Doing work from home holds a clear appeal for many people in today's world. Many stay at home parents or others with commitments to family, as well as those in remote locations or who simply want to escape the drudgery of the daily commute and office politics, hope to find legitimate opportunities that allow them to earn money from home. It is important for these individuals to select a job that fits with his skills and interests, his home life, and the legal and zoning requirements where he lives. Some legitimate work from home jobs include child care, writing and editing, transcription, and bookkeeping.
Child care is the most obvious choice for mothers or fathers who want to be able to stay home with their children. The advantages are significant: the parent is at home full time to raise his or her children as well as look after other children that his or her children can also interact with. The parent can also earn a steady income through child care work, and reduce his or her own child care costs in addition to other expenses, such as transportation and office clothing.
The downside to doing child care work from home is that the person must have a big enough home, such as a house with a finished basement, if he or she will be able to take in enough children to make a decent income. State or provincial laws typically set limits on how many children a caregiver can look after, so this may require hiring another person to act as an assistant. Also, most locations have licensing requirements. Furthermore, patience is a necessary quality for dealing with so many children on a day-to-day basis, and not everyone possesses it. Yards must be safe, allergies must be considered, and toys, books, and learning activities must all be provided as well.
Writing and/or editing work is an excellent choice for those with top-notch writing, editing, and grammar skills. Some experience is usually required to find enough work to write and edit on a steady basis. Hourly rates can be high, especially for business writing or copywriting, but there is stiff competition for these types of jobs. Doing writing and editing work from home part-time while still employed elsewhere full-time is a good way of getting some experience before venturing into this kind of work as a main source of income. The work is not always steady, however, so having a few clients before going freelance, along with some money saved to cover basic living expenses for at least a few months, is highly recommended by many experienced writers and copywriters.
Medical transcription is a great choice for a fast typist with training in transcription and medical knowledge. People can check with local hospitals and doctor's offices to see what the demand is in their area for those who want to provide this service from home. The work can be steady and pay well. Opportunities for legitimate remote work do exist, but it is probably better to gain local experience and references first before applying for remote transcription jobs as you would be more likely to be hired.
Many small and medium-sized businesses need outside bookkeeping services. People who have the right education and experience may find that bookkeeping work from home can provide them with a steady income when they have a few regular clients. They should check the demand for this service by calling local businesses to introduce themselves and their service, and they can also place ads in a local newspaper.
