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 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.

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.

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.

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.