10 Best Ways to Make Money from Home (Legitimate)

By Suzanne Kearnse

With job postings still scarce, job security dissipating, and wages seemingly stagnant at best, many people are trying to establish some security by creating multiple streams of income. It’s a smart strategy, but if you have trouble leaving your home or primary position to get to a second job, you’ll find yourself frustrated and stressed out.
woman work homePerhaps you’re raising kids and you’re committed to not using daycare. Maybe you’re a little older and can’t commit to a full-time job. Or you might be injured or disabled, making it difficult for you to leave your home each day. Whatever your reason is, if you’re stuck at home most of the day, you’ve probably thought about the income you could be making by taking a work-from-home job or running your own business.
Good news: There are plenty of legitimate ways to earn extra money sitting right where you are right now. Some of them involve starting your own small business, while others mean working for someone else using your home as an office.
These endeavors aren’t without traps and challenges, though, so before we take a look at some legitimate ways to make money from your home, let’s review a few things that you should avoid. Unfortunately, if you want to earn an honest living from home, you’re also a common target of scammers, especially in these economically tough times. But if you keep these simple rules in mind, you won’t become a victim of one of the many work from home scams.

Money Scams to Avoid

1. Requests for Money

Sure, you might expect some legitimate costs to be associated with starting a new business, like business licenses, permits, materials, or even some advertising or marketing fees.

2. Get Rich Schemes

Get-rich-quick schemes get only one person rich: the schemer. Not you. Don’t be that con artist’s next victim. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you will have the opportunity to build a viable business or become a trusted home worker in a great business.
But if you’re looking for easy money, you’ll likely just get stuck with a lot of bills and worthless information. When websites run promotions that promise that you’ll make thousands a week with no experience and very little time, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll be in your wallet before you can ask the first question.

3. Offers That Are Too Good to Be True

You might be desperate for work, but don’t necessarily jump at an opportunity that sounds too good to be true. In my article about common Craigslist scams, I wrote about fake employers who “hire” new employees, then “accidentally” send them too much pay. They’ll ask their victims to wire back the difference, but a few weeks later, when the bank discovers that the initial check is a fraud, the “employee” is on the hook for hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars. If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
These three points may seem like common sense, but the truth is that the people who run these scams are very good at what they do. They’ve been able to deceive many intelligent people because they present their “opportunities” so well that almost anyone will believe them. When you’re looking for a new job or extra income, it’s easy to get lulled in to a comfort zone where they can take advantage of you. Keep your guard up – always.
money trap scam

10 Legitimate Ways to Make Money from Home

Now that we’ve talked about the things you should avoid, let’s look at a few real ways you can work from your home and make the extra cash that you and your family need.

1. Freelance Writing: Sell Your Words

I may as well start with something I know well. When I started out as a freelance writer 20 years ago, things were very different. I wrote mostly for magazines, and I had to rely on snail mail to send out drafts and queries. I’d wait weeks for a response from my editors. Not many people had the patience for it, and few stuck around long enough to ever start earning a real income from it.
But the Internet has changed everything. Today, you can decide to become a freelance writer and, if you’re fortunate, get an assignment that very same day. Obviously, the better your skills and training are, the better your projects and freelance writing rates will be.
Today’s freelance writers can choose from a variety of markets. You can write for magazines, either online or in print. You can blog by setting up your own site, or by writing for someone else’s. The market for new articles on the Internet is vast, and there’s plenty of work to go around.
Additionally, book publishers are always looking for the next big book. People need sales letters, white papers, website copy, and e-books. In other words, there’s an ocean of work to do, and if you’re an ambitious writer, you can dive in and profit.
If you want to work from home as a freelance writer, consider this checklist before you get started:
  • Samples. You’ll need some samples before you can really begin marketing yourself. Figure out which market you want to approach first, and then find or create some related samples. For instance, if you want to try your hand at blogging, study some successful blogs, and then write a few posts of your own to use as samples. Do this for any and every market you’d want to write for.
  • Tools. You don’t need much to work as a home-based freelance writer, but there are some tools that you must have. The most important will be your computer. Get the fastest Internet access that you can afford. It doesn’t matter what kind of computer you get. Just make sure you’re comfortable enough to spend a lot of time with it. Most clients will request that you submit your work as a Microsoft Word document, so make sure that whatever programs you use are compatible. In addition, because you’ll be spending so much time at the computer, make sure that you have a good work area with proper lighting. Some clients will want to be able to reach you by phone or Skype, so have both set up and accessible. You’ll need an invoicing program, such as Freshbooks, and a good bookkeeping system to keep track of sales, orders, and accounts receivables.
  • Job Boards. When you’re first starting out, you’ll have to go looking for work, and the best place to do that is on one of the online job boards. Places like Guru, Elance, Freelancer, and oDesk are today’s writers’ best friends. They allow individuals and businesses to post projects, and freelancers to bid on them. Take a look around the sites, sign up for the free access in the beginning, and then begin to place bids on the projects that interest you. It will take some trial and error to find your groove, but once you do, the jobs will start to roll in.
  • Persistence and Commitment. You’ll need to have a good amount of persistence while pursuing freelance writing gigs. This business is subjective, and while one person may love your writing, another may not. Do your best to always produce good, solid copy and hold on to your commitment to do the best you can for your clients. Just by committing to do those two things, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition.
woman freelance writer

2. Classes: Sell Your Knowledge

Another great way to earn money from your home office is to sell your skills or knowledge by teaching classes. For instance, if you’re an exercise guru, you might start an exercise class in a large spacious area in your home. People are willing to pay to learn about many fields of knowledge, from cooking and gardening to soap or candle making. Playing a musical instrument, child birthing, dancing, dog training, yoga, and even foreign languages are all great topics for expert classes.
The key is to make the class sound unique and irresistible. Don’t just teach a cooking class; come up with specialty cooking classes. You might teach a class on how to make artesian breads, or cinnamon rolls that rival Cinnabon. The possibilities are endless, and if you consistently offer educational and fun classes, you’ll have people signing up over and over again.
But being successful at hosting your own classes requires some serious planning and attention to detail. Here is an outline of the things you’ll have to consider:
  • Your Idea. It’s not enough to say that you’re going to offer an exercise classes. The people considering your classes will want to know exactly what they are going to get for their money, and it will be up to you to explain it concisely and effectively. Understand that you’re basically giving a sales pitch to potential attendees. You’ll have to really narrow down your topic.
  • Your Schedule. Decide in advance how often you want to teach your class, and what times will work for you. If you’re teaching a foreign language, you will want to offer structured classes that meet at the same time every week. But if you intend to offer cooking classes, where one lesson won’t run into another, you can be a little more flexible.
    • Remember that you’re making a commitment that will last weeks or months, and you won’t want to end up canceling classes. Pick a schedule that you can keep.
    • Furthermore, carefully consider your likely attendees, and what schedule would be attractive to them. For example, if you’re planning on teaching a tutoring class, you obviously couldn’t schedule it during school hours. Likewise, a class aimed at mothers of young children will either have to include babysitting services or be scheduled at night, when they’re more likely to have help with the kids. Find the delicate balance of times that fit your prospective students’ schedules as well as your own.
  • Your Price. When establishing a price for your classes, start by calling around and finding out what other choices your clients have. If you plan to offer cooking classes, call some commercial establishments and other in-home teachers. Compare your own talent and experience to what they’re offering, and set a price accordingly. You should always come in a little lower than classes offered by commercial establishments as that will be one of your selling points: expert information for less money.
  • Your Deals. In addition to establishing a per-class price, also offer packages to entice people to sign up for more than one class. For example, if you intend to host classes on making soap, offer the classes individually, as well as in a group. Someone could take a class learning how to use fresh flowers in homemade soap, or they could buy a bundle that teaches them how to use those, fresh herbs, and plastic toys for kid’s soap. However you decide to price your classes, remember that the buyer will want to feel like they’re getting a lot for their money. If you can provide that in a fun atmosphere, they’ll likely be back time and time again – and they’ll bring friends.
  • Your Ads. The key to success will be in your ability to get the word out about your classes. Word of mouth will play an important role in your marketing efforts because taking classes is something that friends like to do together. Don’t just rely on friends and family, though. Post fliers in supermarkets, churches, and school bulletin boards. You’ll definitely want to have an online presence so people who are searching your area for such classes will be able to find you. You can establish one by creating a website, and then using digital media to spread your message. And don’t forget your neighborhood as a source of business. Take some time to visit your neighbors, even if you just visit one block a day, and tell them about your new business.
guitar lessons

3. Bed and Breakfast: Sell Space in Your Home

If you have a spare bedroom and bathroom, and a high tolerance for other people being in your home, you may be able to make money from home by hosting people in your home. Overnight travelers are always looking for a comfortable bed and breakfast, especially since frequent travelers are often weary of hotels and motels.
Your home is certainly more attractive than the mainstream sterile environments and run of the mill decor. Savvy homeowners have been taking advantage of their spare space, and they’re making money by offering travelers a one of a kind experience in a warm, friendly environment.
The best part is that people who use bed and breakfasts are more likely to pay more for the experience. The challenge is that there’s a lot of competition in this field, so if you think earning money this way is right for you, you’ll have to set up your home in a way that makes for a memorable experience for guests. Here’s a checklist to get you started:
  • Location. The most successful bed and breakfasts are those that are convenient to airports, historic parts of town, or other tourist attractions. That’s because there are two types of guests who tend to frequent B&B’s: business travelers who are tired of sterile hotel rooms, and families looking for a unique experience. That’s not to say that you can’t develop a successful B&B if your home isn’t located in the perfect spot, but you might have to work harder to make it a success if it isn’t.
  • Comfort. Perhaps the biggest thing that you’ll need to do in order to create a successful B&B is to make sure that your guests are as comfortable as they can be. Remember, they’re paying more for the experience of being comfortable away from home. As a trial, spend a night in the room in your house that you intend to rent and view things from a guest’s point of view. Is the temperature comfortable? Is the bath in the room, or at least a comfortable distance away while still being private? Is the bed soft and inviting? The pillows? Is the bedroom interior design, including colors, soothing? Can you hear household noises, or do you feel that you’re in a world of your own? All of these are important questions to ask yourself, but the answers will determine whether or not your guests recommend your place, or come back for another stay. Think about all the minor inconveniences and discomforts that you’ve just gotten used to over the years, and remember that a paying guest might not tolerate those problems for a night. You may need to spend a little money to fix these issues.
  • Food. The second word in “Bed and Breakfast” is just as important as the first. Some B&Bs have tried to serve their guests muffins, juice, and coffee in the mornings, but the most successful hosts understand that the breakfast they serve will make a lasting impression on their guests. You can get creative and serve the type of breakfast traditional for the area that you’re in. For instance, if your home is located in the South, then eggs, grits, and biscuits may go over well, while Southwest guests may appreciate a traditional Tex-Mex meal. Whatever you decide, make it memorable and make sure that your guests feel welcome and appreciated. Make it memorable, and they’ll spread the word for you.
  • Service. Another key aspect of successful B&Bs is the level of service that the hosts provide. You’re not just offering room and board, but an experience. If they need help planning a day seeing the sites, offer to sit down with them and help them plan their itinerary. If a businessperson needs copies for a presentation, offer to go and make them. Remember, your job as host will be to make your guests’ stays as comfortable and pleasurable as possible. If you succeed, they’ll remember you the next time they travel through your town.
  • Advertising. You won’t have any quests until you get the word around about your room. Start locally by putting a sign in your front yard and spreading the word through friends and family. Next, build a small website and make sure that you attract the search engine spiders by using the keywords people would likely search for when looking for a place to stay in your area. In addition, there are sites that specialize in promoting specific areas and their attractions, such as BedandBreakfast.com and Airbnb - your Bed and Breakfast should be listed there.
bed in breakfast family

4. Farmers’ Market: Sell Your Produce and Gourmet Foods

Every Saturday I visit the local farmers’ market, and every time I’m amazed at how wonderful their fruits and vegetables look compared to the choices in the grocery store.
While I’m a gardener too, I’ve never quite been able to grow such fantastic looking produce. If you’re blessed with a greener thumb than mine and you’re growing mass quantities of fruits, vegetables, or herbs, you just may be able to use those skills to earn some extra income.
Farmers’ markets are rapidly becoming the go-to places for people who want to eat fresh, wholesome foods. Local and organic both sounds great to buyers, and you’re not just limited to selling fruits and vegetables. Just yesterday I bought fresh homemade goat cheese and a roasted tomato pesto that almost brought me to tears.
You’d do most of your work in a home garden, but you’ll have to spend your weekends away from home. If you love the idea of selling your home-grown produce, but can’t swing being out of the house on weekends, consider selling to friends, family, and neighbors instead. Almost everyone prefers the taste of a fresh picked tomato to a store bought one.
While this is a great way to earn extra money doing what you love, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind before you get started:
  • Selection. Lots of people will be selling produce, so if you want to be a success, you’ll have to make yours stand out. You might try selling some rare vegetables or hard-to-find herbs, or you might decide to include a special recipe with every variety.
  • License. As long as you’re only selling fresh produce, you don’t need a special license. But if you plan to sell gourmet foods, you’ll have to call your local health department and find out the regulations in your area.
  • Rules. All markets have different rules that every vendor must follow. You’ll have to file an application with the market for permission to sell your product. Contact the market manager and ask how you can get started.
  • Display. Just as in any retail operation, the way you display your wares will greatly impact your sales. Produce should be placed underneath a cover to protect it from the sun, but be sure to allow at least seven feet of head room. Display your prices prominently, and clearly identify the things that make your product special. Personalize your stand with signs to inform your customers.
  • Tools. Don’t forget that you’ll need a scale if you sell by the pound, a cash box to organize your income, and bags or boxes so your customers can easily transport your products home.
farmers market vegetables

5. Crafts and Art: Sell Your Creativity

If you have a knack for creating beautiful things, then you were born at the right time to make some serious income from home. The growing trend for vintage and homemade products shows no signs of stopping. Plus, the Internet is chock full of well-known outlets for such wares.
Etsy, for example, is one of the fastest growing sites that gives artists a chance to sell items at a fair price. The site boasts over 40 categories, from gifts to clothes to edibles, with thousands of listings. And the price is right; you can get your own site connected to Etsy for just 20 cents per listing.
Selling on Etsy and similar sites, however, has become an art form itself, and finding success in these marketplaces takes a lot of work and planning. Your art is already a full-time job, but you’ll need to devote plenty of time to being a smart businessperson too. Here are some guidelines to getting started:
  • Research. You need to know what others are selling before you decide what wares you will offer. Lots of people sell handmade items, but those who work hard to make their items unique in some way are the ones who truly stand out. After you’ve decided on a product, check out the other sellers on Etsy and find what they’re offering, and then figure out how you can do it differently.
  • Commit. People who run successful shops on Etsy say that they do way more than create. They pass out business cards everywhere they go, they blog about their site, and spend all of their free time trying to think of new ways to promote it. In other words, to truly be a success, you have to treat it like a full-time job.
  • Photographs. Because your customers won’t be able to touch or hold your items, you need to give them as much of a visual feel for the products as you can. You’ll do it with photographs – but not just any photos. They have to be pleasing to the eye and make the item look fantastic. You’ll have to learn the art of photography, and if you can’t get the hang of it, you’ll have to hire someone to do it for you. Yes, it’s that important.
  • Selection. One of the keys to success on Etsy is selection, according to industry insiders. In fact, the goal of most serious shop owners is to have at least 200 items for sale. If you’re creating all of those items yourself, that’s a pretty big time commitment. But the more options you give to your customers, the higher the chances that you’ll make a sale.
  • Mentorship. With sites like Etsy, it simply doesn’t make sense to reinvent the wheel when opening a shop. Instead, look to others who have been down the path and have learned the hard way what to do – and what not to do. Blogs like Handmadeology and EverythingEtsy.com offer hints and guidance for artists just looking to get started in this profitable home-based business.
jewelry display

6. Call Centers: Sell Your Time and Voice

If you have a great telephone voice, an ability to organize information quickly, and a quiet place in your home to work, you could make money working for a call center.
What is it exactly? Call centers cater to businesses that don’t have someone to answer their phones 24 hours a day. The calls are routed to a call center, and then sent out to individuals who work from their homes. These workers are equipped with computers and software to be able to answer customer’s questions.
The average pay for these jobs is about $9 per hour, and some companies offer health, dental, even matching 401k plans for their employees. Here are a few characteristics and supplies you should have:
  • Diligence. In this industry, the line between scams and honest businesses is blurry, so you need to do your homework before accepting a position. Call the Better Business Bureau in your area to find out if there have been any complaints filed against the company, and do an online search on their name. Alpine Access is a well-respected company in the field, and Call Center Careers is a great place to look for legitimate call centers looking to hire.
  • Equipment. You’ll likely have to invest in your own equipment before starting work with a call company. You will need a computer that meets the call center’s guidelines, earphones, an Internet connection, and a landline phone to do the work required. If you don’t already have the equipment, most companies won’t even consider your application.
  • Grace. You’ll receive a lot of calls, and you must have the ability to handle them all smoothly. This means that you should have a personality that can multi-task without becoming flustered.
  • Ambition. If you prove yourself a good employee, there are opportunities for advancement in the ranks of call center employees. You won’t even have to give up working from home to take a promotion; team leaders, managers, and account managers can all work from home.
home call center

7. Sewing and Alterations: Sell Your Handiwork

If you have sewing skills, you have a wide range of options. Just think for a moment about everything service you can provide if you have those skills. You can do alterations and design, and you can make wedding clothes, custom-fit clothes, and special attire.
You can make totes and bags, custom bedding, draperies, and upholstery cushions. You can go so far as to sew the special canvas cushions needed for boats and yachts, or commercial needs like booth and chair cushions.
In short, if you have sewing skills, you’re in demand. But there is more to sewing from your home for money than just hanging out a shingle. Let’s take a look at some of the issues you’ll face:
  • Equipment. The largest, and most important, piece of equipment that you’ll need is a high-quality sewing machine. They can range in price from about $2,000 up to $6,000, and you’ll want the best one that you can afford. Other pieces of equipment will vary, depending on what you want to specialize in. For instance, if you intend to make custom draperies, you’ll need a serger, and a drapery steamer.
  • Skill. If you’re going to sew for other people, your skills need to be far above average. If you’re a beginner or an average seamstress, wait until you improve their skills before attempting to earn money in this type of business. If people are going to trust their wedding dresses or their favorite sports jacket to you, you must be able to handle them with care and the utmost skill.
  • Zoning. Because you’ll likely have a lot of customers in and out of your home, you should check with your local authorities to determine whether or not you need to be zoned for this type of business.
  • Advertising. You’ll need to get the word out about your sewing business, and one of the best places to start is with your friends and neighbors. Make sure they are all aware of your services and are willing to pass around your business cards. In addition, you should put up fliers in local fabric stores and get to know the employees so that if someone asks, they’ll be able to refer you. Any business needs a website, and yours will be no exception; you can put up a simple one that outlines what you do, and tells the reader what kinds of prices to expect. Finally, by joining organizations like the American Sewing Guild, you’ll be able to stay in touch with others who are doing the same thing as you.
woman dressmaker

8. Used Book Sales: Sell Your Old Paperbacks

I was working at an estate sale the other weekend, and a woman came in and asked if there were any books for sale. After I pointed out the collection of books to her, she began to scan them all with a portable bar code scanner. My curiosity got the best of me and so I asked her what she was doing.
She explained that she buys used books from garage and estate sales, and then turns around and sells the books for cash on sites like Amazon, Ebay, Half.com and AbeBooks. She uses the scanner to determine how long it usually takes for a specific book to sell and how much it sells for. She told me that she makes a full-time living doing this.
So, I got the scoop on how to run a business of this type. Here’s what you need to know:
  • Finances. You need to be good at quick math and be able to make quick decisions. You have to be careful how much you pay for a book, and then keep careful track of the expenses involved in selling it. For instance, when you sell on a website, they’ll take a commission from the sale. In addition, some sites, like eBay, will charge you a listing fee for each book. If you request that your money be deposited via PayPal, then you’ll be charged a transaction fee per book. If you’re not careful, the fees will quickly negate your profits.
  • Storage. Depending on how big your business gets, you’ll need ample room to store the books. You can’t get lazy or disorganized about it, either. You have to keep the books in good condition, and you need to be able to find them when someone wants them. For instance, if you list a book in “like new” condition, and then the pages get smashed during storage, you’ll be in a bind if someone places an order before you realize what happened.
  • Shipping. You will only have a few days to ship a book after it sells, and even less time if you agree to include two-day or overnight shipping as part of your options. And since you’ll want to save as much as you can on the shipping, you’ll have to devise a plan. Many people set aside specific days for shipping – say 3 days a week – and then make one big trip to the post office. As long as there isn’t anything else in the package, you can send books via media mail, which is the least expensive option. Finally, your books will need to be packaged in a way that they won’t get damaged in transit.
  • Ratings. Whenever someone buys a book from you, they will have the opportunity to give the transaction a rating. This is when they’ll tell other potential buyers whether the book was in the condition that you described, whether it was mailed on time, and if your communications were pleasant and helpful. One bad rating can hamper sales, and a couple of them can downright stop them. Excel at customer service and your ratings will help your company grow.
  • Current. It’s important that you stay current in this ever-changing business. You can do so by following some well-known blogs about the topic such as Sell Your Books Online.
garage sale books

9. Consulting: Sell Your Knowledge

Consultants offer their services or advice for a fee. For instance, you may help a new non-profit organization develop a plan for fundraising, and then oversee the process. Or you may help a new company garner media attention by writing press releases and then distributing them to the proper channels.
Individuals use consultants, too. Some people use consultants for tax or financial advice, while others may pay a consultant to teach them how to set up and maintain a garden.
Basically, if you have proven skills in an area, you can market yourself as a consultant and provide your services from home. Breaking in isn’t always easy, though, so consider these topics:
  • Experience. Whatever area you want to work in as a consultant, you must be able to show clients that you’re qualified to advise them. If there are organizations related to your field, make sure that you’re a member of them. Similarly, if you can take a course and become certified or registered in your field, do it and then add that to your credentials.
  • Work Space. When acting as a consultant, the probability is high that clients will be visiting your home office. Therefore, you need to have a neat, professional home office that is welcoming to guests. Try to locate your work space in a quiet, even secluded, area of the house. A converted garage space with its own entrance works well, giving you a private space for work and adding to your credibility.
  • Marketing. When operating as a consultant, you won’t necessarily be marketing your company; you’ll be marketing yourself. You’ll have to “package” yourself in a way that makes people trust you. For instance, if you’re marketing yourself as a financial consultant, ask yourself why someone would trust you with their life savings, and then figure out a way to convey that to potential clients. It might be in the form of a brochure, a portfolio, a sales letter, or all three.
To get the word out about your services, you’ll have to talk to a lot of people. Attend functions where your typical client would hang out. That may mean the local agricultural department’s classes if you’re a gardening consultant, or Chamber of Commerce meetings if you’re a business consultant.
consultant couple

10. Medical Transcription: Sell Your Computer Skills

If you have great computer skills and can type quickly, you might be able to work from home doing medical transcription.
Doctors who make audio notes on patients need someone to transcribe their notes to put them in patient files, but most doctors don’t want to pay a full-time transcriptionist. Instead, they farm out the work, and it’s a great job for good typists with a good working knowledge of health topics and medical jargon.
That means you need to come with a lot of knowledge and follow this checklist:
  • Training. To get a gig as a medical transcriptionist, you will have to take specific training. You will have to become proficient in medical terminology, and the best way to do that is to take additional courses in that area. The average course lasts from 9 to 18 months and costs about $3,000. Financial aid programs can help pay for your tuition.
  • Breaking In. Many people find that once they’ve completed their training, getting their first job can be difficult because many companies require a minimum of two years experience. Many newbies start out by volunteering to get some history under their belt. It’s not impossible to land a job fresh out of school, but you’ll need diligence and persistence, and probably a little luck.
  • Equipment. When you accept a job with a reputable company, they will provide you with all the equipment you need, except for high-speed Internet. Beware of companies that require you to supply your own equipment; that’s a sign of a possible scam.
  • Socialize. Especially when you’re getting started, you need to establish contacts who are already immersed in the business. They can act as mentors, keep you up to date on industry changes, and even help you land your first or subsequent job. Look for the local chapter of the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) in your area and join.
nurse medical transcribe computer

Final Word

For some people, work just has to be in an office, factory, store, or any other environment that’s separate from home. Even a second job would have to be in a separate place. For others, a home office is a welcome place for a secondary or even a primary job. If you’re one of those people, you have some unique opportunities, but you also have some very particular challenges of working from home.
Make sure you set a smart schedule that lets you diligently focus on your work, without throwing the rest of your life out of balance. And make sure you always keep your guard up for scams and cheats. When you’re on your own, you might have a little more freedom with your schedule, but you lose the sense of protection that a company can provide.
These ideas are just ten of the great ones for earning money from your own home. While employment opportunities are getting scarcer, isn’t it good to know that your ability to take things into your own hands is getting greater?
Do you make money working from home? What other ideas have you been able to come up with?

16 Secrets to Finding a Legitimate Work at Home Business The Average Person Can Do!

        What are the secrets to finding a legitimate work at home business the average person can really benefit from. There are at least 16 secrets to finding a legitimate work at home business for women or men. If you're just starting to look into the work at home world or have some experience; don't launch into something with all your heart and effort to later be disappointed.
A good checklist will help you avoid a lot of wasted time, money, energy and nightmares.
This checklist will help you to make most of the crucial decisions before launching your work from home business. In fact some of these secrets you will remember for the rest of your home business or Internet business career.
Money can be made on the Internet, and lots of it! In fact unlimited! When I began doing my investigating of home businesses; I was able to rub shoulders and visit the homes of home business marketers making anywhere between $20,000 a month and up to $50,000 a month. They are generally those who have become very experienced, but you can find programs that you can get into right away and make $1000 to $10,000 a month or more which can be accomplished by women or men despite education or time constraints.
"Someone said, you can work for a living or you can work part time for a Fortune."
If you will study these home business secrets, you will discover the principles you will need to make a part-time fortune.


1. Tangible Product That Is Needed in Today's World. Concentrate on programs or products that are needed by most people in today's world. The best product is one that needs to be purchased monthly! Think of a product that most people need to replace, re-use or purchase on a monthly basis. For example, toilet paper. You definitely need that every day. I often wonder how many wealthy toilet paper tycoons there are?
There are many great products and services to promote in a home business. You can earn big commissions to sell them. HOWEVER, would it be better to make a $39 profit just one time, or a $10 profit over and over again indefinitely?
It has been well said, that when you sell a product that will pay you only once, you are making money that is going to benefit the company more than yourself. But, if you sell a product over and over again, month after month you are making an income that is going to benefit you.
Let's use weight loss as an example since I myself promote a weight loss and health product. If you're selling a number one weight loss product in North America and it needs to be purchased every month you only need to make one sale and reap the benefits over and over again. When you gain a customer, you have a monthly reoccurring sale for the effort of the initial sale.

2. The Truth about Free Home Businesses. There is no such thing as a free business!
Despite all the hogwash you read about making $1 million and never spending a dime; ladies and gentlemen, it might happen once in a million years! But don't hold your breath!
It's always going to take some money to make money on the Internet or with a legitimate home business that you can be proud of working. The good thing is it takes a whole lot less to start a work from home job. Also, even though you can join almost any Internet program FREE; realize it only gets you in the door; and without benefits to actually make a financial profit. Normally, you get what you pay for.
The Internet world is so jam packed with opportunities, if you look around you can find most of the components that you would need for successful business. But it takes some work. You have to know WHERE to look, WHAT to look for and HOW to put it together. Often times than not, the learning curve can be very involved.
So whatever you do, you're going to have to invest some money in the form of cash or time. Cash can help you shorten the time and time can help you use less cash. You will have to determine where to balance the time and money you put in.

3. Do Not to Put All Your Investments in One "Boat."
The best home businesses entrepreneurs will diversify their businesses. Getting involved in a program or selling a product with multiple sources of income is what you want to have! If your business has more avenues of income, it will be more stable and you will be less likely to go under.
Can you imagine if you invested all your time and effort in an Internet program and after one year it disappeared! But if you learn the proper way to diversify your investments, then you may only lose one arm of your business instead of the whole thing!
Considering the condition of the economy; where would it be better to place your 10 gold nuggets?
Would you put your 10 gold nuggets in one bank or would you put it in three different banks? The answer is obvious. Three banks would be the best prevention from being wiped out financially all at one time.
If you were promoting the best weight loss program in America and all of a sudden the company goes down. What do you do? Make sure you diversify and also have a plan to quickly recover any loss of monthly income

4. Why Multilevel Marketing?
Multilevel marketing, network marketing and what we have often heard as "pyramid schemes" have given home businesses a bad rap. Really, multilevel and network marketing is a concept that happens in almost every business and social organization in existence.
It's not the system that's wrong. It's people who have used a perfectly legitimate business tool to use in a wrong way. It's no different from saying that cars are a "scheme" because people are using them to transport and hide drugs as they come across the border. Does that make cars bad? Of course not.
Neither is there anything wrong with multilevel marketing and network marketing. It actually is very powerful and gives a team of people the ability to not have to work as hard and be able to make more money or have more time and freedom.

5. Why You Shouldn't Sell Pink Toilet Seats!
Know the difference between selling and marketing.
One of the biggest mistakes many home business and Internet business owners make is not knowing the difference between selling and marketing. Most of us look for something interesting to sell, or something we like to sell and hope for the best.
However, an "internet marketer" evaluates the market and determines what products are the most popular products. Their objective is to find what's hot and what's not.
There is nothing wrong with taking into consideration what you have a passion for or a gift for marketing; however, don't get stuck on promoting what suits your fancy. Most successful home businesses have learned to find hot products and market them as long as they remain hot.

6. Know for Sure Programs Work before You Invest Your Effort.
Now, that sounds like common sense; however, many new business owners concentrate on programs because it's comfortable for them. They like them. It was the first one they learned. It's easy to do. Easy to understand.They had enough success to make them feel good.
Many small-business owners never experience much success because they got stuck with what was comfortable.
However, you should be doing a particular business because it works well enough to produce the success that you desire.
Also, it's very easy to get caught up in the work from home business hype. Don't let your emotions lead you into making a decision that was not good. There are many home business gurus that are masters at making you think you have to act Now!

7. Working for Yourself but with Others.
Know that you can't do it all by yourself!
Working alone is somewhat of a mirage. Sure, being your own boss is what work from home businesses are all about.
Everybody wants to be their own boss. Everybody's tired of the 9-to-5 job. But even when you're your own boss, the home business man/woman realizes that they will have to outsource, some of their work, or do joint ventures with others, and sometimes team up with others to make their business run efficiently and successfully.

8. What Do You Really Think of Your Service or Product?
Make sure to build quality into your product.
There are many businesses that have great marketing plans and vision but don't necessarily have a quality product.
They may even make a lot of sales but because the product isn't as good as the marketing, there is a lot of dissatisfaction.
If you are a promoter of a product that does not deliver the goods" it will have a lot of adverse effects in the short-term and long-term of your business.
It is hard to be passionate and promote something that you don't think is of good quality. That's why there is such a high failure rate of first-time home business entrepreneurs. They really aren't passion about what they are promoting.
If say your weight loss program is the best in America and you know it's not; it's hard to have passion promoting it!

9. Have Promoters That Have Integrity.
If you are a promoter or distributor of a business which has deceptive sales practices, distributes dishonest information or is using other unethical practices; it doesn't matter whether the company is making millionaires, the end result is not going to be good.
It is not the type of company that you would want your mom to be proud of.

10. Knowing the Leadership of a Company Can Tell You If It's Standing on a Solid Foundation.
If you have a product that you are selling as an affiliate; investigate the leadership's experience, education, etc.
Every consumer wants to buy a product that has quality. If it is a tangible product; the company needs enough financial stability to produce a quality product that the consumer wants to have.
Secondly, a good business will have a good foundational training program for their promoters.
Thirdly, a good business will have up-to-date technology which is important in today's modern world. Especially with today's social networking, Facebook, twitter, cell phone apps and many of the other well-known social networking tools.
A good leadership will make sure these leadership qualities are part of their organization.

11. How to Keep Your People in the Business.
Your home business will have a way to encourage their promoters to stay in. You need a product that compels not only the purchaser to be a promoter but also the promoter to be a purchaser.
This is actually a very important secret that a good business should have, but is not necessarily required.
Why?
Because, if a product is really that VERSATILE, then it should not only be desired by the consumer, but even the promoter as well. If a promoter is interested in his own product, it will be that much easier to represent. There are many products with disability.
Also, if the consumer is so impressed in the purchase of the product, they will also automatically become promoters as well.
If you can find a product like this and it is a quality product; then you have probably FOUND A WINNER!
On the practical side; if promoters are compelled or even in some businesses required to consume their own product, they become more knowledgeable of their products.
When the promoters and consumers are using the product, more sales are made and everyone is benefiting because more money is being exchanged, more product is being used, and everyone is happy.
This generates much more income for the promoters and the consumers are happy also because they not only have a good product but also get additional benefits.

12. Real Freedom
Does your opportunity provides the average promoter an income that gives them the freedom they're looking for?
So many home businesses and internet businesses do not really deliver the freedom that people are looking for. We are talking about finances as well as the freedom to have time to do more than just work.
If it does not provide the financial freedom and the freedom of time for the average promoter, it's not a winner.
For example; the weight loss program that I personally promote works for women who have to stay in the home and can still work while taking care of family duties. It also will work for men or women in the workforce who want to work a legitimate part time business.

13. Have Products That Are Desirable for a Large Segment of the Community.
Which products do you think are easier to promote; toilet paper, cups, forks & spoons, water and food or do you think it's easier to promote purple toilets, alkaline water machine ($2000 cost), metal chopsticks, etc.
Really, it's not always about whether a product is good for you or not. It's about whether it's desirable by the consumer. Does the consumer want it? And is the consumer willing to pay the price? Sometimes the consumer wants it desperately, but not desperate enough to pay the price?
Some businesses have an extremely good quality product but the price is so undesirable that the average consumer is not willing to purchase it.

14. Rewards and Benefits.
Does your company have incentives and rewards that compel the promoters to reach higher goals. The main product that I promote does such a excellent job of this, that they have given away more incentives and rewards than most companies give out in commissions.
If you are promoting affiliate products in your home business that provide incentives and rewards that compel you to move more product you probably have found an exceptional company that has learned how to reward its promoters.
A good quality program will have built-in reward systems that inspire promoters to reach high goals.

15. Find out If the Cup and He Really Cares.
Does your program genuinely care for consumers and promoters alike. If you have any hint that your company deliberately does not put care into their promoters or consumers, jump ship!
It should be clearly evident in the marketing and the product that both the consumers and promoters are genuinely cared for.

16. Money, Money, Money.
Does your company have a compensation plan that shares profits generously..
Make sure that the compensation plan is reasonably attainable. Don't spend one year of your life thinking you're working a legitimate home business and find out that the amount of money you want to make is not even remotely possible. Count the cost before you start.
Most, if not all of these secrets are required for a good business. If you use this list as a guideline for evaluating legitimate work from home businesses, you are starting on the right track!
If you would like to look at a business model that incorporates all of these qualities in one business; feel free to take a look at the resource box below.

Pinecone Research is Open Again! HURRY!!

Join the PineCone Research Online Consumer Panel and help to influence tomorrow’s products today!

http://www.frugalmagazine.com/join-pinecone-research-online-consumer-panel/


Complete surveys from the comfort and convenience of your home computer and get paid for sharing your opinions. Membership is free and you may leave the panel at anytime.

100% Free to Join, Real & Legit Working From Home Business at TFX




Hello and My Name is Amine,

Like most of you I was Looking and Trying a lot of different Ways to Make Money Online. I've tried doing survey, data entry, MLM, Hype business to no avail. Until I came across business called "Freebie Trading" in a Forum called "The Freebie eXchange". As i've always done when finding way to Make Money From Home, I Join The Freebie eXchange [TFX] for free. When I join, they send me a Guide and Mentor to help me "Get Paid as I Learned". I made Money on my very first Day. As a matter of Fact, I made Money on my very first day, with less than an hour of Work. From that day on, I know that Freebie Trading and The Freebie Exchange [TFX] is the Real Deal. I have completed quite a few trades and made some Cash. It took a little work but once you done your first Trade and get your first Money, You will be asking for more.
I am a Freebie Trader and Mentor at The Freebie eXchange. As a Mentor and a Personal Guide, I will Help You "Get Paid as You Learn". I will help You Every Step of the Way. Also, TFX provides 100% Free Resources for You to become Successful Working at Home. From Mentor or Guide, Video Tutorial, Training Guide step by step, Fun and Loving Community to a Safe Place to Work From Home.

Follow the link to The Freebie eXchange to begin personally working with me and I'll teach you all the right ways to be Successful. Sign ups are always 100% free, come in and look around. It is a friendly and helpful community.

I think that is one of the best parts of this business, having a community to help you succeed.

This is not MLM or a get rich quick site, it does take some work.

You CAN get paid today!

www.thefreebieexchange.com/forums/register.php?

So you want to work at home

There are several ways to work from home. Some of the more popular ways are affiliate programs, direct marketing and
starting your own business. However it is also possible to find employers who hire people to work at home in various postions
such as telemarketing, sales, teaching, freelance writing, etc. I have spent countless hours online searching for
work at home jobs and even started a community to list the job leads I have found. (http://www.real-home-employment.com)
You may wish you could start tomorrow, but honestly it could take six months to a year until you open for business or find
a job. I wish I could offer you some time kind of timeline to success but it just isn't possible. I know we all see a lot of
ads that offer overnight success or thousands of dollars per hour earned, but the honest truth is most home businesses take
5 years of hard work before you may even see these types of returns and the higher percentage of work at home jobs you find are
on a per need basis or start out part time.
So,as you can see, actually finding the work at home opportunity or position that is right for you can be
1) Confusing
2) Time consuming
3) Not an overnight or immediate success
4) Takes lots of planning, research, time, and patience
The most important thing you should know before you start to look for a position or business is just that.....
Are you looking for a work at home job or are you looking for a home based business. Knowing what it is your looking for
before you start will help you find the perfect work at home match easier, faster, and may even help you from being
or feeling scammed.
You may be asking yourself what are the differences between a work at home job and a home based business?
The major differences between a work at home job and a work at home opportunity (home businesses) are:
1) Work at home jobs are just that "jobs", where you have an employer, requirements, and maybe even schedules.
2) Most work at home opportunities (home businesses) require a fee or a set amount of money upfront to get you started.
By knowing these differences, you can significantly reduce your chances of being scammed and narrow down your
search terms (keywords), thus making your time better spent.
Now I know that maybe I am making this sound like finding work from home is overwhelming, and it can be, but it really
doesn't have to be. Once you have figured out whether you are looking for a job or business the rest just takes time,
patience, and knowing where to go.
Here are a few steps I used.......
1) Have A Goal....
Even if you haven't decided whether to pursue a job or business, you should still go ahead and set a plan for how
you intend to get there. Besides being a great source of motivation, knowing where it is you want to be lets you
create a plan for reaching it.
2) Find Support....
Enthusiasm is contagious. Avoid those who say you can't. Try to find others who are doing what you want to do.
Message boards and online communities are a great way to meet with others to find ideas, information, and to help
you stay on track. (Real-Home-Employment.com)
3) Be Informed....
When you have either inadequate or inaccurate information your chances for failure are much higher. Talk to people
who have started similar businesses or are working from home. Subscribe to ezines. Ask questions. Visit discussion boards.
The more informed you are, the less the risk becomes.
4) Get started.....
To keep from feeling overwhelmed, make your larger goal into a few manageable steps. Plan to take at least one action a
day. As you start to do the smaller steps, phone calls, jotting down ideas, contacting employers, sending out resumes,
you may actually feel like something is being finished, and it may be hard to stop after you get going.
If you're already in the workforce find out if your position can be performed from home. If not you'll need
to search for a position that can. Narrow your search down by your skills and experience, for example, data entry,
telemarketing, customer service, transcription, etc.
Should you choose a home business, test the waters. If you're already working, stay there and run your business part-time.
There is no need to create more stress when you can ease your way in to it.
Most importantly never ever give up, if you fall down, pick yourself up and start over, persistence and determination
will pay off.
Gary Hughes is the owner/founder of the successful work at home community Real-home-employment.com [http://www.real-home-employment.com]. Gary has been helping people to find work at home for over 5 years now. Real-home-employment.com [http://www.real-home-employment.com] has articles, resources, a message board, chat rooms, home based businesses, work at home job leads, free job lead alerts, and much much more.

6 Amazing Secrets To Work At Home Success

Are you a stay at home mom or dad who would like to work from home? Maybe you have a job outside the home, but you're tired of juggling your job and your kids, especially when your child is sick and needs you.

You'd like to work from home, but it seems as though there are no legitimate jobs out
there. You don't really want to start a home-based business from scratch, but would love
to work from home.

Well let me tell you a little secret, knowledge is power. And there are 15 strategies you
must apply if you want to be successful in landing a work at home job or contract
These 15 strategies will definitely help you beat out your competition.
Let me share with you 6 of the 15 strategies I've used and continue to use to increase my
chances of obtaining home-based jobs and contracts over and over again.

o 1. You Must Acquire A Specialized Skill
The secret to landing a home-based job or independent contract and keeping it
forever is to acquire a specialized skill, or start a career in a field that is
completely recession proof and in high demand but has a low supply of skilled

workers.
For instance, people will always get sick. So therefore doctors will always need
Medical transcriptionists. Another example; companies will always have
quarterly meetings and will always need general transcriptionists to transcribe
reports, minutes, etc.

If you lose your home-based job today, you can apply for another one tomorrow
and land another job within a week or two. How am I so sure about this? Well
I've done it over and over again as a general transcriptionist, and Cyber Agent
(Call Center Customer Service Rep) for the past five and a half years. The jobs
and independent contracts in these fields are in abundance.

As an example, let's look at Medical Transcriptionist. Just go to your search engine and type in the keywords, "Medical Transcription Companies." You will see hundreds of medical transcription companies listed. Just visit a few of the
web sites and check to see if there's an "employment," "Career," "Join us,"
"Contact," etc., tab on the web site. I'm sure you'll find several job openings.

o 2. Don't work at home for the wrong reasons.
Too many people want to work at home for the wrong reasons. Never tell an
employer that you want to work at home because you need to spend more time
with your children. That will certainly seem selfish to an employer, and you
would never get hired. Most employers don't care whether you want to stay at home with your children or not. Wanting to work from home to spend more time with your children is not really a wrong reason, but in an employer's mind it is.

Why not look at it this way; working from home would enable you to be more
productive in the sense that you would not miss work when your children are sick.
Also if some other family issues arise you can take care of it without calling in
sick. Wouldn't this be more beneficial to the employer instead of saying you
want to work at home to spend more time with the kids?

o 3. Be Professional At All Times
When applying for a home-based job, never respond to an ad via email stating,
"I'm interested in the work-at-home (data entry) position." This is quite
unprofessional. Once you find a home-based job vacancy, apply by sending your cover letter and resume, or fill out an online application.

If the employer didn't ask for a cover letter in the job vacancy ad, please send one
anyway. Never send a resume without a cover letter. It will get thrown in the
trash. Please customize each cover letter with information tailored to that specific
job advertisement.

o 4. Never Send Your Resume As An Attachment Unless The ad States That You Can Do So
The hiring manager might never open the attachment. Also, never copy and paste
your resume into the body of your email and send it to an employer. It will
change format by the time it reaches to the employer, and will look like a jumbled
mess. You must create an ASCII/Plain Text resume and cover letter. For more
information on how to do this please visit the following web sites,
http://resume.monster.com/dosanddonts/email/Index.asp or
http://www.eresumeiq.com/ABC.html.
o 5. Follow Instructions

When responding to a job vacancy announcement please make sure you follow the ad instructions. If the ad asks for specific information please do exactly as it says. For instance, if the ad says, please describe home office equipment, make sure you mention in your cover letter exactly what equipment you have in your home office.

I was once commended by an employer for being the only job applicant, out of
hundreds to actually follow the specific instructions in the job ad. I was hired for this home-based job mainly because I followed instructions, not because I was more qualified than all the other applicants.
o 6. Reduce Your Job Search Time

Finding a job using the Internet can be a frustrating, time-consuming endeavor
because there are literally 1000's of job boards and work at home resources. And
don't forget the Job newsgroups and the regional newspapers.

To be current on this information is essential. Let YourJobSearcher do the work
for you. This software is not only for 9-5 job searches. You can use it to find
telecommuting jobs also. All you have to do is download and install your Job
Search Program, enter your job description (home-based job title you desire),
click and begin the search. It's that easy.

Vernette Carbon is the owner-publisher of AmazingWorkatHomeSecrets.com, and a work at home mom with two children. Discover how you can work at home for Fortune- 500 companies like Office Depot, Sears, etc.

Losing Weight With Garcinia Cambogia

       Garcinia cambogia is a plant which looks similar to a green pumpkin. The skin of this plant contained hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which is effective when it comes to weight loss.

The good news for those looking to shed some excess weight is that garcinia cambogia is completely natural and safe and offers outstanding results. Most people who take this supplement to assist with weight loss find that they achieve amazing results within the first week or two, the weight loss then starts to even out, helping you lose weight at a gradual, safe, but effective rate.

To take this supplement, you should achieve a daily dose of three thousand milligrams. Ideally take one thousand milligrams an hour before each meal. An hour is recommended as it can take this long for the supplement to be absorbed into the blood stream. This can make it a little tricky if you eat breakfast early, you may have to get up a little earlier or try eating breakfast once you get to work.

Garcinia cambogia offers you more than just impressive weight loss results. In addition to stopping fat formation, this supplement is known to improve mood, boost metabolism, suppress appetite, lower cholesterol and is brimming with anti-oxidants.

This product has glycogen, which is responsible for signaling the brain that you are full. This is great during a weight loss program and ensures you feel fuller for longer, reducing the risk of you feeling hungry all the time.

There are three important elements when taking garcinia cambogia to achieve your weight loss results. You cannot rely on the supplement alone, the supplement speeds up your results, but cannot provide you with effective results without you putting some effort in.

One of the most important elements to achieving your weight loss goals is to start eating a healthy and well-balanced diet. Eating a well-balanced diet combined with garcinia cambogia will speed up your weight loss program. The trick to eating a healthy diet is to break your three meals a day into five or six smaller meals. This reduces the risk of you being hungry all the time and enables your body to break down the food and use it for energy, rather than storing it as fat.

Eating a healthy diet is pretty simple. You don't have to follow a low calorie diet, which leaves you lacking energy and starved throughout the day. Changing what and how you eat enables you to enjoy all the great foods available, while you shed the weight.

Changing what you drink from cups and cups of coffee to a green tea or changing drinking fizzy sodas throughout the day to low calorie flavored waters is just one of the many ways you can make a difference. Ensure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. Add dairy to your diet, eating yoghurt as a healthy snack rather than a packet of chips.

Drink plenty of water. It's essential you ensure you are well hydrated at all times. Most diet plans recommend a minimum of eight glasses of water a day. Water flushes the system and reduces the risk of dehydration, which comes with its own long list of problems.

Finally, add some exercise to your routine. You don't have to go overboard and spend every single day at the gym for hours on end. Ensure when you take garcinia cambogia that you do at least thirty to forty five minutes of exercise three times a week. This can be going for a brisk walk, cycling with the family or even doing a few laps in the local swimming pool.

Custom Health Labs is a supplier of high quality natural health supplements. The company ships to customers throughout the world from their FDA registered and GMP approved laboratory.

 The company only uses the highest grade raw materials to make their high quality supplements and focus on superior customer service. Custom Health Labs offer their supplements at affordable prices including private label supplements and wholesale products. The company offers an extensive range of natural and safe supplements in various categories from weight management to sport and fitness and energy and focus to prenatal and children. To find out more, visit Custom Health Labs at https://www.customhealthlabs.com




Losing Weight With Garcinia Cambogia

The Importance of Strength Training for Weight Loss

        While daily cardio exercise is the core component of a weight loss exercise regime, many people don't realize that strength training is also essential if you're trying to lose weight. Though this type of training might not be a part of your daily workout, it's still a necessary part of your overall workout plans.

But why is strength training so important? Isn't it all about building muscle, rather than burning fat?
It's true that strength training doesn't burn as many calories as cardio, and helps build muscle instead of burning fat. However, many people don't realize that muscle does play an important role in weight loss. When a person has a higher muscle mass, his or her metabolism rate is raised, as muscle uses up more calories than fat in the body. So by raising the amount of muscle in your body, you will automatically be burning more calories, helping you lose weight at a faster rate.

Not only does a higher muscle mass help you lose weight, it will also help you maintain your weight loss better as you won't gain weight again as easily as when you consume more fat. That's not to say, however, that you can eat whatever you like - you'll still need to control your calorie intake if you're trying to lose weight!

Another benefit of this type of training for weight loss is that it helps tone your body to look better. Incorporating strength training into your regime can also help a little with the "loose skin" issue that some people face after losing a lot of weight, as muscle can replace some of the lost fat to fill in the skin.

One thing to take note of is that strength training isn't only suited for men; women should also engage in this type of training regularly to tone up and build some muscle. Contrary to popular belief, building muscle does not make you look bulky or masculine. Because of the different hormones, women will not usually build up their muscles in the same way as men, unless they take things to the next level and decide to make this a goal.

The bottom line is that strength training is a must-add to any serious exercise regime, as it provides additional benefits to cardio in aiding weight loss. For best results, do some strength training every alternate day, to allow your muscles to heal and repair themselves adequately before the next session.
Russell (Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club, an online network of websites devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness. The sites encompass a wide variety of health and fitness activities including general health matters, Pilates, yoga, CrossFit, treadmill training, running, kettlebell, swimming, and more. Also covered are Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Positive Thinking, the Law of Attraction and related topics. Those interested can visit the HF & S Club home site at http://www.healthfitnessandsport.com and http://www.healthmattersx.com Also visit our online sports store at



The Importance of Strength Training for Weight Loss

8 Best Natural Ways You Can Use To Lose Weight

         Losing weight has been very problematic for a lot of people in the sense that they have spent a lot of money on getting fitness machines as well as weight loss supplements. Also most of their time seems to be wasted. Many of these dieters thought that it would be very difficult to fight obesity. I want to let them know that it is not true but they need a lot of patience to achieve this. They should know that increase in body fat is a gradual process and to burn it will take some time to achieve. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to tell you eight natural ways to lose weight within one month.

Don't miss your morning food: Make sure that you have your breakfast with high fiber foods or the meals that are low in fat. You should always let fruits and raisins to be part of your breakfast. As research has shown that eating this type of food in the morning prevents you from overeating.
Always add spice to your diet: Make sure that you add spice like horseradish, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne and mustard to your food. As any of these has been proven scientifically to increase body metabolism which helps in making you lose weight fast.

Drink lots of water: Let the drinking of eight glasses of water every day be part and parcel of your diet program. As this will aid your digestion rate and give you good hydration. With this, your food craving will be reduced to the minimum level.

Eat lots of seaweed: It has been proven that sluggish thyroid gland can make you gain weight. Therefore, to prevent your thyroid from this, make sure you eat seaweed which is very high in iodine to prevent your thyroid from being sluggish.

Take a cup of green tea after every meal: Green tea can help you to lose weight perfectly by converting your body fat to energy. This is because green tea contains caffeine and antioxidant.
Eat Nut and Seed: Always eat mega-3 fatty acids foods like fish, nuts, and seeds. As all these will give you more energy.

Have enough Sleep: Make sure you don't always deny yourself of good and deep sleep. That is, you should have at least 6 or 7 hours of deep sleep. As it has been proven that sleeping helps in converting body fat to energy.

Eat A Lot Of Dairy Foods: If you are looking forward to losing weight, make sure you eat dairy foods like yoghurt or milk in combination with calcium foods. As this can help you to relax.
You can also read Ways Diabetes Couple Lose Weight


8 Best Natural Ways You Can Use To Lose Weight

Merits And Demerits Of Starving The Body In Weight Loss Efforts

       
Starvation is a popular weight loss strategy, which has both merits and drawbacks that everyone endeavoring to lose weight needs to understand. No one can dispute that excessive fat is a pandemic in modern society. Millions of people, including children, are either obese or overweight. The natural consequence of this situation is the proliferation of lifestyle disorders like obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular complications and various forms of cancer, to name a few. People resort to various approaches to shed off excess weight, and starvation is one of them.
Starving the body has two important benefits in weight loss. To begin with, it gives the body time to digest what is has eaten. Slow digestion resulting from overburdening of the digestive system is one of the reasons for excess weight. The body stores surplus food as fat, even as it struggles to absorb another meal. Starvation helps the body to digest and assimilate the food in the system, and thus prepare for another serving. Consequently, it averts weight loss.
Secondly, when the body is starved, there is less strain on body organs and systems, thus helping them to function optimally. Every time you eat food, each organ has a role to play to ensure that nutrients are absorbed and the waste is expelled. Overeating strains the digestive, excretory and circulation systems. It also exerts the concomitant organs like the liver, kidneys and the heart. Denying the body food relieves this strain and allows the organs and systems to exhaustively deal with the food in the system. Consequently, there is little room for storage of food in the form of fats.
On the other hand, starvation is detrimental to weight loss efforts. Firstly, the body needs all kinds of nutrients to survive. While carbohydrates are the main contributors to excess weight gain, starvation means that the body will lack its daily share of minerals, vitamins, fats and proteins. As a result, your body will become weak and unable to sustain your weight loss efforts.
Secondly, and closely related to the first reason, starvation often leads to overeating. A starving body unconsciously forces one to eat more food than is necessary, and to 'horde' it, in preparation for another period of starvation. In essence, after starving the body for a day, you are likely to eat more food during the next meal. This excess food is stored as fat, which adds to your weight, while you are busy trying to reduce it.


Merits And Demerits Of Starving The Body In Weight Loss Efforts

12 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

      
Everyone knows why we should be exercising: to improve health, to look good, to feel good, to fit into nice clothes, to burn fat, to lose weight - all that good stuff. And yet, we're just not doing it. In fact, many of us hardly move at all. We drive everywhere we need to go and then look for the closest parking space; we take the elevator instead of the stairs; we work in front of our computers for hours and then go home and plop on the couch; we watch way too much TV; and then we go to bed.
Our inactivity has become a dangerous national pastime. According to a recent study of more than 120,000 American adults, the more we sit around, the shorter our average lifespan. The results of this study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology provide an excellent reason to get up and get moving - to live longer. Why then, are we not motivated to spend more time exercising?
It seems that losing weight, looking better and feeling better (not to mention living longer) would provide enough motivation to get us moving, but judging from our obesity problem, they are not. The problem with motivation is that many of us believe it's something that will come to us if we wait long enough - that someday we'll wake up and finally want to exercise or diet. Rather than believing in this fantasy, maybe we'd be better off by realizing that motivation is something we create, not something we wait for. And before we can create the motivation to do something, we need commitment.
Making a commitment to do anything - exercise more, eat healthy, lose weight - is one of the most fundamental principles of success. When you're committed, you make it a priority and no matter what comes up, you don't make excuses. I see this in my practice every day. Clients come in to the office and tell me they absolutely have to lose weight and are very committed to do whatever it takes. Together we come up with a plan - a plan that typically includes exercise such as going for a walk for 30 minutes, 3 or 4 days per week to start. I always ask, "On a scale of 1-10, how committed are you to follow through with this exercise plan?" It's not uncommon to hear that their level of commitment is a 5 or 6. Unfortunately, that's not much of a commitment; it's more like a desire. And there is a vast difference between being committed and desiring something. When you simply desire something, you do it only when the circumstances permit. When you are committed, you accept no excuses. Only true commitment leads to real results.
Get started today. No matter how big or small, make a commitment to exercise and use the list below to help you create motivation. It's time to get moving. You can do this!
All the Motivation You Need To Hit the Gym ( http://dailyzenlist.com/post/84926489908/gym-motivation )
1. No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.
2. What seems so hard now will one day be your warm up.
3. Summer bodies are made in the winter.
4. Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.
5. When you feel like giving up, remember how many people you have to prove wrong.
6. Fitness isn't about being better than anyone else; it's about being better than you used to be.
7. It's better to be covered in sweat at the gym, than covered in clothes at the beach.
8. Do today what others won't, so you can do tomorrow what others can't.
9. Pain is temporary; quitting lasts forever.
10. You are going to want to give up. Don't.
11. A year from now, you will be glad you started today.
12. I can't tell you it will be easy, but I can tell you it will be worth it.
Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD, is a food and nutrition expert specializing in weight management and digestive health. She is committed to empowering people through education, support, and inspiration to make real changes that lead to optimal health and lasting weight loss. Take her Free Self-Assessment and learn how you can lose 20 lb. - or more. Jump Start your weight loss today!http://njnutritionist.com/freeassessment


12 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise