Of course, you need to think of all the legalities if working from home. You must make sure you register as self-employed and fill in your tax returns. Something that should also be considered is insurance such as the insurance Sherpa offers for the self-employed. Could you afford to keep running your business if you were to get ill? It is important to have adequate life insurance and critical insurance cover when running your own business too.
So if you want to go ahead, here are ten small business ideas you can try when working from home.
Childminding
This obviously requires certain things such as being registered with OFSTED and some sort of qualification but if you like children, and especially if you are looking after your own, this may be a career choice for you. Being organised, interested in children's education, and being patient is key, as well as a love of children obviously!
Chore Service
These are becoming more and more popular as others lead such busy lives. If you love washing clothes and/or ironing them, there’s a market for that. There will always be people too busy to do these chores themselves or who simply don’t want to and would rather pay for the privilege.
Direct Sales
These do get a bad reputation sometimes and they aren’t necessarily something I would opt to do myself but if you are chatty and a good salesperson, this might be the job choice for you. Some companies supply leads so there is no cold calling involved so perhaps look into this if you want to get into direct sales over the phone.
Data Entry
It isn’t the most glamorous of jobs but if you have good touch typing skills and a good eye for detail, data entry is a job that you can do quickly and easily and you can make a decent amount of money doing this.
Tutoring Online
There are many websites out there who hire tutors for children in various countries abroad who are attempting to learn English. If you are educated to a degree level and want to work from home, perhaps this small business idea is the one for you.
Baking
If you are a great bake, then why not put those skills to good use and make a business out of it? Yes, you will need to have the correct set up with various certifications and a visit from the council to ensure your cooking area is to the correct standard but this can be a lucrative business idea.
Homemade crafts
If you are skilled in crafting, then why not sell your creations? If you have a skill for making then try jewellery making, creating bath bombs, sewing clothes or knitting. People love receiving handmade unique items so why not turn a skill into a business?
Grow and sell your own produce
If you love tending to your garden and growing your own fruit and veg, then why not sell the extras that you will not use? Jams and chutneys are always popular and many people like buying homemade items from source. You could even get a stall at the local farmer's market if it takes off
Virtual Assistant
I have many friends who have stepped into this role. It is a great way to make a living from home. A virtual assistant can do many things such as schedule their client's social media, various administration tasks such as sorting emails and so much more.
Reselling
My final small business idea - and one that does divide people - is reselling. This is where you buy items at a cheap price from car boot sales, charity shops, auctions and garage sales and flip them for a higher price on eBay and other selling sites. As you get further into your journey as a reseller, you will find that you manage to seek out the more lucrative items.
Do you work from home? What do you do?
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I have considered taking on a virtual assistant role but haven't quite gotten around to actually pursuing it yet!
ReplyDeleteIf you are good at organising I think you would be great at it.
DeleteThese are some great ideas, I've thought about doing some other at home jobs at some point just to try and get some more pennies coming in.
ReplyDeleteGood luck if you do take these ideas up!
DeleteI currently work as a virtual assistant! I've considered some of the others before.
ReplyDeleteI have actually done a few of these myself - I don't play well with others so making money from home, as my own boss was always my bigger plan for the future.
ReplyDeleteSounds good, which of these are your favourite ways of making money?
DeleteGreat ideas to earn some extra money, I have thought of data entry or virtual assistance in the past x
ReplyDeleteSome great tips, I'd definitely do things like data entry if I was at home more x
ReplyDeleteConsidering I quite like housework, I could definitely do a chore service, I've never thought about that before! Mich x
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you do start this up!
DeleteI am a Nursery Nurse now but I would love to become a childminder.
ReplyDeleteThat should be relatively easy to change I would think after you have had the safety checks
DeleteData entry is something I do in my day job so would be cool to do as an extra on the side.
ReplyDelete