How to Work From Home

July 26, 2010 — -- It's the number one question I'm asked: How can I make money from home? Whether looking for full-time opportunities or a way to supplement their income, more people than ever are eager to bring in the cash without the commute.

I've spent several years reviewing legitimate home-based opportunities like the ones I feature on my website, and I'm thrilled when I discover new ones. (In fact, if you're involved in a successful home-based opportunity that you think I should know about, share it with me at Twitter.com/ToryJohnson or Facebook.com/Tory.)

Sell Ads on Your Blog: Last year stay-at-home mom Sarah Mae wanted to supplement her husband's income, so she started writing a blog, Like a Warm Cup of Coffee, where she's developed a small, but very loyal, following of women who share her values. She approached small businesses that advertised on other blogs, asking them to buy an ad on her site. Her initial rate: just $10 a month per ad, an offer they couldn't refuse. She gradually upped it, and now less than a year later has generated $5,000 of income.

The lesson: Start now and start small -- work on it every day to build an audience and increase your rates. Too often we say, "For just $10, why bother?" But you have to think long-term.

Sell Through the Open Sky Project: Since Mae had a loyal following of women, she signed up with Open Sky, a new, free service that connects people who make interesting products (suppliers) with people who have the ability to sell those products online (sellers).

As a seller, Mae chooses which products she wants to feature and promote. Her best seller: teeny rose bud earrings, handmade of resin by another mom, Ashley Steves in Baltimore. Determined to pay off her family's credit card debt and live a cash-only lifestyle, Steves realized she needed to move from selling randomly here and there to friends -- to reaching a wider audience online through Open Sky.