This is the number one question that is most asked TO and BY people who are looking for information about working from home. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to what the difference is between a "home business" and a "work at home job".
I have personally been involved with network marketing and direct sales for over 10 years. Anyone who has tried network marketing knows that you spend a lot of time on the phone talking with people. Inevitably, you will run across someone who thinks they are looking for a home business, but they are really just wanting a job. How can you tell? They will tell you they do not want to "pay for a job".
I believe that all of us who have already gone through that process have a duty to explain the difference to those who have just started looking to work at home. We need to take the time to explain to them that a work at home business is a real business like any other business that you start yourself. Any business that you personally start will have start up costs of some kind. Even if you are just going to clean houses, you will need to purchase cleaning supplies and pay for the gas to drive to the location. Plus there are many tax benefits for those who have their own business.
For those who are really just wanting a job, I feel it's common courtesy to alert them about the many scams on the internet today. Most people will already know about the obvious scams of envelope stuffing, assembling products and data entry from home. But it is nice to make sure they are aware of these scams. I share with them the fact that they should not have to EVER pay for a job or even information about a job. It would be like going to your local supermarket and paying them to interview and then hire you. Who would do that?!?
Which is the better choice then, to have a home business or a work at home job? It will depend on the individual and what their needs and goals are for themselves. Many people are content to have a job with structured hours but the benefit of working from home and not having to commute. Plus with a job, you will have a guaranteed income. Other people prefer to work for themselves by having and investing in their own usiness. While they may earn less in the beginning, they have an unlimited earning potential down the road. However, they will need to be dedictated and disciplined enough to set up a schedule and stick to it. Yes, your schedule can be flexible, but you MUST work your business in order to make money.
Whether to work at home with a business or a job is something that should be researched by everyone before getting started. You will find a huge quantity of books and websites that are full of free information about working at home. I would suggest reading as much as you can about how to successfully work from home as well as plenty of research about what you want to do from home. There are many, many home businesses and jobs available. It is just a matter of finding what you are passionate about and what you are willing to do to be able to stay at home.
So, which is better, a home business or a work at home job? The good news is....there is no wrong answer! It will all depend on you.
