10 LEGITIMATE Work at Home Opportunities.....

Initially, the decision to become a stay at home mom was not my own. Fate somehow chose the path that I am  now on. In 2007 I took my passion for photography a step past hobby and started a part time traveling photography studio. At that time I was still working full time in the office of a big wig corporation and hating every moment of being trapped in the stale air of that building. Every day I reluctantly pulled myself off of my fluffy pillows to go to a job that I absolutely hated. Since I didn't know much about business itself, I had no idea how to get more clientele for my photography business so that eventually I could become full time with it and quit my mundane job. In the spring of 2009 the organization I was working for decided to drastically cut my hours and I could no longer work there. Today I look back on it and think about how blessed I was to be pushed full force into working for myself. If I hadn't been forced into it I think that the little nagging voice in my head would have prevented me from going further than part time. You know the voice I'm talking about, don't you? The voice that almost shouts that it is physically impossible to financially support yourself if you don't work hard for someone else? I think you know what I'm talking about.

Because of the fact that I was forced into working full time for myself, I decided to take some business classes online. I attended University of Phoenix and got my AA in Business last spring and I am currently working on my Bachelors of Science in Business Management at Western Governors University. Going back to school is something that I strongly recommend. Not to those people that just want a piece of paper that says they went and graduated, but to those people that want an actual education to help them better themselves. Anyway, after I started my classes I began to put all of my business knowledge into my actual business. AND Lo and Behold......I began to make money. Not a whole lot at first, mind you, but enough to cover my expenses AND write myself a paycheck every week, even if the checks were small.

Then....unfortunately....last year I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when I injured my knee and went in for a bunch of tests. The damage done to my knee was enough to keep me off my feet for a while, and keep me from traveling to locations of my clients choosing. It also prevented me from being quick on my feet, as is needed when shooting wedding photography. So, I reluctantly gave up the photography business and started compiling a list of other things that I can do at home. I've applied quite a few of these. Don't get me wrong; I'm not rich, and unless you are extremely talented in any the following, you probably won't get rich either. The following 10 are work at home opportunities geared toward country people and those living on a Homestead.



1. Specialized Homestead Trade (butchering, animal husbandry, welding, etc.)

If you don't have a specialized trade that you think you can offer people, perhaps now is the time to get one. Check with local butchers in your area to see if they are taking on apprentices, take some animal husbandry classes, take holistic health classes, anything that you feel can be useful to people that you can connect with. When dealing in a trade that you will work from your Homestead, you might want to take into consideration that the trade should represent who you are. Even if you are really good at what you do, if the image isn't right the customer may not buy.

2. Selling organic produce, plants and flowers.

This has been my dream for quite some time now, but in all reality my growing season is just too short to make enough produce to sell. However, I do know another Homesteader that sells her organic produce to a big name restaurant in a town near her. You can have a fruit/veggie stand at your house, attend farmers markets, or sell wholesale to restaurants and grocery stores.

Plants and flowers are also really big. If you have an area to grow large quantities of plants and flowers, you might want to seriously consider doing this. Just down the road from me is a seasonal greenhouse. My neighbors open it up in April and close it down in September. People can walk through and make their purchases, and she even has a section that she rents out starting in February where people can start their own produce early so that it doesn't catch a frost.

3. Teach skill building classes.

If you've been Homesteading for a while, chances are that you have mad skills. Maybe you know how to weave, start a fire using only two dead twigs and a cotton ball, or build a raised bed for your garden. Whatever your skill, chances are someone is looking to learn that skill. In my area soap making, candle making, and canning classes are HOT. I've attended a couple myself, just to get a feel for what people are looking for in a class, and I can tell you that I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them.

4. Making and selling all natural/homemade beauty products.

Going 'green' is big, though I probably didn't need to tell you that. Many women and men have opted out of using chemically induced beauty aids like body wash, lotion, etc. Search the internet for a starter recipe for the beauty aid of your choice and tweak it (I never recommend using the exact instructions off the internet for two reasons....1. That's fraud. Somebody, somewhere, is probably using that exact same recipe to make their own products to sell. 2. Copying a recipe step by step does not allow you the chance to experiment and make it better).

5. Wood working.

Are you handy with a chainsaw, scroll saw or wood burner? If not, move onto the next option. If so, you might consider wood carvings, wooden signs, or even just hauling fire wood.

6. Ebay.

This is one of my favorites. One of the reasons is because I get to partake in one of my favorite pastimes in order to build my Ebay store.....Yard Saling!! There are many different categories of items that you can sell on Ebay. The trick is to find your section and become an expert in that area. If you know baseball cards, search for collectable ones at a good price. If you know antique toys, search for some at garage sales and become an expert in that category. Also, make sure you follow these steps before selling on Ebay.....1. Buy at least ten items, pay immediately, give five star feedback and recieve a yellow star if they give you five star feedback. 2. Sell at least ten items at a ridiculously cheap price and make sure you mail orders IMMEDIATELY to get good ratings 3. Unless you have a customer that is so bad and ruthless that you don't think anybody should ever have to deal with that person again.....give everybody a five star rating. 4. Check competitive prices. If you are selling the same thing as someone else and the other person has the item for two dollars cheaper, your item may not get bought.

7. Artistry (selling paintings, photography, sculptures, or teaching art classes).

Please do the world of Art a favor.....if you aren't talented in any of these categories, including photography, please skip onto the next category. Being a good photographer is more than owning an expensive camera and getting people to say cheese. Being a good photographer is about knowing how to work with natural light, knowing what settings to use on your camera to get your ISO just right, and knowing what your ISO is....However, if you are talented in any artistic fields, seriously consider selling your artwork or services. Thanks to places like Etsy (see below) there aren't that many starving artists any more.

8. Etsy.

Etsy.com.....what a wonderful website to browse. If you have any type of home crafting ability (sewing, jewelry making, sculpting, pottery, artwork, etc.) then let Etsy become your home away from home. It is really easy to set up your own e-store, just be sure to check out the tips and blogs of people that have been selling on Etsy for a long time.

9. Blogging.

If you are hoping to become rich.....blogging is probably not for you. While there are some blogs that have become so popular I'm sure they are making at least a tiny little fortune from  people clicking on the advertisements or from sponsors, it takes a lot of clicks to even start earning money. However, if you are an interesting person, live an interesting life, or at least have some interesting skills, you could probably bring in at least some money from blogging.

10. Tutoring.

This is another one that I have put into play since I homeschool my daughter. I charge $20 an hour, and sometimes meet with each kid two or three times a week. Doesn't make me a fortune, but it does help me pay the bills.

Chances are, none of these are going to make you rich. So if you are looking to become rich by working at home you might want to revert back to the "Become Rich While Working At Home" schemes. While I don't guarantee anything, it is my belief that the longer a person does something the better they get at it. To me, this suggests that the longer you do something, the more practice you get, the more money you are likely to make.

So you think you want to Homestead....some food for thought

When I was a little girl I use to love the Little House on the Prairie reruns. I loved the thought of family sharing actual one on one time in front of the fireplace while pa read from one of his favorite books or all of the kids running wild and free chasing butterflies through the prairie grass. Something about the whole idea seemed romantic. While hardships were shown on the television show, love always seemed to concur all. Almost to the point that the hardships were barely noticeable. I think that watching those old reruns is what started my fascination with living off the land. Ever since then I carried around this image in my head of simply foraging for food, smiling and laughing with my family in front of an oil lamp, and waking up each morning to the sweet smell of fresh dew drops as I thanked God for the peace and tranquility of living in the wonderful wilderness that He created. Even to this day that image still bounces around in my head, but it plays more like a comedy these days. A comedy because now.....I know better.

I think a lot of people carry the misconception that Homesteading is oh-so-nice. Many people would give up their 9-5 jobs and work from home any day. But is that any reason to homestead? Homesteading is extremely hard work, especially if you are limited in your resources, support, and start up finances. Some people aren't shy about hard work, and to those people I say "AWESOME!" However, they aren't the norm. If they were we wouldn't have any of today's modern conveniences. Let's face it, life's luxuries have led to an incredibly lazy group of humans.

So, you think you want to Homestead? Here are a few things that you might want to consider before making the big plunge.....

1. How physically fit are you and your family? Any average Joe can pull weeds, or feed the chickens, or sweep the porch. But what about if you had to pull weeds for four hours straight? If your family needs wood for heat, how many cords of wood can you bring in? Can you use a saw, and if so for how long? Are you physically capable of taking care of your family?

I have to be honest here. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a while ago, and find many of these tasks almost impossible now. If it weren't for the fact that other Homesteaders share my property and the big chores, I may not be able to continue Homesteading.

2. How large is your family and does every member wish to Homestead? Bigger families can have an advantage because there are more people to help with chores. However, they can also have a disadvantage, because there are more mouths to feed. Also, if you are going to be receiving slack from any member of your family, now is the time to confront the issue. If you are counting on your teenagers youth and strength to help with some of the big chores, and they do the task as fast as any average slug, it could hinder your family rather than help them.

I am a single mom. I have two mouths to feed. However, I live on 40 acres with two other families and we have a community garden. I love to garden, so normally I end up with way more produce than my little family can eat and I pass it on to my Homesteading neighbors, who in turn help with the more tedious and heavy duty tasks.

3. What is your financial status? How do you plan to obtain an actual Homestead? And how do you plan on financially supporting that Homestead once it has been established? These are some of the more important questions to ask yourself. If you are planning on purchasing property and a house, you need to figure out how you are going to pay the mortgage, insurance, and taxes. I know a few Homesteading families that have one member still working outside of the home. I think this is the most reasonable approach for families that have huge financial costs due to purchasing the Homestead.

Many Homesteading families get their property from relatives that have passed away. If this is the case, how can you financially maintain the property? I personally work from home. But it took me a long time to get to where I'm at. I blog, I sell almost brand new designer clothes on EBay, and I do photography on the side. I also make all natural/organic salt and sugar body scrubs and sell them at the local farmers market and health food store. There are many different options for working at home, however it is a timely process to get to the point to where working at home is your only income.

4. What skills do you have? Are you an avid gardener, butcher, repair man/woman, mechanic, doctor, herbalist, veterinarian? If not, what skills can you bring to the Homesteading table? And if you don't have many of these types of skills, what types of skills are you interested in learning before developing your Homestead? Also, are you interested in bartering with others who have different skills?

I am an avid gardener, herbalist, and am very knowledgeable in holistic health. I use these skills to keep my family healthy. However, I know next to nothing about butchering. When it comes to butchering my Homesteading neighbor takes care of that, and we trade services as he knows next to nothing about gardening, herbs, or holistic health.

5. What resources do you have available to you? Are you planning on keeping the Internet, or electricity for that matter? How will you find information when you absolutely need it? Library? Phone?

I personally have the Internet, electricity, phone, and use the library quite frequently. Perhaps I'm a new age Homesteader. I think that keeping the Internet helps me have immediate access if I have a question about gardening, such as when a plant needs a specific PH balance in the soil and how to get the soil just right. I also think it is helpful for being able to work from home. Not everybody feels this way though. There are days that I would prefer to not have the Internet, such as the days that I am not as productive as I could have been because Pinterest got away with me.....but that is a topic for another day.....

6. What type of support do you have? If you tell your parents, friends, kids, etc that you are planning on Homesteading, what do you think their reaction is going to be? Don't get me wrong, do what you want. Don't base your decision on what other people think. Do, however, take into consideration that some people see Homesteaders as "extreme." If that is a label that you are willing to live with, then definitely go for your dream. If it isn't, then you might want to rethink Homesteading.

Honestly, I lost a few friends when I decided to Homestead, simply because every conversation with them became them making fun of the way that I chose to live. In the long run, though, I think it was a good thing. Who wants to keep friends like that anyway? I don't know if I would have felt the same way if it were my family acting like that though.

7. How good are you at emergency situations? What if there was a fire? A snow storm? A broken bone? Would you have a plan? When dreaming about your future Homestead, try to put an image in  your mind about one of these emergency situations. How would you handle it? Would you have a plan for just that emergency? Or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants type of person?

This most recent winter, we had a horrendous snow storm that left us without electricity for a few days. Thankfully, I have an emergency tote for just such an emergency. The tote includes extra flashlights, batteries, candles, oil and lamps, games to keep us occupied, matches, lighters, and a small first aid kit so that if something happens in the dark we don't have to scramble in the bathroom to locate the big one. I also always keep water jugs filled and rotate them every few months to keep the water good. Because we have wood heat, there were no problems with the heat.

For those dead set on Homesteading, I commend you and say "Good luck!" Seriously, if I can do it, anybody can do it. Just make sure you're ready for it and have completely thought it out!!

Cheers!!