2009 was another fun year for me as your Guide to Home Business and Working from Home. 2009 continued the economic challenges of our times and we witnessed a prolonged period of bailouts and a variety of economic stimulus packages. The health care debate kicked into high gear but is still not resolved. More legislation hit the Congress on simplifying the office-in-home tax deduction, but none of it has made it out of committee yet.
As a "Thank You" for your readership during 2009, here's a recap of what I consider to be the top 10 Home Business features for the year (not necessarily the most popular).
Getty Images/Sharon DominickA blog post that is now one of the most popular pieces on the About Home Business site. I noticed a suspicious looking ad on About Home Business, clicked through a discovered a Google scam that has since become one of the most noteworthy online scams ever. Now with over 300 comments from readers and my replies to them, readers chimed in with their experiences and frustrations of getting snagged (or almost getting snagged) in this trap. Read more...
StockbyteDon't get mad, get even! You can report work at home scams to one or more of several sources, including the US Postal Service (for scams received in the mail), your state Attorney General's office, or the agencies listed in detail here, all of which accept online complaint filing.
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StockbyteHere's a look at five top hobbies you might consider turning into a profitable home business. Wouldn't it be great if you could work every day doing what you love to do best - your favorite hobby? The beauty of making your favorite hobby a business is that you already love it, you know how to do it, and you can start your business part-time.
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StockbyteIf you enjoy home improvement and you've been thinking about a home based business of your own, any of these 7 home based businesses could be just the opportunity you've been looking for. Not only are these good solid one-person home based businesses, they also lend themselves to being great home based businesses for couples.
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BigStockPhotoThis Home Work Guide is intended to help those of you who are looking but have not yet found a solid home work opportunity. It covers a variety of areas that face those of you in search of home work and, hopefully, will help steer you in the right direction so you can realize your dream of working at home without the risks inherent with operating your own business.
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Tom GrillYou can build your own Internet business using old-fashioned ingenuity and hard work. Like any other home business, you're not going to get rich overnight. But if you do your planning and you can be patient, you can be successful with any of these 8 Internet business ideas you can do anywhere.
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Maguey ImagesMany people have had a dream of starting their own business but are afraid to give up the security of their day job and risk everything on self employment. Others would like to find a way to supplement their income while doing something they love. Here are 9 business you can start from home part time and grow while you still have your full-time job. You're sure to learn a lot about running your business and you'll be able to test the waters without taking a huge risk.
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SilverstockIn this guide to freelancing, I first take a look at how to become a freelancer and give you an overview of what it's like to be a freelancer. Then, I'll provide a look at several areas that lend themselves particularly well to freelancing, so that you can consider areas that you might not have thought of before.
Read more...9. All About Blogging
Jay DuggerIf you're new to blogging or don't fully understand how you can use blogging to your advantage for promoting your business, for creating an online income as a business in itself, or use as a gateway to securing work at home, this series provides an in-depth look at blogging.
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Duc DoIf you have your own business or are otherwise self-employed (as a freelancer or independent contractor, for example), you need to make estimated tax payments to the IRS throughout the year in order to avoid paying interest and penalties on top of your taxes. But who is required to file estimated taxes, and how do you go about it?
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