Working From Home

Working at home provides one with a unique sense of independence, but also comes with a massive amount of responsibility. Missed a deadline? You’re to blame. Overextended your business finances? You again. And that boss of yours? Sometimes, she can be a real pain! Navigating the unique dance that is working at home has taught me quite a few things about life.

Starting your own business it can be a huge challenge, often involving long hours and big decisions. As you switch gears to self-employment, you may to check for tips want to re-evaluate your insurance needs to ensure you have the right coverage for your new venture.

Tips

Make a business Plann for your Home Business
This section helps you learn about get rich quick schemes and avoiding home work scams. It also steps you through self evaluations to help you decide if you're really ready to work from home, and what your best skills are.

Setting Up Your Home Office
It's always good to get prepared before you begin your new project. Learn what the basic supplies you need for your office area, and set things up to be ergonomic so you don't injure yourself. Understand the laws and regulations involved, consider whether you want to be a Sole Proprietor or a DBA. Get ideas for health and dental insurance. There are even computer and laptop reviews.

Names, Logos and Words
It's important to protect your valuable assets. Make sure that you take the time to design a logo that will stand out and get you recognition. Then make a concerted effort to trademark, servicemark or register that logo and name you have chosen. It is often quick and inexpensive to do this on a state level. Finally, be sure to copyright any content you create.

Finances and Accounting
Even if you are bored with the thought of accounting, it is critical that you do it properly. If you do it with a computer program and update it each month, it can be really quick and easy. Most banks are online in these modern times, so all you do is hit "download" and then "accept". It makes your taxes very easy, and helps ensure that you focus on your most promising income streams.

Tax Issues
Many people fear taxes, but the IRS has really done a good job of making the tax paperwork for a small business quite simple. Normally, all you do is attach a Schedule C form to your regular 1040 tax filing. Read on for advice on keeping records, handling deductions, contractors, 1099s, and quarterly estimates.

Marketing and Networking
If you want to have sales and customers, you need to make sure your potential customers know about you. It's critical that you spend time every month on marketing and networking, so that your company keeps a steady revenue stream.

Promotional Items
I've tried many promotional items over the years, large and small, to help promote my various businesses. Here are reviews of specific items and companies I have used.


Major Benefits:

Since I opened my freelance business, I haven’t missed a doctor’s appointment, play date, or mealtime with my family. That’s priceless!

Freedom and SimplicityAs I juggle the unique balance of productivity and sleep deprivation that is inevitable as a full time blogger and mother of three kids, two under three, and one six. I’ve learned that the freedom I enjoy comes with a price tag. For now, freelancing means that we’re always on a budget. We’re not starving artists, but we don’t live on easy street, either. It's good that I've chose since singlehood to live a simpler life, and now in turn, to cut corners fiscally to finance it comes natural. We spend time instead of money whenever possible, and our family is stronger for it. Some refer to this movement as voluntary simplicity, but to us, it’s just life.

Independence and SpiritI hope that my kids will learn from me that it is possible to make your unique situation work for you. I was never able to make working outside the home work for my family, so I decided to do something completely different. Whatever your issues, it’s possible to make your lifestyle into one that you’ll enjoy. By choosing to work at home, I invite them into my world and allow them to see the day to day functions of running a business. Sometimes that means my keyboard is sticky, my to do list is decorated with crayons, or that I have to work and sometimes nurse at the same time. But I get to spend these longer time with them, and that makes it all worthwhile.