As I've mentioned before, people frequently ask me about ways to make an income when they learn I work from home.  Granted, as a writer, I don't always feel like what I do is "work" - nor do I get that much of it done some days, because I am at home!  However, I happen to believe that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of ways for folks to bring in an income from home.  Whether you are just looking to bring in a little extra cash to build a savings account or buy yourself a vacation of a lifetime, or you are trying to phase out your commute and become more self-reliant in an age of job instability, I'm sure you have talents and skills that would lend themselves well to building a business of your own.  The key word there is BUSINESS; keep in mind that if you pursue certain avenues of income-generation at home, you're not just playing around - you are a business owner in the eyes of the law and the IRS.  Make sure that you do your due diligence and follow the rules.  After all, ignorance of the law is normally no excuse with the authorities. 

That said, check out this work-at-home idea generator from a Workerette who knows her stuff (reprinted with permission).  I'm sure it'll get you thinking.  And who knows, maybe you'll earn yourself a trip to Bali or a ski cottage in the Alps with your extra income!

Five Ways to Earn Money at Home With Your Computer

Today, more than ever before, parents want to stay home with their young children. Many of these same families invest money in a personal computer and now want that computer to produce an income for them.

You can use your computer to produce an income, however the computer is only a business tool, much like a pen or pencil are each a business tool.

This article will explore five ways with which you can use your computer to aid you in producing an income from home.

Affiliate Marketing – Ten years ago, no one had heard this term. Today, it’s the rage. So what exactly is affiliate marketing? Well, let’s break down the two words. Affiliate means to be “attached” or “associated” with. Marketing means to sell. So, let’s say you are an affiliate for Walmart. You would be “attached” or “associated” with them. In other words you form a relationship with them, where you sell their products and they pay you a commission. Walmart is just one of the thousands of companies that allow you to join as an affiliate. When someone clicks the Walmart link on your page and makes a purchase you earn. As of this writing, the commission structure for this one company is between 5% and 12%. Not bad for having someone click through and buy. Keep in mind, you’ll need visitors to your site in order to find folks who want to click your ad. But this is what affiliate marketing is all about.

Virtual Assistant – This is yet another phrase that 10 years ago, no one had heard of. A virtual assistant is similar to an administrative assistant, the difference being the work is done at home, not in office. Here is just a partial list of what virtual assistants are hired to do:

Word Processing
Data Entry
Article Submission
Proof Reading
Ad Placing
Data Entry
Document Production
Business Card Design
Flyer Design
Letter Writing

These are all services you can offer via your computer and can complete using your computer. Many women I know have gone into virtual assisting as it’s very flexible for those with children.

Writer – More and more folks today are becoming freelance writers. People are writing poetry, short stories, magazine articles and ebooks. I own at least a dozen ebooks. Some were given to me as gifts, some were free and some were purchased. I actually have an ebook I’m working on right now. There are now article sites online that pay you for your articles.

Medical Billing and Bookkeeping – Many women today have bookkeeping and billing services they run right out of their home. Keep in mind that bookkeeping and billing are the lifeline to any business, so business owners will not place this job into the hands of someone without experience. If you have experience in billing or bookkeeping consider purchasing the latest software and marketing your services to small businesses. Check help wanted ads for part time bookkeeper jobs in your local area. Market your services. Offer to come in once a week, while doing the remainder of your work at home.

Sell on ebay- This is one avenue that many sellers have chosen because of the name brand. Ebay is known world wide. You can sell literally anything on ebay. I have purchased crochet patterns which were nothing more than pages ripped out of a magazine. However I wanted the pattern and so I was willing to pay the price. I’ve purchased scrapbook supplies. I’ve purchased multi line phones for work. My daughter has sold products on ebay. She has visited garage sales and then resold those wares. She has purchased items on sale with coupons in stores and then sold those items. There are no limits on the items you can sell on ebay.

These are just 5 ways you can put your computer to work for you and make money at home with the use of your computer. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can do to earn an income.

Article by:

Audrey Okaneko has worked at home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.recipe-barn.com