by Robert Darden

The unpredictable and unstable economy, with gas prices going up and down (and then back up again), is causing more and more people to opt to work from home these days. And it seems that there’s no shortage of options from which to choose a profitable stay-at-home, work-in-your-jammies career.

If you’re thinking of taking a swim in the work-from-home waters, be careful where and when you dive in. Independent studies show that 80 to 98% of the websites offering financial security and freedom via stay at home opportunities are frauds. So proceed with caution.

Some—but not nearly all—of the things to look out for on these sites are:

- Info that’s either difficult to follow, not detailed enough, or out-dated

- Links that take you to other pages where you’re asked for additional money

- Links that simply don’t take you anywhere at all

- Obvious lack of a help section or support system should you need some assistance.

Not all stay-at-home opportunities are frauds, and many are not web-based. This is nice because it’s beginning to be an even bigger headache than necessary to find a website worth the time it takes to download the flawed and faulty information. Besides, you know a few other things the Internet can be used for that aren’t nearly as tedious, right? For instance, you could use the Internet for getting an education, and eventually a new stay-at-home job.

So what other job opportunities are out there? There are many actually, depending on your skills, interests, and creativity. You can do, make, and sell pretty much anything from your home. Some may require a little bit (or more) of money to get things going, but you’ll know exactly where your money went. If you’re doing something you already love to do, you’d probably spend that money on it anyway. You might even have to trade in those jammies for a real pair of pants to meet with your new clients.

AllBusiness.com provides a list of the Top 10 Home-Based Businesses for Stay-at-Home Parents. But really, I see absolutely NO reason anyone would have to first create or birth a baby. The top ten home-based businesses are:

1. Medical Transcription – a 2-yr associate degree or a 1-yr certificate program is highly recommended, but not always required. Some writing and computer skills are also important, as well a command of the English language. Medical transcription is often freelance, as many doctors choose to outsource these duties. This business requires a very low overhead and there’s a minimum of equipment needed.

2. Accounting – for simple bookkeeping, you could get by with just a high school diploma, but to perform all the other required duties of a regular accountant, at least a 4-year bachelor’s degree is required. Accounting has a flexible schedule and very low overhead, as you can start your own company in your home. On the upper end, you could purchase a tax or accounting franchise.

3. Child Care — requires no degree or certification and theoretically can be done with little or no experience, although some experience caring for children is best.

4. Assembling/Selling Custom Gift Baskets — about as simple as it gets. You fill baskets with whatever you want and then sell them. Your own creativity is the only limit here. You’ll be working in your own space, so there’s really no overhead, and since you’re in charge of what you’re selling, you’re in charge of what equipment you’ll need.

5. Making/Selling Candles and Crafts — same as with the gift baskets, you’re in total control here.

6. Catering — no degrees or certification are needed. Most of the work can be done in your home, but some will need to be done outside the home as well, and there may be a need for additional staff members at times. Obviously though, you’ll want to know a thing or two about good food.

7. Medical Claims Billing — no specific degree required, but experience in accounting and/or finance will be very beneficial.

8. Freelance Typing Jobs — no degree, certification, or even training needed, but you will need to be quite the typist. There will always be a demand for skilled typists, no matter how much computers take over the world.

9. Publishing e-books — there’s no inventory; start-up cost is minimal as is maintenance. This is a great way to market virtually any product.

10. Online Affiliate Programs — this is as simple as finding a company that creates/sells products you find appealing and then marketing them online, usually via a website.

The possibilities of home-based career opportunities are endless. The only limits are the ones you place on yourself. You’ll enjoy the freedom of being able to do what you love from the comfort of your own home. Do remember to set boundaries with friends and family members. Remind them that work time is work time, and play time is play time. Although, if you make work as much fun as you could, it might become hard to tell the difference.