There is not a better time than now to start your work at home career. High gas prices and the long commute are incentive enough to find a legitimate work at home business. Then there are the other obvious reasons like spending more time with family, working when and where you want, not having to answer to unreasonable bosses, and of course making more money. I think a majority of the population would favor working at home over a traditional job. Then why don’t more people work from home? It’s probably due the fear of failing on your own. Plus, it takes a lot of self motivation and hard work to succeed with your own business.

There are two types of work at home situations. One is when you are lucky enough to have a job that allows you to perform daily tasks from your own home. These are rare and you still have to answer to the boss. The second and more favorable work at home situation is owning a home based business. A home based business can range from walking dogs to starting a web design business to my favorite- running an online network marketing business. If you find a legitimate network marketing home business that provides real products that people want, you WILL make a ton of money…..Full Article: All About Working from Home

If you have been online looking at your options to work at home, you have probably come across several sites, forums, and online bulletin boards where you can meet and talk with other women all over the world! When you work at home by yourself, this is a lifeline to learning and friendship. Networking online with other moms on message boards is very easy! Find a forum that you like, register an account and post an introduction message right away. Let the other moms know where you are from and what you want to accomplish while working at home.

Everyone’s got different things they bring to the discussion. You’ll meet women who can provide you with advice on how to start a business, information on a wide variety of subjects, favorite resources, and they will be more than happy to lend an ear when you need to complain about a bad day. Most of these sites have somewhere that you can list your business and tell a little about what you do. Visit the different Web sites – eventually you will find a few work-at-home moms that have businesses similar to the type you would like to start.

Most people would be glad to answer your questions – we all like to talk about what we enjoy and do! Keep reading and replying to posts regularly; you will find that people have questions about things you are an ‘expert’ in. By building relationships and establishing credibility, people will come to you when they have a need for the product or service you provide. Develop a little sign-off for your own posts, called a “sig file,” which gives a summary of what benefits or services you offer. Include your Web site URL if you have one so readers can find out more. This is a great benefit of networking online. Seek out the services of other home-based moms when you need help with something….Full Article Here

From OpportunityWorld.com”

During my four years of working from home I have learned a lot about where to find work, how to find work, what is actually work and what is a business. With so much to learn, it can be difficult to know where to begin. That is why I came up with these 10 tips.

1. Never pay for a job. You should not have to pay someone just for the opportunity to work for or with them. This does not mean it doesn’t cost anything to start working from home, it may — depending on equipment and other items you need to do the job, such as software, background checks or becoming incorporated. If you are ever confused about an expense, however, ask the company directly for an explanation and check the company out at the Better Business Bureau or Ripoff Report (www.ripoffreport.com).

2. Ask people you know, or local companies, if they use work-at-home contractors (people paid to work, but not considered employees) or if they would hire people to work from home. You may even be able to ask your own boss if you are working outside the home as well.

3. Keep track of whom you contact, whom you speak to, when you applied, and similar information. This way, you can keep track of where, and if, you have applications pending with different companies.

Tips 4-10 Here.

Here is an article excerpt from a brand new resource from Entrepreneur.com that focuses on work at home women and women entrepreneurs:

Fear is a motivating factor in our lives. In some ways it’s healthy–it prevents us from driving too fast or stepping too close to the edge of a cliff. In other ways, though, it can inhibit us from doing things that’ll benefit us.

Many women who consider starting a business encounter unexpected mental roadblocks that prevent them from moving forward. Here are some of the most common fears experienced by women who want to launch their own businesses–and how you can overcome them.

Fear of Financial Consequences
This fear is natural and completely rational. After all, if you’re investing time and money in a business, you assume some level of risk. There’s the fear of losing money invested, the fear of losing collateral, such as a home, and the fear of being unemployed if the business fails.

How can you deal with these fears? Arm yourself with knowledge. If you don’t understand the financial aspects of your business–how to read a balance sheet, how to forecast and how to price–fears can mount. While it may not be practical to go back to business school, mentors can help. Try contacting your local SCORE chapter, which provides counselors to small businesses. The National Association of Women Business Owners also offers resources. And don’t forget to ask for help from your accountant and read as many business books and magazines as you can….Full Article Here.

From YahooFinance:

If you own your own home and need to borrow money for your business, a home equity loan may be an option. As with any loan, there are risks, but home equity loans are unique in that if you default on your loan, you may lose both your home and your business.

Borrowing against home equity has become a popular source of credit, especially for small business owners. To accommodate the demand, lenders are offering home equity credit lines in a variety of ways.

Here are some of the advantages of taking out a home equity loan to finance your business: Article Here