I've been in the work at home industry for over a decade. When you've been around that long, you start noticing patterns. One that I discovered is that there are basically 3 types of work at home seekers. Knowing what type you are, will help you succeed at working at home or not. So pay attention to this article or you may end up running around this site or web confused or desperate. That's a perfect recipe for getting scammed or failure.
I created this page to help you avoid this. After you read it, it will help you self identify the proper work at home path. I don't know you from a hole in a wall but I'm pretty sure you know yourself, needs and skills better than I can guess them. So with that said, I've listed the 3 most common work at home paths and the resources that will help you make money at home.
All you have to do is pick the type of work at home seeker you are and we've done all the hard work of finding the type of opportunities that fit your needs. If you have the patience to read and take action, you'll be closer to making money at home.
Ok, let's get into it!
The 3 Bears of Work At Home…
1. Replacement Income Seekers
These folks might be in a job they dislike or would just prefer to spend more time with their families. But can't really afford to not work because they have major bills that need to be paid. So in order for them to work at home full-time, the opportunity has to cover these expenses. Folks who were recently laid off, single parents, the elderly or widows also seem to desire replacement income as well. Unfortunately people in this group will take some time before they achieve their work at home goals. Like any job market your success has to do with job availability, skill sets and a willingness to learn or adapt to what is actually paying the most. Some replacement income seekers adapt very quickly. They notice a trend of what jobs are more available online and focus more of their efforts on those jobs. Then there are some people that chose to ignore the patterns because of stubbornness or cannot make the adjustment for other valid reasons. So they end up having to wait for the perfect opportunity that matches their skill set. Unfortunately these jobs may not actually be available.
I've also noticed that some of these job seekers are pressed for time and want to replace their large salaries very quickly. Usually this leads said job seeker into frustration or desperation. As a result some of these folks become an ideal victim for work at home scam artist who promise hundreds or thousands of dollars in short periods of time working at home.
I know this all sounds very discouraging. But my goal is to actually steer you away from these types of mistakes. As long as you can be patient and adapt to what's actually available, you will eventually find success. But just be prepared because it can take a bit of time if you don't have the skills for the work at home jobs that are in demand.
So if you're in a situation where you need replacement income, then you can find it by clicking here.
2. Supplemental Income Seekers
I tend to like these people because we share the same mindset. Although my goal was always to replace my job income. My thinking about how to get there aligned more with the folks we're discussing in this section. Supplemental income folks are pretty simple. They just want to earn some extra spending money. As such they're a lot more open to various little paying opportunities that folks who need a replacement income will ignore or turn away in disgust. Supplemental income people are a lot more flexible with their money making opportunities because usually these folks either have a full time or part time job. These jobs may cover a major portion of their immediate bills. Or they have a spouse that covers many of the bills. So when you consider this, it's no wonder these folks will happily take on opportunities that may pay them a few cents or dollars. They don't really need this money to live. But many of these folks have quickly learned that coupling all these little extra money opportunities can add up to some decent money that may lead to replacement income with some patience. They appreciate and live by the multiple streams income mantra. But it's easy to be patient when your bills don't depend on this income. So the folks in this category have a wider range of opportunities available to them because they don't need to depend on this money! These folks tend to find success a lot faster because there are so many more of these opportunities available.
So if you're the type that believes a penny saved is a penny earned, or that making some money is always better than making none, then click here to learn how to make extra money online.
3. Home Business Seekers
Obviously I have a soft spot for these guys and gals because I am one of them. But interestingly enough these folks actually compromise of the other types of seekers we discussed above. They are basically a hybrid of them. Home business seekers can either want to replace job income or bring in a bit of extra money. But the biggest difference between this group of folks from the others is they want to be the boss! They don't like the idea of anyone telling them what they can do, how much money they make or when they come into work. These folks tend look at jobs as a dead end or prison. At all cost they want out. I chose those words very carefully. Home business seekers know there is a COST involved in the financial freedom they long for. They understand that an investment in time, energy and money will be needed to succeed. Furthermore they tend to be more of a risk taker than the other work at home seekers. To be a home business owner there are only two options. You either succeed or fail. On the road to success you face a lot of the failures but most home business owners understand this risk. They fear it as much as the other work at home seekers but they push through this fear. Despite this, many potential home business owners will still fail. Unfortunately they usually give up just when they are right on the cusp of a breakthrough.
So if you look at your boss sideways and think to yourself, I'm smarter than this idiot than you're probably a boss in the making. So click here to make it happen!
Mix & Match
Although I've highlighted 3 types of work at home seekers, it doesn't mean it's a definitive list. Some people are a combination of these 3 personas. In fact I totally encourage you to mix and match the options. The fact of the matter is it usually takes some time to land a work at home job or build a successful online business. So in my humble opinion it's a good idea to make some money with the supplemental income opportunities than none at all as you wait for your other options to succeed. So keep that in mind. Don't limit your options. You may be surprised what you find if you venture into some of the other paths that initially turn you off.
Your thoughts….
So what do you guys think? Am I off base about the 3 types of work at home seekers? Would there be another group you would add or ones you would get rid of?
Let me know what you guys think about all this! I really hope it helps. I feel so much better about sending people to my blog. I think now everyone can easily find what they want. Hopefully you feel the same way! If so feel free to share this page using the links below.
If you like what you've read be sure to become a subscriber here. Don't worry it's free and I don't bite or spam you. I look forward to reading your comments below!
Hi thanks for getting the opportunity to the game.i pray for the best.
Hi, what kinda companies can I work with. Can u show me so I can register and start working
Visit our work at home jobs page.
Okay so its 2018. Are you still active? no ones commented since 2015. I am very impressed and encouraged by the information that you provide. And would like to give it a go.
Uh.. this is one post. I write new reviews every week:
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/category/work-at-home-reviews/
You might want to look around the site.
Hello Eddy,
I am brand new to your site. I am encouraged by what I see. I am a supplemental income seeker. I noticed the last post was in August of 2014. Are you still out there? Is the information on this site current?
Thank you.
Hey PTerry,
Welcome to the site. We post new content every week. Our latest blog posts are always right on our homepage:
http://www.workathomenoscams.com If you sign up to our list you’ll get these new articles every week.
You may also want to check out my courses here. I hope this helps.
Can I operate it from Singapore? Can money transfer be done to any bank in Singapore?
That all depends on the company you work with. You would have to ask them that when you select a company.
For your “Replace my Income” section, I’d like to comment here to give some feedback on Freelancing. First of all, just steer clear of Freelancer.com. I’ve only had 1 decent job from it, but most of the time you’ll end up wasting your time reporting duplicate posts and fakes. If you’re that adamant about freelancing, especially in art, just use Fiverr. But you need to network out the wazoo. Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook yourself until people give you hate mail for being everywhere.
Leapforce is one that I’ve heard soooo many bad things about. I’ve only read about people complaining about being used and tossed away like cheap trash. Once you’ve served your purpose, you’re axed.
I don’t really suggest oDesk because lots of reviews were negative. It was more about how people hated the way oDesk operates. I don’t remember the blog itself, but one woman talked about how she just couldn’t handle them. Personally I’ve found a lot of these freelancing sites more trouble than beneficial.
One site that is pretty great for artists is CreateMyTattoo.com. Artists can add work to their own portfolio as well as upload ready-for-print lineart & example pieces. There’s also a place where artists submit work for contest/commissions. I only suggest that for artists who feel comfortable enough creating art in a short time frame.
Supplemental Income:
For microtasking, I like to work through Mechanical Turk using CrowdSource. They pay within 2 days (I believe) and you can get your earnings transferred faster. CrowdSource has their own workstation. I was invited to it, but you can now sign in through Mturk, Paypal, and oDesk.
For rewards, I am currently preferring QuickRewards, GiftHulk, and Swagbucks, in that order. While people seem to rave over Swagbucks, I’ve found they payout so little compared to the previous 2 sites I mentioned. Quick Rewards lets you cashout at $1, and they payout by the next day via Paypal.
Update: I no longer suggest any site beyond Quick Rewards. After going back to Gift Hulk and trying them out, I was wrongfully put on “fraud alert” and haven’t heard from the Support in almost a month. Seems like they’ve gotten stingy. I’d recently thanked QR for being awesome, and liked my idea of them putting out a phone app. Other QR users have told me that they’ve payed out literally just hours after making a request for payout. They have an offer wall just like Swagbucks and other sites, so you can camp out on the QR page often.
Cassie, send me your quick rewards link. It sounds very much like Instagc, fusion cash and some of the other legitimate sites like this. I stopped using Gift Hulk like hours after browsing their website. I just didn’t find it user friendly and found it difficult to earn. So we share a similar experience there. Thanks for the update.
Leapforce (or Raterlabs now) is really not a bad gig. I did it for almost ten years and was super happy with the convenience and pay. The quality requirements are pretty strict, but they have gotten a lot better about providing feedback on how to improve. If you have the time and are highly detail-oriented, I would recommend this company.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hey Eddy, I want to thank you for having this site up!! I has got me to thinking and realizing that even though you have one thing going it takes multiple things to be able to support a family. Yes you can have a website that makes money but sometimes it’s not always going to produce. You need to be able to depend on other forms of income if you want to work at home and be independent. Thank you for coming back this year and I wish all the best of luck in the coming years!! By the end of this year…I will be up and running without having a secular job!! Thank you again!!
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you appreciate the information and work put into this site to help folks like yourself.
Yes a multiple streams of income approach definitely helps you grow financially and protect you during any down times. So I’m glad you see the thought process behind this philosophy.
And I have no doubt you’ll achieve your goals. If not this year, then next. Either way, don’t give up until you achieve your goal because it is possible!
Hey Eddy, do you know of any free to start online jobs that I can start just until I can do better? Im in a tight bind.
Hi, Visit the first type listed above: https://www.workathomenoscams.com/i-need-to-replace-my-income it’s providing you exactly what you want.
Thanks.
Hey Eddy, I’m a college student about to start my internship (unpaid) and am looking for income at home because it will be the most convenient. What’s the best, trust worthy simply and free for me to do?
Hi Christina, There isn’t such a thing as the best work at home opportunity. Some opportunities are better suited for certain people depending on their situaton. But I’ve listed some popular companies that people may consider the “best” here:https://www.workathomenoscams.com/i-need-to-replace-my-income/
Hope it helps.
Eddy
Hello Eddy,
Do you have any work at home online programs and advise for people living in India and working in India?
Visit: http://www.workathomenoscams.com/international
Hello Eddy!
My name is Debra, I have been reading your site for a while now and it is exciting to see that you are paying it forward for so many people. You are to be commended for all of your hard efforts! God will continue to bless you for this! I want to thank you for your fabulous site. I am a beginner and I mean beginner ,… I have been wanting to try my hand at this for a while thinking that I could not do it. I do not even have a website so I need to ask you a question because i fall between 2 and 3 of your profile list. I want to give it a try but I need step by step help and hope you can help me with this. I see you are very busy helping a lot of people and just want to know if I could be in the list also Could I please get some advise on how to set up a website? Thank you sooooo much for your time.
Sincerly Debra
Hello Eddy, Do you suggest having previous experience as an affiliate marketer before trying this online?
No you don’t need experience. That’s why I recommend Wealthy Affiliate so you can learn the skills as I did.
Hello Eddy, I have found your site again for the second time! I am very impressed with what you have accomplished since 2000. Are you still employed outside the home?
Yes, I still make money from home.
I’m definitely the second type. Just another fourteen year old who can’t get a job yet. I estimate I’ve made about one hundred and fifty dollars off various sites since Fall 2012.
Eddy,
I found your site recently, and was very happy to find it. I love the redesign, it makes everything so much easier to navigate. Like to ask you what you are currently doing in this “work at home” environment. What would you suggest I start with? My husband has been out of work for quite some time. I have time in the evenings to work on work at home opportunities. Have read through your site and just curious where to begin. I am happy to start small, get a feel for the process of it all, and then work up to bigger opportunities. Would really appreciate your insight. Again, thanks for the great site! Thanks for all the hard work you obviously put in!
Hi Renee, Glad to hear you love the new redesign.
As you probably know I’m a blogger and affiliate marketer so that’s what I’m doing in terms of working at home. My site is what pays the bills. I provide value by bringing people together with companies that are legitimate and companies pay me for the introduction. I also get paid via the advertising on my site.
In terms of my advice to you, I don’t really know you or your skill set and what you have the tolerance for. This is exactly why this page was created.
So my insight would to pick one or more of the 3 options listed on this page and take action on whatever is appealing to you. That’s pretty much what everyone else does. So I say give that a shot. If you pick something that you have more specific questions on, then just post a comment on that given opportunity page and I can chime in.
Hope that makes sense?
Regarding Odesk and Elance I noticed that also that they don’t pay very well. I saw one job asking for 250 hours and they were going to pay about $30.00 to do a business directory. Then I saw another job opening and the employer was going to pay the person $2.00-3.00 per hour.
Like all employment, it all depends on a number of factors. What some consider poor pay is a full time pay depending on where you live. Also there are some employers that pay more than others. Fortunately you can choose the ones that you think pay fairly.
But the nature of freelance sites is that it’s a global market place. So you’re competing against the world and folks have different cost of living. So depending on your skill set, freelance sites may not always be a great option for everyone.
It’s not Odesk or the freelance site that determines the rate. It’s the employers on there that are doing it. Freelance websites are open to people all across the world who have a different cost of living than we may have here. So employers know this and price their jobs accordingly. If you want to avoid this competition then don’t use freelance websites. Or here’s a better solution, demand that the government give U.S. based companies tax incentives to keep opportunities here. Unfortunately the folks in washington are doing just the opposite. They penalize American businesses with higher taxes for insourcing and reward those companies that outsource. So that’s who you should take up your fight with. But of course most people won’t. They’ll continue to believe that the folks in washington have their best interest at heart and blame sites like odesk and other employees who can afford to do jobs at a lower wage. And that’s exactly how they want you to think.
😉
You have a great attitude. The fact you’re willing to try is what will help you eventually reach your goals. Too often folks limit themselves in this industry and wonder why they can’t make it.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned about close doors. It usually means there is a better opportunity elsewhere. It might mean you have to climb through a window, break through a wall or just create your own door to get what you want.
Millionaires were made during the worst financial times. Where folks saw nothing but negativity others saw an opportunity ready to be taken. So just keep that in mind. I’m not going to sit here and make it seem like things haven’t gotten tougher but some people are doing well. It’s a matter of trying to model our own actions after the folks that are.
It sounds like you understand this concept so I’m sure you will find a path. Sure it’s going to take some time and hard work but it’s totally possible especially for you because of your attitude. So keep at it!
how can i get started.i dont have no money now
Did you actually read anything above and click on the links? We’ve done all the work for you. But you actually have to read the information and take action.
Wow, that was a mouthful Wendy. 😉
You’ve definitely tried a lot of different ways to earn money with your passion and skill.
But at the end of the day you have to find the path that’s right for you. Sometimes it means creating your own path which may be very rewarding but can take a lot longer than a traditional path. But if it can happen, the web is definitely the place. So I wish you success!
Yes, I guess it was a lot Eddy. 🙂 I’ve also got my name on ever survey list possible. I’ve looked into and signed up for things like Swag bucks and the task jobs too as well as anything else I can find to try to make even a tiny stream of money happen. Gotta try.
The last few years so many doors just don’t open. The crashed economy and the shift of many jobs that have become remote jobs which are now changing too, lots of them want college degrees or years of experience to do them, the doors just don’t open.
The traditional jobs outside the home are pretty much closed doors too.
I kind of found myself having to make my own road. Sometimes in life that’s where a person finds them self and it’s the only road there.
It’s a lot of hours every week. I finally started taking Sunday off and not thinking about any of this. For a long time I was doing seven days a week in 6 hour split shifts. Still have a house to run.
I was close to burn out, so now I take Sundays off. I’d like it to be more time off, but until there is some kind of income that adds up to what I need, which isn’t a whole lot, I can’t afford it.
This is the reality of where life is. Who knows, maybe like Grandma Moses, the doors will all open after the age of 80. But that’s at least another 26 years down the road, and one thing I’ve learned about me through all of this is that quit is not allowed in my vocabulary. 🙂
Success of any kind means hard work. It means you invest your time and your life to making that happen. And I’m good with that. 🙂
I love the three bears…I’d like to be Goldilocks in this equation. I know that my primary passion is art and then there is helping people. The choices for home businesses related to art are somewhat limited, print to order businesses which provide a great way to not have to carry lots of stock. I tried Cafepress first. I followed their instructions and went so far as to read as many tutorials outside of their stuff because it’s written by people who assume if your going there you already have half an idea of what’s going on. I did all this work of resizing images of my work and it got lost, then I tried to find my store going through the main door and it’s gone too. So I’m working on learning how to really make it fly with Zazzle. Hopefully this will work better. I had a shop on Etsy but ran into a wall when I owed them .40 cents but they wouldn’t let me pay it because they don’t accept payment under a dollar. Then things shifted. Etsy started doing some things that in my opinion were unethical in regards to their own rules. They have at present over a thousand rules. It’s messed up. I thought about art fire but if I remember they stopped doing basic free shops. So until I have money to do that, it’s in waiting. There are other markets but that means having inventory which I don’t have the space for. So it’s pretty limited. I’ve looked into the freelance graphics places and I realized I need more experience with photo editor to compete there. So in the mean time I’m trying to get into writing as a freelance writer and sending portfolios of my work to magazines that accept submissions. I had one success, but I don’t think I’m getting paid for it. I’m going to be the featured artist for the month of September for Barebacklit magazine. I have set up a facebook page of my art. Since I’m a prolific artist when I’m not spending time scouring job ads or looking for ways to bring income in. I’ve been taking my original work and playing in photoshop and other photo editor programs to create more art. It’s been a wild ride, but I still want to be Goldilocks instead of any of the bears.
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for the great feedback. I’m happy you really like the redesign. I wish I would have done it sooner too. But it was something that took me a bit of time to figure out how to address what I wanted to do.
In any event, it sounds like you’re basically following the same path I started with. And I think ultimately you will succeed. It already sounds like you’ve learned and applied a lot. It’s great to hear how you view many of your failures as learning experiences because that’s exactly what they are and not the end of the road. So keep pushing forward. I’m confident you will achieve your goal next year if not sooner. I pray that your husband’s health and financial situation improve! Thanks again for sharing!
I love the redesign- I think it’s Perfect. Honestly I wish you had done this when I found your site more than a year ago *chuckle*. I started as a supplemental income seeker but have fully blossomed into m own business owner. Have I succeeded yet? Well, No and Yes. More yes than no because my “failures” have been fantastic learning opportunities. I am finally coming into focus here, and I still visit your site frequently to learn more. You got me started with something small- SwagBucks.com – and now I am into AdSense websites, Affiliate marketing, CPA, internet and offline marketing, as well as moving into local niche blogging / moving local businesses to spend their internet advertising revenues locally instead of getting crappy ROI on the general open world net… Many irons in the fire and by this time NEXT year? Despite my husbands horrible health and losing his job and everything that is going on, by this time next year I will have replaced his income and then some, I know it. THANK YOU EDDY!
You mention Elance and Odesk alot. So far, I haven’t been very impressed with them. The amount most employers on those sites are willing to pay vs the amount of work required is very bad. I’ve seen rate offerings that can amount to pennies an hour. It’s so bad that I’ve actually considered creating a site of my own but for US only. Meaning, the employer and employee both must be American. The employer must pay at least the cost of minimum wage in their state plus 35% (to account for taxes).
The thing with freelance sites is people love or hate them. Some folks do very well with them. It all depends on your needs and skill set. Wages will always vary greatly online especially freelance sites because you have a large world pool of people that are willing to do jobs at lower rates. That’s just the global market we live in for better or worst. But in general work at home opportunities rarely pay as well as their offline counter parts. The way to combat this is have a multiple streams of income approach to make up for some of the lower income. Or you can just be the boss where you control how much you make. Ultimately you just have to adjust to the market to make it work for you.
The one thing I discovered about this industry is that we all have different needs and tolerances when it comes to money. Because I live in NY my income needs are greater than someone that lives in the midwest in a rural area. Just because I may not a find a certain opportunity appealing, it doesn’t mean there aren’t many that will. So that’s why we list everything and let folks choose for themselves. I’ve learned never to assume what’s worth a person time or not. I just present the options and let folks choose and don’t judge them either way. I think sometimes we aren’t able to remove ourselves from our own situations so it makes it hard to see things from another person’s point of view. Know what I mean?
Oh it makes sense. I’m just one of those people with an overblown sense of justice I guess. Everyone should be able to live without worrying how they will eat next month.
Amen Melissa! I’m totally there with you. Don’t get me started! That’s a topic for my personal blog. lol
i like that idea! and completely agree with you – Odesk pays chicken scratch for your time.
Eddy, I am retired so I feel I am #2. I also do work with the disabled and it is sort of a calling I guess but this is the last caregiving I do and it will stop in about 2 years. At that point I will move to #3 as I will never work for anyone. I have a pension and I will be able to make a certain amount. I am using my experience in #2 to develop a website similar to yours and be creative. I am watching who pays and who won’t. I ‘ve had to pull my face out of the dirt before I retired more than I care to remember and I want to design a website that will reflect my experience and how to’s on many levels from finding work to finding food to finding cheap furniture to encourage words of hope. I would like my website to serve Humanity and be creative (Ok I am a woman and I want to put curtains up on the website and make it smell good), it will grow from there. These levels you are talking about are pretty good. It helps me know where I am going.
Hey Rachashael,
I was totally with you until you mentioned curtains and smelling good. lol But seriously it sounds like you have a good idea and game plan. So I can totally see you being successful. You’re taking advantage of the available options and working your way up to bigger things. That’s how I started and it worked out pretty well. So I think you can do it too! Thanks for chiming in!
Sounds about right to me. I’m the third one. So much so that my husband and I have opened our own business. It’s been open since March. So far, we’ve only had one person take a bite to use my desktop publishing/graphics design skills. Its been very hard to convince people to give us a chance.
Don’t get discouraged Melissa.
It’s always hard in the beginning. But it gets better if you’re patient.
I really hope so. I don’t want to work for someone else anymore, at least not as an employee. I’d like to be a business owner, set my own hours, be able to say yes or no, and follow my own morals. I can’t escape the feeling that I can do better than I see so many businesses doing nowadays. Now if only I can get people to give us a chance. I’m a little insure of how to market myself. We’re part of the Chamber of Commerce, and my husband (who is working only part time right now so has way more time than I do), has been going door to door (which would be easier if it wasn’t 100 degrees every day).
Trust me I understand your desires and the frustrations you’re going through. Unfortunately it’s part of the process in order to become successful. Initially there is a lot of grinding without much or any results. But you have to keep pounding and adjusting to the results you get. If one door is closed, try going through a window. If that window closes try another house. But keep adapting. If you truly have a passion for what you’re doing and there is actually a need for your services, eventually you’ll succeed. It just takes a lot of time, hard work and patience. Sometimes it means dealing with that crappy 100 degree weather. Always remind yourself of the alternative. I can suck up this heat and get a step closer to my dream. Or I can opt to stay home and spend another day making someone else rich. You always have choices either way. Hope that makes “cents”.
I think your supplemental incomes is not quite pertaining to all. As it’s not just to make a few cents or few dollars. Some really do rely o it even though the main wage may pay the bills so would a supplemental income. I am in this situation as the extra income would help not just to have extra money but to also help with day to day living and help with some of the bills as well. Some people really need a supplement income to help with day to day living.
That’s a great point Barbara! I never thought of it like that. I guess in my limited experience a lot of the folks I meet that are very happy with the extra money opportunities don’t really use it for living. But to your point it doesn’t mean others aren’t. So that’s a good point. I did argue some supplemental income folks have managed to turn that extra money into larger sources of income by combining them. So it does speak to your argument.
Thanks for setting me straight and giving me another point of view. I appreciate it!