31 Legitimate Profitable Home Based Business Ideas

For my business (blogging here at SeedTime) it took a long time before I startedmaking any money blogging, let alone enough to pay the bills each month. I didnt really know anything when I started and still feel like I do a whole lot more wrong than right, but the one thing I have had going for me is that I have been persistent.

Virtual Assistants are just like a secretary in another part of the world. This industry is growing very quickly. Check this out to find out more aboutbeing a virtual assistant.

Another idea someone could do from home is to start a service or write a software program that scours local ad listings (like craigslist) for a particular used item a person wants to buy. They have services like this for new items, but not used. I know others like me who are keeping their eye out for something used (like a canopy king bed!) but dont have the time or inclination to search for it every day.

2Earn $100k/yr cleaning parking lots

With an increasing desire for many toescape the rat raceand work from home, many people are trying to start a home-based business.

Do you love woodworking? Even without a huge workshop, you can create some of the more popular crafts and sell them.  And like most things, your success in business isnt necessarily related to how skilled you are as a woodworker. So if you can figure out which products consumers want and just create those, you could have a good business mand farmers markets are a great place to start selling.

How to finally get started with your business idea

I launched my first AdSense supported website a little over three years ago. Today it brings in as much as my full-time job. It didnt happen overnight, and it didnt happen without a lot of hard work (about four hours a day for three years), but it did happen.

While not necessarily a home-based business, using excess cash you have saved and investing in real estate is another possibility if you take time to study what it takes to become successful at this.

Bob, thanks for the reminder that it takes lots of persistence and determination to build a good blog. I definitely agree that it takes much mental energy.

Dont forget good ol lawncare or landscaping. As we become more and more acquainted to the air-conditioned lifestyle more people are going to want to pay someone to do landscaping. If you like to sweat this one may be for you.

Well I am in tears I cannot find any more work like this and tho this was a legit man and not off the internet I am sure that someone somewhere would love to have me do their work for them.

I have a friend that is the city manager of a town of about 25,000 where his main task is processing requests for building permits. Actually a volunteer-type job, no salary. But he makes a bunch of contacts every day, and his address book is huge. So he is busy all year except the Holidays. To fill in this time he started a Christmas tree lighting service (houses, lawn ornaments, etc.). In this 3-month period he makes enough to keep him going the rest of the year.

I think a window cleaning business is an ideal way for someone to start their own business because of REPEAT customers. All you need is one large account (nothing too high) and maybe a dozen small storefront customers to make a possible $200 a day.

I have searched the internet for such a job and all I see are scams and this kind of work is my best assetNot only am I productive and accurate but it is a fun job and one I can handle well.

Because I am just a little bit techie, I get asked to video record weddings all the time. If video or photography are up your alley, starting a wedding photography business could be a great idea for you. If doing weddings arent your thing, there are other ways you can make money as a photographer as well.

I wish you the best if you are reading this, and are looking for an idea for a new business. Your success story may be just around the corner. Just plan well, and work hard.

in regards to working from home, I think that the first thing a person needs to understand as much as possible is to understand finance. I dont mean high finance, I mean daily finance. If America really spends more than it makes overall, you better not be in that crowd.

Super article! Your writing is so refreshing in comparison to most other bloggers. Thanks for writing when you get the chance to, I will be sure to return!

Good ideas, I like numbers 2, 3, and 6 personally. I think in addition to persistence and determination, creating a successful home-based business also takes courage. It can be a scary proposition to quit your day job to go it alone. I always admire people who make this move, and I think that in general they are all the more happy for it. There is not doubt, though, that you have to go for it 100% in order to make it happen!

Set goals. Not goals about what you like but about money. cold hard cash. the exact amount of money you want to earn. too many people are focused on the myth that they work at what they love. Love to earn money. Dont love money, but seek to love to earn it and you will see that you will earn it.

The Top 25 Home-Based Business Ideas

We have worked from home for almost 4 years now, its the best. No more commuting, the kids are here right after school. This is a very good article for ideas to start your own business, and live your life on your own terms!

This one will require certification, find out more about getting certifiedhere.

Number 3 is so me. I even told my husband the other day that I would love to have one of those Nice shops with up-cycled merchandise. Maybe I should go for it.

If you arent afraid of heights and can handle being out in the cold, this is a pretty great business opp.  Some people earn a full-years salary just hanging lights for 2 months each year.

They also have a renter rating system, so you can choose whether or not you want to rent it out to a particular renter.

I wrote step-by-step instructions aboutstarting an Ebay businessif you are interested. Ebay is a pretty crowded market, but it still is one of the most popular home-based businesses.

Great ideas and business degrees only go so far. It is persistence and determination that, I believe, are the true sources of success for most businesses.

Sorry for all the grammatical errors!

The massage therapy business has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last decade, tripling in volume. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, it should grow by an additional 20% through 2016, meaning this home business has strong potential for growth. And, because all in-home massage services are necessarily local in nature, its work that cant be outsourced to another country.

If you are handy, there are lots of little old ladies who are willing to pay someone to do odd jobs around the house. There are evenfranchise opportunitiesavailable with certain companies.

12Start a Christmas Light Hanging business

I feel like I have people ask me to build them a website all the time. If you can just learnhow to use WordPressyou can be off to the races with a business like this.

7Build Websites for Small Businesses

What subjects do you have a good working knowledge of? Math, Science, History, Baseball, Soccer? Parents will often pay to see Johnnie or Sally excel at _______.  If you can help, then it sounds like a business.

One of the easier ways to start a business is by consulting/freelancing, since a consulting business has:

I am not super-familiar with the freelance writing industry, but I know there are a lot of international opportunities

For opportunities, go tothis siteand search for virtual assistant.

SeedTime (Christian Personal Finance)

There are a lot of items that can be purchased very inexpensively at garage sales orthrift storesand sold for higher prices elsewhere. A few years ago I discovered that I could purchase good hardcover books at my local thrift shop for $1 or less. I realized that some of them could besold on for $15-$20, which turns out to be a pretty decent profit. Find and sell enough items and you have a fun home business.

This is Tim Ferris doctrine here. Find a niche, find 1,000 passionate customers, and boom, you can get it done from anywhere in the world. Location-independent. That is why, me, personally, I dig the e-commmerce oriented sites. Thats just me though.

Happily married to my first wife. I enjoy sourdough, artisanal anything, plants that grow food, the good 80s music, being a dad, gardening, and Gods unfailing grace for me.

I have done approximately over 7 thousand envelopes for one job in less than a monththats with writing the addresses on envelopes folding the car ads and sealing them and placing them by zip code into mail buckets.

For profit schools are hideously expensive. Check out your local Community College, they will have the program for literally thousands of dollars less. Many Community Colleges also now offer their programs online.

Maybe it is just me, but I feel like I have had way too many experiences with mechanics not be truthful with me that I would gladly pay more and give all my business to an honest one.  If you know your way around a car and have a few tools, this could be a great business idea for you.

If you have a spare bedroom or guesthouse, it could be a great way to turn it into some easy money.

Home based daycare: Not a bad idea, but a lot of jurisdictions severely limit the number in care at any one time (Texas is 7, including owners children)

From a quick scan, it looks like making $15-20/hour is a fair expectation.

Thanks for the information, Bob. Seems like you are sincerely hoping to help others. Thats kinda what its all about, huh? Gonna look into the blogging thing, Lord willing. God bless you.

Did you know that English speakers are in high demand in Asia?  As a result many are turning to freelance English teachers using websites likeItalki.com. The site is basically a virtual online classroom for freelance teachers and students.  Anyone can offer lessons (and set their own price) and anyone can take lessons.

while everyone else sits around and watches the superbowl, american idol, or the fake news shows, go out and learn to make money on absolutely everything you do. any resistance to this just costs you money and time. Do alot of different things or one main thing but make sure you earn money at it. make driving to work pay you. make going on vacation pay you. make going to the store pay you. it is the ONLY way you will make your financial dreams come true.

A friend of mine had a baby and didnt like the style/design of any of the baby products at the stores,  so she started making her own. After getting some compliments, she realized that she could turn her idea into a business that she could run from home (with the babies).

This good Christian Woman is desperate for more stuffing envelope work to help pay our bills again.

But you really still feel like youre doing more wrong than right? I find that interesting

Freelance work is a great help for me! It enables me to earn money even though I am just staying at home. I also want other business and this post can be my guide. Thanks bob

Even though I wasnt making very much at the time, when I got laid off in 2008 I was very happy that I had started a side business that was another source of income. Even if you dont have aspirations of working full-time from home, having a little supplemental income would be nice wouldnt it?

Mechanic: A great idea if youre skilled enough to work on the necessary variety of cars, but most real shops are insured.

You can rent it out as little or as much as you want and can list it to rent by the night, week, or month. They offer a $1,000,000 guarantee to protect you from any kind of property damage that was caused by renters.

We started and eBay business selling our old stuff when she moved from California, just before we were married. We didnt intend that it would become a full-time occupation, but its been a worthwhile business so far.

Maybe not the most glamorous work, but in recent years I have seen many dog waste removal companies pop up, so there must be some money to be made.

I think in starting freelancing is the best option.

I am 3 years away from full retirement but would love to do it earlier and get out of the rat race and learn new skills. I have plent of office experience and working wiith numbers and pcs. Can anyone give me an estimate of the cost of the online schools for certificates in medical billing? I looked at some of your links to the schools and I know I can ask them for info, but woud like to get an idea of the cost before I have someone contacting me without knowing first if I can afford to pursue this. I am very interested and thank you for wanting to help others.

My wife and I would like to start a massage therapy business. My wife is a nurse. Would you advise what basic equipment we need .

Some claim a lot of people are interested in the idea of blogging as a business. May somebody please explain if this is a viable home based business, and how much can you realistically bring in based on an hourly rate bottom line after all you have to put into it!?

Depending on your city you canmake over $20/hourall while having 100% control of your schedule.

Not only do I enjoy it but my handwriting is superb and every name on list is done no cheating and my partner too was having a good time doing them.

Great ideas about a home based business. However, we all need to understand that most ONline and OFFline buisnesses fail about 90% of the time. Franchises seem to do some better but they have challenges too. Our goal is focused on building a PLAN B to help build financial security. After 32 years in the trenches as an entrepreneur, we invite you to visit our website, join us as a subscriber too where we share about our lumps and bruises in business owners.

AirBNBis a site that allows you to rent out your home to other people who may just want to visit where you live.

I actually wrote a short book that explains how I replaced my day-job with my blog and even though it sells for $5 on Amazon,you can get it FREE here.

Great! It was really helpful specially to those mom out there wherein they want to earn money but then they need to stay at home. That legitimate home based ideas and opportunities was really great. Thanks for sharing it and Ill share that ideas with my friends. Thanks again.

I kind of fell into my at home business. I was a customer of their website division a few years ago. When my husband got downsized I closed my business and started working with my current company. Its been such a blessing to be able to stay at home (2 girls in elementary school) and help contribute to our family. When our company started another division helping non-profits with alternative funding it was something I was passionate about. I feel very blessed to have found the real deal with my at home businesses and in the two years Ive been with them it all keeps getting better.

Im contacting you as a friend/possible associate . I read your breif and mine is very similar . Im near retirement age , but will need some additional income to live comfortable . I beleive in the power of multiple minds .

I would warn anyone looking for an at home business do your homework! Unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers out there.

Darren the more I learn, the more I realize that I have so much to learn. At the beginning I knew I had a lot to learn, and I have learned a lot, but as I have moved further along my eyes have been opened to things that I couldnt understand at the beginning. Anyway, it is a good thing that there is always room to grow.

Sincerely DonnaBrummer[emailprotected]

Ive found that fear often stops aspiring consultants from starting a consulting businessor any businessand on my blog, I talk about how to overcome those fears. I also talk about practical, concrete things you can do to start and run a successful consulting business, along with tools, tips, tricks, and techniques for automating your business and keeping costs to a minimum. The info I give is applicable to most other types of businesses as well.

Any ideas for me? Am disabled physically/mentally I had a side job stuffing envelopes..My boss was so thrilled with me and my partner he fired a bunch of workers as we could pull off the bulk of his work!We got paid well when the economy went upside down we noticed our pay decreased but still made enough to pay 3 house bills. Since about 6 months ago my boss I think lost his house I remeber his last visit he was so stressed saying he almost had 2 foreclose emergencies:(

Great stuff, Bob. I like the car mechanic related ideas.

Isnt this every girls dream? People will always be getting married, so in theory they will always need wedding planners. If you love all-things-weddings and can handle the pressure from the brides, this might be a fun one.

high hourly pay rate, and

As I sit and write this, I am reminded of the years I spent in jobs that I didnt like and am now so thankful that I get to work from home and do something I love.

Bob, any ideas on how to become rich instantly, that requires zero effort on my part and something thats guaranteed???? haha, just kidding. thanks for these ideas. Im going to share them with a few friends who are currently unemployed.

Edward, I do not actually I just did a search for a course for it and that was what I found. The course is sold from clickbank and they have a very good return policy, so if it is no good, it is pretty easy to get your money back for what its worth

So, have you ever thought todrive for Uber?

hi everyone , anybody i need help doing an online legit business i am a single mom and neeed to make a living to support my kid please help1 i am not too computer savy so will need guidance to navigate the web youtube etc, where to resourses etc. thanking you for your help in advance.

One of our readerssent this suggestionin and it looks like a great home business opportunity, especially if you enjoy being outdoors!  Here is a quick video showing how it works:

This industry is one of the most popular work-from-home businesses. You can find training courses online at places

I overheard my wife talking to a homeschool mom that raises and sells a certain type of dog (a registered breed of some kind) ranging from $1,000 to $1,800. I also know a couple teens that started a bread business where they sell the product at the local famers market and local stores. The product(s) have been so successful, most of the family has been involved in it.

Here are a few more articles with even more ideas and opportunities

One of our readers took this idea and ran with it and created a really nice season income for himself.

Homepage,Make MoneyFebruary 7, 2017byBob60 Comments

I have worked for Community Colleges, traditional non-profit universities, and a for-profit university. I cannot warn you enough to stay away from for-profits. Total snake oil salesmen who would steal from their own grandmas.

I have known a few women carved out a flexible home-based business by cleaning homes. You probably already have the skills you need, now you just need to get the word out.

Below are a bunch of home-based business ideas that you can peruse to see if any would work for you.

20 REAL Companies That Want To Hire You For Work From Home Jobs

You missed a good one I wish I had the skills to pursue Politics.

I would really llove some input on this Unfortunately I cannot do any physical labor that requires a lot but i have sat for up 24/7 doing these envelopes on occasion and it was well worth my time even when my back and body gave out I would go take my breaks and back to it!

Very interested in receiving some honest dialog with anyone who has had success in starting a home-based business. I am now trying to support two families, in my late 40s, and our financial future needs some drastic help. Thank you and appreciate you in advance. May God bless. Mike[emailprotected]

Thanks for all the great ideas. Persistence is key for any business to succeed. Additional business is vegetable farming in case you have a bit of a backyard. I sell the vegetables to nearby shop/green grocers in the neighborhood. This enables me to use most of my salary for other purposes since my daily recurrent expenses are taken care of.

Do you know how difficult it is to find a good and trustworthy mechanic?

I put together a list oflegitimate home-based business opportunitiesbelow.

Sure just buy my Get Rich Quick program for 3 easy payments of $99 where I teach you how to sell your own Get Rich Quick program without doing any work, zero effort, oh and did I mention it was guaranteed? ?

BTW: 17 Virtual Assitant (Should read Virtual AssiStantyou forgot the S)

A few years ago I started making my own beeswax candles because they were so stinking expensive to buy. In the process of learning, I found that there are a lot of people who use candle-making as a home business. You can sell to your products online at places likeEtsy.comorEbay.com.

One of the neat things about becoming a consultant is that you DONT need a pile of cash to start a consulting business. For example, you can create a professional website for under $100typically in an evening (I have a free ebook that shows you exactly how to do this, even if youre not a techie).

31Teach English (or other Language) Classes Online

Photography: generally, everyone I know who has a camera thinks theyre now able to shoot professionally, either with micro stock or wedding. Aside from skill issues, wedding photo requires a lot of gear: 2DSLRs, 3-4 pro grade lenses, lights, and photoshop.and you have to know how to use it all under pressure.

If you dont know what Uber is, basically it is the 21st century version of the taxi.  You just use your own car and when someone near you wants a ride you get a notification on your phone (assuming you selected that you were available in the app) you go pick them up and drop them off where they want to go and then you automatically get paid.

A lot of businesses (and homeowners) need windows cleaned. If you are not afraid of heights, cleaning windows could be a decent side or full-time gig.

20 Companies That Will Pay You To Work From Home

I guess we should start with the one that I am MOST familiar with.  I have been making a full-time living blogging for almost 10 years now, and it isnt a get-rich-quick scheme, but it can definitely make you some money.

Can you recommend anyone that would be interested in me I work with my hubby side by side doing these envelopes and we never let anyone down ..The pay is cheap but because we both are so good at it and want to do it we never complain because by the time we are done with the job we have done so many it pays well enough for us.

But they are just ideas hopefully they will spark some inspiration, but you have to apply all the diligence and hard work to turn it into something.

Not at the State or Federal level, but local.

Since I started blogging, I have seen the freelance market explode. There is a huge demand for content and so there are a lot of ways to make money writing it. Jonathan wrote a great article about a fewlegitimate work from home jobs most of which were freelance writing.

Great post. My husband has been selling used books on-line for 10 yearsIts not enough to fully support our family of 6, but it does afford us a lot of flexibility. We both work other odds and ends spot jobs and it ends up working out. We have also had the flexibility to be volunteer managers at a church camp in the summer. (Right now the camp can not afford a manager) Im pioneering a womens conference and event ministry. Ive always been very greatful for the freedom we have. My husband helps at the kids schools, apointments are easy to make, and the stress is less. Its been a sacrifice in some ways but worth the gains in time and flexibility for sure.

you likely already have the expertise to get started.

This one isnt technically a home-based business, but with the flexibility it allows you would be able to likely do a lot of work from home.

Please tell me what you do. I am looking for legitimate work at home. Thanks.

Cool! For now Im doing Craigslist business I buy cheap stuffs in eBay then sell in Craigslist with profit. It works but it takes time. Im not a sales person who can talk to sell someone about the product. Im a normal

More and more seniors are wanting to avoid nursing homes in lieu of staying in their own homes. Offering non-medical home care by assisting the elderly with regular daily tasks could be rewarding and profitable.

The book covers the basics of getting started as well as how to get traffic and how to earn from it as well.

20 Frugal Date Ideas for Valentines Day

If you are longing for that situation, I encourage you to work to figure out what it is that you would love to be doing and keep at it until you reach that goal.

She just created an online store and sold all of her products via her website.  If you arent creating your own product you can alwaysfind a product to dropship that way you dont have to store any inventory in your home.

And dont forget social media as a home-based business. Many churches, other non profit charities, and business owners NEED to advertise via social media. You can either be hired to do theirs or become a consultant who trains their staff. Many churches dont know the Internet laws like an avid social media user does. Theyll need someone to teach them how to use social media and protect their organization while doing it. Ask me how I know. ? My husband and I have worked with some organizations who refused to listen and they ended up with some scandals. Take a gander at what happened to Pastor Alios Bells ministry reputation when someone who knows social media happened upon her indiscretion at Applebees. Google it. It went viral.

The only credit card I use for my business

Great ideas, especially in these economically-challenged times!

Building off the previous idea, what if you offered a service where you came to the customers house and changed the oil in the street? I would pay to do that and would be willing to pay more since I didnt even have to do anything but make a phone call.

Home Business Ideas for New Home Based and Small Business Entrepreneurs

If you love kids and are uniquely gifted with a lot of patience, you could always start a home-based daycare.

Working from home not only offers independence and freedom but there are also some greathome-based business tax deductionsas well.

Oh, and also as an aside, I am defining a home-based business as one that can berunfrom home, not necessarily a business that you would workfromhome all the time.

Great ideas. I currently work from home and love it. It beats driving 2 hours in traffic any day. I constantly have people asking me about jobs from home, so Im going to have to pass this list along.

A lot of small businesses need people to clean their offices and this is a business that you can start with a very small investment.

I am thing about starting a nonmedical senior care services. Can anyone provide some information on what services or area of service would be best for a one person type of operation. I would welcome any informationThanks!

While I think this post is a good source for IDEAS, I think a lot of them are lucrative because you either havent been professionally trained in the field or youre accepting risks that most businesses insure against and account for in overhead. To pick out a few to explain:

Thanks again for all the great informationI am grateful!

I started my consulting business over 4 years ago as a part-time way to make extra cash, and its grown into my full-time endeavor, where Ive quadrupled my income, and have much more flexibility. My wife no longer has to work, and weve both been able to be involved in our kids schoolwhich neither of us could do when we were employees.

Several years ago I started an Ebay business kind of as an experiment, just to see if it were something I could do if I needed cash.

I echo the foreclosure market. Thats how we kept our construction business going. Use caution, though. Some homes require special licenses for cleaning up mold damage and lead.

This is a man who on our first envelope job bought us our furnace gas heater by paying us upfront half the money he would have topay when the job was done. He was so concerned we had no heat he paid us before we even started writing out the envelopesI felt so bad to see when I called him 2 months ago someone answered it but was not him or his family. I fear he lost his home:( If he hasnt we would still be in the back of his mind for envelope work knowing we are his people to get the job done.

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