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How to Make Extra Money Working at Home

Jump start your work-at-home business with these ideas to make extra money.

By , About.com Guide

Make Extra Money OnlineGetty/Tom Grill
If your goal is to make extra money by working at home, keep in mind this doesn't always happen as fast as we might wish. Getting started as a work-at-home mom, which might mean starting a home business or finding a telecommuting job, is often a long process.

But sometimes we need to make extra money fast in order to jump start those efforts. Maybe you're trying to build your savings so you can start your own home business or you've been laid off and need a fast source of new income.

While there are legitimate ways to make extra money quickly, it is important to keep in mind that you won't get rich quick. And anything that promises that you will is almost certainly a work-at-home scam.

These money-making ideas require very little investment. And your time investment can vary. And with most of them, if you gradually expand your time commitment, you'll see your monetary reward expand as well.

Make Extra Money at a Virtual Call Center

- If you already own an up-to-date computer and have a landline phone, you could start your own home-based call center without much investment in additional home office equipment. Many companies hire people to work from home as telephone customer service representatives. Hours and pay rates vary from company to company.

Make Extra Money With a Home Party Business

- Starting a home party business has some start up costs as direct sales consultants must usually purchase a starting kit. Do your homework carefully before laying out any money. Learn about direct sales terminology and contracts. But if you enjoy sales this could be a quick home business to start.

Make Extra Money Selling on Ebay

- Getting started selling stuff on eBay is relatively easy, but maximizing your profit takes some time and effort. Still, this makes for a relatively quick start up because you can start with as few as one or two items. Deciding what to sell and for how much is probably the toughest part, but you can gradually expand your business as you learn more.

Make Extra Money as an Online Tutor

- If you have a college degree or are working on getting one, you may qualify to work as an online tutor. Online tutors work for internet based companies that offer help within a variety of subject areas to students of all ages. Hours are flexible.

Make Extra Money Scrapbooking

- If this is something you love to do, consider turning it into a home business. While it will take a while to build a client base, if you already have the skills you could do some small jobs for people you know until you can really market your business.

Make Extra Money Pet Sitting

- Pet Sitting is probably not a good business for moms with young children, unless they have a relative to watch the kids or other inexpensive child care. But moms with older kids can involve their kids in this business. Again, it takes a while to build a client base but even a few jobs can bring in a little extra money.

Make Extra Money With an Online Business

- About.com's Guide to Entrepreneurs put together a list of legitimate companies that offer Internet business opportunities that pay cash, don't involve high-pressure sales, don't require you to hold inventory or have a Web domain and offer a good financial return on the time invested.

Make Extra Money as a Mystery Shopper

- Mystery shopper jobs are often the bait for work-at-home scams, so you have to be very careful. But there are legitimate ones. About.com's guide to Job Search maintains a list of companies that hire mystery shoppers.

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