Step 2: Going Online

We turned to the Internet in search of flexible work to do at home. After all, the Net’s an amazing place, where women often feel very comfortable.

But start looking for online work and you are bombarded!

The Internet is jam-packed with get-rich-quick scams, “failsafe” offers, “foolproof” money-makers, seductive “experts”.

The clamour on the Web is deafening. Some of that noise is highly, dangerously persuasive.

It’s easy, very easy, to end up confused and anxious. It’s even easier to lose two very precious things - money and time.

Potential Online Income-Generators

Within the resounding racket on the Web, you’ll come across some common
possibilities, that you might have tried, or thought about trying. We found out the hard way, that while some do have potential, others are total time-wasters and all have drawbacks.

Telecommuting

With a good telecommuting job, you can earn a reasonable salary doing work like data entry, typing, or customer service calls. Doesn’t it sound perfect to be able to work from home, while your kids crawl around next to you?

But…(there’s always a “but,” isn’t there?)…

- Hordes of people are chasing a handful of legitimate telecommuting jobs.

- Wages are typically less than you’d earn at an outside job.

- Work hours are often inflexible.

- If you’re sick, on holiday, or can’t work for any reason, you don’t get paid.

- You still have a boss!


Taking surveys, reading emails or surfing the Web

Perhaps you’ve stumbled across sites offering to pay you to complete surveys for market research, read ads via email or surf the Web.

Beware! Some of these programs do pay money. But the amount is minuscule and the task so time-consuming, all you’ll end up with is pocket change.

If you need a reliable source of income that takes on more of your family’s financial burden, look elsewhere.

As for autosurfing programs, where you get paid to surf to sites in order to enhance their visitor numbers -be doubly careful! These companies ask you for money, then pay you “interest” in return for visiting Websites.

These are pyramid schemes. Invest only money you can afford to lose - and who can afford that?


Auctions

Maybe you’ve tried eBay - we have. Its explosive success has allowed moms across
the globe to stay home and make money.

But… (Aha! You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)…

- Sales are seasonal. You buy product off-season, so you may have girls’
  swimsuits cluttering up your garage for months before you unload them.

- Competition. Unless you find that secret stash, you’re fighting everyone for sales.

- Fees. Both eBay and Paypal take a chunk out of your hard-earned money.

- Finding reliable dropshippers who sell unique items at low prices is tough.

And again, if you’re not working, you don’t get paid.

Those are just a few of the job possibilities you’ll come across on the Internet. Some are scarcely worth considering, and there are disadvantages to them all.

But there is one common-sense approach that you may have never considered. We’ll
tell you about it in a moment.

But first…

Time to Reflect…

Take a moment to think over your own experiences. If you like, write down in a
notebook the jobs you’ve had since you’ve been a mom.

Think about those jobs.

How well did they work, for you and your family?

What was difficult about them?

What is it that you’re looking for?

What is it that would make work more manageable for you?

Start making a list.

Ours begins like this….

- instant time off whenever we need it, when the kids are sick, or in a school play,
  or on holiday…

- extra money for the family budget…

- work that’s creative, fun and fulfilling…

What’s on your list?

Write down all of your thoughts.

You have just started your WAHM wish-list. It’s a powerful blueprint. Read on to find out about a common-sense approach that could help make those wishes come true.


                                                                     Step 3 - Build a Web Business