A Full Time Income from Home?

That didn't last long. My job working outside of the home came to a quick halt 2 days before Christmas (long story which I won't get into here). I am finding myself job hunting again both outside of the home and inside the home. I am now researching ways that you anyone can make a legit income from home. I'm not talking about $10 here, $5 here opportunities. I'm talking about a regular job that you can do at home every day and earn a paycheck the same as if you were working a 9-5 job outside of the home. I will be posting soon on what I find out during my search. Honestly, freelance writing just wasn't cutting it for me. It was taking up too much of my time for a few dollars here and there. I need something that can BE an regular income, and I know many of you are looking for the same thing. I know they are out there, we just have to find them!

If you know of any legit work at home jobs that you can do from home, whether it be customer service, sales, virtual assistants, anything, please leave a comment so that I can look into it further. Also, feel free to share your experiences with various companies (good or bad) with us! In the mean time, keep coming back to see what we find out!!

The Perks of Working from Home

Thanks to carinsurance.org for sharing this with us!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I've been without internet for awhile here. Was hoping that the problem would be remedied quickly but it looks like it won't be back on until I land a job outside of the home. Obviously, if we have no internet, I can't earn a dime online. I can get online from my phone but can't “work” that way. I tried to post on here about 10 different times using the Blogger App but every time I did, I would get an 'unexpected error' and would have to force the app closed, wasting everything that I had typed via my tiny little phone keyboard.

All of this time away from the internet and this blog got me thinking and I am seriously considering whether I want to keep up this blog or not. This blog is centered around working from home. When I started it, I was working as a texting op making decent money, about as much as what a part time job outside of the home would make without the cost of daycare or gas for the car. The whole texting world kind of went down hill and I was making less money and less money every month.

I decided to make a change and switch to freelance writing. I was writing for Demand Studios and making some nice cash every week; articles were always there waiting to be written and at $15 a pop, I was doing pretty good. Then, out of nowhere, when I would search for articles to write, there would be no good ones left. They would all be articles about fixing a car or something that I had no clue about, and eventually I would log on and there would be no articles at all. I soon found out that Demand made changes to where only certain writers got access to the good articles first. I don't know how they chose who got first access but I wasn't on the list.

I had written articles on other websites such as Suite 101 and hubpages. I earned a little bit from Suite 101 but not nearly as much as I was earning with Demand, not even close.

I graduated college last year with a degree in Medical Assisting. As soon as I graduated, I began the task of job hunting for a 'real' job, outside of the home. I didn't have much luck and I took a break from job hunting due to some personal problems.

In the meantime, I was doing little odd writing jobs here and there via oDesk and elance but they were not steady and not anything that I could count on getting paid for on a regular basis.

I began job hunting again about a month ago, applying everywhere and anywhere that I could think of, even if it wasn't in the medical field. I need a job and need one NOW. I still haven't had any luck. Had an interview yesterday but not expecting a call back because my luck has been THAT bad. I often wonder what an employer thinks when I tell them that I've been a 'freelance writer' for the past 7 years. Do they believe me or are the secretly laughing in their head? Hmmmm

Now that our internet is off, I haven't been able to make any money at all. I've been thinking about blog posts to write and post when I do have access to a computer and it dawned on me: how can I continue a work at home blog when I'm not even working from home any more?

I have a total of 4 other blogs, including my newest one which is for the new business I have recently started B and D Novelties andGifts but THIS one has always been my biggest. I'm wondering, if I make the decision to stop doing this blog, will any of my readers follow me to my other blogs? Would you even be interested in what I have to say?

I'm still throwing some ideas around. In the mean time, go up to the “my other blogs” tab at the top of the page to check out my other blogs and leave me a comment to let me know YOUR opinion!

Be Wise When Looking for Freelance Work

I have stressed many time before that when you are looking for freelance work, you need to set a reasonable price for yourself. Everyone's time is valuable. When you apply via websites such as oDesk or elance, many of the clients are only looking for the cheapest price and unfortunately there are many, many freelancers out there who will gladly work for pennies. I've made it a point to tell some clients that the cheapest is not always the best. 

There have been times that I have been desperate for work but I will not work for mere pennies. I can find better things to do than bust my butt to get work done just to earn a little bit of change. I try to make my fees reasonable for me and the client purchasing the work. 

Many potential clients will try to get free work out of people. I can't stress this enough. If someone asks you to write a "test" article for them based on a keyword or phrase that they have chosen or any kind of "test" run for whatever service you are offering for free, don't do it!! You don't know what they are going to do with the work that you have given to them. They may be using it for profit of their own. Regardless of what they are doing, that is still free work that you spent your time doing. I've had quite a few clients ask me to do test runs for them. Some of them offer to pay me, while others understand that I can't work for free. Then you run across people like this:

Suzanne Glathar to Deanna3 days ago

Hi Deanna,

Thank you for responding to my job application. Please complete the pre-interview questionnaire and return to me.

I would also like for you to write 2 articles, 200 words each. The first article is “what is Copywriting”? And the second is your choice related multi-level marketing lead generation strategies. I am looking for articles that connect with the reader and captivate them in to read more. The articles are designed to build a relationship with my readers, so keep that in mind when you write the mini article. I do not pay for the articles, they are your articles, I will not keep them to use for my own personal gain (unethical).

Once that is completed and all is good, I will set up a time for an interview on Skype.

Best regards, 

Suzanne Glathar

me to Suzanne Glathar 2 days ago:

I'm sorry but my time is very important to me and I don't have time to spare to write articles that I won't get paid for.

Suzanne Glathar to Deanna 2 days ago:

No problem I probably wouldn't like your work anyway.

me to Suzanne Glatharabout an hour ago:

Wow, that was rude. Glad I found out now.

Mind you, this woman contacted ME first asking me to "interview" for this position. There was no reason for her to be rude about it and I'm glad I found out how she was before I did any work for her!

When applying for freelance jobs, make sure that you have a full portfolio for potential clients to look at. I have numerous writing samples in all of my freelance profiles and this woman could plainly see if I was capable of handling her job. I understand that some people may want to see a test run before starting a contract but it should not be expected to be done for free, and YOU should not do it for free!

When I first began bidding on freelance jobs, I did become discouraged because it took awhile for me to get actual work. Once I began getting paid jobs, I received great feedback and began getting invitations to interview for other jobs. Don't give up!

Anyone else ever had problems like this?

Some Great Resources for Freelancers

I've found some great websites that are specifically here to help you find freelancing work whether it be article writing, editing, proofreading, ghost writing, customer service, graphic designing, or virtual assistants. No matter what sort of online work you are looking for, these websites may be able to help you in your quest for work!

Rat Race Rebellion - This website has work at home jobs for almost anyone! Some of their job listings include: accountants, bloggers, mystery shoppers, medical transcriptionists, call centers, courthouse researchers, and more.

Freelance Writing Gigs - This is for the writers out there. Each day, they post listings of various job leads for journalists, bloggers, article writers, and proofreaders. The majority of the job leads are found on Craigslist but are for anyone wanting to work from home.

Fancy Hands - This is a job listing for virtual assistants. Jobs are posted and it may be something as simple as setting up reservations for someone or researching a product online. It's typically some very simple tasks that busy people just don't have time to do.


Remember, even when websites say that the job leads are legit, you should always make sure that you protect yourself. Always get prices and terms in writing and keep copies of your emails just in case you need them to prove that an agreement was made. Trust your instincts and research the company if you have to.  Don't accept any job that you are not comfortable with or that you feel does not pay enough. It is your time and your hard work at stake, make it worth it and make it count!

More Opportunities for Freelance Workers of All Trades

As I said in a previous post, I have been diligently searching for more ways to make money from home especially after the demise of Demand Studios who was my main source of income. This is one reason why it is a good idea to have more than one egg in your basket. With freelance work, you never know when a company may either go under, or change things completely, leaving you out in the cold.

 oDesk offers many projects for freelancers. oDesk is not just for freelance writers, it is for freelancers of all sorts. They have job postings available for all kinds of writers, web designers, virtual assistants, researchers, customer service reps., and more. You read through the job listings and apply for the ones that you are interested in. You also bid on the price that you are willing to work for. When you first sign up, you are limited to 3 application submissions per week. Once you take the oDesk readiness test and pass it, that number goes up to 15 per week. They have other skills tests available such as English tests, office skills tests, helpdesk tests..etc., which will then showcase your skill level on your profile.

Guru.com works in much the same way. You make a profile and bid on jobs. If you win the bid, you will then be paid to do the job that you applied for. Guru also offers skills tests to go on your profile. Guru even offers jobs for interior and fashion design, photography, and videography. So again, these freelancing websites are not limited to just writing projects. You may easily be able to find something that you can do!

eCopywriters. My question is simple, has anyone worked for them? I ask because they request a writing sample when applying, and say that they will review your sample and let you know within 2 weeks (I believe) if you have been approved or not. I applied 3-4 weeks ago and have heard nothing. Even a rejection letter would be better than nothing! Anyone have any information on these guys?

I'm working with some other freelance writing websites and will post about those in the future.  Good luck to anyone looking for freelance work. Feel free to leave a comment letting me know who you are having the best luck with or if you have experience with any of these places!

The Holiday is over and time to vent!

Ok, so I slacked off on the posting every day thing. I just kinda lost the mood for a few days. I'm glad the holiday is over. We had Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. Wow that was a lot of work and I don't know if I will be doing that again! We did have lots of leftovers though.. mmmmm. I love leftover dressing. Very bad, though!

Got some shopping done. How many of you went out to face the psychotic shoppers at midnight or 4 am this year? I have done it for the past 4- 5 years, but not this year. Last year, my husband and I went out at midnight fighting the masses of annoying and rude people. Later that day, I went shopping with my mom at the same stores and they still had most of the same stuff; they just re-stocked everything. We decided to sleep in this year and head out later in the morning. We got almost everything we were looking for except I couldn't find pajamas for either of my boys. All of the bigger sizes were taken, but I did manage to find some in the girls' for my daughter. Got my sons some wrestling shoes for cheap. This will be their first year in Biddy Wrestling and they are so excited! We found everything else that we needed without dealing with rabid shoppers. Last year, I was just so annoyed and was surprised I got out of there without knocking someone out!

I also spent last week doing a lot of research on more freelance websites. I've found quite a few good ones and will be posting more about them soon once I get some time to see exactly how they all work. Here's my vent though: I was hired a couple of months ago for this freelance job. I won't go into too many details about it, but I did a little bit of work for them at first just fine. The official "launch" date for their website was supposed to be October 1. I didn't hear anything from them for awhile and was told that they had to fix some things on their website and that the new launch date would be Nov. 1 and then I would have lots of work! I've still been waiting, waiting, and waiting, with no work. So then guess what?? On Thursday, I get an email with work for me to get done. This company is out of the UK, so I explained to them that it was a holiday and that I was going to be very busy but would get to it ASAP. I got an email back on Friday saying that I had to get it done THAT day or it would be given to someone else. I was gone most of that day, and when I got home I was so tired that I didn't even open my laptop. I got an email from my "boss" yesterday saying he needed an answer ASAP. I'm feeling a little bitter now that I had NO work for a month and a half, even though I was told "any day now".. since the end of last month, then I get an email on Thanksgiving Day and was expected to drop everything to get it done... and now I lost out on that money. Would anyone else be a little salty about that??? or am I wrong??? 

Ok, there's my vent. I do hope everyone else enjoyed their Turkey day and had many things to be thankful for. I know many people posted about what they are thankful for .. but I really wasn't in the mood to do the same thing. Now.. onto Christmas.....

The Best of The Year...

Since the end of the year is approaching, I thought that maybe it would be nice to end it with a sort of “best of” of blog posts. This post will be a trip down memory lane as I go over some of my best posts of the year. I hope you enjoy and that you stick around to see what I have in store for 2011!

For the writers out there, I wrote a post back in April about eHow switching to Demand Studios and hubpages being the new eHow. I’m still writing for them and am enjoying it. They have made it easy to add amazon products and links to your articles. http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/04/goodbye-ehow-hello-hubpages.html

Suite 101. This is a post about writing for Suite 101. So far, I am having some good luck with them and have made payout for the past few months. I’m sure with every article I add, I will also add to my earnings. http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/05/suite101-for-writers.html

This is a post I wrote back in June on various ways to promote your articles, blogs, and websites. Lots of great marketing information here. http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/06/promoting-your-articles-or-blog.html

For those of you who use Twitter, this post has information on ways that you can make money via your twitter account. These are legit ways that won’t just waste your time. http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/10/making-money-with-twitter-is-it.html

This post from back in August gives information on how you can offer various services online to earn money. These are tried and true websites that you can really earn from.  http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/08/offer-your-services-for-few-bux.html

For those of you looking to network with other freelancers, offer your services, or find new clients, this post gives you the lowdown on doing this. http://crazedmama.blogspot.com/2010/08/networking-with-potential.html

Still dreaming of working from home?

It really IS possible! Just ask these ladies...

Earn some money with your professional skills!

Elance.com is a great place for those of you looking to do a bit if freelance work. Businesses post jobs that they need done, it can be anything from web design to running a facebook business page, writing... etc.. You can make your own profile and wait for jobs to come to you or you can "bid" on a job. Most of these are very high paying jobs and I've heard nothing but great things about elance. Go to their website, check out some of the jobs they have listed and if you think you have the skills go ahead and sign up!

This link is to the how it works page so you can go read up and find out exactly what you are getting yourself into. This is a great place for anyone who has some professional skills just waiting to be unleashed and earn some money!!

A few new job opportunities..

Just wanted to pass these possible job opportunities along! I don't know if these places are hiring but it never hurts to get your application in and on the waiting list!

The first one is a Home Based Contact Center (phone work). ACD DIRECT

------------------------------------------

This next one is a bit like ChaCha where you are doing searches for people inquiring about something! It is paid per "response". From what I've read it looks like you will be able to work your way "up" as long as you do a good job! They require 27 hours a month but you can work more than that! KGBKGB

GOOD LUCK!

Wondering About Working from Home??

I will be posting interesting videos from time to time that have to do with working from home! Feel free to comment on them!

I know..I know!!!!

It's been awhile since I posted here! I started a new texting job that is non rota (which means no schedule), so I can log in and out whenever I want to..which I LOVE!...So I have been logging in whenever I get a spare minute trying to make that money! I just really wish I could get into a better paying company. There are companies out there that have a high pay rate and you can make GREAT money each month..but they are also really hard to get into because no one leaves and they usually have a long waiting list. I'm still kicking myself for quitting my first texting job. I got into one of the better paying companies right off the bat, with no experience at all. I worked there for 9 months and got texting burn out (if anyone texts, they know that this can occur). The mod was starting to be picky and was constantly on my back about things all of the sudden and I just said screw it and I quit. I'm still kicking myself for that every day. Now Im working just as hard for not even half of the money..and they don't rehire, so I'm stuck for now, but I'm doing what I gotta do, I guess.

I'm going to try to post here every once in awhile. Every post probably wont be giving different opportunities but maybe posting about what it's like working from home or anything fun I come across online! For instance, I just found a great website for anyone who is interested in working from home. This site is called Home Jobs For Mom and has listings for just about every sort of legit work at home job out there including translation, customer service, transcription, direct selling and more! I feel like I'm writing a paid post for this, but Im really not, lol! Just think it has some great information on it and they also have a freebie section with a nice listing of where you can go to get free samples (I LOVE getting free samples in the mail!). So check it out for more information: Home Jobs for Mom!

How to make it work?

One of the hardest things about working from home if you have children is that you are still trying to look after your children while you are working and it can become a bit hard at times. It's not like an out of home job where someone else is taking care of your children and you have 100% of your time dedicated to your work. At the moment I'm trying to potty train twin 2 year olds and it gets kind of difficult to get my work done when I have to keep cleaning up messes and checking the potty!

I've always been one for routine and schedule. If my routine gets messed up for some reason then I feel like I am "off" for that day. I have a routine each day for meals and cleaning, working out and working. I schedule different household tasks throughout the week and then I usually work in the afternoon. I'm sure things will be much easier once my kids start going to school. My oldest starts headstart in September and I'm sure just having one less child part of the day is going to make a big difference!

Everyone is different and everyone has different routines and things that need done. Sit down and make out a schedule of what will need done each day and how much time you are going to have to dedicate to your work, too. Set up a plan that will work for you and your family. If I don't make a schedule or routine then a lot of things normally get left behind at my house!

Are you ready to work from home?

Before getting into specific work at home opportunities, I'm going to go over a few things to consider before you decide to pursue things further.

There are many different types of people who would like to find a legit way(s) to make money from the comfort of your home. Many of you are like me, a parent who wants to stay home with your children and not give up that quality time while still being able to contribute to the family finances. Some of you may not have a choice as is my case, considering the cost of transportation on top of not having family or friends to babysit your children and having to pay a hefty price out of your pocket for daycare. Working out of the home wouldn't even be profitable in my case as daycare for three toddlers would eat up any sort of paycheck I might make! Some of you might already have an out of home job but would like a way to earn some extra spending money on the side, while others of you might just choose to stay in the comfort of your home and make a decent income for yourself and your family! Whatever your situation may be, there are a few things to consider.

First, you need to make sure that you have some sort of reliable high speed internet access as most internet companies require high speed internet access to accomodate their website and applications. You also need good anti-virus software so that you dont have any unexpected crashes or slow downs.

Secondly, you need to consider your surroundings! If you are looking for some sort of telephone customer service work then you will need to make sure you have a nice quiet office to work in. Most tele-jobs require a quiet atmosphere without any screaming or crying kids in the background making you sound too unprofessional. If you are just looking for computer work online then ofcourse background noise doesn't make much of a difference.

Another thing to think about is your schedule. If you have kids or an out of home job then your time may be limited as to what hours you can work. You need to sit down and make up a sort of schedule mapping out what and how many hours you can work each day throughout the week, even weekends! Some work at home opportunities require a minimum amount of hours worked per week while others you can do on your own free will.

One of the biggest things to think about before going into any work at home job is YOU. Can you motivate yourself to get off of the couch or pull yourself away from housework to work every day? Do you need a boss standing over your shoulder telling you what to do? This is one of the biggest problems people face working from home. Some people just can't motivate themselves to work on their own. They are always thinking of other things that need done or that they would like to do besides working. Working from home is not for these type of people. It can be very comfortable working from home and it takes a lot of self motivation to work when you are at home.

Working from home can be a great opportunity. It can give you a great sense of accomplishment knowing that you are doing something for yourself and your family from your very own home. You can do so many things that you can't do at an out of home job. You can work in your pajama's, you can work with your baby in your lap, you don't have to worry about paying the high price of gasoline or going out in the freezing cold early in the morning. There are so many ups to working from home! I have been doing it for about a year and a half now and it really boosts my self esteem knowing that I am with my children every day but am also contributing to the finances of my family without having to depend on my husband to take care of everything. I love making my own money and money is my biggest motivation! Even on the days when I'm tired or sick or just don't feel like working I see the almighty big red dollar signs running through my head and know that when pay day comes it will all be worth it!