| We all hear about the many money-making scams | | | | 4. Bake Christmas puddings |
| that operate, but in reality they are few and far | | | | Make your own 'secret recipe' Christmas pudding. |
| between, when compared to the huge number of | | | | Package them in attractive containers or boxes. You |
| legitimate home business opportunities that exist. The | | | | could sell your Christmas puddings through gourmet |
| important thing is to always thoroughly research any | | | | food stores, specialty stores or directly to customers |
| internet or home business opportunity before | | | | through mail order, or on the internet. |
| committing any money to the project. It is referred to | | | | 5. Make fruit lunches |
| as undertaking "due diligence", and is necessary if you | | | | Sell pre-packaged fruit lunches to schools, food outlets |
| want to avoid becoming a victim of some scam artist. | | | | and garages. Use fruit that is in season. Keep |
| Also, if you are borrowing money, the lending institution | | | | packages refrigerated for extra freshness. |
| will usually require thorough details and cash | | | | 6. Gem making |
| projections before lending a cent. | | | | Operate a rock shop from home. Cut, polish facet, |
| The interesting thing is that many people make money | | | | shape and mount gems in commercial and amateur |
| in the strangest ways. Here are some legitimate home | | | | findings. Sell mounted and unmounted gems and |
| business opportunities where people have made | | | | jewelry. Gather imperfections and left-overs to sell |
| money, yet at first glance they could appear to be | | | | separately. |
| scams, or just stupid ideas that would never work. | | | | 7. Abstracting service |
| Truth is; as strange as they seem, people have made | | | | Many business organizations require someone to read |
| money doing these jobs. However, that's not to say | | | | professional journals and magazines, summarize the |
| the ideas are right for you. The purpose of listing them | | | | main points of articles and send the summarized |
| here is to stimulate your thinking and encourage you to | | | | reports to staff that need to know about the |
| think outside the square when searching for home | | | | information contained in the article. The full article is |
| business ideas. | | | | then available for them to read if they so wish. If you |
| 1. Make instructional disks or downloads | | | | think that this business is for you, then start up your |
| Make recordings of yourself or others teaching and | | | | own abstracting service for local businesses. |
| demonstrating their specialties. Start with simple | | | | 8. Hydroponics kits |
| operations (eg. making a will, basic plumbing); graduate | | | | Start a business from home producing easy to follow |
| to more complex instructions as you learn. You could | | | | hydroponics kits. Hydroponics involves growing plants in |
| market these recordings as downloads on the internet. | | | | a soil-less environment. Sell all the necessary |
| 2. Make dough sculptures | | | | equipment, chemicals and seeds. Provide a booklet |
| There are many books available that teach you how | | | | explaining the basic principles of hydroponics and how |
| to make and preserve wonderful sculptures from | | | | to get the best from each garden and plant. Sell |
| bread dough. These make great gift ideas and look | | | | through mail order, from specialty garden centers, and |
| great in any kitchen. They are inexpensive to make. | | | | online. |
| Sell at local specialty stores, kitchen stores and market | | | | As I said earlier, these ideas may not interest you, but |
| days. As strange as it may seem, some people have | | | | hopefully they will enlighten you as to the huge range |
| made money selling dough sculptures. | | | | of legitimate business opportunities that exist. |
| 3. Make speciality cards | | | | There are thousands of ways to make money from |
| Make specialty greeting or gift cards from a variety of | | | | home so the important thing is to remain open-minded |
| materials. Use recycled paper and be as creative as | | | | and research as many opportunities as you can |
| you can. Sell your specialty cards individually, or in | | | | before getting started. You may end up starting a |
| packs of six through mail order, specialty stores and | | | | business doing something you had never thought of |
| markets. | | | | previously. |