Sticking to a tight budget can be so challenging, especially for families. If you or your partner is a stay-at-home parent, stretching your dollars can be even more difficult without a second income. With that in mind, consider a work-from-home. With a remote position, you can supplement your income without having to sacrifice time with your children. Interested in learning more? Well here are a few ways you can work from home:
Set Up an Ecommerce Shop
If you want a simple and affordable way to earn extra income without having to leave your home, look into starting an ecommerce business. You may be wondering what sort of products you could offer in your online shop, but a dropshipping setup can take the guesswork out of the equation.
With dropshipping, you never have to worry about keeping up with physical inventory or better yet, buying those items upfront. You simply choose which products you would like to carry in your ecommerce store and your dropshipping provider will take care of the rest. Well, you will still need to provide top-notch customer service, but this is less stressful when you don’t have to worry about tracking and storing inventory.
Freelance From a Home Office
Whether you have skills in web design, writing or administrative work, USA Today notes you should be able to find a freelance opportunity that will fit those skills. You can even earn a decent amount of income by assisting businesses with their social media accounts or helping individuals with their pets.
No matter what sort of freelance gig you get into, having a home office is one of the best ways to keep yourself focused and productive. This is also one of the keys to working with kids at home, so make sure you have this workspace set up before you start freelancing.
Setting up your space doesn’t have to cost a bundle, just check for coupons from Staples and other office stores before you pick up any equipment, furniture or supplies for your office. That way you can keep setup expenses to a minimum, just keep your receipts to claim the expenses on your taxes.
Look for a Customer Care Job
If owning an ecommerce shop or freelancing for other businesses doesn’t sound like the right fit for you, you may want to explore remote customer service opportunities. Rather than working in a retail environment or in another public setting, these jobs allow you to work from your home or anywhere that has reliable internet access. Companies like Amazon, Nordstrom and Williams-Sonoma are always looking for reliable talent to fill their remote customer service positions, and it costs nothing to put together your resume and apply for one.
Another benefit of working for an established company rather than starting your own is that you can avoid the complicated task of figuring out your finances and taxes as a self-employed individual. Of course, you could also hire an accounting firm like RPCC to take care of finances for you.
You Can Start a Direct Sales Business
If you are craving something in between owning a business and working for one, think about getting into direct sales. Some of the most popular direct sales businesses include Pampered Chef, Scentsy and Beachbody, and each of these home-based businesses can provide extra income to busy parents without requiring too much effort or expense.
To ensure that your direct sales business is a success, Huffington Post says to choose a product you actually love! Otherwise, you will end up faking your passion for the products you are trying to sell, and that can make customers less eager to buy from you. Also be sure to pay attention to your customers’ wants and needs so they keep coming back for more.
Staying at home with your kids shouldn’t mean giving up a chance for added income—especially when there are so many remote work opportunities that you can mold to fit your financial needs and your busy schedule. Whether it’s working a freelance gig or providing customer service for corporations, you should be able provide a boost for your budget.
Photo Credit: Pexels
Contributed by Dean Burgess, info@excitepreneur.net