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On-line Surveys – Can you really make money?
By Kathy Coons — Home Business Entrepreneur

You have probably seen many ads for making money by taking on-line surveys.  And, you have probably wondered if it is true, or just a scam.

I have been taking surveys on-line for about 10 years now. Yes, I make money. No, it is not enough to live on. I enjoy taking the surveys, but limit myself to the ones that are 20 minutes or less. When they are longer than that, I get bored with them. On the other hand, you do get paid more for the longer ones. I also pick and choose. If I don’t like the topic, I just delete that one.

The secret for me is to take about 4 or 5 surveys a day. I only look at my accounts every few months. If I have $20 or more, I cash in and forget about it until the day that I am surprised with a check in the mail.

I have signed up through 8 different companies. I don’t check all the accounts the same month. The other day, I checked 2 of them and one of them hadn’t been checked for awhile and had $80 in it! The other one had $20. I’ll be singing all the way to the bank when that $80 check arrives.

One of the survey companies that I am part of is ZoomPanel. I like that one because it gives me points even if I don’t qualify for the survey.  You can check it out here: http://www.zoompanel.com/BKCOONS@FRONTIERNET.NET

So, if you have time to spend, and want some extra spending money, go ahead and try On-line surveys. It is free and it is up to you to do them or not.

by Kathy Coons

Today I’m going to tell you how I work from home selling crafts.

I’ve been selling at craft shows for about 15 years. I’ll share with you what I have learned. I started out with a variety of items. It has only been within the last 5 years that I hit upon an item that I enjoy making, is profitable, and that sells very well.

Through the years, the buying patterns of customers have changed. With the downturn of the economy, people are looking for practical items more than knick-knacks. That is an important thing to keep in mind when choosing an item to sell.

First, you must decide what kind of item you would like to make. Are you a woodworker, do you sew, how about pottery or jewelry making? Once you decide that, you need to ask yourself these questions:

• What can you make that people would want to buy?
• Can you make it economically enough to make a profit?
• Can you make it fast enough to build up a good inventory for a craft show?

Next, let’s talk about craft shows themselves. They come in many sizes, locations and spheres. You need to find the ones that fit your craft. If it is fine arts, you probably won’t do well at country fairs and festivals. On the other hand, country crafts will not be allowed in fine art shows. I find that I do better at the smaller shows. People get overwhelmed at the larger shows and want to look at everything. By the time that see it all, they are too tired to go back to purchase the things that they liked.

To find what shows are available, you can watch the newspapers, or do a search on the internet for craft shows. There are many sites that list them by state.

Now remember, this is a WORK from home site. Craft shows are a lot of work. They are usually 7- 10 hour days not including set up and take down time. Those 7 – 10 hours can be on the hottest days, the coldest days, the stormiest days or the most beautiful days. Crafters are pretty much at the mercy of the weather when it comes to attendance and customers.

Once you find your niche, I recommend setting up a website. If you give a business card to all your customers, you never know when they might visit your website to order more of your crafts. That is why I am writing this today. It is Easter Sunday. When I came home from having a wonderful dinner with friends, I checked my e-mail and there it was — “Payment received from…” Someone had gone to my website KathysCoolBands.com and placed an order. I get so excited when I get those emails. It is so much better than spending all day at a craft show.

If you Work from home selling crafts, please add your comments to help others that are looking to start this business. If you are just getting started, feel free to ask any questions. I’m here to help in any way that I can.

My husband and I are Work from Home Entrepreneurs. We enjoy helping others to enjoy the freedom of working from home.

Hi everyone, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Kathy Coons and my husband Bill and I have been working from home for the past 8 years. As you are probably all aware, there are a lot of scams being advertised. On this blog, we’ll be sharing what has worked and what hasn’t worked for us.

The first thing that you need to know is that you CAN make a living working from home. The second thing is that it won’t happen overnight. If you are looking to earn money while staying at home, there are many opportunities. Some of these are considered home based jobs. These could include such things as data entry, mystery shopping or article writing. Other opportunities to consider are home based businesses. These would include things like making crafts or T-shirt printing. Whatever you venture into, the important thing is to choose something that sparks your interest. You will be much more motivated if you are working on something that you enjoy.

Remember, working from home takes discipline. No one is standing over you making sure that the work gets done. If you aren’t able to keep yourself disciplined and motivated, working from home may not be for you.

On the other hand, if you are willing to put in the time, effort and investment needed, you will be rewarded with not only a good income, but the freedom to choose the hours that you work. This will allow you more family and friend time. I mentioned investment because you will need to be willing to pay for training and education if you are serious about making money.  You may also need to invest in equipment and materials depending on what you decide to do.

If we haven’t scared you away yet, keep watching for our posts as we share our experiences.

We welcome your comments and questions and look forward to helping you find a niche from which you can make money from home too.

My husband and I are Work from Home Entrepreneurs. We enjoy helping others to enjoy the freedom of working from home.