So..looking for suggestions.. work from home

Hi again, everyone..

So, I've been looking for a second income. Of course, the "work from home" opportunities are usually not so great, and involve pyramid schemes or ..mlms, and I'm looking for something that is actually pretty good, reliable, doesn't require a huge startup investment... (talking less than $100 for sure, and probably considerably less than that is what I'm willing to invest.. since I've been burned)

Does anyone have one of these jobs, can make recommendations.. have any ideas?

I currently have a full time, m-f 9:30 - 5:30 position .. and then add in the hour or better traffic in each direction.. so I need something that doesn't conflict with those hours/times.

Are you looking for a part-time job? It all depends on what you are willing to try. How many extra hours are you looking at for your second income?

The local newspaper had an article on this with women earning extra money from selling Avon, Creative Memories, Pampered chef etc...

Well, if I can do something from home where I can put in hours on my own time schedule, I'm able to work more hours. If I have to take an actual part time job (I just had to quit one that I was doing on Saturday nights that actually paid well) .. it's probably not going to work out. I really need something I can do from home for the most part, and you know, if I occasionally have to go out for some reason, that's fine, as long as it doesn't interfere with my regular work schedule.

Gail, you don't happen to have a link to that, do you? Or if you know what newspaper/date, I can try to look it up.

Originally Posted by GailC

The local newspaper had an article on this with women earning extra money from selling Avon, Creative Memories, Pampered chef etc...

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I agree with gail on the Avon and other ones mentioned. I was also thinking newspaper. Those don't usually require too much of your time and you could earn a lot by hosting a party.

Hmm, well, Avon is pretty much out. Everyone around here sells Avon. And someone already has the market at my sister's firm and my own company established. I'm not sure about the creative memories or the pampered chef. I'll have to take a look at those.

I think you should hold out for a real job, where you're guaranteed a specific payment for a specific amount of work, and where the employer is governed by labor laws. They do exist. Anyone who wants you to "invest" in order to get started is almost certainly a scam artist.

One thing you might do is contact a direct-mail company and see if they ever use off-site stuffers. I wouldn't respond to the usual envelope-stuffing scheme on a sign thumbtacked to a telephone pole, but there are some legitimate mailhouses that need quick-turnaround envelope stuffing services. You'd have to be sure the cats didn't tear up the merchandise, though!

Well, I do have a real job.. it's just that while you'd *think* that $50k a year would be enough money to live on, when you figure that rent here is like $1700 a month (welcome to hell that is the DC metro area)... I need a second one, smaller income, to pay off debt and start saving money...

I'd thought about stuffing envelopes, but I can't find any valid source for it. Every one I find is "pay $30 for this list of valid companies".. I mean, it's impossible, lol. Yeah, and Joyeux has a thing for paper... I have to keep the bathroom locked up so I don't find shredded toilet paper.. she's awful!!!!!!!! My little marbled menace

Oh yes, I know you have a real job, a fulltime job -- I just meant your second job should also be with a legitimate employer.

I know what you mean about the DC area -- we moved there in 1967 after being stationed in Oklahoma for three years, and the jump in the cost of living was a huge shock! I remember my folks talking about it at great length, because there was no on-post housing available at the time, so we had no choice but to deal with the civilian real estate market.

Ah, yes, my Pearl also decorates the bathroom with toilet paper lace. I'm afraid with cats, envelope-stuffing may not be your answer.

Ohh, I'm sure Joyeux would love it if I started stuffing envelopes. She certainly loves it when I buy new toilet paper.

I started selling PartyLite candles because it was zero cost to get started, all I did was hold a candle party with friends that had $350 in sales, and I got my demo kit for nothing. I do parties on my schedule, and it doesn't conflict with my 45 hour a week day job.

My first month I averaged over $20 per hour, and there is no way I could get that kind of money at ANY part time clerk job.

PM me if you would like more info.

If you like to write, and do research, I have a friend now making increasing income writing web content for those who don't have the time. She charges per word, and has an average size article she'll do.

I don't know exactly who got her started and where she gets her customers, but perhaps a google search would turn up some places that hire for this.

I totally feel your pain on this area. What I'd recommend is to keep an eye on Craigslist for quick short-term jobs a lot of companies advertise. Some may cover your area of expertise, whatever that may be.

I've made good money off companies that advertise for some short-term help with projects that require my knowledge of a certain industry. But I'm always seeing ads for help with a mail project, or data entry, or something where the hours are flexible. Sometimes they require you to work at their office, other times they will allow you to take the work home.

Most of them are from law firms and financial related companies, and those will not allow you leave their offices with their data, so keep an open mind for those as they can pay pretty well.

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

If you like to write, and do research, I have a friend now making increasing income writing web content for those who don't have the time. She charges per word, and has an average size article she'll do.

I don't know exactly who got her started and where she gets her customers, but perhaps a google search would turn up some places that hire for this.

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This sounds like my ideal part time job. I have writing experience - proposals for Toshiba, business plans, marketing materials, etc. I also enjoy research, as my hobby is genealogy and that takes hours and hours of research on the internet, at libraries and public records at courthouses.

I've got decent English and grammar skills, but I tend to get off-topic.. as any of you who have read my posts probably know.. I also ramble a bit.. hehe. I could try that, but I was actually looking at editing and proofreading. I do well with proofreading.

I'd probably do well with data entry or such, or mail projects, and I'm already confidential since I'm in the legal field now.. not sure if that could be a conflict, though. I guess as long as it didn't pertain to labor law I'd be fine. They didn't mind me keeping my legal transcription job either, so.. I guess it wouldn't be bad.

As an FYI for those of you who might be looking for additional work if you type fast and accurately.. consider transcription. I gave it up, ultimately, because I was doing it full time and the pay was decent, but I just wasn't cutting it at 75-90 wpm... at least not as much as I wanted to be making. Mostly that had to do with how long I was typing, moreso than how fast I could kick out the pages. I mean, after four hours of straight typing.. it really hurts your hands.. but you know, if you can kick out over 20 pages per hour versus the 10-15 I was getting..that's pretty good money for a short period of time.

There's also Guru.com but I have to say I have *never* had any luck with submitting a bid or proposal to them. They do have quite a few jobs listed, but I don't know if I get underbid or if I simply don't draft the proposals correctly.

Hi a word of warning,these schemes for work from home,pay such amount etc and we will sign you up or the money is just for admin are scams.be really careful!not to mention that they will use po boxes etc.
A friend did it oncc anyway company 1)

Pay £50 mail envelopes from home-ended up being that she would mail same ad to say 100 others and if someone joined to work from home(mailing out envelopes)and paid £50 she would then make £1.Seriously that is an evil exploitative joke
Company2)had her making earrings with beads-she registered paid the money.they said make the earrings and you will be paid per earring.anyway sh got the kit made the bead earrings(she is a creative hand)each earring took 1 hour-was made exactly like design.Sent them away was told were not good enough.and so this went on till she realised it was all a scam
Company 3)had her cutting out greeting cards of animals.She again did a perfect job(paid fee as well)and kept receiving them back in the post saying not good enough.
I think a valid legit co will not charge fees for genuine work.It must be out there have a look,but be wary of these schemes as they are simply making you do the same thing tohook more people into paying £50/$30etc.They are the only ones making money from people sending this stuff.Anyway sorry for lecture-not meant to be.Just saw what happened to freind and how frustrated she became,time,money etc

Hey you ever thought about ebay? If you have stuff you don't need (and EVERYBODY has stuff they don't need), you can always sell it there. You would be amazed what people buy. My husband sold a clock that he found in his mom's house. It didn't work but apparently it was a good buy....we put in on for $10.00 and sold it for $108.00. Now, that is unusual, but honestly you can make money there.

DH is the ebay guru here, but if you want info PM me and I'll have hubby explain the ins and outs.

no way!!thats crazy!have bundles of things but didnt believe you can really find buyers there less it was brand new stuff.must try it out

I've been taken on the "work at home" scheme too. I was going to do medical billing at home and was in touch with this company that I checked out online, over the phone, and they had an address..... You did have to pay for software, which I did, and received....I installed it on my computer, even went out & bought a new printer.... then they say ok, well you need a tax ID # and a business license.... so I go & get the # from our city IRS bldg, and get a license, $200.... $200 for the software... I get the license & call them back with my info so that I can obtain the overflow of medical billing info to be input into the system, and no answer.....then, their website is "no longer existing"..... On top of all that, I told the IRS that I was duped & wouldn't be filing taxes for the "business" I had created, but they apparently never got the paper I sent in, and 4 years later they sent a sheriff to my house saying I had to go to tax court, I owed them $5000, and I'd be arrested if I didn't go! Fortunately I got it taken care of.... but still....what a nightmare!

Here is the newspaper article link....
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbc...704080490/1888