single, WAHM and homeschooling

is anyone else here a work at home mom? i'm unschooling my kids, and where i'm living right now there is not much job opportunity so i'm trying to earn what i can on my own, at home. i'm really new to it, still learning the ropes and the use of my own computer, but it seems like i spend all day in front of a screen and don't have enough time with my kids, who are watching way too much tv. any advice?

 

Yea...I'm a homeschool mom who works from home. I got lucky. I do payroll, billing and construction bids for my husband. I also do my FIL's bookwork. I use Quickbooks so it's pretty easy. I probably only put in maybe 15 hours a week. I don't know what kind of work you're looking for but check the local want ads. Alot of smaller businesses out source their paperwork, mailings and such.

As far as my kids watching too much tv, we put a time limit on the amount of tv they can watch. I make them do chores like wash dishes, walk the dogs, and light yard work. It keeps them busy and takes a few chores off of me. Anyway, good luck to you.

 

well, obviously i've checked the local want ads. that's why i'm trying to earn online: there are no jobs here.

i'm trying to get started doing tarot readings online with kasamba.com, but i'm having software problems (my brother, who gave me my computer for free, is blindly and fanatically devoted to linux, which is incompatible with everything. grr!) i also hope to be selling art, altered clothes, tarot readings and my new partner's jewelery on ebay, but that will have to come later. other options i've explored are passion parties and doing face painting for children's birthdays.

my son volunteered to do dishes yesterday, which was a godsend, and my daughter likes helping me cook and sort laundry - which sometimes actually creates more work then helping, but allows us to spend time together. my son and i are working out an agreement for tv/video game/computer "screen time" hours, but my 3 year old doesn't understand, and getting my cousin (who owns the house) to turn off the idiot box is like pulling teeth out of an unusually stubborn chicken.

 

workathomeagent.com

It's a company called West. You'd be an independent contractor answering phones on hours YOU choose. You'd need a phone line with nothing on it (call waiting, caller-id, etc). You can get a metered phoneline for about $15 a month. Basically it's a phone line where you can get unlimited incoming calls, but you pay 13 cents a minute for out-going calls. And if you are just using it for incoming, it's just 15 a month. But you have to tell your phone company you want it. They don't advertise this and take much cajoling to get it.

Also, you need to make sure your computer will work with the programs that will need to be installed. But in the end, it's well worth it.

 

Send your kids to school if you are gonna decide to let them rot in front of the tube. Atleast in Public school they will get.

 

apparently someone with a bee in their bonnet didn't read the original post.

hippyfreek, thanks for the lead. my brother's going to "partition" my computer somehow so i can run both windows and linux. hopefully then i can get to work throwing tarot cards or answering phones or whatever. oh, and check out my latest post, we found a sweet opportunity!

 

Holly,
have you had any success with them? What exactly is the job and what do you do?

 

You know those late night infomercials? The 1800 number you're supposed to call to order the silly thing...well, when someone calls that number, they connect to you. You take their order over the phone, process it through your computer, and get money for the call.

workplacelikehome.com is a forum filled with links to various REAL work at home things. They've all been tested and worked at by the people that post on the forum. They can give you the ropes and all that.

 

I work for West too

 

How much $$ do you make for how much time you put into it? Can a single mamma do it and actually pay the bills?

 

Well I work on average 2 hours a night and I make about 200-250 a month. Its definitly not something you can support yourself alone on but I do it to help with groceries and it comes in handy *alot*... Im also going to start working for Ver-A-Fast next month so that will bring my income up a bit too.

 

Hey, can you give me a link to ver-a-fast....I messed up on my CSC certification, and am now stuck on just DR and I HATE DR.

Plus, I've heard a buzz of complaints around WPLH about West and their handling of operators...I'd love to find a new company!

 

verafast

There ya go

 

For some reason the link isn't working...If you go to WPLH and go to the VERAFAST forum there is a sticky at the top to let you knmow how to apply

 

Ya DR has its moments.... I just got certified with PH But I have to wait for my 1 on 1 untill I can start working it.

 

Is it normal to flounder a bit when you're learning to work from home? I'm beginning to feel like a total dummy. So much waiting for things - I feel like my life is at once in suspension and totally busy.

I'm trying to start an ebay business while I wait from my new harddrive. I've got 3 sales, whoop-te-do. I've had no time, I feel like I'm falling behind with everything. I've lost so much sleep I'm turning into a yelling monster. Please tell me this is normal, temporary, and it will pass.

 

maybe join a commune and be a nut . no , not an acorn . peanut butter .

 

It's kind of difficult to get into an IC with kids. I contacted Acorn, but they never responded.

What makes you think that just because my kids aren't forced to sit in rows of desks all day and told not to talk during class that they must be playing alone?

 

hmm that west thing doenst seem so bad, do you need a social security number?

i have a list of home assembly companies on my website here, no ssn required since you'll technically be working for yourself:

http://www.surveyptr.bravehost.com/home_assembly.html

 

A SS# is needed from any reliable work-at-home agency...I know, Tiger, it sucks...

But if you went back to school, you could work West as well as other companies during your evening/night hours for extra money that doesn't interfere too much with paper-writing