 weeks delivery.
- Free Sample of Purina PRO PLAN for Cats - This offer, for Canadian customers, includes a free 4+ ounce sample of PRO PLAN Dry Cat Food from Purina. Select from 4 different flavors. Offer is for one sample per household, while supplies last. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.
Miscellaneous Freebies:
- Free Summer Giveaways – SnapFish is giving away a different free product every day until July.
- Free Resumes from Office Depot – Office Depot has extended their free offer for 25 single-side free copies of your resume. Just take your resume in to participating Design, Print, & Ship Depot locations. You can also use their free faxing service, up to five domestic numbers. Offer is good through the end of 2009.
- Free Notepad and Pen – No matter where you live, get a free notepad and pen from Competitive Society.
- Scott Extra Soft Toilet Tissue and Flushable Wipes – Get a free sample of toilet paper and 10 count travel pack of moist wipes. Allow 4 weeks for delivery.
- Free Paint Giveaway – Stop by the website on June 25 and sign up to receive a free quart of paint from Glidden.
Counterfeit Coupons – Information on counterfeit coupons. Many counterfeit coupons look legitimate and some even scan.
Please note: Many freebies “sell out” quite quickly. Many are “while supplies last” or have specific expiration dates. All freebies are personally hand selected. If you know of any free samples or items, please let me know. I’ll be happy to include them! If you are interested in previous Fabulous Freebies, check them out.
Sponsor Ad:
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Author: Jace Shoemaker-Galloway
Jace Shoemaker-Galloway is a National Examiner. You can see Jace's articles on Jace's Home Page.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Learn how to spot a home business scam
The home-based business opportunity sector has become a prime target for scammers in today's Internet world. The Better Business Bureau serving Mississippi offers the following tips on ways to avoid being ripped off in a home business venture:
Be wary of "high income" opportunities as well as those touting instant or quick earnings.
Look for and verify company contact information. Test e-mail addresses and phone numbers for a response within 24 hours. Always be able to speak to someone on the phone rather than relying strictly on e-mail communication.
Watch out for outlandish claims (often in big, bold headlines) and don't put much stock in income testimonials.
Check online forums on a particular business opportunity.
Confirm the reliability of companies with the BBB.
Frequent Scammers
The BBB also warns consumers about the increase in fraud among door-to-door students selling magazine subscriptions. The scam occurs when the peddlers - typically with a hard-luck story or earning money for charity - take orders and then the magazines never arrive.
Because sales representatives are typically high school or college-age, victims easily believe the fictitious sales pitch and often pay too much money. The BBB has received more than 1,000 complaints in the last year from 46 states.
In some cases the students also have been victims. They were hired by a company to sell magazines door-to-door and then never paid promised commissions.
The Federal Trade Commission Cooling Off Rule requires that you must be offered a cancellation form any time you spend more than $25 from door-to-door salesman. You also are allowed three days to cancel the order.
If you are not offered a cancellation form, don't buy - plain and simple.
Lower Medical Bills
As we see medical costs continue to soar, consumers are looking for more and better ways to lower their personal medical expenses. Similar to looking for the best deals and rates for airlines and hotel, the BBB serving Mississippi offers the following suggestions to help consumers get lower costs and better deals for their medical expenses:
Ask for it early. Ask before the procedure instead of after receiving the bill. Often discounts are offered if more than one procedure is being done or if there are therapy sessions needed surrounding the procedure.
Pay up-front in cash. This is often the No. 1 incentive to offer a discount.
Do your homework. Search online to determine the real costs involved.
Get to know the billing staff. They often have control over charges more so than the doctor.
Visit doctors during "off-peak" times. Offer to fill in for a last-minute cancellation or take a lunchtime appointment.
Do comparative shopping at pharmacies.
Bill Moak is president of the Better Business Bureau of Mississippi. Reach him at www.bbbms.org.
Be wary of "high income" opportunities as well as those touting instant or quick earnings.
Look for and verify company contact information. Test e-mail addresses and phone numbers for a response within 24 hours. Always be able to speak to someone on the phone rather than relying strictly on e-mail communication.
Watch out for outlandish claims (often in big, bold headlines) and don't put much stock in income testimonials.
Check online forums on a particular business opportunity.
Confirm the reliability of companies with the BBB.
Frequent Scammers
The BBB also warns consumers about the increase in fraud among door-to-door students selling magazine subscriptions. The scam occurs when the peddlers - typically with a hard-luck story or earning money for charity - take orders and then the magazines never arrive.
Because sales representatives are typically high school or college-age, victims easily believe the fictitious sales pitch and often pay too much money. The BBB has received more than 1,000 complaints in the last year from 46 states.
In some cases the students also have been victims. They were hired by a company to sell magazines door-to-door and then never paid promised commissions.
The Federal Trade Commission Cooling Off Rule requires that you must be offered a cancellation form any time you spend more than $25 from door-to-door salesman. You also are allowed three days to cancel the order.
If you are not offered a cancellation form, don't buy - plain and simple.
Lower Medical Bills
As we see medical costs continue to soar, consumers are looking for more and better ways to lower their personal medical expenses. Similar to looking for the best deals and rates for airlines and hotel, the BBB serving Mississippi offers the following suggestions to help consumers get lower costs and better deals for their medical expenses:
Ask for it early. Ask before the procedure instead of after receiving the bill. Often discounts are offered if more than one procedure is being done or if there are therapy sessions needed surrounding the procedure.
Pay up-front in cash. This is often the No. 1 incentive to offer a discount.
Do your homework. Search online to determine the real costs involved.
Get to know the billing staff. They often have control over charges more so than the doctor.
Visit doctors during "off-peak" times. Offer to fill in for a last-minute cancellation or take a lunchtime appointment.
Do comparative shopping at pharmacies.
Bill Moak is president of the Better Business Bureau of Mississippi. Reach him at www.bbbms.org.
Are There Legal, Real Work From Home Jobs Out There For Moms?
by Richard Finn
You may have noticed that Sacramento's economic condition has not exactly been strong, of late. In fact, while conditions across the country are trying, to say the least, Sacramento, and California as a whole, seems to be leading the pack in economic devastation. With a State budget on the verge of collapse, years of arguing and posturing over the use of public funds, and what appears to be the breakdown of our State's entire public service sector, local entrepreneurs are turning to online businessesto supplement, and in some cases actually replace their income streams.
Over the last several years, but specifically in the last six to nine months, direct sales companies have seen a surge in their membership numbers. Those companies experiencing the highest growth are companies utilizing the internet as a primary means of member recruiting as well as well-developed web purchasing interfaces.
We know this economy has been hard on everyone, and we felt that this list would be timely and helpful to our readers. What follows is a list of the 10 best home based business ideas.
Leading the pack of home-based direct sales companies are those that offer access to goods and services used by people on a regular basis, and especially those that offer discounts and/or rebates on these every day purchases. People are not interested in buying things they don’t view as necessary any more. Today what they are looking for is access to those items they have to have, and they are looking for ways to buy them cheaper and more efficiently.
And clearly in this list, the online options dominate. Fully six of the top 10 best home based business ideas we researched were online opportunities. There is no doubt that online commerce is just in its infancy. According to one report this $305 Billion industry is likely to triple in the next 5 years, and that is allegedly a conservative estimate. More and more businesses are finding online sales to be lucrative, as well as more efficient and cost effective. There are less employees required and businesses can sell to a broader range of clients spread out over a greater geographical territory. The potential is limitless.
So, without further ado, our list of the 10 best home based business ideas (in reverse order).
10. Home Day Care Center
Believe it or not, the home daycare center still ranks in the top ten for home-based businesses. The reason is that in these economic times it is becoming more and more difficult for families to stay afloat on just one income. Everyone is looking to supplement their incomes, and those with two spouses working, and kids at home, must have an alternative to the daily care of their children. Parents of young children looking to supplement income from home may find day care an excellent way to bring in income as well as spend time with their own children. There are some other benefits to this profession as well, such as the opportunity to socialize your own children at a young age. But, beware of the potential pitfalls of this industry: many children find it hard to share their personal space in their own home for lengthy periods of time, this may result in frustration for the care-giver's own children. Also, licensing is required in most jurisdictions, so be sure to check with your local authorities before you launch a home day care.
9. Medical Transcription
This is an excellent choice of careers for people with excellent English language skills and typing ability. Many doctors outsource their transcription functions rather than pay employees to handle them. It is more cost effective for the doctors since they do not have to pay Medicare, SDI and other taxes that accompany hiring employees. This business is excellent for start-ups since it requires very low overhead and equipment purchases, and can be done in a minimal amount of space. In fact, most people already have the necessary equipment such as a desk, computer, and tape recorder. Incomes can range from $25,000 per year for part-time work to more than $90,000 per year for full-time efforts.
8. Accounting
For those would-be stay-at-home working parents, especially those with a strong background in accounting and/or financial skills, an accounting or bookkeeping career may be just the right choice. This career option offers a tremendous amount of flexibility to the working parent, and an excellent income opportunity. You can start the business right from your own home, building on referrals and low cost advertising, but it has the potential to grow with you as your children age and become less dependent, entering school, and freeing up more of your own time. Look heavily to building relationships with other professions, such as attorneys, insurance professionals and real estate agents as they will often refer clients to you. You can begin this business from scratch, or you can buy a tax and accounting franchise (a slightly more expensive option, but perhaps a shorter start-up period). Again, check with local authorities for licensing requirements in your area. Regulations can change from state to state, and there is also a wealth of information available at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
7. Catering
Many parents love to cook and entertain, and catering can provide Moms (or Dads) an opportunity to work from home, but still get out and socialize and do what you enjoy. Most of the upfront preparation work can be done from your own home while looking after children, and then meals can be delivered, or in some cases even picked up, for delivery to the event. Parents with a modest approach can make an excellent income by simply providing the meals, those looking to satisfy a larger dream can also provide staff for set up, waiting, and tear down, or even do it themselves. Income potentials can be very good with catering services, and the most successful home-based caterers might make close to six figures.
One of the internet's greatest introductions to home based business owners over the last decade has been that of the affiliate marketer. This is the first of our online business opportunities, and is a position that does not require you to work for a company, purchase products, carry inventory, or even to interact with customers. You can easily start a successful and lucrative affiliate marketing business by simply finding products on the internet that you are interested in, joining the company's affiliate program, and then marketing those products online. Most affiliate programs pay directly to a Pay Pal (or other payment processing service) account on a monthly basis. Of course, this business may require some start up capital if you choose to market through pay for service venues, such as pay per click. There are plenty of free marketing sources online as well, but they may require more effort. Still, this can be an excellent way for work-from-home parents to supplement a one-income family. You can find out all about it by Googling "Affiliate Programs" or on resource sites such as Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Scout. While this is a viable internet opportunity, it does require you to seek out and market individual companies and their products. In my opinion, a far better opportunity to consolidate this effort into a more lucrative, efficient and profitable business exists in item number one below.
5. Freelance Writing
Everyone has considered writing a book at some point in their lives, or at least liked the sound of that idea. Today's market for writers is wide open, everything from relevant articles on travel, the arts, local scenes and business to fully fledged e-books on both technical as well as tactical topics. Especially if you are already familiar with a specific subject, this is a great way for you to share that expertise with a very broad market. There are literally millions of people searching the internet every day for information on specific subjects, and they are willing to pay for that information. Try your hand at writing first with shorter venues, and as your skill and experience grow, branch out into more aggressive projects. An excellent resource for freelance writing on the internet can be found at The Freelance Writing Jobs Network.
4. Business Coach
While this opportunity is not a true "online" opportunity, it is a bit of a hybrid, and it really plays to those individuals at the top of their game. This opportunity requires someone with a very strong business background, or at least some formidable business training. In today's climate with so many people becoming displaced or seeking opportunity outside of the traditional corporate walls, there is a tremendous need for someone off which to bounce ideas, to assist in the business planning activities and to keep over-energetic CEO's feet on the ground. If you have experience in corporate management, business acumen or other specialized skills then you can share them with those who have ideas but less experience. There is even a coaching certification program and referral service provided to the members of the International Coach Federation.
3. Web Design
Web sites are a must in today's business climate, even for traditional brick-and-mortar type businesses. With online shopping and information dissemination becoming more and more a requirement companies are jumping onto the web in droves, and they need excellent web site designers to guide them through the process. This is truly a case where it is difficult to see the forest for the trees. There are so many facets to web design and a web presence that it is almost impossible to get started without some heavy duty assistance. For anyone familiar with html programming, CSS, SEO, or even WYSIWYG editors, this opportunity can be a gold mine. Much of your work can be done after hours when the kids are in bed, and this is one thing that makes this opportunity perfect for moonlighters and all-day parents.
As the opportunities to network and market online become greater and more diverse, so too, do the companies that offer to train you in these mechanisms. Without this training, the would-be do-it-yourself internet marketer will likely run into one frustration after another, and perhaps even waste thousands of dollars in online advertising costs with very little return. The best money you can spend is to invest a little in your own training before you begin your online marketing campaign. And if you are going to spend a little on yourself, why not do it in a place where you can also earn while you learn? By far, the best training (and income opportunity) we have found for internet marketing, both free and paid, is through Carbon Copy PRO.
1. Online Shopping Portal
Our number one pick of the 10 best home based business ideas - drum roll please - an online internet shopping portal where retailers (like Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, and hundreds more that we shop from daily) pay the website owners a rebate when they purchase from their online stores. This is the affiliate programs on steroids. Website Owners and Business Builders (as the company refers to them) can build large residual incomes by doing their shopping online, and referring others to shop online. This company has already made more than 20 millionaires, and they are only a little over 15 months into their launch. They have more appeal than any other direct sales company due to the fact that they do not require you to purchase a specific product (such as vitamins, juice, shakes, candles, etc.), but they allow you to purchase whatever you need from over 800 national retailer's websites. Members get paid rebates on their own purchases, commissions on referred shopper's rebates and training bonuses for referred members. You can find out more about this incredible home business opportunity at Shopping Evolution. Watch for this one to explode over the next 5 years.
So, now you have the 10 best home based business ideas. Of course, there are a number of other considerations you must keep in mind, such as which opportunity best fits your lifestyle, avoiding scams, etc.; and we will delve into some of these issues in future articles. All that is left now is for you to do your own homework and decide which opportunity is best suited to your tastes. Happy hunting.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it! Click Here.
About the Author
Richard Finn is a web marketing entrepreneur and online marketing coach. Richard has successfully launched two internet marketing ventures, Shopping Evolution and My Life Value. Through the resources of My Life Value, Richard's team has helped hundreds of people gain success in their own home-based internet businesses. Richard writes for several blogs, e-zines and for the Sacramento Business edition of Examiner.com. Richard lives with his wife and 2 boys outside Sacramento, CA.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Living Paycheck to Paycheck
by Joe Young
Living paycheck to paycheck by itself can be tough, but during an economic global recession, that's worse? While world leaders are scrambling to come up with emergency bailout funds to boost ailing global economies, there doesn't seem to be much help with us living paycheck to paycheck. This is a sensitive time where many scammers are like wolves looking for desperate, weak prey.
I really do not want to be that prey, do you? We have to realize that no one is going to lasso the moon for us. Some may try to cut the lasso, though. But that is where you and I have to become smart during tough economic times as this global recession seems sometimes two steps closer to a great depression all over again with more to lose.
I am plagued with more get rich quick emails than I want to see. I am open to look for a good income producing, legit, established, sound, opportunity, but finding it takes a little time. Often some of the best resources are our friends or someone in business already. It all depends on what you are looking for.
Some advice:
1. Research and be patient
2. Confirm contact info and talk to live bodies
3. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is
4. Never give personal info until you are ABSOLUTELY sure of the soundness of the program you are doing. Even then, use paypal for safe ways to exchange funds without giving others personal information.
Also, a note about work from home adventures during these rough economic times in a bad global economy. One of the most sound opportunities that I have seen is internet marketing. This involves work but can become a great source of income, especially for the stay at home moms! The only thing is you have to be willing to work and it can become a great blessing to you.
This is just a direction you can consider, one of many, but a legit, perfectly sound one. There are pros at teaching hungry people how to establish an honest, solid business over time.
This is not a time for being overcome by negative thinking. We all must become positive in order to see opportunity to go beyond living paycheck to paycheck. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, it stinks, especially when you do not know how to budget and you fall behind. Then the lights and the phone bill are in jeapordy, and the phone is ringing off the hook, and the bill collectors know nothing about mercy. They have probably never attended church in their life. Just kidding!
Anyway, before I write a book here.... Try, try, and keep trying. Work, work, and keep working. Never give up, press toward your goal.
What am I doing with you right now, I am networking. Networking is a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest. In one way or another we all are involved in networking. The very fact that you are alive and reading this is proof that networking can get results. The results is helping you to look in the right areas, to go in the right direction.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it. Click Here
About the Author
This text is a link to a page on the World Wide Web.
Living paycheck to paycheck by itself can be tough, but during an economic global recession, that's worse? While world leaders are scrambling to come up with emergency bailout funds to boost ailing global economies, there doesn't seem to be much help with us living paycheck to paycheck. This is a sensitive time where many scammers are like wolves looking for desperate, weak prey.
I really do not want to be that prey, do you? We have to realize that no one is going to lasso the moon for us. Some may try to cut the lasso, though. But that is where you and I have to become smart during tough economic times as this global recession seems sometimes two steps closer to a great depression all over again with more to lose.
I am plagued with more get rich quick emails than I want to see. I am open to look for a good income producing, legit, established, sound, opportunity, but finding it takes a little time. Often some of the best resources are our friends or someone in business already. It all depends on what you are looking for.
Some advice:
1. Research and be patient
2. Confirm contact info and talk to live bodies
3. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is
4. Never give personal info until you are ABSOLUTELY sure of the soundness of the program you are doing. Even then, use paypal for safe ways to exchange funds without giving others personal information.
Also, a note about work from home adventures during these rough economic times in a bad global economy. One of the most sound opportunities that I have seen is internet marketing. This involves work but can become a great source of income, especially for the stay at home moms! The only thing is you have to be willing to work and it can become a great blessing to you.
This is just a direction you can consider, one of many, but a legit, perfectly sound one. There are pros at teaching hungry people how to establish an honest, solid business over time.
This is not a time for being overcome by negative thinking. We all must become positive in order to see opportunity to go beyond living paycheck to paycheck. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, it stinks, especially when you do not know how to budget and you fall behind. Then the lights and the phone bill are in jeapordy, and the phone is ringing off the hook, and the bill collectors know nothing about mercy. They have probably never attended church in their life. Just kidding!
Anyway, before I write a book here.... Try, try, and keep trying. Work, work, and keep working. Never give up, press toward your goal.
What am I doing with you right now, I am networking. Networking is a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest. In one way or another we all are involved in networking. The very fact that you are alive and reading this is proof that networking can get results. The results is helping you to look in the right areas, to go in the right direction.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it. Click Here
About the Author
This text is a link to a page on the World Wide Web.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
6 Hidden Benefits Work At Home Moms Enjoy In MLM
by Kurt Henninger
Network Marketing or MLM is one of the options available to work at home moms, and one that many take advantage of and enjoy and benefit from. Here are six hidden benefits that they enjoy when they do take up this challenge.
Professional Achievement. There are times when women feel professional loss when they are forced to leave the workforce to care for their children. Being a work at home mom in MLM allows those individuals to still achieve rank advancement and professional recognition while still being there for their family.
Contributing financially to the family. Often the family finances take an overall hit, when a mom decides to stay at home. This can be hard to stomach these days. Fortunately, work at home moms in MLM are able to earn money and contribute financially to the family income through their work.
More time with family. This is a big one, and one of the main reasons that women make the tough decision to leave their job and be at home. Work at home moms in MLM have the ability to meet the needs of their family while at the same time working and contributing financially.
Work when you want to. Very few vocations allow you to work when and if you want to. Work at home moms in MLM can set their work schedule to whenever they want. It can be when the kids get to bed, on the weekends, in the morning, or other times when it is convenient for them. If there is a big event coming up, they can set their work requirements around it.
True rewards for your efforts. Without any corporate hierarcy or pay structure, work at home moms in MLM can get paid and rewarded equally for their work. The rewards go up in relation to the amount and quality of their work. There is no need to wait for approval for a raise from a boss or business structure. If they want more money, they simply work more to achieve whatever financial goals they have.
Residual income potential. The final and most sought after reward for work at home moms in MLM is the highly sought after residual income. The concept is like creating a customer and performing work once, and getting paid month after month, for the lifetime of the working relationship. When you add this up over time, this can amount to a huge financial benefit.
To learn more about how work at home moms can be successful, read below and follow the link for more information.
Join Our Team of Moms working from home and loving it! Click Here.
About the Author
Kurt Henninger is a successful Internet marketer helping average people to have extraordinary success with their online business ventures.
Go Get A Free 7 Day eCourse On Cutting Edge MLM Techniques To Help You Get Leads For Your Business For Free At:
http://MLMSponsoringNow.com
Network Marketing or MLM is one of the options available to work at home moms, and one that many take advantage of and enjoy and benefit from. Here are six hidden benefits that they enjoy when they do take up this challenge.
Professional Achievement. There are times when women feel professional loss when they are forced to leave the workforce to care for their children. Being a work at home mom in MLM allows those individuals to still achieve rank advancement and professional recognition while still being there for their family.
Contributing financially to the family. Often the family finances take an overall hit, when a mom decides to stay at home. This can be hard to stomach these days. Fortunately, work at home moms in MLM are able to earn money and contribute financially to the family income through their work.
More time with family. This is a big one, and one of the main reasons that women make the tough decision to leave their job and be at home. Work at home moms in MLM have the ability to meet the needs of their family while at the same time working and contributing financially.
Work when you want to. Very few vocations allow you to work when and if you want to. Work at home moms in MLM can set their work schedule to whenever they want. It can be when the kids get to bed, on the weekends, in the morning, or other times when it is convenient for them. If there is a big event coming up, they can set their work requirements around it.
True rewards for your efforts. Without any corporate hierarcy or pay structure, work at home moms in MLM can get paid and rewarded equally for their work. The rewards go up in relation to the amount and quality of their work. There is no need to wait for approval for a raise from a boss or business structure. If they want more money, they simply work more to achieve whatever financial goals they have.
Residual income potential. The final and most sought after reward for work at home moms in MLM is the highly sought after residual income. The concept is like creating a customer and performing work once, and getting paid month after month, for the lifetime of the working relationship. When you add this up over time, this can amount to a huge financial benefit.
To learn more about how work at home moms can be successful, read below and follow the link for more information.
Join Our Team of Moms working from home and loving it! Click Here.
About the Author
Kurt Henninger is a successful Internet marketer helping average people to have extraordinary success with their online business ventures.
Go Get A Free 7 Day eCourse On Cutting Edge MLM Techniques To Help You Get Leads For Your Business For Free At:
http://MLMSponsoringNow.com
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
How Great of an Idea is a Home Based Businesses?
by Randall Drake
A home based business is one that only needs an Internet connection to be run prosperously and lucratively. This is a good enterprise for most work at home wish to be's to own. In general the startup cost of a work at home business is low, and there are no inventories or very low inventories depending on what you choose to sell. This helps in all aspects to makes things a lot easier when starting online. It is a well known fact that most people do not have a lot of extra cash that they can throw into a new business at startup. One fact that individuals need to realize is that a home based business must have a legitimate plan set in place in order for it to be viable.
Working from home at a business or a job is a great option to have, especially for people that cannot, for whatever reason go to an outside of the house job. Also with the way the economy is going today with so many layoffs and no new jobs opening up out there this may be the only option available. Many prosperous businesses started off in a home based arena, so you never know how far you can go until you try it. Anyone that has had any type of business before will find that a home based business might be less of a challenge than someone who has had no business experience at all. Even getting your home based business off the ground on a part time basis is a great start. And you do need to start somewhere.
There are even more good points to a work at home business. The ability to save on commuting and child care expenses is a really big plus; one that most people are happy to have. It will also give you the ability to spend more quality time with your family because you are right there. There are also always those little things in life that pop up that has to be done. You will now have the time to do them without having to answer to ant one but yourself.
Keeping yourself organized and making sure that your business is structured will help you to be successful and to realize all of the potential that a work from home business can give you. A work at home job doesn't have to just be a pipe dream, it can be a reality. But without the structure there to guide you on a day by day basis it could turn into a nightmare very quickly. Even though you will have more time you do need to remember that you have a specific time that you need to be working and give yourself to it absolutely. It can be very easy to get distracted from the important task at hand.
Work at home moms and dads wish they could just find a way to earn a little bit more money and do it from home. Working at home in their pajamas seems like a dream come true. Many people are happy to find that with a little research and hard work, they can make this dream come true. Having total control over your schedule is just something you cannot beat. And many times over after you have been with it for a while you all of a sudden realize that you no longer need to work for someone else as your business now can sustain you by itself.
The only way to be truly successful is through the hard work the dedication and time that is required to make any business successful. You cannot expect that someone can hand this all to you "off of the platter" as the saying goes and make it work with no work. If you are able to think outside the box, as another saying goes then you are well on your way. Getting whatever education you need for your particular work at home business is important too. But you must be careful where you look because there are many unscrupulous people out there. They tell you what all they can do for you and then in the end only give you enough information to barely get by on. Considering home based businesses are becoming more and more popular this is a great time for you to try your hand at it too. The technology of today has made just about anything possible. And with a little hard work and the right product you can be well on your way to being successful too.
Join our team of Moms working home and loving it! Click Here
About the Author
Randall Drake is an accomplished writter of many different types of articles ranging from how to start your own business to advanced marketing techniques. A successful business owner himself he also reaches out to the community to help them be successful in their own business. Randall invites you to visit his website atRandy's Home Biz Ideas and sign up for his newsletter today.
A home based business is one that only needs an Internet connection to be run prosperously and lucratively. This is a good enterprise for most work at home wish to be's to own. In general the startup cost of a work at home business is low, and there are no inventories or very low inventories depending on what you choose to sell. This helps in all aspects to makes things a lot easier when starting online. It is a well known fact that most people do not have a lot of extra cash that they can throw into a new business at startup. One fact that individuals need to realize is that a home based business must have a legitimate plan set in place in order for it to be viable.
Working from home at a business or a job is a great option to have, especially for people that cannot, for whatever reason go to an outside of the house job. Also with the way the economy is going today with so many layoffs and no new jobs opening up out there this may be the only option available. Many prosperous businesses started off in a home based arena, so you never know how far you can go until you try it. Anyone that has had any type of business before will find that a home based business might be less of a challenge than someone who has had no business experience at all. Even getting your home based business off the ground on a part time basis is a great start. And you do need to start somewhere.
There are even more good points to a work at home business. The ability to save on commuting and child care expenses is a really big plus; one that most people are happy to have. It will also give you the ability to spend more quality time with your family because you are right there. There are also always those little things in life that pop up that has to be done. You will now have the time to do them without having to answer to ant one but yourself.
Keeping yourself organized and making sure that your business is structured will help you to be successful and to realize all of the potential that a work from home business can give you. A work at home job doesn't have to just be a pipe dream, it can be a reality. But without the structure there to guide you on a day by day basis it could turn into a nightmare very quickly. Even though you will have more time you do need to remember that you have a specific time that you need to be working and give yourself to it absolutely. It can be very easy to get distracted from the important task at hand.
Work at home moms and dads wish they could just find a way to earn a little bit more money and do it from home. Working at home in their pajamas seems like a dream come true. Many people are happy to find that with a little research and hard work, they can make this dream come true. Having total control over your schedule is just something you cannot beat. And many times over after you have been with it for a while you all of a sudden realize that you no longer need to work for someone else as your business now can sustain you by itself.
The only way to be truly successful is through the hard work the dedication and time that is required to make any business successful. You cannot expect that someone can hand this all to you "off of the platter" as the saying goes and make it work with no work. If you are able to think outside the box, as another saying goes then you are well on your way. Getting whatever education you need for your particular work at home business is important too. But you must be careful where you look because there are many unscrupulous people out there. They tell you what all they can do for you and then in the end only give you enough information to barely get by on. Considering home based businesses are becoming more and more popular this is a great time for you to try your hand at it too. The technology of today has made just about anything possible. And with a little hard work and the right product you can be well on your way to being successful too.
Join our team of Moms working home and loving it! Click Here
About the Author
Randall Drake is an accomplished writter of many different types of articles ranging from how to start your own business to advanced marketing techniques. A successful business owner himself he also reaches out to the community to help them be successful in their own business. Randall invites you to visit his website atRandy's Home Biz Ideas and sign up for his newsletter today.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The survey says: Most moms work because they have to
The Adecco Group American Workplace Insights Survey revealed that 80 percent of working mothers work because they have to, not because they want to. The survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive in April 2009, surveyed 2419 adults. Working moms were defined as American women who work either full or part time, are over 18 who have children 17 and younger.
The Adecco Group American Workplace Insights Survey:
- 48 percent of working moms are more stressed out because of the current economic conditions.
- 16 percent of those surveyed reported their work hours have increased due to the economy.
- Due to the economy, 13 percent of working moms re-entered the workforce.
- 48 percent of working moms wish they could spend more time with their children.
- Michelle Obama was selected as the most admired famous mom.
On a positive note; the survey also found that children of working moms are better behaved and do better in school and as a result.
So what can you do to reduce your stress and make your life a bit easier? Develop and hone in on those skills you use as mom such as compassion and communication. Multi-tasking, prioritizing and negotiating techniques are skills and important attributes many working parents are able to bring to the workplace. While many women struggle to maintain that healthy balance between work and family life, it is important to be realistic. Concentrate and focus your energy on the time you have with your family.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it: Click Here
For more information on Adecco or the survey, visit their website.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Moms Can Make Good Dough From Home
Amy Nebens and Jara Negrin
creators of poshmom.com
When a full-time job as mom doesn't cut it anymore cash-wise in this struggling economy, it doesn't necessarily mean going back to work out of the house. There are lots of ways to work from home, keeping your work hours to school hours and managing mom responsibilities. For many of these businesses, you don't need a degree or more than a nominal start-up cost. Plus you can likely find something you love to do, answer to yourself and don't have to incur added expense of commuting or a new wardrobe. Here how to get started and some ideas of what can feed your passion and at the same time add some cookies to the cookie jar:
Official Business
Once you decide what you want to do, make it official. Just because you may not have an office to call your own, Uncle Sam still wants to know where to check in with you.
1. First, decide on the business structure. It can be a sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Corportation (LLC) among others. This will determine legal and tax implications. If reading about the differences has you dizzy you may have a friend who is a lawyer (or was one in a former life) who knows which one is best for your specific situation and can advise.
2. Then choose and register your business name. Depending on the state, you might need to register that name--in some states it's with the state government, in others it's with the county clerk. The website http://www.business.gov/register/business-name/dba.html helps avoid long searches by giving a state by state list of requirements.
Have alternatives in mind--you don't want to get into any legal wrangling with a business already operating under the same name and a cease and desist letter in the mailbox can be a scary thing. Do a basic name search online and also go to United States Patent and Trademark Office database (www.uspto.gov) for names that are federally registered.
3. After that, apply for a Federal Tax ID number. If you will be a partnership, corporation, or have employees you will need an Employee Identification Number (EIN), also called an Employer Tax ID. You can register online with the Internal Revenue Service at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp.
Then apply for tax IDs from state and local revenue departments. If selling products, you will likely need to charge sales tax and will then need a sales tax or seller's permit as well. The IRS website has a listing of state revenue offices: http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/article/0,,id=100236,00.html
4. Lastly, determine if you need a license or permit to operate your business. Typically you will need to register on a federal, state or local level. Get a listing of requirements at http://www.business.gov/register/licenses-and-permits/.
Told you Uncle Sam would be interested in your new business venture.
If start-up costs are worrisome, grants are an amazing source of revenue for women as they are not dependant on past credit, or level of education and they don't need to be paid back (hooray!). There are private and government-funded grants available, but the trick is finding them. Beware of internet sources that claim they have the listings and will provide them free if you pay shipping and handling. The best way to find out about the availability is through your local Small Business Association which does not provide grants for start-ups (they do offer loans that must be paid back) but has access to legitimate grant offers. (http://www.sba.gov/localresources/index.html).
SCORE is an organization that is run by successful volunteers, many of them women, who advise, counsel and act as resources for the entrepreneur. They not only may know about grants being offered but also help women with start-up plans, website development as well as marketing and PR for new businesses (http://www.score.org/index.html).
Online Orders
If you've got something to sell, do it online. The only overhead may be sharing a nominal portion of your profits.
Etsy.com
If you're a mom with a talent for handmade goods like jewelry, soaps, knit items, and pottery, and who until now has only given these items as gifts to family, friends, and teachers, you can make a profit on this website that's a virtual marketplace for crafts and vintage items. Added benefit: You no longer need to hear "You really have talent, you should start a business making this".
There are more than 100,000 "etsy shops" opened worldwide and more than 750,00 members potentially buying from them--15,000 items per day are sold.
Cost is 20 cents for each item listed.
Cost per sale is 3.5% of selling price.
Individual people shop there as do decorators, shop and gallery owners who might want to stock your "line" which could mean big business and big profits.
No-fear Ebay
For moms who want to own retail but can't devote the time or the cash to do so, eBay is an amazing alternative. If the idea of hawking your wares on eBay is overwhelming and scares you, there are some tools to help you navigate the selling end and to offer helpful tips to make your selling more successful:
Search for "How to Sell on eBay for Beginners" on Mahalo.com--step-by-step answers in easy, web-beginner speak.
Visit Search on YouTube for eBay tutorials that take you through the process step by step.
Books like EBay for Dummies is a good reference to have on hand as is a free download ebook at ebaynewbieguide.com.
Check out tutorials on ebay.com itself: http://pages.ebay.com/education/index.html
Tag Sell It
Uber-organized moms can make a living helping others weed out what they no longer need by entrenching themselves in other peoples closets, drawers and garages, then organizing the ousted belongings on Tagsellit.com for a share of the profits.
Costs for 2 weeks posting is free for up to 25 items, $1.25 for up to 20, and $6.95 for up to 100.
Reviving Former Profession
Before you ever saw the inside of a maternity ward you probably had a cool career that can now be translated into something new and maybe even improved. For the woman who was a corporate publicist she can now help a local business drum up PR. A former teacher may dabble in some tutoring and an artist/designer can help a friend (for a fee of course) get her home's interior together.
There are also many online courses available and www.ecollegefinder.org can help find accredited colleges and universities that offer a degree to take you further in a field you may have had to give up when you had kids. Or change up a bit something you did in your past life to work for you now. I have a friend who had a booming pre-kid interior decorator business and wanted to re-enter the field. Before she took the time away from her kids to go to the design building in Manhattan she decided to see what she could do with Direct Buy which is a furniture club that allows members to buy at huge discounts after they pay a one time fee. (http://www.directbuy.com/ ) She joined, which was an investment of a few thousand dollars, but it allowed her to start her business of helping friends to complete furnishings in their homes and even re-do their kitchens and charge them for enlisting her help. She found there was no need for time-consuming trips to many different wholesalers when she had hundreds of brands under one roof and had more time for carpooling and being with kids.
House Parties
Use mommy network (friends, mommy friends, carpool pals) to invite shoppers to parties at home for lines you rep:
1. Clothing parties: Like Wear children's clothing representative costs about $279 to get started (www.likewear.com). Worth Clothing for Women requires purchase of samples as well but gives big earners a chance to enter into a graduate program in business development. ( www.worthny.com)
2. Gold melting party. Red Swan (www.redswan.com) offers party invites, reminders and party ideas AND the opportunity to earn commission with no investment.
3. SoLuxe personalized gifts and stationery. I get great baby gifts from them. You can earn commission on your rolodex by selling everything from holiday cards to personalized plates for a newborn with an investment in samples only (around $250) www.soluxe.com
4. Purse Party. Started by three moms, B's purses allows your friends/customer to choose the fabric, trim and model of adorable bags and allows you to pocket cash. (http://bspurses.com/become-a-rep/)
5. Arbonne skin care allows women to become "consultants" for $109 and gives great discounts to those consultants on their ultra pure skin products that work! (https://www.arbonne.com/icOnline/conLead/conLeadRecruitReg.asp)
Photographer/Videographer
If you're friends are always slinging a camera to you at their special events you should consider making it a business. Some good core camera equipment can serve for your family as well as for your business. Charge a small fee to moms in town for covering baby christenings, recitals and graduations so that the family can relax and still capture all the special moments. The profits come in the prints--what mom won't purchase a few extra pictures when her kids are in them! A great book to check out for different shooting styles is Through the Viewing Glass--Reflections on Photographing Children. Another book for tips is How to Photograph Your Family by Nick Kelsh (http://www.amazon.com/Photograph-Your-Family-Nick-Kelsh/dp/1556709803 ) And there are sites like http://www.photocrazed.com/ for making Warhol-like art or the comic strip look from your pictures and www.onetruemedia.com that can help the amateur videographer look very pro-like with special effects.
Dad can watch kids if events are on weekend and pre and post production can happen midweek while the kids are at school or asleep.
College Advisor
Given the fact that in 2009 the largest group of high school seniors in the nation's history, 3.2 million, is expected to graduate, it's likely there are lots of parents and kids looking for help navigating the overwhelming waters of college admission. A research driven mom who likes to give advice, is enthusiastic about higher education, and likes to envision the future and the different possibilities, should consider becoming a private consultant for college advising.
A good place to start is www.petersons.com for a list of colleges/universities in the U.S. Search by location, setting, size, cost, academics, social life, entrance requirements, programs of study, and more
Then contact schools directly for free catalogs and applications to create your own database--study to learn what are the mainstays of each
Visit US News and World Report (http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college) to learn about rankings in a variety of categories
You'll also wanted to go to www.collegeboard.com to familiarize yourself with college entrance exam requirements, dates, study tools
Matchmaker
The Millionaire Matchmaker may or may not be your first choice in TV shows, but she does have something going for her--a niche. For mom whose friends are falling victim to the sky high divorce rate, those friends may be your very first clients in your Divorced and Dating matchmaker service. Starbucks serves not only as the place for online dates to meet up but can also be your "office" to meet your prospective clients. Bring a lap-top and a web-cam and the interview process has begun. Network Solutions (www.networksolutions.com) offers do-it-yourself website packages that look professionally done and make setting yourself up on the web easy. With a website, a cell phone, and some wingwoman visits to the single scene with that friend who is divorced (for marketing purposes of course)--you're in business. This is a fun start-up!
Personal Shopper
A stylish (and shopaholic) mom can shop for others which can be gratifying in this economy. Help moms in town go into their own closets and take outdated clothing, bags, and other accessories to a consignment shop. They can then use those funds to buy new clothes and pay you! Talk to boutiques in town to offer your services for free and use a Point of Purchase display card to advertise your services. Work out a set percentage to charge (usually between 10-30%) for any sales you made to clients at their stores. A good guide book for the basics on this is Fabjob Guide to Become a Personal Shopper (www.fabjob.com/PersonalShopper.asp).
Personal Chef
If you love to cook and create recipes, you can cash in on those people who don't like to cook, are to busy to cook, or have given up trying to please all the picky eaters in their house.
While you don't need a degree to become a personal chef, you can get formal training. The Culinary Business School (www.culinarybusinessschool.com) offers a home study course for personal chefs.
You don't need to register with a professional society either--but there are benefits. Visit the website for United States Personal Chef Association (http://www.uspca.com/) for professional industry information, certification information, and referral services
Stay organized with MenuMagic software (MenuMagic.com). You can use it to manage recipes, clients, shopping lists, etc.
We moms are major multitaskers so adding a business to the mix is just one more way we can strut that skill and in this economy flaunt away we shall.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it: http://Irminka.MyWorldMoms.com/?source=blog
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-nebens-and-jara-negrin/moms-can-make-good-dough_b_213858.html
creators of poshmom.com
When a full-time job as mom doesn't cut it anymore cash-wise in this struggling economy, it doesn't necessarily mean going back to work out of the house. There are lots of ways to work from home, keeping your work hours to school hours and managing mom responsibilities. For many of these businesses, you don't need a degree or more than a nominal start-up cost. Plus you can likely find something you love to do, answer to yourself and don't have to incur added expense of commuting or a new wardrobe. Here how to get started and some ideas of what can feed your passion and at the same time add some cookies to the cookie jar:
Official Business
Once you decide what you want to do, make it official. Just because you may not have an office to call your own, Uncle Sam still wants to know where to check in with you.
1. First, decide on the business structure. It can be a sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Corportation (LLC) among others. This will determine legal and tax implications. If reading about the differences has you dizzy you may have a friend who is a lawyer (or was one in a former life) who knows which one is best for your specific situation and can advise.
2. Then choose and register your business name. Depending on the state, you might need to register that name--in some states it's with the state government, in others it's with the county clerk. The website http://www.business.gov/register/business-name/dba.html helps avoid long searches by giving a state by state list of requirements.
Have alternatives in mind--you don't want to get into any legal wrangling with a business already operating under the same name and a cease and desist letter in the mailbox can be a scary thing. Do a basic name search online and also go to United States Patent and Trademark Office database (www.uspto.gov) for names that are federally registered.
3. After that, apply for a Federal Tax ID number. If you will be a partnership, corporation, or have employees you will need an Employee Identification Number (EIN), also called an Employer Tax ID. You can register online with the Internal Revenue Service at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp.
Then apply for tax IDs from state and local revenue departments. If selling products, you will likely need to charge sales tax and will then need a sales tax or seller's permit as well. The IRS website has a listing of state revenue offices: http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/article/0,,id=100236,00.html
4. Lastly, determine if you need a license or permit to operate your business. Typically you will need to register on a federal, state or local level. Get a listing of requirements at http://www.business.gov/register/licenses-and-permits/.
Told you Uncle Sam would be interested in your new business venture.
If start-up costs are worrisome, grants are an amazing source of revenue for women as they are not dependant on past credit, or level of education and they don't need to be paid back (hooray!). There are private and government-funded grants available, but the trick is finding them. Beware of internet sources that claim they have the listings and will provide them free if you pay shipping and handling. The best way to find out about the availability is through your local Small Business Association which does not provide grants for start-ups (they do offer loans that must be paid back) but has access to legitimate grant offers. (http://www.sba.gov/localresources/index.html).
SCORE is an organization that is run by successful volunteers, many of them women, who advise, counsel and act as resources for the entrepreneur. They not only may know about grants being offered but also help women with start-up plans, website development as well as marketing and PR for new businesses (http://www.score.org/index.html).
Online Orders
If you've got something to sell, do it online. The only overhead may be sharing a nominal portion of your profits.
Etsy.com
If you're a mom with a talent for handmade goods like jewelry, soaps, knit items, and pottery, and who until now has only given these items as gifts to family, friends, and teachers, you can make a profit on this website that's a virtual marketplace for crafts and vintage items. Added benefit: You no longer need to hear "You really have talent, you should start a business making this".
There are more than 100,000 "etsy shops" opened worldwide and more than 750,00 members potentially buying from them--15,000 items per day are sold.
Cost is 20 cents for each item listed.
Cost per sale is 3.5% of selling price.
Individual people shop there as do decorators, shop and gallery owners who might want to stock your "line" which could mean big business and big profits.
No-fear Ebay
For moms who want to own retail but can't devote the time or the cash to do so, eBay is an amazing alternative. If the idea of hawking your wares on eBay is overwhelming and scares you, there are some tools to help you navigate the selling end and to offer helpful tips to make your selling more successful:
Search for "How to Sell on eBay for Beginners" on Mahalo.com--step-by-step answers in easy, web-beginner speak.
Visit Search on YouTube for eBay tutorials that take you through the process step by step.
Books like EBay for Dummies is a good reference to have on hand as is a free download ebook at ebaynewbieguide.com.
Check out tutorials on ebay.com itself: http://pages.ebay.com/education/index.html
Tag Sell It
Uber-organized moms can make a living helping others weed out what they no longer need by entrenching themselves in other peoples closets, drawers and garages, then organizing the ousted belongings on Tagsellit.com for a share of the profits.
Costs for 2 weeks posting is free for up to 25 items, $1.25 for up to 20, and $6.95 for up to 100.
Reviving Former Profession
Before you ever saw the inside of a maternity ward you probably had a cool career that can now be translated into something new and maybe even improved. For the woman who was a corporate publicist she can now help a local business drum up PR. A former teacher may dabble in some tutoring and an artist/designer can help a friend (for a fee of course) get her home's interior together.
There are also many online courses available and www.ecollegefinder.org can help find accredited colleges and universities that offer a degree to take you further in a field you may have had to give up when you had kids. Or change up a bit something you did in your past life to work for you now. I have a friend who had a booming pre-kid interior decorator business and wanted to re-enter the field. Before she took the time away from her kids to go to the design building in Manhattan she decided to see what she could do with Direct Buy which is a furniture club that allows members to buy at huge discounts after they pay a one time fee. (http://www.directbuy.com/ ) She joined, which was an investment of a few thousand dollars, but it allowed her to start her business of helping friends to complete furnishings in their homes and even re-do their kitchens and charge them for enlisting her help. She found there was no need for time-consuming trips to many different wholesalers when she had hundreds of brands under one roof and had more time for carpooling and being with kids.
House Parties
Use mommy network (friends, mommy friends, carpool pals) to invite shoppers to parties at home for lines you rep:
1. Clothing parties: Like Wear children's clothing representative costs about $279 to get started (www.likewear.com). Worth Clothing for Women requires purchase of samples as well but gives big earners a chance to enter into a graduate program in business development. ( www.worthny.com)
2. Gold melting party. Red Swan (www.redswan.com) offers party invites, reminders and party ideas AND the opportunity to earn commission with no investment.
3. SoLuxe personalized gifts and stationery. I get great baby gifts from them. You can earn commission on your rolodex by selling everything from holiday cards to personalized plates for a newborn with an investment in samples only (around $250) www.soluxe.com
4. Purse Party. Started by three moms, B's purses allows your friends/customer to choose the fabric, trim and model of adorable bags and allows you to pocket cash. (http://bspurses.com/become-a-rep/)
5. Arbonne skin care allows women to become "consultants" for $109 and gives great discounts to those consultants on their ultra pure skin products that work! (https://www.arbonne.com/icOnline/conLead/conLeadRecruitReg.asp)
Photographer/Videographer
If you're friends are always slinging a camera to you at their special events you should consider making it a business. Some good core camera equipment can serve for your family as well as for your business. Charge a small fee to moms in town for covering baby christenings, recitals and graduations so that the family can relax and still capture all the special moments. The profits come in the prints--what mom won't purchase a few extra pictures when her kids are in them! A great book to check out for different shooting styles is Through the Viewing Glass--Reflections on Photographing Children. Another book for tips is How to Photograph Your Family by Nick Kelsh (http://www.amazon.com/Photograph-Your-Family-Nick-Kelsh/dp/1556709803 ) And there are sites like http://www.photocrazed.com/ for making Warhol-like art or the comic strip look from your pictures and www.onetruemedia.com that can help the amateur videographer look very pro-like with special effects.
Dad can watch kids if events are on weekend and pre and post production can happen midweek while the kids are at school or asleep.
College Advisor
Given the fact that in 2009 the largest group of high school seniors in the nation's history, 3.2 million, is expected to graduate, it's likely there are lots of parents and kids looking for help navigating the overwhelming waters of college admission. A research driven mom who likes to give advice, is enthusiastic about higher education, and likes to envision the future and the different possibilities, should consider becoming a private consultant for college advising.
A good place to start is www.petersons.com for a list of colleges/universities in the U.S. Search by location, setting, size, cost, academics, social life, entrance requirements, programs of study, and more
Then contact schools directly for free catalogs and applications to create your own database--study to learn what are the mainstays of each
Visit US News and World Report (http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college) to learn about rankings in a variety of categories
You'll also wanted to go to www.collegeboard.com to familiarize yourself with college entrance exam requirements, dates, study tools
Matchmaker
The Millionaire Matchmaker may or may not be your first choice in TV shows, but she does have something going for her--a niche. For mom whose friends are falling victim to the sky high divorce rate, those friends may be your very first clients in your Divorced and Dating matchmaker service. Starbucks serves not only as the place for online dates to meet up but can also be your "office" to meet your prospective clients. Bring a lap-top and a web-cam and the interview process has begun. Network Solutions (www.networksolutions.com) offers do-it-yourself website packages that look professionally done and make setting yourself up on the web easy. With a website, a cell phone, and some wingwoman visits to the single scene with that friend who is divorced (for marketing purposes of course)--you're in business. This is a fun start-up!
Personal Shopper
A stylish (and shopaholic) mom can shop for others which can be gratifying in this economy. Help moms in town go into their own closets and take outdated clothing, bags, and other accessories to a consignment shop. They can then use those funds to buy new clothes and pay you! Talk to boutiques in town to offer your services for free and use a Point of Purchase display card to advertise your services. Work out a set percentage to charge (usually between 10-30%) for any sales you made to clients at their stores. A good guide book for the basics on this is Fabjob Guide to Become a Personal Shopper (www.fabjob.com/PersonalShopper.asp).
Personal Chef
If you love to cook and create recipes, you can cash in on those people who don't like to cook, are to busy to cook, or have given up trying to please all the picky eaters in their house.
While you don't need a degree to become a personal chef, you can get formal training. The Culinary Business School (www.culinarybusinessschool.com) offers a home study course for personal chefs.
You don't need to register with a professional society either--but there are benefits. Visit the website for United States Personal Chef Association (http://www.uspca.com/) for professional industry information, certification information, and referral services
Stay organized with MenuMagic software (MenuMagic.com). You can use it to manage recipes, clients, shopping lists, etc.
We moms are major multitaskers so adding a business to the mix is just one more way we can strut that skill and in this economy flaunt away we shall.
Join our team of Moms working from home and loving it: http://Irminka.MyWorldMoms.com/?source=blog
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-nebens-and-jara-negrin/moms-can-make-good-dough_b_213858.html
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Finding ways to work out as a working mom
A few months before I got pregnant, I started going to the gym by my workplace every morning to work out. I met with an amazing trainer three days a week, religiously kept a food journal, and was generally very motivated to get into shape. Then I discovered I was pregnant, my trainer moved to Oregon, and all that motivation went right out the window. When I came back to work after maternity leave, I wanted desperately to return to the gym and resume my exercise regimen, but I found a million and one excuses not to go back. Finding ways to work out as a working mom was much more difficult than I imagined it would be.
But it doesn't have to be difficult.
I've discovered there are a number of exercises you can do at your desk or while waiting outside your boss's office for a meeting. (My favorite is the chair squat, where you sit into your chair but stand up when you barely touch the seat.) If your boss allows it, you can also bring in an exercise ball to replace your desk chair for all-day abs workout that focuses on balance and realigning your spine. And if you can keep a small set of hand weights at your desk, you can do simple curls, upright rows or triceps extensions.
If you don't mind the summer heat, a brisk walk or quick run outside during your lunch hour is an option. If it's raining and you have access to a covered patio, you can jump rope or do jumping jacks for a few minutes, alternating with squats or push-ups. When asked for tips on creating an effective workout, self-proclaimed fitness expert and local Orlando author of FitGeGe, a fitness blog, Gena Hrbek, says, "[A person] only needs to do three two-minute intervals of hard cardio with three minutes of strength exercises inbetween. When you increase your intensity, you can decrease your duration; therefore a hard 15-minute workout is as effective as a moderate 30-minute one."
Some offices in Orlando have fitness rooms with weights and treadmills. If you're lucky enough to work in one of these buildings, you can hire a personal trainer to keep a standing "lunch hour" appointment several days a week. Trainers are not cheap, but if you partner with a few friends, their fees are more manageable.
Even if you don't have access to a fitness room at work, there's a good chance there are a number of people in your office who want to fit a workout into their already overbooked schedules, too. Provided your office has a sizeable meeting room where furniture can be rearranged (or, better yet, removed), a number of fitness professionals can bring their classes to your workplace. Wes Wilkins of SPECS Performance in Orlando offers Boot Camp classes, for example, and Carrie Ielfield of Brahma Yoga offers yoga sessions to interested groups.
Of course, you (and your coworkers) should always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen, but with a little imagination and some motivation, working moms can find ways to work out – even at work!
Author: Eileen Caines
Eileen Caines is an Examiner from Orlando. You can see Eileen's articles on Eileen's Home Page.
Stay-At-Home Mom?
by Joe Kozak
Here's How to Find Financial and Emotional Fulfillment
Here's How to Find Financial and Emotional Fulfillment
Your mom stays at home? Oh, so she doesn't work? First, let's make something perfectly clear. All moms are work-at-home moms. Cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning and lau
ndry might not be highly respected occupations, but unless you've got one of those super-husbands who considers these tasks his responsibility as much as yours, the chances are that you're taking on most of those tasks yourself. This seems to be just as true for moms who have worked all day at an outside job and maybe started and ended the day with a long commute. All this was difficult enough before you became a parent. Then, pure exhaustion set in. When you realized that you didn't want just quality time with your children, but quantity time as well, you made the tough decision: You became a stay-at-home mom. You decided it was best for your family for you to be the one who raises your children-not a babysitter or the staff at a daycare center. No matter how child-friendly they seemed, you always felt that no one else can care for your children as well as you. Best of all, now you don't have that distressing guilt and worry that bothered you ten hours a day or more.
The first thing you probably noticed is a serious cut in income. But then, you aren't spending as much on gas or lunches out or expensive clothes for work. You're really more comfortable in jeans and tees (and they're much more practical anyway). And you realize the kids don't care one way or another if they're wearing designer clothes. You can economize on food now because you're at home to cook nutritious meals instead of picking up fast food or a pizza on the way home.
And there are so many great payoffs! You're there to cheer Emily on when she takes her first steps and says her first word. You never have to miss a school program or a soccer game. Now you can take Madison to ballet and Jacob to his karate class. You're there to wipe away tears and answer those important questions that come up out of the blue-and you've got the energy to really play with your little ones.
You're aware of a troubling emptiness that used to be filled with the thrill of accomplishment that you took from your old job. You miss working with professionals to meet challenges, find solutions, and celebrate success. You miss the feeling of financial freedom you got from having your own paycheck and your own 401K. And you're getting a little tired of living frugally. It would be nice to be able to add something to the family income, but you really don't want to leave your kids!
Every day, millions of people search online for legitimate work-at-home opportunities. Thanks to the information age and the availability of jobs not just in the US but all over the world, home-based entrepreneurs have found that they don't have to choose between family and professional fulfillment. It is estimated that over one-third of families with children 18 or younger have at least one parent working in a home-based business. The Internet offers hundreds of different opportunities to be an at-home entrepreneur. As long as you have the desire to succeed and the willingness to learn, you can soon be enjoying the freedom of being your own boss, the return of that productive, professional feeling, and the flexibility to enjoy your family.
All genuine work-at-home opportunities provide you with the tools and expert guidance you'll need to get started in your own business. The possibilities are endless!
Look around, and you'll be pleased to find an interesting online community of people just like you who have found a way to continue using the skills they acquired on the job without ever leaving home. They like to joke that their commute takes 30 seconds-the time it takes to walk from the kitchen to their computer in their pajamas, with that second cup of home-brewed coffee fixed just the way they like it. While they work, they're free to snuggle with babies, keep an eye on a toddler, or get dinner started.
These stay-at-home moms are free of the hassles of a corporate job away from home, yet they have recovered the self-esteem that comes from being intellectually and financially productive entrepreneurs. Who could ask for more?
The Next Step Is Up to You
About the Author
Visit LegacyToLegend.com to see a home business perfectly suited for work at home moms. Joe and his team will mentor you to a high six figure income.
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