[Random Refunder]

It hasn't been that long ago that I was browsing this forum and thought I would post a few ideas that some of you may not have thought of. (I know some of these had never occured to me before! haha).

So anyway, I mentioned in a post recently that I work from home and a very sweet member asked me about it. As I started my reply to her, I thought to myself, it's time to get that post started!

These are not for everyone, but maybe a few of them might give you an idea to work with.

I worked for years in Communications and did Web graphics & design. The company I had recently been working for laid off this past Christmas Eve, and so I fell back on the only thing I really knew well and it just happens to be something that I'm easily able to do from home. I still physically go and visit customers to go over their ideas and information about what they want on their website, etc. but pretty much after that, I can email back and forth with them updates to look at and changes, etc. 90% of my work is done from my computer here at home. This is great for me because as a little known fact, I was diagnosed with bi-lateral Meniere's Disease almost 22 years ago and it has caused so much damage to my vestibular system, that in the past year, I've had to deal with a lot of issues regarding balance and vertigo all over again. So if I am in bed all day due to effects of the meds I'm now taking, but wide awake and feeling much better at 2 am, then that's when I do my work.

Some thoughts about working from home:

You don't necessarily have to do work that you have experience in. Is there anything you enjoy doing or have always wanted to learn how to do?

(example: my neighbor quit work a few years ago because his elderly mother's health isn't great and she can't stay home by her self. He didn't want a "sitter" staying with her for 2 reasons: 1 - most of his take home pay would be used to pay for the service, and 2 - he realizes that the day is coming he is going to be grateful for this time he's been able to spend with her. Anyway, he does all of the cooking and one day I mentioned to him that he should experiement with baking since he loves to cook and has the time for it. He told me that he's always wanted to learn how to decorate cakes. Well, it just so happen that (one of my many jobs through the years) I worked as a cake decorator! I had extra icing bags and tips, etc and gave them to him and taught him how to do basic roses, flowers, and writing, etc. Now he is making an average of a couple hundred dollars a week on baking alone. Something that he had WANTED to do, but figured it would be too difficult to learn. Of course he's also branched out and makes other baked goods, cakes, pies, peanut brittle, etc. and has really created a name for himself here in our small county. During the holidays, he has to turn down orders because he gets so many!

That's just an example and if your passion isn't cooking, then you wouldn't want to do this because enjoying what you do is 90% of being successful at it.

Do you sew? Some people can learn tailoring/alterations from online tutorials. There are also tons of websites that offer free patterns for crafts, etc. I have a retired friend and all she does is make crafts and then travel surrounding areas to set up her craft booth at the various arts and craft fair/shows.

Another lady washes, mends & irons clothes for people. I was shocked at the amount of people who would rather pay someone to do this than do it themselves. I found that most of her customers were either people who worked so many hours and didn't have a washer/dryer at home and it was easier to have someone do it for them than to spend their time at the laundromat after work. Others included doctors who preferred to have the creases in their scrubs razor sharp and couldnt' get that sort of quality at the dry cleaners. (It also helps that there is not a dry cleaner for about 20 miles around here).

My own aunt answers phones for a company at her home. She was able to do this without the expense of a second phone line by having the distinctive ring feature set up to sound different when it was a call for the company's number. She does their on call weekend service and gets paid a full week for 3 full days on call. The particular company she does this for is a medical staffing service.

Another idea, if you have a car that gets decent gas mileage, I've known people who make money by running errands for elderly or people who just dont' have the time to do it themselves. (she doesn't drive the people anywhere, this could be a liability especially insurance wise), but she will pick up their list and money and go to the grocery store, dollar store, post office, bank, etc for them. Your clients do not have to be elderly or such, again some people either don't drive, or are too busy to do this themselves. (ex: since we live in such a remote area, a lot of people commute about 100 miles or more round trip each day. By the time they get home from their job, most offices' and business' in our town are closed, so they need someone here in town to pick up their new car tag sticker or a package from the post office, even take their pets in for grooming for them, etc).

I guess living in such a rural, high unemployment rate area, I see a lot of people doing what ever they have to on their own to make ends meet so as I remember more ways I've seen, I will come back and update this post.

oh and I do know someone who "pet sits" too! These blue collar, out of town workers are caring enough to not want their pets left alone all day and this lady is less expensive than a kennel or pet day care in the city where they work. She calls her service the "pet playgroup" haha.

I don't blame her, there's nothing I would love more than to start a rescue home for Jack/Parsons Russell Terriers when I get my new place and have plent of space for them to run and play!

[stacieew]

Who does your aunt work for?

[mlforgues]

What are the companies I contact directly to work from home?