Open Discussion Blog

Question by rcpaden: Any ideas for home based business opportunities?
I am disabled and am looking for a legitimate home based business idea or something I could do at home to make a small income. There are so many scams out there.
Thanks to all for your answers. It seems that even though people say “this is not a scam” I have looked into all the answers. Some have not answered my e-mails yet, but so far they are answer lots of these surveys and sign up for lots of things(magazines, credit cards…) and we will send you 75 cents.

Best answer:

Answer by Camron M
No Scam, No Cost, Well worth checking out www.online-richgirl.wetpaint.com

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Question by Trillium: What are the top home based business ideas with minimum start up costs?
Has anyone been successful with starting a moderately successful home based business with little to no start up costs? How long have you had it? And is it worth the effort?

Best answer:

Answer by thormale
The easiest way to make money online is by selling a product that can be delivered electronically. There are no shipping or fulfillment costs eating away at your revenue. Electronic products are easy to produce and it is not necessary to get anything published. Selling software online is excellent because new software is always necessary. Programmers at local colleges come cheap, if you have the funds. If you do not have extra funds, cut them a profit for the first two years. You will still earn more than your expenses.

What other businesses can be started with little or no money? Here are a few examples:

House and Office Cleaning Business
Laundry Business
Alteration Service
Babysitting
Pet Sitting or Walking
Personal Chef
Court Paper Server
Resume and Document Writer

It all depends on you and what skills you have and what you enjoy doing and are good at.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by mil: What are good home based business ideas to help employ teenagers?
I have three sons, two are summer working able at 16 and 13 and my father is fairly able bodied and retireing this spring. I am trying to think of a home based business we can start that will use these three as employees.

Best answer:

Answer by lornalmnopqr
Ebay is always a good one…buy to sell on there..can be a lot of work,

Or perhaps offer a ‘business services’ of typing things, finding best deals on business cards and so on…

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by JameJam: What do I need to start a landscaping business, any tips, pitfalls, ideas??
Business strategy and recruiting tips are welcome!

Best answer:

Answer by carrot_mash
You need to have some knowledge of what your going to do firstly, you can’t just really set up without experiance or qualifications. You need to get your work seen by maybe offering to do one or two jobs at cost or free and use these as a showcase for obtaining references for future jobs and a chance to show what you can do, take pictures make a record.
People are keen on who they let into the properties, so a police check will be a good start before you go looking for business as it shows your up front and honest.
The work tends to be seasonal and reliant on weather, bad weather can stop work for weeks and then your not earning, winter months the working day is shorter, and only some hard landscaping jobs can be completed at this time of year.
You need to have a good knowledge of plants, shrubs,trees, types of growing conditions, soils etc Then how to landscape them properly for height, type and over all effect.
Then there is your tools which are dependant on your chosen path of work, some people its a fork, spade and mower others its expensive scarifying and coring machines which run into the thousands.
You need some contingencies for loss of work due to poor weather or lack of work in a quiet period.
Leaflets/flyers through doors are a good way to advertise and made by hand on a computer will save you money and advertising in local shops as well is good.
But you will need to decide what services you want to provide, what services you can provide, what tools you need, what financial backing you have and is it going to be profitable?

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by godess178: I am looking for an honest and reliable home based business. Any ideas?
I answered an ad on the internet the other day about a home based business come to find out it was herbal-life and they wanted me to pay 0 for some kit. If you are looking for more money in a business what makes them think that you have that kind of money to spend? So my question is who knows of a legit home business that I can do for a minimum start up fee?

Best answer:

Answer by allsmiles_24seven
You have to be very very very very very careful about this! I have tried to do it myself and only find things a scam, and I re-searched endlessly for about a week and gave up. They all will ask you for money, and I find this odd, being you get a job to make money.

Please be aware, and definitely don’t listen to the guy before me… he’s obviously a scam!

Give your answer to this question below!