Do you ever find yourself wondering why so many of us are heading to work each morning? For some people it barely makes financial sense to head to work. When looking at some of the costs that come with simply going to work, you may find yourself wondering why you are not working from home instead. These are some costs to consider.
1. Commuting costs
Even when your employer pays for gas mileage or public transportation, just look at the hours each week that we spend going to and from work. Combine that with the costs of keeping your vehicle insured, the fact that every mile you drive in it takes away from the overall value of your car, and you may start realizing that commuting costs you more than you think.
2. Do you have children?
If you have or want children and are not lucky enough to have parents or friends who can take care of them five days out of the week, you are going to have to pay for daycare service. Have you looked at the cost of daycare recently? You may be going to work just to be able to pay for daycare.
3. There is no limit
When you are working for someone else, regardless of what type of work you are doing others are always benefiting from your performance. If you are good at something, why not eliminate that aspect work for yourself? When working independently, the money you make is yours. With certain jobs, you find that there is no financial incentive to push yourself, you are not going to make more than a certain amount anyway. When you are your own boss, what you make depends on how much time and effort you put into your business. Be your own person. Remember this quote “Never mind searching for who you are. Search for the person you aspire to be” as said by Robert Brault.
Where do I look?
If you are interested in offering your services at home, but do not want to fall for those typical “get rich quick” schemes that require you to invest money, you would do well to check out Elance. The benefit of using Elance is that you can offer your services, find out more about your potential client, and the money is kept in an escrow account so you do not have to worry about whether you will be paid. What are some interesting jobs you could do online that you may find on Elance?
1. Freelance writer
If you have a passion for writing and know how to form eye-catching prose for potential customers, being a freelance writer might be perfect for you. Write anything ranging from blog posts to the perfect sales pitch.
2. Graphic designer
While on Elance, you can use your skills any way that you want. Whether you prefer to create business cards, posters, fliers, or anything else you can think of, there is someone that is looking for your particular skill set.
3. Website design
While content is incredibly important, having a good-looking website is also important for clients to distinguish themselves from their competitors. If you are able to design attractive or technologically advanced websites, there are clients waiting for your bid.
You have a competitive advantage
One of the biggest benefits that you gain from working at home is that you can gain a competitive advantage. Compared to many of your competitors, you will have reduced overhead cost. This allows you to be more competitive because of lower operating costs. You have the chance to increase your overall profitability because of the money you save on rent. When compared to the larger competitors, you are also able to provide customers with personal service.
The need for a professional space
Even if you decide to work from home, it is still important that you distinguish between what your work environment is going to be and where you are ‘at home’. Even if you only have a one-room apartment, you need to have a place blocked off where you work. Here you will want a desk, your computer, maybe a plant, and all your paperwork. If you set up web and video conferencing in this area, you do not have to meet a potential client face-to-face, which saves you even more in travel costs.
About the author: David Crawford has been a freelance creative mind for several years now and understands what it takes to succeed online. When David is not busy learning more about search engine optimization or trying to find out more about how to improve his own business by visiting websites such as http://officedeskreviews.com, David enjoys spending time with friends and watching movies.