Everyday, women tell me they wish they could work from home. Their reasons are varied--to stay home with their children, expensive commutes, unfulfilling jobs, fatigue, and more.

Working from home is not for everyone. For example, if you are highly social, you might miss the excitement and interaction of the workplace. If your children are demanding, you might struggle with finding time to do your work.

But, there are benefits. Your schedule can be more flexible. You can be available if your children need you. You have less expenses for items like work clothes, lunches, and gas. One of the major benefits of running your own home-based business is the tax advantage. Even home-based businesses get many tax deductions that people who work for a salary do not get.

Making the decision to work from home requires careful thought and planning. You need to review all aspects of your life to determine if it would be beneficial for you and your family. Can you afford to lose your salary and your benefits? Health insurance is one benefit that many people find hard to replace without a job where the company pays part of the cost. There are options out there, but this is something that requires planning and research before you make the leap.

Most small businesses, including home-based businesses, take some time to become profitable. Experts recommend you have a minimum of six months to a year of living expenses saved before you quit your job. Otherwise, you will struggle to pay business and personal bills. All businesses have slow times, and more so in the start-up phase. It could take a year or more to turn a profit.

So there are pros and cons to working from home, and everybody's situation is different. Only you can decide if it's for you, and only after research and planning.

There are many articles on the SOHO site that can help you learn about different possibilities for starting a business, how to organize your business, and how to make it a success. You can start your research right here, and use the planning tools available to start working on making your work at home dreams come true.



Finding the Perfect Small Business for you ebook will guide you through choosing a business that fits your life and is based on your interests. Includes how to avoid scams, essentials for your home office, and 25 easy-to-start small business ideas.

If you’re ready to get started, here’s a special offer from Office Depot to help you get your home workspace set up: Office Depot: Free Delivery on orders of $50 or more in select areas

And, check out the motivating and instructional materials at
Nightingale-Conant to get started on realizing your dreams.