How to make money from home?

[Rose of Cairo]

Hi all,

I need your help to perform a big brainstorming

I've had very bad thoughts about making money in the past. A few weeks ago, I became aware of them and since then a huge energy has been freed! I happily decided to make money. Now I'm looking for ideas on how to do that practically. Here some info:

I'm totally broke and have debts, so, no financial investition possible. (with the résumé I have, no bank will ever give me some money either)

I'd like to have various income streams, not only one. I'm already learning (two-years schooling and training volunteering at the animal shelter) to become a traditional animal healer. But I'm not the kind of person to have only one job (and I need money now, not in two years)

I love to work at home. I'd like to earn money doing something I can do from home.

I am a total introvert. I don't want to work with people. I hate (!!!) selling or marketing or trying to persuade some people to do something. I hate talking on the phone.

I know that's more about what I do not want. But it's difficult to tell you what I want. I'm a scanner, or Renaissance Soul. You know, I find everything totally interesting, I'm very enthusiastic and always passionate about something. But this something changes often. I'm said to be very talented for everything I begin with, and I can learn everything quickly. But when I know how it feels, how it works and it would be only a matter of time till I'm really good at it, I get intolerably bored and quit with no intention of doing it ever again. And no, I will NOT change this and stick with one thing ever, forget about it.

So, what can such a person like me do to earn money?? Some ideas?

[cdn2wheeler]

You're clearly a good writer so play to your strengths.

• Have you considered translation services? I know you're in Germany but clearly have an excellent grasp of English
• How about a resume-writing service?
• There are a number of companies that offer "drop-ship" services. There's a page here which lists some of them
• Environmental issues are huge right now. Not sure how you'd enter the market in the context of a home-based business, but I imagine there are opportunities there
• Possibly some sort of services broker. A buddy of mine has just started working with the "green building" trend (also ties in with environmental) and he acts as a broker between homebuilders and suppliers of "green" materials.

[Christian223]

Here are two sites that i have been using for many months with success as a stream of income working from my home, i hope it helps.

Outsource to Qualified Freelancers or Firms, Web Designers, Programmers, Technical Writers - oDesk (for me, the best)
Rent A Coder: How Software Gets Done -- The most completed software projects on the internet

[scoby]

try writing articles in order to earn affiliate commissions
Bum Marketing Method - Free Traffic Tips

It's run by a great guy called Travis and is absolutely free

[mellom]

Hey I'm starting from the ground up on my site so feel free to tag along:

Utilizing the free Blogger service to earn money.

There's really no easy answer. Just remember that whatever it is will take hard work, but you'll be rewarded in the end. Stay committed and remain positive.

Good luck.

[Nelson]

I'm totally broke and have debts, so, no financial investition possible. (with the résumé I have, no bank will ever give me some money either)

I thought you said you got rid of your bad financial beliefs. These are obviously terrible assumptions to make as you are maikng some very disempowering assumptions. Furthermore, if you live in a first-world country there is no way you are broke. Simply put, you have so much wealth in your life you are taking it for granted. Look for the wealth that you already have and use it as leverage.

I don't want to work with people. I hate (!!!) selling or marketing or trying to persuade some people to do something. I hate talking on the phone.

If you want to be rich you're going to have to deal with people and sell things to them. Even the billionaire Howard Hughes, the most introverted man we've ever known of had to deal with others in order to create the level of wealth he desired.

Money is a piece of paper that says "Society Owes You". If you don't operate or help in society then it can't owe you.

I'm said to be very talented for everything I begin with, and I can learn everything quickly. But when I know how it feels, how it works and it would be only a matter of time till I'm really good at it, I get intolerably bored and quit with no intention of doing it ever again. And no, I will NOT change this and stick with one thing ever, forget about it.

So you're a dabbler.

It takes a long time to live good as a dabbler. People appreciate quality not quantity.

Think of it like this - you could buy 10 pairs of crap shoes for $10 each OR you could buy one excellent pair of shoes for $100.

Which one do you pick?

Same with your skills set - nobody wants a jack of all trades. I want a MASTER marketer to advertise for my company, not someone who is pretty good at marketing and pretty good at web design and pretty good at painting.

I don't need someone "pretty good" running my company, I need someone who is the very best.

Frankly, I think you should just sock away $100/month into a retirement account with compounding interest of around 10-12% until you change your beliefs about who you are and what it takes to make money. If you do that you will end up a millionaire within 20 years.

[Rose of Cairo]

Thank you so much all of you guys for your replies! You gave me excellent ideas!

cdn2wheeler, thanks for the compliment. It means a lot to me Translations, no way, that's one of the things I already did. But the other suggestions are interesting. And you're right, the whole world is telling me I should write.

Christian223, oDesk is great! I already found some job ideas there I'd like to do when my english is better. I'm working on learning better english and refreshing my spanish now. That will be four languages I speak, that could be useful.

Scoby, I subscribed there. What a great idea, I love writing articles. Funny that all four of you told me to write in some form. Thank you very much!

Mellom, I looked at your blog and liked it. Keep on posting, I'll keep on reading it I wanted to set up several blogs anyway. I didn't want to do it to make money, but because I love writing and I thought writing a blog would be fun. But maybe it can monetize it additionally. Let's see.

Nelson, you're right, I'm not as broke as someone who has nothing to eat. Thank you for the reminder. There is no way I can "just sock away $100/month" though, but thanks for the tip, I'll do some research on compounding interest (no clue what this is).

Btw, you're making very disempowering assumptions about being a jack-of-all-trades. First, high quantity does not necessarily mean low quality. When I do something I'm usually really good at it. My shoes are no crap. It's just that I don't make sneakers all of my life like others, I make one pair of sneakers, then one pair of boots, then one pair of pumps... Second, of course there are jobs where specialists are needed. But there are also jobs where jack-of-all-trades are needed. The ability to learn anything quickly, to be very flexible in a new situation and to switch topics frequently can be a precious quality in some jobs. Like for some journalists for instance.

In fact you're telling me to change myself and become a specialist, aren't you? That's not possible. It's not a matter of belief, I tried with all my good will to stick with one thing again and again, but that's just not who I am.

So, nobody wants someone like me? Well I don't want an employer anyway. Thank you for telling me I cannot be successful this way, that's very motivating! (edit: I mean this seriously, no irony here)

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

So, nobody wants someone like me?

*raises hand*

uh... I do...

[NotesMaeve]

If you have an interest in doing architectural drawings, many companies will hire indie contractors to do this if you're trained. I've even known folks without traditional engineering or architectural training who do it! (It's an awesome line of work. I just got laid off, but I already have work lined up!)

[Saidin]

Hi Rose,

Since you're such a good writer, why don't you write an eBook or other digital products? You have enough knowledge to create more than one.

After you've created that, you can create a decent sales page once. Because you're an introvert, try to get other people to promote your product. You can sell your product using Clickbank and other people will promote your product for you.

Since you're looking for multiple streams of income, this could just be something you might want to consider.

Good luck!

[mellom]

Yeah if you're a good writer than you're ahead of the game. Monetizing a blog site may be a good option for you -- do what you love.

[ixmatus]

Rose, you are an excellent writer; I know people here in America that speak AND write terrible English compared to your writing!

Many of the ideas here are very worthwhile (even for myself, I might add). The blog idea is good because it is well established, but, you should only do something because you are excited and passionate about it. The money will follow.

There must be a reason why you know four languages, do you love language? Is there something about languages/communication in general that interests you?

Also, being timid when confronted with approaching and talking to strangers (or people in general) has nothing to do with being an Introvert; its just being timid. I am an Introvert but can deliver excellent speeches, run 50+ martial arts class, and engage in a public philosophy debate with a group of people I don't know. Don't rule so much out based on your timid interactions with people; although, I am a firm believer that you should have your thoughts 'gathered' before tackling this barrier (once you do, you will find out it isn't even a barrier at all!). I equate Introvert with reserved and thoughtful expression, not so much being afraid of, or hating, interaction with people.

I could see you doing mediation for foreign/multi-national corporations, A) because your language base is broad, and B) because your English is certainly excellent. (although, I am not sure if you meant to say 'buy shoes' instead of 'make shoes'? if you make your own shoes, I would be impressed!)


There is quite a bit of opportunity out there, don't let the unknown paralyze you - let it all come.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by Nelson

So you're a dabbler.

It takes a long time to live good as a dabbler. People appreciate quality not quantity.

Think of it like this - you could buy 10 pairs of crap shoes for $10 each OR you could buy one excellent pair of shoes for $100.

Which one do you pick?

Same with your skills set - nobody wants a jack of all trades. I want a MASTER marketer to advertise for my company, not someone who is pretty good at marketing and pretty good at web design and pretty good at painting.

I don't need someone "pretty good" running my company, I need someone who is the very best.

Frankly, I think you should just sock away $100/month into a retirement account with compounding interest of around 10-12% until you change your beliefs about who you are and what it takes to make money. If you do that you will end up a millionaire within 20 years.

I don't understand why you are assuming that she is going to work for you, or for anyone for that matter. I don't see why you would pigeonhole her as an employee, and then tell her to change her attitudes to become a millionaire.

[4Mind4Life]

1.) Make a website

2.) Make a blog

3.) Sell products through e-bay or your own website

4.) Write a book

5.) WORK and DEVELOP SKILLS in an area that you find interesting and then apply your skills to make money

6.) Invent something

7.) Make art & sell it

8.) Plant a money tree in your backyard

9.) Win the lottery

Check out the article on my blog called "How To Get Rich"....I think it may help you out! (it's under the money category on the right side)

[ericabiz]

Originally Posted by Nelson

Frankly, I think you should just sock away $100/month into a retirement account with compounding interest of around 10-12% until you change your beliefs about who you are and what it takes to make money. If you do that you will end up a millionaire within 20 years.

Er, $1200/year x 20 years x 12% is only about $100K. That still isn't bad, but it's not a million. $1M is 40 years at the same rate. Good thought, though, and the power of compound interest is something everyone should know about.

This thread has great information for me as well. I'm figuring out how to make a living writing, and the bum marketing method and other links listed here definitely helped me figure out how to monetize my blog. Thank you!

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by cdn2wheeler

*raises hand*

uh... I do...

oh yeah, you have a job for me cdn? I don't want you as my boss

Thanks a lot everybody for all these ideas! And for the encouraging words, and for the compliments about writing, although that's not clear to me...

Originally Posted by ixmatus

There must be a reason why you know four languages, do you love language? Is there something about languages/communication in general that interests you?

yes and no. I guess I should elaborate:

yes: I love languages, and I like to compare them. Every language I can speak is a degree of freedom more, like a new personality. You don't think in english like you think in french. I'm more generally interested in communication too. Foreign languages, but also non verbal communication, body language, biological communication, energetical communication, telepathy, cultural aspects of communication, intercultural communication, and also logic, programming languages, theory of codes, steganography and cryptography... that's all fascinating isn't it?

no: but that's not something I am more interested in than in something else. I learned these foreign languages along the way, just like I learned everything else. That's not something particularly important in my life.

Originally Posted by ixmatus

Don't rule so much out based on your timid interactions with people

Oh sorry that's a misunderstanding. I'm an introvert, but I'm not shy. I'm not timid at all, I smile and say hello to people on the street, I can talk to any stranger, I'm not afraid at all of approaching people. It happens often to me that I meet some people on the street or in the bus or while queueing somewhere and we just start talking. I'm said to be an excellent listener too, as I'm very empathic and can easily "feel" people, their problems, feelings, energy and health state. Very often people I've never seen before tell me about their very private stuff. I have no problem with expressing my own feelings or talking about my life either.

The point is just that interaction with people costs me a lot of energy. I love people, I love communicating with them, but I cannot do that too much, that's all. When talking to someone, there is such an avalanche of impressions and feelings overwhelming me, I need some time to recover and process all this information afterwards. More generally, I absolutely need A LOT of time ALONE. Going to university and being in a room together with other people for hours every day there nearly killed me. Whereas when I spend my days alone and silently, I'm fine. That's why I'd like to work from home, where I am alone with my sweet girl (the cat).

And I don't want to sell things not because talking to people scares me, but because that's just not me. I want to meet people genuinely, from heart to heart, not convince them to buy something. That's not the same kind of communication at all!

Originally Posted by ixmatus

I could see you doing mediation for foreign/multi-national corporations

sounds interesting what do mediators do??

Originally Posted by ixmatus

because your English is certainly excellent.

it is not, you haven't heard my french accent
But I'm working on it.

Originally Posted by ixmatus

(although, I am not sure if you meant to say 'buy shoes' instead of 'make shoes'? if you make your own shoes, I would be impressed!)

nono, I meant "make shoes". Nelson was speaking from the PoV of a potential employer. He used shoes as a metaphor for skills and said that he as an employer would hire people who are masters at one thing (buy one pair of good shoes) and not jack-of-all-trades who have ten skills but are really good at nothing (ten pairs of crappy shoes). So I told him that my shoes (my skills) are not crappy (I'm good at what I do), but I don't make sneakers all the time (I don't use the same skill all the time, like a painter who develops his painting skill till his death). I make a pair of boots, then a pair of pumps... (I develop one skill, then another, then another... ) Got it?

Originally Posted by Saidin

Since you're such a good writer, why don't you write an eBook or other digital products? You have enough knowledge to create more than one.

knowledge about what??
Isn't it pointless to write about a topic some specialist has already written three detailled books about?

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Isn't it pointless to write about a topic some specialist has already written three detailled books about?

Nope, not at all.

There are thousands of books on hundreds of topics published every year, both on paper and in e-book form. Each of them has a slightly different slant. Your personal slant is what will make your book a success.

Let me give you an example: I know a fellow who wrote a stunningly successful book on personal finance called The Wealthy Barber. There is nothing in that book that's much different from almost any other book on personal finance, but it's told in a folksy, easy-to-understand way based on Dave's personality.

It made Dave a very rich man, and made a lot of sense to readers.

[ixmatus]

@Rose:

Okay, good to clear up some of my false assumptions. I am very much like you in the sense of enjoying large chunks of time alone; but, I also love hanging out in crazy casinos and bar scenes here in Vegas - generally alone though!

I understand that bit about the shoes now.

Mediation is generally defined as being a form of 'Alternative Dispute Resolution'; it is used to work out 'people problems' BUT the oldest and most common place for its use is in business and commerce: Wikipedia: Mediation in business and commerce which, to say the least, is far more interesting and most mediators make very healthy amount of money.

Most mediation sessions occur in a conference room - but they happen more like 'meetings' than a 9 to 5 job. So it might not be full work at home, but there would be opportunity for travel and much more time spent at home.

It might suit you, might not, but it is just an idea.

[mlc82]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Oh sorry that's a misunderstanding. I'm an introvert, but I'm not shy. I'm not timid at all, I smile and say hello to people on the street, I can talk to any stranger, I'm not afraid at all of approaching people. It happens often to me that I meet some people on the street or in the bus or while queueing somewhere and we just start talking. I'm said to be an excellent listener too, as I'm very empathic and can easily "feel" people, their problems, feelings, energy and health state. Very often people I've never seen before tell me about their very private stuff. I have no problem with expressing my own feelings or talking about my life either.

The point is just that interaction with people costs me a lot of energy. I love people, I love communicating with them, but I cannot do that too much, that's all. When talking to someone, there is such an avalanche of impressions and feelings overwhelming me, I need some time to recover and process all this information afterwards. More generally, I absolutely need A LOT of time ALONE. Going to university and being in a room together with other people for hours every day there nearly killed me. Whereas when I spend my days alone and silently, I'm fine. That's why I'd like to work from home, where I am alone with my sweet girl (the cat).

And I don't want to sell things not because talking to people scares me, but because that's just not me. I want to meet people genuinely, from heart to heart, not convince them to buy something. That's not the same kind of communication at all!

Wow! This is kind of OT, but you've summed up my viewpoint almost exactly as well. I'm not shy in the slightest bit and sometimes when in public probably come across as outgoing, but I usually want/need to be left alone as well! I even have an overgrown cat at home...

I despise sales for the same reason also.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Well I find this topic extreeeemly interesting as earning money from home is an idea I really like. I could also definitely relate on your description as a polyvalent, able to do everything and not just one thing.
Anyway, to add to the topic, I've been thinking for the last 48 h about some ways to make money so here they are :


-Turn the topic of this forum into a website. something like "ideas for business dot com" or something.
This start from the idea that an entrepreneur is not a person who find ideas but one who exploit them.
So this website would just give freely some ideas to start businesses for wanabe entrepreneurs.

-free lance writer/blogger (not new I know)

-free lance journalist

-A service to help people write CV and résumés and to help them find a job

-A website that would be like a universal forum or universal dictionnary.
I explain : people would come to this website, propose a definition for a word of their choice, or either comment an existing definition, or add a new definition to an existing one.
This kind of website already exist in turkey (can't remember the name, but a turkish friend of mine told me it is making millions of visit every month)

-Make a website company that turns Phd's and dissertation of students into e-books.
this service would be free for the students, and they would have the possibility to sell their own work through this website.
(when we think about it, the hundreds of thousands of dissertations and PHd's written every year are a big value that is not really monetized). This would be easy to do and very valuable. Call me if you do this i'd like to be part of that.

-Maybe find a part time job for the first few month so you can eat while working on your projects.

-Create a Hug point. This is not from home. Remember the video free hugs ( YouTube - Free Hugs Campaign. (music by Sick Puppies.net album out) ) ?
this would be the same but on a fix point. You open you hug point and people can come to it to be hugged and feel some love.
There is a very famous woman who does this in india. People come from all over the world to be hugged by her.

-design a website (or find a friend who can design it) for lawyers or doctors so you can sell it to them and they can fill with their own content. Have you noticed how lawyers and many other professionals don't have websites?

-ask for money on line. Simply ask for it. Make a description of you and why you want money and people might just give it to you. (this has already happened to a woman I can't remember the name)

-Start an online radio station with good music that you like.

-Be like Leonardo Da Vinci

I guess the creativity is infinite so we can always find new ways.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by mlc82

Wow! This is kind of OT, but you've summed up my viewpoint almost exactly as well. I'm not shy in the slightest bit and sometimes when in public probably come across as outgoing, but I usually want/need to be left alone as well! I even have an overgrown cat at home...

I despise sales for the same reason also.

cool, a twin!

I don't know if I despise sales, I admire people who are able to do that. I tried to learn it too, but I really didn't like it, and wasn't good at it. I'd talk with some people about their dog, they'd tell me about their relationship, and we'd end up exchanging recipes. After they're gone, I'd remember that I should actually have been selling them something. I also worked in a shop for almost one year, but this ongoing stream of customers nearly drove me crazy, I swear.

[Rose of Cairo]

Knight, WOW!

I'm going to think about all that. It's a bit overwhelming now spontaneoulsy. Thanks a lot!

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Knight, WOW!

I'm going to think about all that. It's a bit overwhelming now spontaneoulsy. Thanks a lot!

Yeah I know, but the more ideas you read the more likely you are to find one or two you like so I was just throwing some ideas a bit randomly

[Tayrak]

Knight: I really like the hug idea, probably would work great. Not sure how you'd set it up though. I googled for free hugs and the website didn't come up, no hugs for me

The ask for money one would probably work too, but gosh it just sounds bad to say give me money, you'd have to come up with some kind of good story that's not a lie, folks find everything out today. That would be tough for me since I'm not hurting any more than the million people I would expect to get money from.
It's the ideas we put down as wonky that always work the best!!

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Originally Posted by Tayrak

Knight: I really like the hug idea, probably would work great. Not sure how you'd set it up though. I googled for free hugs and the website didn't come up, no hugs for me

that's strange.. try this link it may work :

Official Home of the Free Hugs Campaign - Inspired by Juan Mann - Home

[C0282736]

I found that when I had a very scattered focus it was very difficult to feel like I was making the progress I wanted. I mean sure, I was always interested in what I was doing since I could switch to a different project whenever I felt like it but I feel now that I was spread too thin. Now that I have a focus I am seeing results and once I master the avenue I have chosen I will move on to a new project. It can be difficult when you have so many ideas and interests and you want to move fast but I truly believe a distinct focus and patience is what will give you the best results.

[zabmk]

Try surf this site:

Helium - Where Knowledge Rules

[jenno]

Originally Posted by Saidin

Hi Rose,

Since you're such a good writer, why don't you write an eBook or other digital products? You have enough knowledge to create more than one.

After you've created that, you can create a decent sales page once. Because you're an introvert, try to get other people to promote your product. You can sell your product using Clickbank and other people will promote your product for you.

Since you're looking for multiple streams of income, this could just be something you might want to consider.

Good luck!

This is definitely an option. But I'll tell you that that's exactly what a lot of people are already doing. I'm currently being mentored by an internet marketing expert (believe me, it was not cheap) and so far, the biggest lesson I learned from him was "If you build it, they won't necessarily come." Instead of trying to create the absolute best product or eBook, the way he is teaching me is to find what people are already searching for, and to fulfill that need. This requires you doing lots of research and knowing what to look for and where to look as well.

However don't let that stop you if you already have a great idea for a product or eBook in mind. Passion can launch you farther than other people who are just in it for the money.

Tip: The most profitable things to sell online are informational. Something that can be sent over the web, downloaded, or in eBook form, etc. You can take some time (hours, days, maybe months) to create an eBook once but if you create something of value it can keep selling. Unlike products you don't need to keep stock on hand or give drop shippers a percentage.

ixmatus brings up a good point -- you know 4 languages, that's impressive! I can already think of a few things that might be good for an eBook. Brainstorm of what you could teach people about learning languages. Did you pick up a few tricks to make the learning easier or more fun? Are there things that the textbooks don't teach you?

Oh yeah, and duh, check out my sig! Shameless plug but it does help you make money from home. Hope that helps

[frankfortpost]

I think Rose asked how she can "make money now".

All good ideas here, but websites and blogs take a while to get going.

Myself, and other people I know, would love legitimate opportunities to work from home as well.

I think the business world needs a paradigm shift, but there is the issue of honesty and integrity, and you never know if the person on the other side has honest intentions with your products or services.

Data entry seems like a great niche, but everything I find on the internet about it appears to be a scam, or wants you to pay for the pleasure to participate.

I got a great idea for a website person.

Start a website that deals with finding absolutely legitimate, work at home opportunities, where you do not have to pay, or invest, to participate.

Also, on a side note, I would think that serious website owners would be interested in people joining various forums on the internet, and placing their link in the signature bar, or putting the website in directories, or that sort of thing.

I would be interested. PM me if this is a possibility, or if one of you can think of something else good. (fyi, I enjoy sales)

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by jenno

ixmatus brings up a good point -- you know 4 languages, that's impressive! I can already think of a few things that might be good for an eBook. Brainstorm of what you could teach people about learning languages. Did you pick up a few tricks to make the learning easier or more fun? Are there things that the textbooks don't teach you?

uh, hm, I don't think I can teach people anything about learning languages. I have no tricks. I don't use books either. To learn a new language I have to immerse myself completely in it. I need to move to a country where this language is spoken, or at least spend a lot of time with people speaking it. Then I just use empathy. I'll become them, feel like they feel, think like they think, in their language, live like they live.. and speak like they speak. That's all. It's like acquiring a new personality. Or playing a role. Or switching modes.

That's why I've never learned russian, although I'd love to speak russian. I have nobody to copy and paste I tried a few times to take a russian class, with a book and all that, but it was extremely boring, so I didn't continue.

I'm in a hurry right now, have to go, just wanted to say that!