Work From Home Choices

After months of trying so that you don’t waste your time on online survey scams, we finally found a company that pays. Now, I am not saying that they will make you rich or anything like that. However, Greenfield Online has done the best at sending out surveys and compensate you for filling them out.

If we find any other survey sites that actually pay, you will be the first to know.

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We’re going undercover to find out which of those online paid survey companies are legitimate and which ones are time-wasting online scams designed to fill your email box with junk mail.

Over the next few days, we are going to be reporting on which paid survey companies that we tried actually paid out. If you are interested in this type of work at home job, stay tuned. We are experimenting so that you don’t have to.

Our findings will also be published on a Squidoo lense at http://www.squidoo.com/paid_surveys_free_paid_surveys.

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Must see inspiring video - Learn how a kid started a $20 million business in his dorm room on very little cash.

The following round out the examples of businesses you can run from your home that require little or no money up front:

Apartment and Rental House Preparation

Local real estate agencies that host rental properties as well may hire make ready services for their properties. The best thing about this job is the fact that they typically supply all the tools and materials needed to complete the job.

Make ready services complete not technical services such as cleaning, painting, and small handy work (replacing door handles, light bulbs, etc).

Talk with your local apartment complexes and real estate agencies. You may also consider placing an ad in your local newspaper as well.

Restaurant Delivery Service

Restaurant deliverers, take orders by phone for local restaurants, go pick up the food, and then deliver the food the office or home of the person wanting it.

The only thing you will need is the vehicle in which to transport the food.

You may want to consider a detailed flyer stating the businesses you will pick up from, or a website that contains the complete menus of each. Talk with local businesses about possibly referring you to their customers.

By collecting a delivery charge and tip, the owner makes a substantial amount of money.

Valet Parking

Valet parking is simply the act of driving a person vehicle to a designated area to save the walk.

Local businesses may need valet parking at different times. You will want to contact then so they know that your service are available.

Businesses that offer event planning may also have an interest in your services and may call whenever you are needed.

No only will you receive a fee from the business for providing the service, but the majority of people who use valet parking will pay a tip as well.

Just let your local businesses that your services are available.

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Yes, it is possible to work from home in a business with little to no start-up cost. Below are some more examples of businesses that require little or no money up front. (This list of businesses in this series is meant as a spring board for ideas.)

Bookkeeping

Are you good with numbers and organization? If you are, you may want to think about starting a book keeping business. This business is pretty easy to market since every type of person, and business may need someone to update their business books.

The only thing you may need for this type of job is a program(if you are using a computer) and the necessary paperwork. If you have to supply the paperwork, you can charge additionally for this.

You will want to advertise residually at local tax places or office stores. If you want to target businesses you may want to look into local business directories. If nothing else, you can put an ad in your local newspaper and go from there.

Home Organization

If you good are at organization, then you may want to consider starting a business organization business.

You may want to consider supplying the materials needed for organization such as boxes, labels, shelves, etc. If you provide the materials, then you will be able to charge for it. You may also require your clients to buy the materials themselves. Whatever you decide will work.

Home organization is best advertised at home stores and in your local paper.

Language Translation

You will help break through barriers caused by language difference and improved communication. Businesses will call you when they know they will be dealing with clientèle that speak a different language, typically in advance. Every once and awhile, you may be called in an emergency situation. The pay depends on the amount of people you will have to translate for, and if you are notified ahead of time or not.

If English is your second language, or you just have a liking for foreign languages, you services will come in handy for local businesses that deal with multi-cultures.

If you do not know a foreign language, but you are still interested in language translation as a career or business, then translation books and programs number in the thousands, even for the newest user. It just takes a little time and energy to learn a new language.

Contact local business, doctor’s offices, and government agencies and ask if they are in need of translation services.

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Inspiration for a home business can come from anywhere.

Where will you get your inspiration?

As we discussed in the previous sections, the only way to be the boss is to start your own business. Here are some more examples of businesses that require little or no money up front:

Mobile Car-Wash and Detailing

With a little soap, water, and rags, you will be able to start a mobile car washing and detailing shop.

You will simply need the basic cleaning supplies and a good vehicle to transport the supplies in. Supplies include: car safe soap, rags, buckets, a portable vacuum, and dash and tire cleaner. All of this is relatively inexpensive.

Make sure to place a sign on the vehicle you use for the business. Signs can be picked up at your local graphics shop pretty inexpensively. You can also place flyers in various areas.

Once you are a somewhat established you will then want to start marketing your business to car dealers, fleet services, rent-a-car places, corporations which supply vehicles to their workers, etc.

Power Washing

Oily driveways, accidental spills, mud left over from a rainy season, salt buildup. All of these may be reasons for someone to hire a power washer to clean their road, driveway, or home.

Power washing only requires a strong power washer. The client will supply the water hookup.

Advertise this type of business in your local paper on flyers. Flyers can be placed pretty much anywhere, but you may want to target home stores, or auto parts stores.

Tutoring

Are you great at a specific subject? Are you great at explaining even the most complicated algebra equations? You may want to consider starting a tutoring service, and put your skills to work.

Since the student will supply all the books and materials, all you will need is your effort.

The best place to advertise this type of business at local schools and businesses geared towards learning.

Packing and Unpacking Service

Not many people in the world like to pack or unpack before or after a move, even though they lifestyle may require them too. You can offer your services to these types of people.

Some packers supply the materials including boxes, tapes, protective covers, plastic wrap, plastic peanuts, and so on. If you supply the materials needed to pack the customer, then you will be able to charge a much higher rate then packers that do not.

Some packers and un-packers may even offer to load and unload the items from the moving vehicle. Be sure to look into insurance if you decide to go this route.

One of the best places to advertise this type of business it at places that provide do-it-yourself moving supplies and vehicles (such as U-Haul office or Penske) . You may even want to talk with the owners of these shops and work out a deal. Some of your clients will come to you before they decide on where they will be buying their moving materials and vehicles. If you have a referral system worked out with one of these companies they can also recommend you to their clients in they are in need of your type of services.

Do you have what it takes to work from home online? Visit http://www.workfromhomechoices.com to find out.

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Are you thinking about pooling your resources together with family members to start a family business? Watch this (humorous) video first.

Having a great work history and ethic does not guarantee that you will retain your job. There are many culprits to blame, such as changing economic times, technology replacing humans works, and outsourcing work to foreign companies. The only real way that you ca retain your job is not put yourself in the position to be fired. This may seem impossible, but is really quite simple. You have to become your own boss.

Perhaps you are not worried about loosing your job, but you realize that you will never have the chance to advance any further in the company you are working for. Your monetary resources are capped out, and you will not be able to provide any better of a lifestyle for you and your family unless your pay increases. Again, the only way you will be in total control of your finances is to become your own boss.

Here are some more examples of businesses that require little or no money up front:

Personal Chef

Can you cook? Then you may want to consider becoming a personal chef. Many personal chefs are called when the family just simply does not have the time to cook dinner, but does not what to get into the lifestyle of ordering out every night.

Usually, personal chefs arrive before the majority of the family does and begins cooking. Once cooking is complete, then you will set up a table and supply the family with the food.

It is not very often that the personal chef has to clean up after the family once they done, however you may offer these services for an additional fee.

You may also consider preparing the meals at your home, and then delivering the food to the client.

The best place to advertise this type of business would be at your local grocery store or in the local paper.

Court Paper Server

Many lawyers and other legal agencies do not simply have the time to serve papers. This is where you come in. Lawyers and legal agencies will pay to deliver these important documents. The only thing you will need is transportation and the gas required to do so.

You will want to contact the agencies in your local area and discuss it with them.

Resume and Document Writer

You could considering becoming a resume writer, especially if you have a way with words. A resume writer takes the skill, talents, and job references and turn it into a easy to read résumé for potential employers.

Not only can you charge for writing the resume, but you can also charge to many copies of it as well. The paper and ink it takes to print the resume is the only charge you should accrue.

Advertise this type of business at local job agencies, employment offices, or on your local paper.

You will need to be careful when advertising. Make sure that your clients know that your resume will not guarantee them to get a job, but it will just percent them in a more professional manner, which in turn will make them more likely to get a job.

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Here are some more examples of businesses that require little or no money up front:

Babysitting

This one seems obviously, though many people take it for granted and quickly dismiss it as a “teenage job.” Babysitting may be one of the better options, since does not require any money to start.

You can baby-sit in your home or the home of the children in which you are babysitting. The choice is really up to you. If you are thinking of babysitting children from more then one family, then you will be required to baby-sit in your home, otherwise on location babysitting will suit you well.

Some babysitters offer to provide meals, while other require the parent to supply a lunch. It is really up to you.

You will want to provide some type of stimulation for the children you baby-sit. The last thing any responsible parents wants is their babysitter to allow their children to sit in front of the television the whole time they are with you. Try to make whatever you do as active and education as possible.

When you begin advertising your business, you will want to focus on places where parents and children would be. Many schools have community boards that would be able to place flyers. You may also considering placing an ad in the local paper or on a website that allows parents to search for potential babysitters.

Pet Sitting or Walking

Like babysitting, this can be greatly overlooked. People take great pride in their pets, and do not want them to be left alone while they are away.

Some pet sitters only sit when the client is away for long periods of time, or no vacation. Others pet sit on a daily basis while their client is at work. Still others only have to visit the pet once or twice during the day to walk them and let the our to use the bathroom.

It is important to remember that even the nicest pet can become upset and mean in the presence of other animals. Make sure that if you decide to take on more then one families pets that the all the families involved know, and their pets get along.

Advertise this business at your local pet store, vet, or along a dog walking path. You may also want to consider placing an ad in the local paper as well.

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In today’s culture there are quite a few businesses that can be started for little or no money at all. I am not saying that you will be making five grand a month from the very beginning, but I am telling you that no matter the amount of money that you have, you should still be able to start a business.

For the most part, this blog deals with ecommerce, network marketing, and affiliate marketing. However, because not everyone is cut out for these three ways to work from home, we will be doing a six part series about different ways to start your own business with little start-up capital.

So what is the catch? Well the only thing that I would even consider a “catch” would be the fact that you will need the skills necessary to complete whatever task is asked of you during business. This basically means do not start up a dog grooming business if you do not know how to groom dogs. The key is finding something that you were interested in previously to starting the business.

What businesses can be started with little or no money? Below are listed a few of the many examples we will cover. This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide. Think of this series is instead meant to inspire you and get your creative juices flowing.

House and Office Cleaning Business

This business requires little or no money to start, the only thing you will need is the skills to clean (which everyone should have), and the cleaning supplies to do it with. The first job that you have you can use the cleaning supplies that you already have, and then buy more with the money you receive when finishing. In the event that you do not have the cleaning supplies on hand, then you should not have to spend more then about 20 dollars.

Once you have the supplies necessary, advertising a cleaning business is a simple. The majority of house and office cleaners simply place an ad in the local paper detailing the area in which they would like to work, and the majority offer free bids. Potential clients will call, and you will take a trip to their house. You will analyze it and give them a bid.

Laundry Business

This one is great because you can take a skill that you should already have, and then put it to good use to the people that do not have the skill, time, or the energy to do it. Offering a pick up and delivery laundry service just means that you pick one someone’s clothes, wash and dry them, fold them, and then return the clothes to their house. The only thing you will need is the soap to wash the clothes in (and some laundry companies even make the client provide their own laundry detergent due to allergies and personal preferences).

This business especially tailors to bachelor men, so you will want to advertise in places that would attract this type of person attention.

Alteration Service

If you have basic sewing skills, then you may want to consider starting an alteration service. Alteration could mean hemming pants, changing seams, or dying clothes.

The only you may need out of pocket is to buy various colors of thread, needles, and possibly a sewing machine if you are planning on taking on larger jobs.

Since you main focus will be clothing, you will want to advertise at local clothing shops or department stores. You may also want to consider talking with businesses that supply uniforms to employees. The business can then recommend that the employee to you if an alteration in their uniform is needed.

Short Video: The Secret to Small Business Success

Want to know if you have what it takes to work from home online? Visit http://www.workfromhomechoices.com.

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1.  The “few spare hours a week” big fat LIE – Many home based business opportunities pitch being able to succeed in your business in a “few spare hours a week”. First of all, do homeschool moms really have a few spare hours a week? Second and most importantly, there is no way on this planet that you can run a successful business in your nonexistent spare time.

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2. 2. Something has to give- You can’t do everything that you once did and be successful at your business. You may need to pay someone else to clean your house or let the dust collect on your knickknacks while you return calls and practice the alphabet with your youngest.

You may need to give up or reduce the amount of time spent on hobbies or volunteer work. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you can still do it all!

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3. Recognize what your time commitment to your business is teaching your children – Is it teaching them a strong work ethic or that work is more important to you than they are?

You can show a strong work ethic by example without psychologically damaging your kids. However, this is not necessarily easy. As your business grows, so will the demands upon you and your time.

My business partner came up with the best solution to this problem that I have found so far. We have specific times during the day that we spend with our kids and specific times on our business. Between the two of us, there is always one of us available to take calls.

If you are in a MLM or direct sales business, you should be able to work out a similar deal with another member of your organization.

If you are in business by yourself, you may need to turn off your phone during certain hours. This will teach your children that they matter most.

A while back, if you had tried to reach me during school hours, my answering machine would have politely told you my school hours, an alternative person to contact during those hours, and another way to reach me in a “true emergency”.

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4. Learn to delegate – I am first and foremost a control freak. I have learned well the old saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Unlearning this has been important to both my success and my sanity.

Involving others- letting them use their talents and shine will propel your business. It will also allow you to handle other pressing matters that only you can do.

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5. Just because your spouse is able to leave corporate America doesn’t mean that you will suddenly have all the time in the world - The day had finally arrived that I had worked for dreamed about: My husband had quit his job to work our home based business full-time with me. I naively believed that I would suddenly transform into a “normal” homeschool mom.
On the contrary, I was just as busy as ever and wondered how I ever managed without Rob at home. Like I said above, “As your business grows, so will the demands upon you and your time.”

Business cards can do much more than simply pass along your contact information. The following article, links, and video teach you to effectively use business cards to market your business.

Business Card Do’s and Don’ts
By George F Franks III

The business card is one of the most used and least understood tools in business today. Whether CEO of a Fortune 500 Company or founder and part-time CEO of a web-based start-up, the business card is an effective communication and marketing tool. But like any tool, it must be used properly. The do’s and don’ts of business card etiquette, while not the key to wealth and success are helpful to prosper in a business or organization of any size.

The Business Card

If you work for a mid-sized to large company or organization, the style and format of the business card will have been decided for you. If you have your own company or organization, then keep the business card traditional in size and shape. Have them printed with all your key contact information in additional to you company or organization’s name, logo and tag line.

When to Carry Business Cards

Unless you are going swimming or otherwise actively engagement in sports, carry your business cards. Do no limit carrying them to work days, the office or business functions. Some of the best opportunities for business networking are at the least likely events or times.

How to Carry Business Cards

Some people carry business cards loose in their pockets or their purse. The best thing to carry them in is a business card case. These are available in metal and leather. I carry the leather one made by COACH and it has served me well. The metal ones are acceptable also as long as they are no bigger than the business cards.

When to Offer Your Business Card

Some people whip out their business card every time they meet someone at work or at a work related function. The best times to offer your business card are:

- When someone asks for your card.

- When you ask someone for their business card.

- At the END of a meeting with a client or potential client before they leave.

- If someone asks for your contact information (business or otherwise).

- At the end of an air flight if you have talked with the person sitting next to you.

- If you dine next to someone outside of your company at a professional or networking function (business-related), you may tell them that it was enjoyable talking with them and offer them your card as you shake hand and leave.

Business Card “Don’ts”

- Don’t give your business card to people who work with you. If you are that unmemorable you may need a professional coach.

- Don’t give your business card to people at a reception or networking function unless they ask for yours or your contact information.

- Don’t drop them in bowls for raffles as you will only be contacted by someone trying to sell you something.

- Don’t give them to others to hand-out for you.

- Don’t leave them on bulletin boards or in stacks at any place other than your own desk - and only then if you meet face-to-face with customers or clients.

- Don’t hand them out to anyone at a church service (social functions are acceptable) or at funerals.

Old Business Cards

Old business cards make great book marks and also work well for “to do” lists.

Business cards are both a blessing and a curse. Until everyone passes all contact information through technology, we will still have a tool called the business card. Know when and how to use them as an effective business development and communication tool remains essential to success.

George F. Franks, III is the President of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George has over twenty-five years of experience working with companies of all sizes plus associations, non-profit organizations and individual leaders. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and many other professional and non-profit organizations. Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com
George can be contacted at:
gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group also publishes a blog on related topics at:
http://consultingandcoaching.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_F_Franks_III
http://EzineArticles.com/?Business-Card-Dos-and-Donts&id=820192

Helpful Links:

How To Set Up Your Facebook Business Card,

What Does the Back of Your Business Card Say?

Does Your Business Card Stand Out? (EXCELLENT ADVICE!)

Video: Creative Stationery Design and Business Card Design Tips