I cannot imagine being anywhere else but at home every day. I know there are women who have careers, and who enjoy them. I know some have to work outside the home because they have to. I have always felt sorry for those women, for the ones who so desire to stay home, but cannot due to finances. What if you had a way to work from home, would you? Would you give up your career or job in order to stay home? So many would, and some will say they would never stay home. This article is for those who yearn to stay home and make it work.
For many moms, it is not that they do not have the desire, but rather they have no clue what to do or how to start it. Running a home business is certainly a lifestyle, and a different dynamic from a home where mom works outside the house. There is a lot of sacrifice involved with making it.
The first thing you need to do is consider the lifestyle and whether you are willing to live it or not. Unless you have a huge savings account and a lot of time to make a home business work, you have to be willing to make some changes.
In order to be at home you need to sit down and work out a family budget. Inevitably, there are things you can do without or corners you can cut if you think about it. So many times the second income is necessary to keep up the current status quo, which normally involves many unnecessary luxuries. When you write it down you can clearly see what is necessary and what can go. Trim out the un-necessaries, to make room for the ability to stay home.
The next thing you need to think of what it is you want to do. Keep in mind that starting a home business is not an overnight success, so you need to be patient while you grow the business, from the planning to the fruition of your first bit of income. Once you nail down what you will do, you can start planning how you will bring about starting it.
Need Ideas For a Home Business?
• a hobby turned into a business (like sewing, knitting, painting, woodworking, etc.)
• a virtual assistant
• blogging (selling ad space, affiliates)
• writing eBooks
• teach a course (if you know how to do something, write a course or do training videos)
• or learn a new skill like graphic or website design and offer a service
Prepare the home for a home business. In a nutshell, specify a place to be the “office.” Schedule your time, so you give the home business a proper amount of work hours each day. Make sure the kids and spouse are on board and will respect the office space and the work hours. Of course, the beauty of working from home is to be there for the family, so if there are small children or a baby, schedule the business around their needs as well. This is a balancing act; you will have to find ways to give your time and effort to all involved.
The final step is to grow the business, whatever you chose to do. You may need to supplement your income with a part time job while the business grows, or do without more in order to manage the finances until the income starts to trickle in. Learn all you can about the business you have chosen. Learn how to manage your finances, so you can afford this step. Learn how to balance this, so it will work smooth for you. Having a home business and working from home is a lifestyle, one that once you learn how to work it, is very rewarding.
Lori is a work at home mom of six children. She is the author of novels and the Mom’s Lifestyle Guides. For more information on Working from Home, see
Mom’s Lifestyle Guide to Working From Home. Her sites: Mom’s Lifestyle Guide and LA Ramsey.
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Thanks for this encouraging post. My husband is currently unemployed and it has given me the push to do what I’ve always wanted… write a book! I don’t know what will come of it, but I am thankful for the chance to share the things God has taught me.
Good luck Teresa! I will say, if I can do it you can do it too!
we have been praying about this very topic. i’ve been into photography for years now and never really felt the nudge from the Holy Spirit to jump on board with two feet. But this all began to chance during these past few months i know it in my spirit that GOd is saying “jump.” And it’s just in time as God is shifting our finances! He is never late but ALWAYS on time! just received a call from a local school offering me once again a job in teaching a photography class at a Christian school. God is good!
Love the post Denise. You have a way with words
I’ve done both…worked from home and outside home. It’s far more challenging to work from home. But, I love it!