Home with the Kids Blog » work at home job ideas

Tutoring – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:19:41 +0000

Do you love teaching? Do you have the qualifications to teach on a particular subject? Why not be a tutor?

Tutors work at many different education levels. It’s not all K-12; college students need tutors too.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

Qualifications vary on the type of tutoring you want to do. Some may require that you be a credentialed teacher. Others may only want you to have a college degree.

You can work for a tutoring service or seek out your own students.

Job Duties

You may work regularly with particular students or be available at particular times for whichever students come looking for help.

The basic job, of course, is to help the students improve in whatever subject you are tutoring.

Your hours may be very flexible, but you have to be available at times that people are going to want a tutor.

Equipment Needed

If you’re an online tutor, you’ll need your computer and high speed internet access.

Where to Search for Jobs

Education job listings at Home with the Kids
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom
Home Job Stop
Elance
Guru
College campus bulletin boards if you’re going to tutor local college students. Post your information.

Related Scams

Tutoring is of course subject to the usual “pay to show your interest scam,” but there’s another interesting possibility.

You answer an ad for a tutor, and are told that you will be paid by certified check. They want you to cash the check, take out your pay and send the balance on to someone else.

This is related to the mystery shopping scam or payment processing scam where they tell you to take your mystery shopping pay out of the check. It’s fraudulent, and you are suddenly responsible for the money. Worse, you can face criminal charges.

Blogger – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:38:02 +0000

Starting your own blog is a pretty popular online business model right now, but it’s not the only way you can make money as a blogger. You can also do pretty well by blogging for someone else.

Often the pay is not that great, however. Many companies pay by ad revenue shares or by page views. But you can sometimes find hourly or per post pay.

Blogging for someone else’s site means you have less worry about the marketing side of things… although if you’re getting paid by the view or ad revenue you might want to make some time to market your posts.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

Many companies will want to see blog post samples that you have written. You should also have a strong interest in the topic of the blog and know how to find great information to share.

WordPress is the most common blogging software, and being familiar with it can be a big help. Be prepared to learn other systems if necessary.

Job Duties

Writing interesting blog posts is the most obvious part, but that is not all a blogger does. You often have to do a bit of research on your topic. You will probably be expected to respond to comments and encourage your community.

Equipment Needed

Probably just your computer and internet connection.

Where to Search for Jobs

Blogging job listings at Home with the Kids
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom
Home Job Stop
Elance
Guru

Related Scams

There aren’t many specific to blogging work at home job scams out there. However, you should always keep in mind that if it seems too good to be true it probably is. Don’t fall for outrageous promises.

Computer Programmer – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:48:51 +0000

I got thinking about this job due to my oldest sister. You see, she is a work at home computer programmer, and not a freelance one. She has a regular employer.

As with many work at home jobs, this can be done as an employee or purely freelance. You might telecommute part time and be in an office the rest of the time. But as computer programming really doesn’t require a lot of face to face interaction, it’s about perfect for working from home.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

You need to have the skills for the particular type of programming you’re going to do. In many cases, a college degree is necessary.

Job Duties

Programmers will generally have to code, test and debug according to the needs of their employers. You may be modifying existing programs or helping to start an entirely new program.

Even from home, you are often a part of a team of programmers working together on a particular project. You will need to know how to cooperate and plan as necessary with your fellow programmers.

Equipment Needed

Your basic needs will of course be a computer and a high speed internet connection. You may also use programs such as Skype to keep in contact with your employer and coworkers.

Where to Search for Jobs

Not all of these sites focus on jobs you can do from home, but it’s worth searching all around when you want to work from home.

Craigslist
FreelanceAuction.com
Dice.com
GetAFreelancer.com
Hire My Mom
Elance
Guru
LimeExchange.com
Monster
Job.com
oDesk.com
Project4Hire.com
RentACoder.com
ScriptLance.com
SearchWebJobs.com

Product Assembly/Crafting – Weekly Work at Home Job Ideas

Stephanie — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:55:45 +0000

Many people think about product assembly or crafting when they start looking for work at home jobs. It sounds great, getting paid for your artistic skills.

Unfortunately, this is one of the most heavily scam-ridden areas of the entire concept of working at home. The number of legitimate employers in this area is exceptionally low. But people keep on looking because they’re comfortable with their creative skills and may even have real talent.

In general, if you want to use your crafting skills, think about starting a business selling your own products on Etsy. Your odds of making money are probably quite a bit better.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

This will depend somewhat on what you are doing. In general you will need good manual dexterity and an eye for detail.

Job Duties

Assemble products to the standards required by your employer. This may include sewing, gluing or other crafting skills.

This is where the big catch comes in for the classic scams . Working up to the standards is essentially impossible. Since you often pay for your supplies and will only get paid when your work is accepted, it’s easy to lose money and incredibly hard to earn anything worth the time you spent.

Equipment Needed

Depends on what you are assembling. A sewing machine if you do sewing, for example.

Where to Search for Jobs

Good luck! Legitimate jobs are very, very few and far between on this one. But if you must search, don’t call it crafting. Be more specific, or search for “artisan”, “seamstress” and the like. There may still be scams, but you’ve improved your odds.

Try job boards such as Craigslist and Monster, but be aware of the standard signs of a scam. Finding this kind of work takes a great deal of caution and skepticism so that you do not merely fall for one scam or another.

Related Scams

The majority of positions in this field have the potential to be a scam. Don’t pay to show you’re serious. Research any company you are considering contacting, especially before you send any money. A Google search on the company name plus scam should give you a good starting point; if not, start asking at the forum and see what others can come up with for you.

Forum Poster – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:08:43 +0000

A forum poster gets paid to post in forums. It’s a pretty simple job, often with minimal requirements. Unfortunately, that minimal part also goes for the common pay, which may not be great. But if you enjoy the topic it may not be such a bad deal.

Forum posters may be hired by people wanting to grow their forum or by people wanting to market their business. In either case you need to follow the rules of the forum you are posting on. Use whatever signature your client wants you to use for your posts.

Pay is often in the $0.15-0.20 per post range.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

Many forum posting jobs do want you to know a little something about the topic of the forum. They’re prefer to hire a parent to post in a parenting forum, for example, or someone who enjoys photography in a photography forum.

You should have sample posts ready to show for companies you are new to. Over time you can build a good reputation to get more work from particular companies.

Job Duties

Post on the specified forums as detailed in the assignment listing. Job assignments may tell you how often to start a new thread versus responding to one started by someone else. They may tell you how much to spread your posts apart in time.

Your posts should match the style of the forum. If most users use popular chat abbreviations such as LOL or IMHO, you’re probably safe to do likewise. Your spelling and grammar should be excellent.

Equipment Needed

If you’re here, you probably have all you need. Computer and internet connection. A Paypal account is a good idea too.

Where to Search for Jobs

Digital Point Content Creation forum – Just look for forum posting jobs. Other writing jobs also listed here.
Coding Forums Vacant Job Positions forum – Only occasional forum posting jobs, mostly coding positions.
Best Forum Posting
Forum Advantage/Paid Forum Posting – Owned by the same company
Forums First
Forum Post
Inb0x
Kickstart Your Forums
Posting Direct
Webvigor
Wired Flame

Related Scams

One of the challenges with this type of work is that companies can sometimes be slow to pay or suddenly quit paying. This is probably the most common complaint of forum posters. Doing the work you were assigned and not getting paid is a very unpleasant experience.

Keep track of the posts you make for each company you work for. If you start getting excuses for why you aren’t being paid, keep asking for your pay until you get it, and decide if the company is worth working for in the future. Sometimes it will be a yes, sometimes a no, depending on how constant the problems are.

And never, ever pay to show that you’re interested in one of these jobs.

Writer – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Writing is one of the most popular work at home jobs. It’s something many people can do, even if not everyone loves to write. The equipment needs are minimal and the demand is there. Pay, however, is extremely variable, depending on the kind of writing you want to do and what you ask for.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

Writing jobs don’t always have a lot of qualifications listed, but other times you need specific training or the ability to research unfamiliar topics well enough to write clearly about them.

There are a few kinds of writing. Copywriters, for example, write ad copy. If you’re good at this it can be one of the best paid types of writing job. It involves a lot of testing and practice to learn what works best and what works for particular markets. Little changes can do a lot.

Article writing is very popular now that a lot of websites need it for promoting their sites. However it pays far less on average. The more you get paid as an article writer, the better your research on a given topic will be expected to be.

Any paid writer needs to have excellent grammar and spelling skills. Don’t trust to spell check alone, as it is notorious for missing the use of an incorrect but properly spelled word. If you’re too lazy to proofread, working as a writer is probably not for you.

Job Duties

Write whatever it is you’ve been asked to work on. What you write depends on the kinds of work you choose to look for.

Equipment Needed

You probably have everything you need. A computer with Microsoft Word or Office and an internet connection is about it.

Where to Search for Jobs

Writing job listings at Home with the Kids
Blogging job listings at Home with the Kids
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom
Home Job Stop
Elance
Guru

Related Scams

The main scams to look out for are paid job boards that really don’t offer any jobs, as well as any job posting that offers an exceptional amount of pay for the amount of work done.

Poetry contests and similar are also very common scams for writers, as are writing contests.

Recommended Reading

88 Money-Making Writing Jobs
The Definitive Guide to Making Money Online With Your Writing
ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income
6 Figure Freelancer

Mystery Shopping – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:18:39 +0000

Mystery shopping is a work from home job that has been around for a long time. It takes an eye for detail and a willingness to keep a sharp eye out for shops in your area.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

No training as such is required in advance. You will need to learn how to write up the required reports after each shop.

Job Duties

You will follow the instructions provided for each shop. Sometimes you will have to make a purchase within a certain budget, for which you should later be reimbursed. You may be told to go to the shop location within a particular time frame.

You of course do not want to be identified as a mystery shopper. While you will need to create a report on your experience, you should not be taking notes during the shop.

Shops can be done at all kinds of stores, apartment leasing offices and even on cruise ships… although that last is generally reserved for highly experienced mystery shoppers.

Pay can be fairly low for the time involved when you include travel time, especially in the early days. But you can get the better paying shops as you build experience and a reputation with your employer as someone who hands in detailed and accurate reports.

Equipment Needed

Transportation to get to the shops in your area. A computer and the necessary software to send in your reports. Odds are you won’t need to buy anything new for this job.

Where to Search for Jobs

Mystery Shopping Work at Home Jobs at Home with the Kids
Mom! Mom!
Volition

Related Scams

There are two current mystery shopping scams I know of. The more recent one is where a company sends you a check or money order for a few thousand dollars, and instructions on how to do your mystery shop, cashing the check and sending the money to a designated recipient. You get to keep a few hundred.

The check is fraudulent, and you end up paying the charges.

The other scam happens when sites offer lists of companies that are looking for mystery shoppers. All you have to do is buy it.

However, most of the lists are useless. They may not list legitimate opportunities, or may only list stores that might use a mystery shopper. The above resources are probably better ways to find companies to hire you.

Insurance – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:13:06 +0000

The insurance industry may not be the first one to come to mind when you think about a work at home job. It’s not really on everyone’s radar. That may be because it’s often as much work from home as it is work at home, if you get the difference.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

You will generally need experience or a degree to get a job in insurance. There are a variety of job titles, such as auditor or loss control consultant.

Job Duties

In many cases, you will be driving to the policy holder’s site to collect the information you need. You may be able to schedule this for times when your kids are in school if you want to be there when they get home. Then you can finish off the work in your home office.

You may need to tour the client’s site, interview people, take pictures and assess risks and hazards.

Equipment Needed

You will most likely need a laptop computer to take with you to client sites. If you are doing insurance inspections, you may need a measuring tool and digital camera as well.

Where to Search for Jobs

Overland Solutions, Inc. – the one employer I know of offhand.
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom

Related Scams

No specific scams that I know of. Use the usual criteria when considering a work at home job in insurance. You should not have to pay to prove that you are interested. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Accounting/Bookkeeping – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:05:15 +0000

Being an accountant or bookkeeper at home is great for those who already have experience in those fields. It’s not too easy to get into otherwise. Some positions will require that you be a CPA plus a few years’ experience.

April is of course a busy time, as many positions require tax preparation.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

As said above, you’ll probably need to be a CPA. You may also need to be familiar with programs such as Quickbooks, MYOB, Peachtree or other accounting software.

Job Duties

Tax preparation is a big part of the job, but you may also do auditing, payroll and so forth.

Equipment Needed

A computer with an internet connection. Employers may want you to have a high speed connection. You may also need to have your own copy of Quickbooks or other accounting software.

Where to Search for Jobs

Accounting work at home jobs at Home with the Kids
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom
Home Job Stop

Related Scams

There aren’t many work at home scams specific to accounting, but there are some common signs of a scam that can happen in any field. Don’t pay for a job, and if the pay seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

Do your research on any work at home opportunities you come across. Don’t be afraid to ask other people what they think before you apply for a job. Sometimes other people will spot signs that you miss.

Medical Transcription – Weekly Work at Home Job Idea

Stephanie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:58:49 +0000

Can you really make a living at home doing medical transcription? Sure! This was my own first work at home job. I did it for 3 years.

I have a pretty good section here on medical transcription already, so I will just sum up what it’s about.

Qualifications/Training Needed?

Medical transcription isn’t something you can just apply for and get a job, even if you know a little bit about medical terminology. It used to be that you could train yourself at home, but now you really need to get some training from a good quality course.

You can do this through local community colleges, vocational schools or online programs. The advantage to online programs is that best schools have good reputations with the employers, so that you can get a job more easily after graduation.

The top 3 are often considered to be Andrews School of Medical Transcription, M-Tec and CareerStep.

While programs may offer a certificate of completion, this is something different from being a certified medical transcriptionist. It’s not even recommended that you test for a CMT until you have worked as a medical transcriptionist for a few years.

Job Duties

A medical transcriptionist types up the doctor’s dictation as accurately as possible. Most reports have a format you will follow. Sometimes you will be required to transcribe verbatim, making no corrections whatsoever. Other times you may be allowed to make minor grammatical corrections or expand abbreviations.

Equipment Needed

You will need a computer, headset and transcription foot pedal. It’s not impossible to need a transcription machine, but for the most part transcription is done online.

Where to Search for Jobs

Medical Transcription jobs at Home with the Kids
MTJobs.com
Craigslist (beware of many, many scams!)
Hire My Mom
Home Job Stop

Related Scams

The main medical transcription scam I see relates to companies claiming to hire you without experience. All you have to do is buy their software and they will train you. You’ll get paid once the quality of your work is sufficient.

As a rule, the software may or may not be good, and the quality of your work will never be enough to get you paid. They just want your money for the software.