Ideas for home based jobs, would like to work from home

Does anyone know of any legitimate home based jobs that I could look into?  I do some ebay selling an that is it.   All the stuff I have found want you to send them money first.  I was just thinking of something like data entry or medical transcripts.  I stay home with my kids and my husband has a very good income.  I just would like something to do while they are at school.  Then I can pay off some of our credit cards faster.  Hubby says I have to get a job next year when my daughter is in school all day.  I don't have a problem working, but I know I won't find that dream job that lets me have winter break, summer break, spring break, 2 hour late starts days off.  Along with all the other days they are off.  So I figure working from home is the best idea.

Have you considered teaching?

You get the same breaks your kids get and you're off at the same time... 

Only problem with that is everytime I would help out in my sons classroom I would come home with a headache.  I don't think I am meant to work with more than the two kids I have.

You could do some research for the right product that you could drop ship. This involves you running the Ebay ads and handling all the Paypal transactions...The key to this type of business is that someone else does all the shipping.

Treat this like a real business.....once you find the right mix of products, hire some younger workers...teenagers or just out of high school and have them run all the sales.....you could then have them do research for more drop ship products.

 They are out there...you would just need to find products that have a market and ones that you can make enough profit to make it worthwhile. 

 There are resources out there that help you find these products...leverage that. 

 If you treat ebay like a real business and do as little shipping yourself as possible....it will be worth it. Last, if you spend some time creating the right web template for your ads....something that is nice, clean and professional, people will buy from you instead of your competitors based on this clean professional look. 

 Make sure to do whatever it takes to keep your rating as high as possible.

That is my input for you, take it or leave it. I hope to do this myself one of these days when I slow down...haha

 

Daycare.  Doggy daycare.  Pet grooming.  Massage therapist.  Accupucture. 

a lot of good ideas have been suggested.  but - um - what are you qualified to do?  because you can't just decide you're going to be a teacher or an accupuncturist.  or even a pet groomer.

I'll tell you what I did when my kids started school. . .cleaned houses!  I made 20 bucks an hour and was able to be home with them after school.  Set your own hours!  Plus stay in shape as cleaning burns mega calories.  Clients LOVE what you do for them and even give you things (I received nice furniture, bonuses, nice art etc.  Not glamorous (it drove my father crazy until I told him how much $$ I made).  Do a great job you can be proud of and the money will be there.  Down side is no medical, dental, 401k etc. but depending on where you live. . .you'll have to ask someone else about that as I was fortunate to be on my husband's insurance.

You can take college classes at the same time!  I did end up going back to college eventually and life is grand!  I smile when I look back at those cleaning years though. . .provided so much freedom, $$, and fitness!!  Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

Your question comes up repeatedly on job boards all over cyberspace and the reality is that 99% of the job postings for this type of work are scams.  Almost everyone would like to stay at home and work from there, but companies and managers like seeing people and seeing them work.  As pgeorgian suggested, your best bet is to think about what niche market you're skilled at and work from there.  If you like animals, do a dog walking service.  You don't mind babysitting, offer drop in babysitting service for parents in your neighborhood.  You used to be lawyer before you had kids, do some contract legal work.  The list goes on and on.  There are real transcription services out there that allow work from home, but they usually hire only experienced folks who can type around 75 wpm.

I work from home as a recruiter for an independant company.  I work my own hours and got into it because the owner is my best friend.  I am now spoiled for life though. 

I get client job postings, search online for resumes, locate candidates and act as a coach to candidates, working with them on resumes and prepping them for interviews.  Its not as easy as it seems though finding candidates - clients are particular about who they want so it requires serious matchmaking skills.  Best job Ive ever had.

Thanks for all the ideas.  I will have to look into some of these and see what fits me best.

I work from home, as does my husband.  Yes, two of us, independent contractors, self-employed.  Yes, it takes LOTS of planning.

Hubby is a software engineer who, years ago, decided to pick up a little-known computer language called Tcl (pronounced "tickle") which is designed to do what Java does, only better.  (of course!)  When he decided to to go solo, he wrote a book on the language which became a best seller (as such books go.)  While he waited for clients, he taught a semester at Grinnell College.  So he now has the credentials to both use and teach the language.  He does customer software and corporate training in Tcl.

I am a bookkeeper.  I specialize in newly-created entrepreneurs (very like yourself!) who have started a business, and have enough clients that they can't do the books on their own.  I clean up what they've started, (invariably, clients are NOT bookkeepers or accountants) do their books while offering some common-sense business consulting, and when they get big enough to need someone onsite full time, I help pick and train my replacement.  Average length of time with any one client is around 3 years.

As you can see, the advice to find a niche is sound.  If lots of people do it, then there's a company, or recruiting (head/hunter) firm or a temporary agency who can fill the need more easily than you can, and they are better known.

Consider what is fun for you (as my husband did) or something you don't mind doing that is a skill you can target (as I do) and then form your business around that.  Some innovative careers I've heard of:  personal concierge (do odd jobs like picking up laundry, purchasing tickets to events, shopping, ets.) for someone too busy to do it for themselves; seamstress (if you can sew); house-cleaning as an independent contractor is lucrative (I pay my housekeeper $75/hour).

There are also part-time jobs you can do that are not at-a-desk type things.  My mail carrier (rural route) does her job as a temporary.  If you don't think you'd make it as a teacher (which requires a specialized degree in any case) think about other school-based jobs (the office can usually use the help.)  Your local library may have part-time openings.

If you do decide to become self-employed, I *strongly* urge you to seek the advice of a CPA or tax lawyer.  I have an MBA, and I do not to tax work for my clients.  I save them money getting everything ready for the accountant (who is more expensive than I) but I won't do their taxes.  I am not certified to represent them in tax court, which means I don't want the responsibility that comes with preparing taxes.  If you've never been self-employed, there are some tax surprises awaiting you, and you'll be thankful for the help. 

I hope that's enough to think about.  Hope it's helpful.

Thanks for the info Carol.  Can I be your housekeeper?

Sorry - position already filled. 

Besides, I misspoke.  I pay her $75 per visit, based on the assumption of a 3-hour visit.  If she brings a helper, she can finish faster for the same amount of money, but she has to pay her employee.  So, really, I'm only paying $25/hour.

Can't do math when I'm hungry.