The Tax Benefits of Owning Your Own Home-Based Business…

If you have been considering starting your own home-based business or any network marketing/mlm type endeavor, don’t wait until after the first of the year. With the holidays in full swing, and the overwhelming busy schedules that most of us keep at this time of year, we tend to not want to add anything into the mix until after it is all over. However, getting started in a home-based business before the end of 2007 has it’s own many benefits.

I’m not a CPA or even a tax advisor, so we won’t get too detailed here. But essentially the tax benefits that a self-empoyed business owner receives over that of an employee, is huge. As a home business owner you can write off a portion of your mortgage/rent, your lights, gas, phone, internet, computer and more. Not only that, but any out of pocket expense to “do” your business is also tax deductible, including the start up costs or fees involved.

If you were to start your business in 2007, sometime between now and December 31st, you could then get your start-up fee returned to you when filing taxes here within the next few months. If you wait until after the first of the year, then you have to wait until you file next years taxes for 2008, before you can recoup those costs.

So don’t wait to get started. Even if you don’t actually get started working on your business until after the first of the year. You’ll just be one step ahead of the program, and you will essentially be able to start for free.

Here is an article that explains what I’m talking about here…The Tax Reduction Institute.

Is It All Just a Scam?

I have seen many, many postings throughout the Internet, on message boards and what not, where someone is looking for advice on what options are available in terms of work at home or through Internet type opportunities. And as I scroll down through the responses given it amazes me as to how many people will claim that everything and anything on the Internet & related to the work at home industry is a scam. I wonder what exactly their experience has been in regards to this issue?

Regardless of whether or not anyone was to take my word for it, I understand that I am just another person of whom you may not know personally, and how are you suppose to believe anything I say, right? But seriously, if everything is a scam, then how is it so many people are able to work from home.

This is what I mean, even if someone has tried to find something and they were unsuccessful in doing so, does that mean that it’s not possible? Or is it just that with the vast array of “stuff” available they simply didn’t look hard enough or long enough to find what worked?

I know what it’s like to lose money, and a lot of it, due to untruthful & somewhat evil beings who are only out to make a dime. I don’t understand how their mental processes work exactly because I would think that it’s harder and more work to have to constantly find new people to swindle just to make a few bucks. If they were to spend that time & effort on something legit and something that made it possible for others to succeed in, then they wouldn’t have to work nearly as hard to make a living. It just doesn’t make sense??

That being said, I know that not everything is a scam. Even some of the things I tried, and paid money to do, and never made a dime doing so, that doesn’t mean it was a scam exactly. It did work for some people, just wasn’t something that I could do. (It was products that I could care less about and didn’t want to sell, which made it dreadful to get up and do anything at all, which leads to no money.) It wasn’t the fault of the company, they had actually been in business for 20 years, so there had to be something that was working right. But I was the one who had no idea what I was suppose to look for, what was out there, I was young and when I saw the flashy cars and the income potential I was like sign me up. We are all allowed to make mistakes like this, just accept the fact that the blame relies on yourself, not the industry or the individual company or rep.

So, how do you know if something is a scam or not? There is no one simple answer to this. Use common sense, do your research and find out all that you can from many different resources. Don’t take any one persons opinion as the simple truth, it is just that, their opinion or experience.

Here is a link as to the Definition of Scam: http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/definitions.php

You can also find other great information and tips as to common scams and what to look for and questions to ask.

Hopefully you will find this helpful. This is one thing that I have a great deal of passion for because of the many people who do benefit from working at home, many of which may not have had any other options available, myself included. So I can’t stand when someone makes false assumptions without knowing actual facts, or without having been there personally.

I would love for others to share their thoughts & opinions on this issue. However, I would like it if you plan to be exceptionally rude and distasteful that you restrain from commenting, but feel free to send me an email if it would make you feel better.

Dealing with the Holidays and your Business

The Holiday season is usually pretty crazy for most people. We go straight from Thanksgiving into Christmas and then New Years. We have family gatherings to attend, finals in school, end of the year catch up, and don’t forget about the shopping. (That in itself gets me.) It’s like we are running a marathon for 2 months straight. With so much to do, it’s important to stay consistent with your business as well.

Being consistent means just that, you must be consistent at all times. Any time you take a step back, or take a “break” from building your business and marketing, it’s going to take you that much more time later to get your pipeline filled back up again. And I know personally that no matter how much you feel like you need that break right between Thanksgiving & Christmas, it is best to keep pushing forward just a while longer. Why is that? You don’t want to reach the holidays, knowing that there is no way you are expected to or should even be working because that is the time you are meant to be enjoying your families…only to have the guilt lingering in the back of your mind that you really haven’t done much with your business and you can see it starting to dwindle. How can you enjoy your time then?

And it’s not only your own fatigue that can get you down or discouraged during the holidays. Depending on what you do from home, what sort of product or service you have to offer, there are probably quite a few people that have told you that they will have to wait until after the holidays to do anything. This could be due to the fact that cash tends to be tight for most families after the gift giving and traveling that comes at this time of year. Or if you are speaking to people who are considering your business, they may think that it be best to get started after the busy schedules sort of subside in mid January or so, when they will be able to focus on learning something new.

When I start to feel the need for that little break right before the Holidays I simply tell myself that by sticking with it just a while longer, I won’t feel guilty when I do take the time off to be with my family. And by continuing to build that pipeline, you will find that many of those that you have spoke with will in fact be calling you back shortly after the new year begins and the traditional new year’s resolutions are in peak force.

Check Out My Interview…

Liz over at the More Than We Know blog recently interviewed me and you can now find it by going here.

What an honor to be noticed and recognized by others. We sometimes wonder if what we do is actually making a difference, and then things like this happen and we realize that we are doing just that.

Business & Learning’s Work At Home Expo is right around the corner…

I attended my very first Work At Home Expo in May of this year, 2007. I was literally stuck to my computer day and night the entire time the expo was running. There was so much wonderful and useful information, all provided for free of course. And not only that, but I also was able to share and interact with others and promote myself as well.

I strongly suggest that everyone attend the next Expo which is set for November 13, 14, & 15th. You can register as an attendee for free. Or as an Exhibitor and promote your business, products or service.

This Expo is expected to be better then ever! Take a look for yourself. Click Here!

10 Steps To Follow…

I could not have said this any better myself. Get an awesome view of the 10 Commandments All Entrepreneurs Must Follow.

After the Launch: Everything You Need To Skyrocket Your Business

Are Network Marketing and Direct Sales Hard?

I found the following article in some files on my hard drive. I’m not sure how I came to get it, but felt as though it makes for a great testimonial as to why so many of us do what we do, whether it be direct sales, network marketing or mlm.

The following article is an excerpt from a speech given by a direct seller at a local meeting. We are told she was asked to speak on how direct sales compares to working a “regular” job. It was submitted to us, and although the original author is unknown, we wish to thank her for her thoughts and insights.

Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult direct sales is. “Its hard.” “I can’t get bookings.” “This just isn’t for me.” “I didn’t know how difficult it would be.”

Well, I am a single mom of three who, before joining the direct sales family, held
down two jobs. I would get up at 4:00 in the morning and not get to bed until midnight most nights, after returning from my part-time retail job, packing lunches, checking homework and relieving my mother, who helped out with the kids.

That, my friends, is difficult. It is difficult always having to lower your dreams to meet your means. It is difficult to miss your son’s football game because you have to work. It is difficult knowing the rust bucket you call a car is eating you alive in maintenance, but you can’t afford a new one. It is difficult to realize that someone else is going to watch your daughter take her first step or have your son say mama to the preschool teacher. It is difficult knowing that you have spent 40 years of your life working for someone else, only to realize that you will be retiring on one-third of what you can live on today. Or, worse yet, it is difficult knowing that you have diligently worked all your life, only to be given an early retirement and replaced by someone younger, more capable.

I will tell you what is difficult. It is difficult waking up one morning and realizing that your children, the most precious things imaginable, no longer need bottles, diapers, have tea parties, or are shorter than the baseball bat they are trying to swing. It is difficult realizing it is too late and that the time frittered away can never be retrieved. It slips through our fingers one second at a time. It is also difficult watching the spark in your partner’s eyes fade because both of you realize the house you have been wanting is just a dream because someone else is controlling your finances.

We have nasty habits about rationalizing, procrastination and skirting important things, rather than facing the issues. Too often we allow others who do not pay our bills, who do not share our dreams, to direct our futures. As children we have absolutely no freedom; we rebel in our teens and scream for freedom. We reach adulthood and are finally free, only to relinquish that freedom because we think it is too difficult. We do not want to take responsibility. We do not want to make a wrong decision, so we obligingly give that awesome power to someone else. We wake up too late. We hear ourselves uttering phrases like: “I wish I had only . .” and “If I could do it over again.” You have no one but yourself to blame. You had the chance. Perhaps the opportunity was presented many times and each time you elevated the trivial to a higher priority than yourself. Let me ask you: Is direct sales really difficult?

Is it so traumatic to show someone an exciting product or idea? Is it so difficult to understand that if you work this marketing idea for three to five years, you just might finally be able to send your children to a college chosen by excellence, rather than one chosen by price? That you could finally put your family in the home of their dreams?

Would you work really hard for eight to ten years, so you could mold a lifestyle of your choosing, so your family could live a lifestyle of their dreams, rather than trying to live how someone else thinks you should live? How difficult is it to pick up the phone and call your hostess? How difficult is it to pack up your kit and meet some new friends?

How difficult is it, really, to share what you love with others? Think about it. Realize the awesome power you have in your hands with direct sales. There are people out there working three jobs. There are people drowning in debt; or agonizing through bankruptcy, realizing they only needed a couple hundred more dollars per month. That is difficult!

This business you have chosen has the ability to change lives. Direct sales cannot do anything. But YOU can change lives with it. You are the one with the life-changing ability. What are you waiting for?

There is difficulty and pain in success, and there is difficulty and pain in failure. Difficulty and pain in success will last a short period of time; but pain in failure lasts a lifetime. Which one is really more difficult? You will pay a price for your actions, and your choices. Which choice will you make?

Building a Pipeline

All experienced network marketer’s understand the concept of “building your pipeline.” When a new person decides to join our team, they may not understand what in the heck we are talking about, but they will soon come to find out.

You see, when you first start “prospecting” or calling prospects, it may seem as though everyone is telling you “no.” Why am I not getting anyone calling me back? But I have been calling for like 2 days already, and no one has joined my team yet…Sound familiar??

It’s happened to the best of us. We start to get discouraged, we make fewer and fewer calls over the next few days and then we quit calling all together. Because what’s the point, right?

Wrong! By quitting and giving up, all you have done is guaranteed that no one will ever call you back. If you continue to make those calls, soon enough you will start getting calls from people you may have spoke with 2 weeks, a month ago or longer. You have to build that Pipeline and by doing so you will be creating a constant flow of traffic to your website and your team. All it really takes is time, patience, and a continuous effort on your part in order to set your business to a smooth sail.

Working vs. Playing

Summer-time is one of those times when it seems as though you can find anything and everything to be doing besides the one thing you must do, which is continue to build your at-home business. I know because like so many of you, I am a mom of 3 little fish who would much rather be at the pool then stuck at home trying to find something exciting to do.

I have to admit, with the nice warm days of summer sitting there, begging to be taken advantage of, it’s hard not to find every excuse available to just go running outside, putting my work on hold for the time being. But just as I do so, in comes the guilt and the day doesn’t appear to be so much fun anymore. Not only that, but with each hour I push aside until “later,” all I seem to do is continue to build the pile of things that still need to be done until they are a huge, overwhelming mound, of which I must spend the next 3 days catching up on.

That’s why it is key to schedule “work hours” and stick to them, especially in the summer months. By simply setting aside 2-3 hours each day, strictly for the purpose of “working,” you will find that there is plenty of time left to do all the fun stuff, and your business won’t go downhill in the meantime.

To have a successful business from home, you must first and foremost be Consistent and you, and only you, are responsible for your success. It takes effort, but it is definitely worth it, and you will be so glad that you put in that 3 hours each day.

Save Money–Make Money

Previously I posted my answer as to how much money can be made with a work-at-home opportunity. I’d like to go a bit further and ask this…How much can you save by working from home?

Instead of looking at the amount of money each enrollment will get you. Or what percentage you are paid on each product you sell. Ask yourself these questions…

1. How much do you spend commuting to work each week?
   
2. How about paying for daycare?
3. What about lunch?
   
4. And appearance? You have to look nice, get your hair done & nails, and don’t forget about clothes and shoes.
5. If you are sick and can’t work, will you still get paid?
6. And wait, you’re doing all the hard work, but will you continue getting paid for the work you’ve done? Even 5,10, 15 years after you did it?
7. How often do you get a pay raise? Who determines that?

When you look at the big picture, it’s easy to see which is the better choice. We often settle, simply because it’s what we think is the best choice for today. However, which is the better choice when you’re thinking of the future?

Stop making someone else rich while you miss out on priceless moments in life just so you can barely get by. Start getting paid for what your worth and secure your future, you will be so happy that you did.

To your Prosperity!