| With the economy in shambles and unemployment on | | | | 5. Accounting |
| the rise, is now a good time to start a business? Yes, | | | | Accounting isn't for everyone, but if it is something that |
| if you choose smartly a home based business can | | | | you enjoy consider becoming certified and offering |
| allow you to thrive financially while still having the | | | | your services. You can either start your own business |
| flexibility that will allow you to be there with your family. | | | | or buy an existing franchise. |
| Here are the top 10 best home based businesses to | | | | 6. Blogging |
| start during a recession. | | | | It's possible to make six figures blogging, but you'll need |
| 1. At home daycare | | | | to write frequently and spend your time wisely. There |
| Starting an at-home daycare is one of the top 10 | | | | are many ways to get paid by blogging, whether you |
| home based businesses to start. With daycare being | | | | are selling advertising space, selling products for |
| so expensive and so impersonal, many working | | | | affiliate commission, or by displaying Google AdSense. |
| families prefer to use home day cares where there | | | | 7. Virtual Assistant |
| child will get personal attention at a reasonable cost. | | | | If you are organized and enjoy learning new things, |
| This business is easy to set up but be sure to have | | | | consider becoming a virtual assistant. Network with |
| contracts that you stick with. Check for local | | | | small business owners to see what kind of help they |
| regulations before you begin. | | | | need. You might help them by running personal errands |
| 2. Pet sitting / dog walking | | | | or maintain their websites. |
| Even in tough economic times, people keep spending | | | | 8. Business Coach |
| on their dogs and cats. Starting a pet sitting business is | | | | Business coaching is one of the most profitable home |
| a great way for animal lovers to make extra cash. In | | | | based businesses you can start. If you can help a |
| addition to pet sitting, you can also offer dog walking | | | | business succeed in a certain area, consider becoming |
| for people who are stuck at the office all day. | | | | a business coach. |
| If you are serious about starting a pet sitting business, | | | | 9. Affiliate Marketing |
| be sure to become bonded and insured. | | | | If you want your home business to be internet-based, |
| 3. Web design | | | | consider affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing you |
| You don't need to be extremely skilled to start a web | | | | get a commission of products that you sell. |
| design business. All you need is a knack for selling to | | | | 10. Information publishing |
| the local businesses in your area. Many of them don't | | | | Information publishing is a huge business and there is |
| have a webpage but spend thousands on expensive | | | | always room for another publisher. Think about all the |
| and ineffective yellow page advertising. | | | | newspapers, magazines, and nonfiction books |
| Learn what kinds of sites business owners want and | | | | available. They are all selling information. You, too, can |
| how to sell it to them, and you can always outsource | | | | sell information that other people are willing to pay for. |
| the technical work. | | | | This can be done in the form of ebooks and |
| 4. Freelance writing | | | | downloadable guides. |
| Many people make extra money with freelance | | | | The number one thing to remember when you are |
| writing, and some make a career out of. There are | | | | choosing one of the top 10 best home based |
| many places that you'll be able to sell your work, both | | | | businesses is to follow your passion. If you provide a |
| online and offline. For offline gigs, pick up a copy of | | | | service or a product that others need and keep your |
| Writer's Market. For online work, find people who need | | | | overhead costs low, your business will be able to |
| articles, ebooks, and autoresponder emails and offer it | | | | thrive in a booming economy or a recession. |
| to them at a competitive (but livable) price. | | | | |