Besides WAHM.com (work at home moms), what and where are legit work-at-home companies?

I tried over 18 home businesses in the course of 3 years so please forgive the length of this post but you will find it very informative. Learn from my mistakes! Also make sure to read all the way to the bottom because I have included a list of the top 10 work at home scams. I am a mother of two little girls who are actually tugging on my arm as I write this so I will try to be brief. Many people are looking for work from home companies. All the scams definitely create a big problem but also, there is a problem of people misunderstanding the difference between work from home "jobs" and work from home opportunities. There really are not work from home “jobs”. To get that you have to start working for a company in their offices first, then they MAY allow you to take the job home.

Most of the work from home opportunities that are legitimate offers are not an hourly pay type job. They are business opportunities that help you in starting your own business from your home. What you should do first is to decide if you are simply looking for an hourly rate type job or if you are looking for more of an opportunity for additional income such as what you would make in your own business being your own boss from home. Small home businesses have some small costs involved, less than $500 to start is reasonable and I would stay away from those wanting $1000-$5000. It doesn’t cost that much to start and run a home business so you shouldn’t pay it.

If you are coming across places that say free then I would RUN don’t walk the other way! They never are. I tried them many a times and 3 weeks later I had to buy this and 6 weeks later that. After 6 months these “free businesses” had cost me over $800 on average.

After trying 18 things I work about 18-25 hours per week for a National Medical Benefits Company. This is a nationally known and reputable home business which is what you need to make sure you are looking for. I have been with the company almost a year and a half now and I make over $3500 a month! In your first month, depending on how many hours you can work, I have seen people make anywhere from $500 to over $2500. And your income will increase each month because you get paid residual income as well.

The best part is they have 401(k), direct deposit, life insurance and a benefits package most of which you get from day one. In addition, there are no products, no hard selling or pushing, no cold calling, no home parties and no telemarketing! That was VERY important to me. I absolutely love working with them and I can't believe I am making what I am making and in so few hours per week. The neat thing is there are other people on your team that you work with so you are never alone. You have great team support and you get to know the other people on your team pretty well.

I was a bit apprehensive at first because I know a lot of companies are not legit but this company is the number one National Medical Benefits Company in the US. They are a member of the US Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Dental Plans and the owner of the company actually sits on the board of The Consumer Health Alliance to which we are also members. Also they were featured in “The New York Times”, “Wall Street Journal” “Time Magazine” “American Medical Review” and even in the May 2008 issue of “Parents Magazine”. Even “60 Minutes” did a big special on this home based business.

Even more then all this is they are accepted at over 100,000 retailers nationwide. These are fortune 500 companies like Sears, Target, K-mart, Rite Aid, CVS, Wal-mart, Publix and more. These companies would never work with a company that was anything less than reputable.

www.workathomeplus.net

TOP 10 WORK AT HOME SCAMS:

10. Craft Assembly

This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is pay a fee up-front for the starter kit... which includes instructions and parts. Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts, you'll be told by the company that they "don't meet our specifications." No matter what you won’t get paid.

9. Medical Billing

In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start your own medical billing service at home. You're promised state-of-the-art medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your area.

What you're not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills, or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may not meet their specifications, and often the lists of "potential clients" are outdated or just plain wrong.

8. Email/Rebate Processing

This is a twist on the classic "envelope stuffing scam" (see #1 below). For a low price ($50?) you can become a "highly-paid" email processor working "from the comfort of your own home."

Now... what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!

7. "A List of Companies Looking for Home workers!"

In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for home workers just like you. The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies that don't take home workers, or companies that may have accepted home workers long, long ago.

6. "Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information..."

Not much to say here. Don’t Call!

5. Typing At Home / Data Entry

Here's how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for "more information," you receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8, this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!

4. "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!"

Well, this one's at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: "Turn your computer into a money-making machine... for scammers!"

This is much the same scam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you'll be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to "turn their computers into money-making machines."

3. Pyramid Schemes (this is NOT the same as Multi-Level Marketing MLM)

If you've heard of network marketing (like Amway, Mary Kay or Pampered Chef), then you know that there are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services.

The problem arises when there is no legitimate product or service at all and it is all about finding new recruits and not only can you lose all your money, but you can be charged with fraud, too!

2. Chain Letters/Emails ("Make Money Fast")

They promise that all you have to do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on the list, then add your name to the bottom... and one day you'll be a millionaire.

Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud. This is a classic pyramid scheme.

1. Envelope Stuffing

This is THE classic work-at-home scam. It's been around since the U.S. Depression of the 1920s and 1930s, and it's moved onto the Internet like a cockroach you just can't eliminate.

There are several variations, but here's a sample: Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you're guaranteed "up to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff... with postage and address already affixed!"

When you send your money, you get a short manual with flyer templates you're supposed to put up around town, advertising yet another harebrained work-from-home scheme.

SO that’s the top 10.

Please beware of these scams. There are some legit home businesses out there so be careful. Look for companies in business over 10 years. Look for companies with a needed product or service, something you would be proud to represent. Look for companies that have a national reputation and are members of the US Chamber of Commerce.

Also, don't be hung up on the BBB either. Did you know, common misconception here, that the BBB is NOT a government regulated agency? That in fact, they are local independently owned franchises where anyone, who pays the right price, can be a member in “good standing”. This is true!

As for those of you who say…..”I want to work from home but I don’t want to have to pay for anything”. Well, that’s great! But it will never happen. Let’s be honest, there is no such thing as a free lunch. As we talked about above there is a difference between a job and a business. You should NEVER have to pay for a job….but again…chances of finding a home job are about 3%. At any rate, if it is a true honest home business you need to expect to pay….Mr. Walt Disney didn’t start the Disney empire “without paying for anything”. Neither did Mr. Sam Walton, owner of Wal-Mart.

If you want to learn about REAL home businesses visit www.workathomeplus.net. Good luck to you in your search. Also feel free to contact me at any time with your questions! Amyneliot@aol.com.

I should write a book! LOL Good Luck!

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