Some REAL Home Business Ideas

If you were to go into your Google Keyword Tool - or any other keyword tool for that matter, and then search "Work From Home" or "How to Make Money From Home" or any variation of that phrase, you would quickly discover that THOUSANDS of people search these terms EVERY DAY.

You may be asking, "Why? What's wrong with a regular job?"

Well, there's NOTHING wrong with a regular job. If you have a good one, that is.

I don't. When I moved to New Hampshire in the late 1980s, I was exquisitely naive. I figured that my extensive experiences in Antarctica and working with the public in Colorado for years, and my general work ethic - along with my college degree (in English... Ok, not the world's most saleable degree) - would assure me the type of work my dad always hoped for me.

"Kath," he used to say, "Get a job in a company with good benefits and a good retirement plan..."

Uh. Yeah, ok Dad. The question is, "WHERE?"

So, I tried. I really, really did.

I moved up to northern New Hampshire (with a guy I'm no longer with) and pretty much gave up on my adventurous lifestyle that came with working in Antarctica and other cool stuff. This guy had said to me, "I'll keep going back to the Ice while you get a job...We need to get settled in here..."

Had I known then what I know now...

About the only jobs that were available for me were the types that were non-profit, grant-funded. I went through a number of them.

Almost every job would end once the funding ended. And some of those were GREAT jobs that I would have definitely stayed with if there had been funding available to continue them.

But, northern New Hampshire is an interesting place.

After the last job ended - another great position with a nice group of people - John said, "Well, couldn't you use your skills and do something online that is no longer dependent on local funds?"

That's when it all started for me, in 2007. And I love it!

So, that's my personal answer as to why people are always looking for ways to earn money from home. Because sometimes, it feels as though there's no longer any option.

For others, it may be because they are unhappy in their current jobs. For others, it may be because they are spending so much time commuting or on the job that they're missing their kids growing up (Remember that great song "Cat's in the Cradle" by the late Harry Chapin?)

For others, they may be unable physically to get to a job due to a health issue, lack of transportation, or any number of reasons.

Whatever your reason for wanting to work from home, I'm going to be talking about - and adding more - options to do just that.

This lens will be a bit of a work in progress as I uncover more ideas!

If you read a bunch of my other lenses, you'll see a LOT of them discuss career planning. You'll see my lenses on Resume Development, Cover Letter Writing, and Job Interview Techniques.

That's because for a number of years, I worked (also grant funded) in jobs where I helped people move forward - whether they had been on public assistance, incarcerated, were moving from one career to another, were high school students looking for a career path, etc.

I also did Career Coaching in private practice for a few years as well.

SO... ACTION STEP: Begin by making an honest assessment of your interests and passions - if you don't love it, you won't do it!

Ok, on to some ideas...

Freelance writing isn't exactly the same field as it was 10 or 15 years ago.

Back then, we writers would send our query letters to magazines and hope that someone would say "Yes, I'll publish your article" and then send us money.

Frankly, I've been there and done that. And I even got paid a few times.

But, I like today's way better. I know a guy in an internet marketing forum I belong to that is charging about a penny or two per word to help research and write articles for niche marketers.

Don't laugh! If you are good, you love research, and you are fast - you can make some money there!

Here are two websites for you to investigate:
=> FIVERR - At www.Fiverr.com people do things for $5. That's it. I have hired people to do things for me for $5, and I've gotten good value. Now, you have to determine what it is you're willing to do for only $5... But it's a starting point.
=> Elance - You can offer your writing services at www.elance.com which is a well-known network. Here, you want to sign up to be a "contractor." Quite a bit more "formal" than Fiverr. Worth a look.

A lot of people love to cook. Even more people enjoy baking and decorating cakes. I know a few of them myself! I even have an entire website devoted to cake decorating resources and information on how to start a cake business from home since I was inspired by them.

Numerous people have a dream of catering or doing cake decorating. It is DEFINITELY a viable choice for a home business. One of the VERY FIRST THINGS you absolutely MUST do if you are kicking this idea around is check with your state and local health departments to see what the requirements will be.

Every state (and country) is different.

But, let's say you have checked out the legal ramifications of running a catering or cupcake or cake decorating business, and you're able to move forward.

If so, here are some ideas for you to get your creativity flowing:
=> LUNCHTIME DELIVERY Find companies who would allow you to fax your menus every day or so for employees to pre-order lunches for the following day. Prepare and deliver! (I know someone who did this with great success)
=> HOT DOGS Buy a hot-dog cart (once you have the license, that is!). There's this young guy in a town nearby that has a hot dog cart, and he's raking in the money. No, I'm not joking.
=> PERSONAL SHOPPER OR COOK Get a list of referrals from a home-health agency or other similar agency (or your town) to see if there are any home-bound seniors who would like pre-cooked meals delivered.
=> SPECIALTY FOODS Create a niche/specialty - for example, vegan cakes or gluten-free foods and put an advertisement out there for those services. Not many cake decorators are familiar with vegan or gluten-free recipes and techniques. Depending on your population base, you might have more work than you would expect!

This is something I've actually started thinking about myself... I'm really good at helping get websites ranked for targeted keywords.

And I suspect many of you out there who are reading this might also have an understanding of these practices.

If so, perhaps there are some local or regional companies who could use some help with optimizing their websites. Some types of businesses lend themselves more to this option than others.

What a great contract to get! Here are some thoughts on how to look at this:
=> Identify your "target" company - probably want to go for a small to mid-size company (maybe a dozen or so)
=> Check to see who is advertising in local papers, Yellow Pages, or on local radio

=>=>In other words, you want to target a company that has already gotten some experience with 3rd party marketing (i.e. "advertising") so that when you approach them, the idea isn't a foreign one.

So, you could put together a short "brochure" or package that would outline what you are willing to do - for example:
- Research and optimize company website and Facebook page with x-number of keywords closely related to the business
- Create up to x-number of backlinks
- Set up social media accounts (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc) and train office staff in posting (unless you want to contract yourself to do this for an ongoing monthly fee)

There was one guy on the forum I belong to at Bring the Fresh (which I highly recommend) who made quite a lot of money helping a local company get ranked for his business - the type of business that typically would only rank for its own name.

You can check out Bring the Fresh HERE. It's one of the absolutely least expensive internet marketing programs I've ever seen - and they don't continually try to sell you the next "best piece of sliced bread." Bravo.

Important Note: My understanding is that the best types of businesses to target include professional services, such as Chiropractors, Doctors, Accountants, Financial Advisors, Therapists, and Car Dealerships.

Equally Important Note: I've also been warned AGAINST targeting Bars, Restaurants, Nightclubs, Non-Profits (just take my word for it on this one!), Museums, Retail Stores, Veterinarians, or "Mom & Pop" Businesses (think, "local convenience store").

Why is that? From what I've learned, the first group - the Chiropractors, Doctors, etc - may be in more of a position to invest in an online campaign where reaching a broader base of clients would be helpful.

Conversely, the second group - nonprofits, mom & pops, etc - may not 1) have the funds to launch an internet campaign and/or 2) may not really NEED to reach out to get more customers.

Think about it: When's the last time you went online to search for a place to grab a cup of coffee in your town?

Just a thought... Again, the folks inside the Bring the Fresh forum are amazing and they have more ideas than I have time to read them all....

I really love pets. I dearly miss my beloved Kitty, a sassy but adorable white cat that we had for 10 happy years before she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge...

I had started a Recipes for Dog Treats and Cookies website a while back since I was inspired by "Nellie," my brother-in-law's and his wife's dog.

While I was doing some research for the site, I came across some GREAT ideas - including this one...

Why not start a PET TREAT business?

Look, I'm not saying you're going to become a millionaire, but what a wonderful concept for someone who loves pets, and even more importantly knows the crazy-for-their-pets market that's out there.

I mean, think about it. Have you ever gone somewhere and seen people carry their pets around in specialized pet carriers? Or how about pet sweaters? Ever seen people walk their dogs in little jackets? Or pet Halloween costumes?

Have you ever seen a "pet boutique?" Even up in northern NH where I live in the summer, there's a specialty pet bakery/store place.

In other words, people go nuts about their pets. So, why not consider joining the group? The eBook, "Bake a Dog a Bone" offers some guidelines to get started.

Other "Pet Lover" business ideas could include:
=> PET WALKING or SITTING - If you are trustworthy, you can offer your services to locals who are leaving on vacation but who don't want to kennel their pets. I know I used to have someone come stay with Kitty when we were away...
=> PET CLOTHES - Did you read that bit above where I asked if you've ever seen people dress their pets? If you enjoy sewing, this might be a fun one!
=> PET WEBSITE - You saw my little website on Recipes for Dog Treats and Cookies? If you have some special niche ideas, or want to learn how to pursue this idea further, just join Bring the Fresh - which is where I originally got my niche website training - and take it from there.
=> PET "B&B" - I know a woman in the Lakes Region of NH who has a "doggie day care" type of boarding place. You could take it from the "lite" version (day care only) to the full-blown kennel. Obviously, in order to have a kennel, there's going to be a considerable investment as well as regulations. There may also be numerous regs for a doggie day-care as well, and you'll have to check with your local laws and people in-the-know.

No matter what you do - always check with the law in your area to make sure you're doing it by the books. You may need insurance, licensing, or a multitude of other requirements. But, hopefully this will get the ball rolling!

Now, I'm not saying you oughta start a "Bridesmaids for Hire" business, but you must admit that it's clever! Now this gal has not only decided to think outside the box, but it looks like she has gotten rid of the box entirely.

Also, this story clipping says that Xu Lisha is basing her "Bridesmaids for Hire" in China. I don't know if it would fly here in the US. But you never can tell these days...

So, we can think "special events" and what goes into each event. Is there a niche for you there? You could become a justice of the peace and perform marriages. A woman I know is not just a justice of the peace, she is a "Life Celebrant" who can perform weddings, commitment ceremonies, celebrations for all types of "life events..."

We talked earlier about Cake Decorating, and some people are specializing JUST in "Wedding Cupcakes." Talk about easy portion control! :)

Take a look over at the website "www.Fiverr.com" to see what people are willing to do for $5!

Anyway, just thought I'd toss this one in! :)

Look, I have nothing against people pitching and selling their programs. I do it myself.

But, I DO have a problem with people selling my name and phone number to every "make money" group out there.

And WHERE do these folks get a name and number to begin with? A good part of the time, if someone has responded to a "Make Money From Home" ad or called into one of these places, all that's happening is that the group is selling your name and number to marketers.

Now, I have NOT given my name or number to any of these places in years, but I STILL get calls. Seriously. I get about 5 calls per week now (used to be more, but it looks like the original list is starting to wither away...thankfully).

Here's the major problem with these calls that you're getting. They are typically recruiting calls. They aren't calling you to offer you a paid job. They are calling you to get your money.

And sometimes they can get a LOT of money from you if you aren't careful.

So, my personal advice is the advice I myself follow: When I hear the caller say, "I understand you are interested in making some money from home, is this true?" I answer. "No." Period. I then say, "You have been given a bad list, and I am asking you to remove my number from your call list."

End of discussion.

There is nothing wrong with a lot of programs out there. But, I am begging you to beware of the telephone solicitation. Some of these are scams - no... let me rephrase that - Quite a few of these are scams!

How do I know, and how can I be so confident in telling you this? Because I have been scammed. I lost $11,000 in one deal a few years ago, and I must tell you that it hurt. I should have known better.

I did wind up filing a major report to the Arizona Attorney General's Office against them, as well as a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, and Better Business Bureau - just to cover all the bases.

If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Period.

PS: My happy ending to that story: Fortunately, I had originally charged that $11,000 purchase, and once the company did not honor it's 120% Money Back Guarantee, and after I reported them to the Arizona Attorney General's office, my credit card reversed the charges. So, I only lost 2 things: 1) some interest on the credit card, and 2) some of my pride (ouch!).

But consider yourself forewarned. DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE and LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED when thinking about joining any program.