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.