There is always that question to be answered when it comes to making a living from home. The key to deciding whether to find a home based job or start a home based business is to determine your needs and your goals. It is very important to know the difference between the two if you are serious about making a living from your home.

A home based job can be no different from a job outside the home in many ways. There should be some type of application process to determine your qualities and flexibility. There may even be an interview process.  One of the best things about working from home is that you can sometimes save more money in the process. You don’t have to put gas in your car and you don’t have to invest in uniforms or expensive business attire. If your reason for working at home is because you are a parent then that means you are saving hundreds a month that would be going to daycare .

 One of the pros of having a work at home job is that you know that you will get paid after a certain number of hours worked or task completed. Also there are very few upfront costs to start a job at home. One thing to keep in mind is that you NEVER pay for a job. Red flags for scams include application processing fees. However, some jobs may require that you pay for your own equipment or background checks while some reimburse employees for internet or phone service. For instance, most at home call center jobs require you to purchase headsets or software.

 One of the biggest cons of finding a work at home job is that they can be very hard to find, especially ones that fit your needs. For instance, if you have children and the job requires a quiet background you may have problems. Some problems could be having the necessary skills or education to perform on the jobs that are typically done from home like medical transcription or experience in appointment setting. The good thing is there are hundreds of work at home jobs out there to suit your needs, you just have to figure out whether it is worth it.

Home based businesses can be very successful given a person’s motivation, effort, and mindset. One of the biggest issues with home based businesses is the fact that investment is typically required. This is not always a problem if you have someone to depend on to help you start, but sometimes the risk can be scary if money is already tight. Some things to consider in the decision to start a business can range from costs, time, and products. 

1.       How much does it cost up-front?

2.        Are there sales quotas or maintenance fees?

3.       Will you profit after costs?

4.        Do you have time to invest in building your business?

5.        Are the products in demand and reasonably priced?

6.       The bigger questions can be are you motivated and passionate about the business?

7.        Do you have moderate support?

8.       Are you teachable or willing to learn and do what it takes to be successful in a business?