| Home-based businesses are the trend of the future. | | | | deducted from using your home office. |
| Entrepreneurs are discovering the benefits of | | | | 4. To be with the family. |
| working at home. Not only can you save money (no | | | | Many opt to start their business from their homes to |
| gas, food or expensive work attire), but you get to | | | | strengthen family relationships. A home business |
| enjoy free time you didn't know you had. Many | | | | allows family members to be involved in the business. |
| people now want to combine their careers with | | | | Husbands or wives can help in various aspects of the |
| families, opting out of the rat race to spend more | | | | business, while children have the opportunity to see |
| time with their families and take a more hands-on | | | | what their parents do for a living. |
| approach in raising their children. | | | | 5. To reduce stress. |
| Thanks to the Internet, nearly anyone can start their | | | | Working at home can reduce the stress of juggling |
| own home-based business. If you own a computer | | | | the demands of your work life with those of your |
| and subscribe to the Internet, you mustn't look | | | | private life. You can work while staying at home to |
| farther than your kitchen, bedroom, den, living room, | | | | care for a sick child, or continue to work late at night |
| or garage to find the foundation on which to build | | | | after preparing and sharing dinner with the family. |
| your business enterprise. A website, a target niche | | | | 6. For job enrichment. |
| and a general knowledge of the basics of business | | | | As a home-based entrepreneur, you are not boxed |
| management are all you need to get started - | | | | into one job and given a label identifying you as a |
| everything else will come with experience. Here are | | | | researcher, secretary, banker, manager, or |
| seven reasons why it pays to work at home: | | | | administrative assistant. You are free to learn and |
| 1. To Gain personal freedom. | | | | perform a variety of work-related tasks. If you are a |
| The most appealing aspect of starting a home-based | | | | solo entrepreneur, then you even have to be ready |
| business is the opportunity it provides to gain control | | | | of being all things for your business: the strategy |
| over your own life. There are no bosses to follow, | | | | setter, marketing and sales person, customer service |
| no corporate culture to abide by, and no rigid work | | | | representative, accountant and bookkeeper, and |
| schedules nor time clocks. Instead, you have the | | | | other roles. You can vary your activities to keep you |
| freedom to work and earn as you choose, in the | | | | from getting bored. While it means greater workload, |
| comfort and convenience of your own homes. | | | | the plus point is that you develop an understanding |
| 2. To reap financial benefits. | | | | of all aspects of your own business. More |
| The convenience of having your office a few steps | | | | importantly, personal growth is greatly enhanced as |
| away from your bed allows you to save on | | | | you learn what you can and your goals become |
| commute time, gasoline and transportation expenses. | | | | much more achievable. |
| There is also little need to buy power suits and dress | | | | 7. To increase productivity. |
| up every workday as you can work in your jogging | | | | Many home-based entrepreneurs find that working at |
| outfit or pajamas. Since you work at home, you | | | | home helps them to be more productive in their lives |
| save on rental payments and overhead costs are cut | | | | overall. With lesser time dedicated to commuting, |
| significantly; allowing you to put all your capital and | | | | there is more time available to work. More |
| profits back into the business. Your earning potential | | | | importantly, working for your own business - wherein |
| is directly proportional to your performance: no more | | | | the amount of financial compensation depends on |
| waiting for your boss to give you your raise or | | | | your productivity and business management - |
| promotion before you can increase your income. | | | | increases the level of enthusiasm. Many get so |
| More importantly, however, a home business allows | | | | caught up in what they're doing that it's actually hard |
| people who have been frequently shut out of the | | | | for them to stop. |
| job market (homemakers, students, retirees, and the | | | | 8. To harness competitive advantages. |
| disabled, etc.), to create new income opportunities. | | | | One of the biggest benefits of working out of your |
| 3. To exploit tax advantages. | | | | home is the reduced overhead cost. Lower operating |
| Using your home as a place of business offers a | | | | costs can enable you to be more competitive, not |
| number of tax advantages. For starters, it allows you | | | | just in the prices you charge but also in the quality of |
| to deduct a part of the operating and depreciation | | | | service you offer. You can use the money you save |
| expenses on your home. This means that a | | | | on rent to increase your overall profitability, or you |
| percentage of your rent or mortgage payment, | | | | can pass it on to customers in the form of lower |
| depreciation, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and | | | | prices. Competitors restricted by higher overhead |
| expenses for household maintenance, repairs, or | | | | costs have no such options. What they charge is |
| improvements is deductible. You can also be entitled | | | | predetermined by their rental agreements. The higher |
| to deduct expenses from using a vehicle for your | | | | the rent, the higher their prices. Moreover, a smaller |
| business, including gas, insurance, depreciation, and | | | | business makes it easier to provide customers with |
| others. Consult your accountant for a careful | | | | personal service. |
| evaluation of what can be and what cannot be | | | | |