I don’t know about you, but recording my deposits (and withdrawals) in my check register is the most challenging part of being in business. I don’t know what it about the idea of writing up my daily deposits and expenditures that make me so very, very tired. (Sigh.) The thought of sitting down with my check register (or Quicken for that matter) is enough to make me want to run away to the circus. Maybe the thought of putting my daily receipts in writing, a permanent record of my successes and indiscretions, is too much for me. Or maybe I’m just weird. Who knows? Well Sandy’s Botkin wrote an excellent article on the importance of keeping written records:

Too many times people have said at my seminars that they are worried about an audit because they do not the receipts for the documentation taken. Unfortunately, there is more to an audit than worrying about documentation for deductions. They need to worry about the income side as well.

IRS has recently instituted an extra type of audit procedure. Regardless of the type of audit, IRS now asks for all bank records and money market accounts for the year or years covering the audit. At first blush, this may seem strange. If you were being audited for your automobile or travel expenses, why would IRS want to see your yearly bank records? The answer is that IRS is now checking all taxpayers for unreported income.

IRS will match all deposits made into your bank accounts and compare the totals to your reported income. If the deposits exceed what you reported as income, you’d better have a great explanation or IRS will hit you with “unreported income” on the difference.

You might be thinking, “wait a minute, not every deposit is taxable.” This is quite true. Gifts and inheritances are tax-free. Reimbursements from insurance companies and by employers for business expenses where a proper accounting was made are also tax-free. Most municipal bond interest is tax-free. I had a student who could never balance his bank account. His idea of balancing an account was to close out one account every six months and open up another one. I hope this doesn’t apply to you! None of these items mentioned are taxable. However, unless you can clearly demonstrate that the deposits came from a tax-exempt source, IRS will construe your deposits as unreported income.

It is now necessary that you record and identify the sources of all deposits in your check register. For example, if you receive a deposit as a commission checks from X Company, the check register would read,” commission check from X company.” If you were to receive a tax-free reimbursement from your health insurance company, the check register would read,” reimbursement from X health insurance company.”

Finally, for all non-taxable items, make a copy of the check that you received, and put it in a yearly file. Thus if you receive a reimbursement from your employer for business expenses that you gave an accounting for, you should copy the check.

If you follow my advice, you will certainly make any IRS audit less painful and make your life less taxing.

Sandy Botkin is a CPA, attorney and former trainer of IRS attorneys nationwide. He lectures all over the nation on tax planning for self-employed and corporate taxpayers and can be seen in the big events with Donald Trump, Anthony Robbins and many others. He has been written up in Newsweek and in many other magazines. He is also a syndicated writer and noted author of this famed tape series “Tax Strategies for Business Professionals” and “Tax and Financial Strategies for Residential Real Estate.”

To find out more about Sandy and his products, check out his terrific small business web site at: www.taxreductioninstitute.com or by calling his office at 301-972-3600 in Maryland

photo credit: Hello Turkey Toe

The Mom Pack™ is a cooperative, volunteer group of working moms dedicated to promoting each others’ businesses online and offline in a variety of ways, including link swaps, goal meeting, advertisement sharing, individual Mom Pack filler exchanges and information packet sharing.  The list of mom businesses is long, but you’ll get lots of good ideas if you need some ideas for your own work -at-home employment.

The Design Shoppe**The Official Mom Pack™ Web Hosting & Design Team**
Web Design & Web Site Hosting by work at home moms with over 12 years experience. Your web presence is important. Choose a design team that has the experience and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work online. Dependable, professional and affordable. Ask about our professional sitebuilder and do it yourself!
Discounts here for: Mom Pack Members!

DIY Shoppes – The ultimate online storefront you can create by yourself. Includes over 30 pre-installed templates so you can setup your online store within a day. Includes a gift registry, wholesale options, affiliate feature, sale maker, inventory control and so much more.

Advertise Your WAHM Business – Shop WAHM’s
Support your WAHM’s and shop with their businesses! Advertise your own WAHM business and gain exposure!

Affordable Website Design & Hosting
From informative websites to large e-commerce websites, we can create it for you! You CAN afford quality!

Alexa’s Treasure Photo Contest
Online photo contest for children. Send in your photos and win cash and prizes. $250 cash is given away each month!

Alternatively-Healthier
Discover the advantages of alternative health and herbal remedies so you can start living naturally and become alternatively healthier. If you’ve hungered to live naturally, begin your journey here.

A Love of Coffee
Gourmet coffee, cappuccino, cocoas, cookies, coffee scented products & more! It’s all about the java!

AmeriPlan Dental®
Discount dental plan for families and individuals. Great for self employed.

Babes N Tot Shop
Babes n Tot Shop is an online boutique specializing in unique baby clothes, designer toddler clothes and personalized items that make unique baby gifts everyone will treasure.

Baby Gift Baskets
Baby gifts for newborns and new mothers.

Bagz n Jewelry
We carry the latest designs in handbags, clutch/evening purses, sterling silver, stainless steel, men’s jewelry and semiprecious & gemstones jewelry. We ship anywhere in the US

Barefoot Bella
Children’s boutique specializing in unique items for boys and girls. Clothing sizes infant to 14, shoes, accessories, personalized products, and great gift ideas for a baby shower.

Beauty And Beyond Shoppes
Beauty is more than just makeup! It’s mind,body and soul. Feed your inner and outer beauty at Beauty and Beyond Shoppes…its all here!

Busy Fingers Crafts
Home of the Dammit Doll collection! Free shipping on orders over $35. Enter the FREE RAFFLE to win.

BusyMomsBoutique.com
We specialize in unique, high-quality, PERSONALIZED products for everyone! Monogrammed purses, bags, jewelry, baby & children’s items, home decor, men’s gifts, wedding gifts, stationary, and more!

Buttons Make Cents!
Pin-back Buttons, Keychains and Magnets designed to help build your business! Low Prices, High Quality. Custom designs available. Join our Affiliate Program and earn cash for sales and personal orders!

Candy Gift Boutique
We offer a beautiful selection of gift baskets, candy bouquets, cookie bouquets, cheesecakes and more for every special occasion from birthdays to holiday events.

Captive Moments
What holds your thoughts captive? Forum, blog, top 100, plug board and more – just for the captive mommy in all of us! Great WAH resources and information!

Casting Keepsakes
Home of wax or stone hand casting kits for children & adults, baby footprints, child handprint kits, pregnancy belly casts, infant foot molds, shoe bronzing alternative & shadow box frame keepsakes.

Charmed Printing
Business cards, Lead Cards and more! Also personalized Candy Wrappers! Affordable business materials for your work at home budget! Ask about our layaway program. Bartering also accepted.

Christian Site Solutions
Common sense Website design, newsletter and Website promotion, article distribution and outreach solutions for churches and Christians who want to reach the world for Jesus.

Cloth Diapers & Diaper Covers – Jardine Diapers
Learn how to make the right choice in cloth diapering supplies for your family.

Country Meadow Creations
Handcrafted Natural & Glycerin Bath Bars, Decorative Soap, Soap Favors, and Seasonal Soaps. All glycerin soaps made fresh when ordered.

Creations In Bloom Shopping Cart Covers
Grocery Shopping Cart Covers for babies and toddlers. Fits shopping carts, restaurant high chairs and park swings. Treat your baby to a handcrafted shopping cart cover made by a mom.

CT River Candles
CT River Candles was inspired by the beauty of the CT River and a personal love of creating handmade products. Our soy candles are hand poured with 100% natural soy wax and scented with the finest fragrance oils.

The Dammit Doll Store
Home of the Dammit Doll collection! The perfect gift for the person who has everything. Need to relieve some stress? A Dammit Doll is what you need! FREE SHIPPING on US orders over $35

Darlene Bishop
Writer, editor, creative design and World of Products distributor.

The Diaper Lady
Learn about cloth diapering, SIDS prevention, breastfeeding, baby wearing, providing a healthy home for your baby, and MUCH more!

Digestive System Help
If you have been suffering from Bloating, Gas, Indigestion, Constipation, Stomach Pain, GERD, IBS, or Diverticulitis, you could really use some Digestive System Help! Stop by now and find out why eating is causing you pain!

Direct Sales Mommies
We are devoted to helping moms and others work from home successfully.

Direct Sales Supplies
Your one stop shop to find tools, supplies, and accessories to grow your Party Plan Business at the best prices online!

DIY Shoppes – Sitebuilder & Shopping Cart
Do It Yourself web site and shopping cart program. Owned and operated by the Mom Pack design team. Don’t miss the opportunity to own your own shopping cart licensing! Stop “renting” elsewhere!

Doodlebuckets Mother & Baby Store
We carry mothering essentials, including Fuzzi Bunz Cloth Diapers, Moby Wrap Baby Carriers, Baby Gifts for all occasions, Vibe Liquid Vitamins by Eniva and more!

Electric Tart Warmers – Wax Tarts – Gift Baskets
Large variety of unique Electric Tart Warmers, Wax Tarts and Custom Gift Baskets!

Ely’s Concepts
Custom handmade invitations, candy wrappers and desktop publishing. Se habla español

Everyday-Occasions.com
Affordable gifts and favors for all occasions.

Eve’s Best
We carry healthier home items like Airwise air purifiers, home water distillers, rebounders, nutritional supplements and MORE!

Faithful Friends Online
Work At Home Mom Resource Site offering monthly newsletters, business spotlights, articles, tips, ideas, advertising, shopping marketplace and much more!

Family-Raisers
We are a group of Work From Home Ladies & Men who are dedicated to helping families in need. Everything listed on this page will have a percentage of all sales go directly to families who are unable to provide for some of even the most basic needs for their children.

FeltSmart – Story Time Felts Consultant
We have the highest quality felt story boards, felt books, and felt dress up dolls on the market! Our vibrant felt products are attractive to children of ALL ages- parents, too! Check us out!

Flickering Lights
Start your own home-based business today by making one simple phone call! If you are serious about taking charge of your life, reaching for the stars, and achieving your goals to become a successful entrepreneur, I can teach you how. There is no better time than now!

Fritzer Designs
Fritzer Designs provides affordable web and graphic design to small business owners and work at home moms. We specialize in chic, girly, fun, hip and clean designs. Also specializing in Clothing label design, logo design and much more!

Fuzzi Bunz
Fuzzi Bunz Cloth Diapers, Baby Gifts (even personalized), Baby Carriers, Baby Gift Baskets and Baby Shower Favors.

Galleria Beads
Your one-stop bead store specializing in Bali beads, Swarovski crystal beads, sterling silver beads, sterling silver alphabet blocks (4 styles), gold-filled beads, and sterling silver findings.

Gift Cans Galore
Custom Gift Cans for all your gift giving needs! Every personalized for you next special occasion!

The Gypsy Peddlers Wagon
Everything Magical,Mystical,Beautiful! Live Psychic Advise, Magical Shopping, Large Files Section, Online BOS and more! Put a little magic in your life!

Handmade Girls Clothes by The Frilly Frog Boutique
Handmade girls clothes at an affordable price. Make a style splash with our froggy fashions!

Home Business Quest
A friendly website offering information on profitable home businesses, articles and more for those who are interested in starting a home business and working from home

Information on Surrogacy
Have you wondered if you could become a surrogate mother? Free informational site for those considering becoming a surrogate and for intended parents.

The Inner Shopper
Highlighting the latest items and products for parents and kids. Reviews updated semi-daily

Inspired by Emilie
Unique handmade baby and toddler linens: playard sheets, daycare cot sheets, changing pad covers, lovey pillows, and blankets. We make custom items too like crib/toddler bed sheets and Zippy Blankets!

Itty-Bitty Signers
Baby Sign Language – With the use of a few simple ASL signs babies can communicate long before they are able to speak. Experience the joy of early communication. Learn to SIGN with your BABY today!

Kidcessory Haven
Custom matching accessories 4 mommys & their kids!

KidsReadMore.com
Over 1,000 educational titles for children, matching Literacy grant program, read-a-thon fundraisers and much more!

Lacrosse-Information
Learn how to play lacrosse, coaching techniques, drills, how to get recruited all to improve your game. Men and women, boys and girls of all skill levels will find something at Lacrosse-Information.

The Lang Co. Silver Jewelry
Sterling silver, gemstone, beaded, handcrafted jewelry. New & vintage jewelry ring holders. Enter to win in our contest.

LifeVerse Jewelry
Find personalized sterling silver jewelry with your own inspirational message and words. Awareness Jewelry, Birthstone Jewelry, Pearl Jewelry, Psalm Jewelry and Bible Verse Jewelry.

Little Hands Boutique
Your Upscale Resale for Little Ladies & Gents – specializing in gently used named brands from NB-5T

Lucy’s Letters
Personalized Santa Letters, Easter Letters, etc. All letters only $5! Check for all special letters available!

Luxury Diva Moda
Your source for affordable authentic designer fashion. We offer designer handbags, clothing, accessories by Fendi, Prada, Chloe, and More! Designer Fashion is not just a luxury, it should be an affordable lifestyle!

Magic Wardrobe Kids
Magic Wardrobe Kids specializes in selling licensed character clothing, toys, gifts, and accessories for children, all at bargain prices.

Mia Bella Gourmet Candles
Join the Candle of the Month Club and see why so many moms AND dads
love our candles! Check our calendar often for sales, fundraisers and more.

Michele Does Avon
For all your Avon needs and superior customer service! We are not your Mother’s Avon anymore. The newest trends, fashion, mens products, spa products, kids and tweens and so much more! If you haven’t seen Avon lately, you haven’t seen Avon!

Mineral Perfect
Looking for that youthful, vibrant, all-natural appeal Mineral Perfect offers 100% all natural mineral cosmetics and are an affordable alternative to national brands.

MisBeehaven Banners
Let us buzz up some banners for your biz & help you get noticed on the web! Creating custom designed banners and buttons that are eye catching and eye appealing with out the high prices! Buzz on over and check out our package deals today!

Mommies Webbies
Web Design, Building & Maintenance. Banners & Buttons, Affordable Hosting, Advertising and More. We want to help WAHMs and will always work around their budget!

Mother’s Bracelets by TinySugars
Select from dozens of elegant styles or custom design a bracelet with multiple names or up to ten birthstones. Pamper yourself or someone very special with a personalized mothers bracelet.

My Bella’s Treasures
Welcome to my eBay store. I sell Crib Toys & Accessories, ~SECURITY BLANKETS~ Baby Blankets, Baby Girl Blankets, many lost loveys in search of there owners ,Plush Baby Toys/rattle loveys, Baby Boy Blankets, and Gender Neutral Blankets.~ Please add me to your list of favorite sellers and visit often

My Button Store
Buttons to help build your business! Wear them, pin them on a friend, family members or a bulletin board to help advertise your business. Each button sells for $1.00. Custom made, Fast Shipping!

My Direct Sales Biz
My Direct Sales Biz is a haven for moms, dads, or anyone who wishes to work at home. You will find tips, articles, work at home business ideas and information on direct sales opportunities

My Enchanted Garden
Specializing in unique – personalized gifts for children. Handmade step stools, name plaques and tote bags.Design your own hairbows and bowholders!

My Kids Occasion
Event planning, personalized stationery, handmade greeting cards and unique, natural and educational GIFTS and products. We are glad to offer everything you need.

My Shopping Genie
Free download of My Shopping Genie, which searches for items on Ebay faster by integrating with Google or any search engine.

No-Chem Bed Solutions
Stop sleeping on a bed that is making you sick! If you have noticed allergies, asthma, or other symptoms with your new mattress, we have the solution for you. Stop by today!

Noodleloo
Stylish and fun gear for Mom and Baby: Nursing covers, Travel changing pads, Blankets & bibs, Gift baskets & Wearable’s

Norwex Healthy Cleaning
Clean without chemicals! Norwex Enviro Products is all about eco-friendly green cleaning and personal care.

Norwex Online Shopping
Chemical FREE Cleaning Products and Organic Personal Care. Secure Online Shopping – Visa or Master Card. Low Cost Direct Shipping Canada or United States

Norwex Products Online
Chemical FREE Cleaning Products and Organic Personal Care. Secure Online Shopping – Visa, MC or Paypal. Low Cost Direct Shipping Canada & United States. Immediate business opportunities available.

Oh My Baby
Personalized Baby Blankets, Bibs, Lovies, Burp Cloths, Towels, Picture Frames and more. Large selection of Gift Baskets, TAGGIES™, and GUND®.

Olde Village Depot
A primitive marketplace, where you will find primitive home decor, candles, dolls, quilts, and much more…

Omnitrition – Healthy Living For Life
All natural nutritional supplements for the entire family! LIQUID vitamins, weight loss, energy, sleep and much more! I lost 27 pounds and 3 sizes in only 4.5 months…What do YOU have to lose? Check OMNI out today!

On Fairy Wings Gifts
Find one of a kind items for that special someone. Create an account and subscribe to our newsletters for free gifts, special discounts, and subscriber only contests. Free business opportunities.

Only Child Option
because having multiple children isn’t the only choice.

Pampered Diva Gifts
At Pampered Diva Gifts,we bring you the best of all available women’s products in one advantageous website with prices to fit your budget! Step into our online shopping mall and find: Highly Scented Soy Candles *Indulgent Mineral Makeup and Cosmetics *Relaxing Aromatherapy Bath & Body/Spa Products *And Much More!

Pamper Me Place
Bath & Body, Soy Candles, Aromatherapy, Cosmetics, Health & Wellness Products as well as things for Kids and Babies, Accessories and Fun, Unique Items, The Sample Cake

Papers Prints & Pixels
Personalized products with personalized service – social stationery, invitations, announcements, notecards, webgraphics, web templates, hosting, and engraved and embroidered gifts.

Pastiche Family Portal
Family friendly articles, crafts, coloring books, clip art and paper craft printables – free for personal use.

Photo Bug Baby
A natural online photo contest for children 0-13 years old. Win CASH and great prizes! Check out our great products for kids and articles for parents! We also have a pet contest!

Prevent SIDS
For the truth about SIDS prevention and what you can do about it, stop by today. You might be surprised by what you don’t know!

Ready Banner
Providing free, ready-to-use banners to help WAHMs promote their direct sales businesses. Also featuring affordable banner and logo design services.

Rhona’s Creations
Custom and Costume jewelry. We custom design one of a kind Swarovski jewelry in crystals, hearts and butterflies in stones, evil eyes in glass beads and many other metal components in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, eyeglass holders and watches in all colors and sizes.

Royal Baby Boutique
We offer the finest luxury designer couture baby clothing, diaper bags, christening apparel and accessories for Your Little Prince or Princess. Royalty begins with tiny little baby steps.

Sabrina’s Village
An online gift shop to pamper your mind body and spirit. We offer a gift for everyone in your life. Bath and body, mineral makeup, tutus, baby couture and much much more.

Sales MOMS
Sales MOMS is dedicated to helping people understand the direct sales industry. We offer a network of websites that help in all aspects of products, business opportunity & sales.

Sara’s Pixel Studio
eCommerce sites, eBay Tools, WAHMShoppes, logos, banners, digi frames, Flash animation, designs for print (business cards, hang tags, stationary, etc), custom logo/trademark graphics and MORE!

Sara the WAHM
Come shop with me! Get great deals and specials on your favorite products from: Creative ScentSations, Beautiful Diva Mineral Makeup, Pink Alligator Designs and Stuff-N-Snuggle!

Scentsational De’Lights
Handmade Candles, Tarts & More. Weddings, Showers, Fund Raisers, Wholesale, Retail. Have A Scentsational Day!

SittersPlace.com
A local babysitting network for parents to find quality sitters, nannies, and mommy’s helpers. All types!

Spirited Lady Boutique
A spirited boutique designed for everyone! We have information on natural products for home, health, skin & pets, self help, do it your upholstery, crafts and much, much more!

Stay a Stay at Home Mom
Are you struggling to remain a stay at home mom? Tips and tricks to Reduce Expenses, Stretch Your Dollar, and Supplement Your Income in order to stay a SAHM.

Stella & Dot Style by Stella
Women’s Fashion Jewellry at Affordable Prices. No Presentation Home Parties – Finally! Just Invite Your Friends for an evening of refreshments and trying on beautiful jewelry! Ground Floor Business Opportunity.

Stitchilicious
Custom personalized embroidery items for all occasions!

Success Promotions
Internet marketing and search engine optimization by a WAHM for WAHMs.

Taekwondo-Network
Discover the most popular martial art in the world, Taekwondo! Advice and information for all ages, styles and levels of martial artist. Men, Women and Kids TKD t-shirts, equipment, videos and more.

Timeless Legacy
We create custom digital scrapbooks, framed memory pages, brag books, photo birth announcements, graduation announcements and more…

Todays Work At Home Mom
Providing advertising, marketing, shopping, & social communities for Today’s Work at Home Mom. Great WAHM & home business resources including newsletters, classifieds, forums, & more!

TracyTrends
childrens gifts, potty training supplies, hooded towels, kids money management, christmas ornaments and more

Tropical Baby Boutique
Offering stylish diaper bags for moms and dads, baby slings, blankets, hip baby clothing, toys, shower gifts, mommy bracelets, personalized favors and more. Be sure to browse our selection of gifts under $20.

TuesdayExpos
TuesdayExpos! If it’s Tuesday THEN it’s Expos Day! Every Tuesday our Great Vendors have their Special Offers listed. From scheduled Chats to open chat times if it’s Tuesday then it’s our Expos day! All 52 Tuesday of the year!

Uplifting-Essentials
Finally…Bra Fitting…Done Right! Fantastic Business Opportunity – We Need You Today!

Usborne Books at Home in Canada Up With Reading!
Visit our website today for information on purchasing Usborne Books, Hosting an Usborne Home Party or School Book Fair or to find out how to start your own home based business as an Usborne Books Consultant.

WAH Diva Mom
Here you will find everything WAHM like low cost advertising, articles, great companies to join, a chat room for online parties, and even a plug board! If you have any suggestions on anything you would like to see added to this site, please feel free to let me know. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the site…

WahBizOpps.com
Wah Biz Opps~ Direct Sales and Party Plan Business Opportunities. Search our Exclusive Listings of Opportunities to find the perfect business for you!

Wahm Addicts
Supporting the WAHM Addiction for Work at Home and Stay at Home Moms. Find Freebies, Business Opportunities, Advertising and More. We have it all at Wahm Addicts.

WAHM Central
Offering home business opportunities and ideas for those wanting to work at home. Also affordable advertising for WAHMs, online break room with chat/message, games, puzzles just for fun and relaxation

The WAHM Shack
Online Resource & Networking site supporting work-at-home moms providing Free & Low Cost Advertising, Business Opportunities, Article Directory w/FREE Articles to Reprint, Forum, Link Exchange & more.

WAHM-Wish
Where your wishes of working from home can come true!

WAHShopping.com
The Place to Go to Shop with Moms at Home! Use our shopping portal for all of your online shopping needs! From A to Z, you will find what you need!

Waterwise Distillers
There is nothing healthier than pure, fresh, home distilled water from a Waterwise distiller. If you don’t understand the benefits of drinking home distilled water, let us show you today!

The Web Design Shoppe
Articles, Tips and Resources to Website Design, Graphic Design, Search Engine Optimization, Marketing your Business and more.

Web Page Editing
Let us edit your content, navigation, keywords, and articles! You only have one chance to make a first impression. Make it a positive one with a great web page!

Work From Home on the Internet.com
The Internet Income Center – Find legitimate internet business opportunities that require no or minimal start-up fees, have desirable products, and are profitable. We also provide several free and low cost services for promoting your new business.

Work at Home Parents
Your online work at home resource. Find a business, network with other WAHPs and shop parent owned sites.

Wow Imports Personalized Jewelry & Fair Trade Gifts
Personalized silver & gold nameplate necklaces, name rings, name bracelets, name earrings; beaded animal figurines, beaded serving pieces, beaded Christmas ornaments, key chains, piggy banks and more!

Sometimes when people are contemplating working from home they wonder if they’ll get lonely. In my experience, I’ve never really had time to get lonely. Since I’m homeschooling I have the kids with me all day. My husband works during the weekends so he’s around during the week. And then I have my clients that I talk to on the telephone frequently. No, loneliness rarely comes up .

Now if you want to now if I sometimes wish to listen to music that isn’t the theme song of Zooboomafu or Sitting Ducks my answer would have to be “Oh Yeah!” And how about not being interrupted when I’m working with requests to dress dolls or have a wrestling match in the living room would also be nice some days. But overall, I am content with my life and my connections outside the home.

But for WAHMs that may have children in school and their husbands working throughout the week, being lonely can become a real issue if you let it. Being a work-at-home mom doesn’t mean that you have to be isolated. It doesn’t mean being reduced to a gibbering crazy woman who sings “Dora the Explorer” when she answers the phone. (Okay, I do answer the phone “House of Mouse” from time to time, but I digress …) Setting up lunch dates with friends or clients is one way to make sure that don’t get too out of touch with the outside world.

But if you don’t feel like stepping outside of the house every time you need a “mommy break”, the internet has made it possible to connect with people anytime you feel the need. You’ll have to do research to find the groups that suit your needs, but here are a few of my favorite networks to tap into when I’m starting to feel myself sliding too deeply into the world of Pokemon and Sailor Moon:

• Who’s That WAHM? (http://whosthatwahm.com): Who’s That WAHM is the brainchild of Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop, writer, Christian minister and home-based business owner. It was begun as a means for work-at-home moms (WAHMs) to learn more about each other so they can support each other in their business efforts.
• Moms United In Business (http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com): Moms United in Business is a private networking organization open to work at home moms and ALL women in business. This organization is for women only, and is not a spam and advertising network. We do offer various avenues to promote your business, however, we have a zero tolerance for spam policy. We aim to provide a safe networking environment, offering both personal and professional support to each and every member.
• Workspace The Home Business Network (http://workspace.liveops.com): Start growing your home business by connecting to our forums, blogs, groups and get your personalized homepage. This group has support groups such as Men@Home, At Home Agents, Working Moms and Graveyard Shift Workers to name a few.
• Future Executives (http://futureexecutives.org/): This group is for people who want to help young people to learn about the business world, as well as providing a place for entrepreneurs to meet and support each other.
• National Association of Entrepreneur Moms (www.NAOEM.com):  Our mission is to EMPOWER, EDUCATE and ENLIGHTE women to achieve their full potential in all areas of their life, so they can create a ilfe they love, build a thriving home-based business that enables them to do work they’re passionate about, contribute financially to their family and be home with their children.
• The Homeschool Lounge (http://www.thehomeschoollounge.com): The Homeschool Lounge is one of my favorite places to interact. There are many groups dedicated to working from home, entrepreneurial moms and a whole lot more.  A definite place to visit and make new friends who totally understand your goals.
• Mission Mommy (http://www.mission-mommy.com) Great resources for work at home moms or moms who want to start their own business at home in the WAHM community.

So what are some of your favorite internet hangouts?

photo credit: Marc_Smith

Disclaimer: http://cmp.ly/5

Welcome to the ranks of the homeschoolers who also are working from their home. But before you head to Ikea to buy a lot of furniture, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.

After choosing what type of business you will be building, setting up your home-office is the most important thing you can do on your road to prosperity. So, only begin setting up your home-office if you have made a definitive decision about your business field.

Why?  Because your business decision will affect where your home office should be placed. And who wants to rearrange things over and over again? I know my husband doesn’t …

Unfortunately, most of us don’t live in a  5,500 sq. ft. home complete with a maid, chef and groundskeeper. Actually, my dream office would be like Nero Wolfe’s office. His office was very large with ample seating for clients. His walls were lined with books (I love books!) and his giant globe that his clients were drawn to spin at least once during the story line.

“Wow!” I think, “If I had an office like that life would be perfect.”

But then my son starts crying, his sisters are squabbling, the cats are racing through the house and the dog is barking. Yep, I am back to reality.  And you know what, reality really isn’t that bad.
The Real Home-Office

Back to real life scenarios now.  Actually, the minimum home office space requirements are a lot easier to obtain (and maintain) than Nero Wolfe’s setup.  Actually, all you need is space for a chair, and a desk large enough to handle any paperwork you’ll be handling.  Of course you need enough room on your desk for you laptop (or desktop) computer, and a place to put your printer.

I know that sounds spartan, but you don’t want to make the mistake of spending more than you’re bringing in.  Remember, you are working from home. Unless your business includes receiving clients into your home office, no one will know (or care) what your office looks like. No one, of course, except you.

Here are some great resources I’ve found that might be useful to the aspiring WAHM.

Double-DutyMoms

Working Moms have it all: Family, Home, and Career. All moms are busy, but working moms have even more challenges to deal with. You could say they actually have two jobs or “double duty.” You will find tips on childcare, cooking, organizing, budgeting, time management, and more.

Medical Transcriptionist Jobs

The real-world guide to medical transcription from home. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, we have the tips and techniques for you to be a successful medical transcriptionist, from resumes and finding work-at-home job to increasing your productivity once you’re hired.

The General Transcription Business Guide

If you’ve been looking around for information on this generaltranscription that you’ve been hearing about, the general transcription guide puts you in the right place!

Debt Consolidation Help

Locate information about debt consolidation help services, the purpose of them, taking personal responsibly for your debt, locate the best one for your needs and checking them out before you use one.

Spectrum Homeschool

Our mission at Spectrum Homeschool is to assist families andindividuals in the field of home education, general education andself-education by providing free resources, articles, ideas, andinformation including, but not limited to, curriculum, literature,lessons, health and special needs.

Educating for Success

As a stay-at-home mom, my main goal in life is to encourage women to become the best homemakers they can be. I believe that includes helping their children discover their gifts and find their calling in life as early as possible. The family should also support the children until they enter their own personal journey on the road to financial security.

As more and more people (women are leading the exodus) look for ways to earn extra money from home, a common question is “Where do you look for these virtual jobs?”  Although you may find a few listed in Monster and Hotjobs, the majority of them can be found through fee-based services like  Sohojobs, or free services such as Craigslist and Virtual Assistant Jobs.  You can also find openings and requests for virtual professionals through free organizations such as Virtual Assistant Forums after you’ve become an active participant and contributor to the forum.

Speaking of Virtual Assistant Jobs, they have just posted a whole host of jobs that you or someone you know may qualify for some of the positions. They have current Work at home jobs and projects for:

• General Office Support
• Resume Writers
• Admin Specialists
• Customer Service Reps
• Customer Service Agents
• Data Entry Researchers
• Keyers
• Data Entry Specialists
• and many others….

You can take a look at the specifics by visiting: http://www.virtualassistantjobs.com/job_listings.php

Registration is FREE and only takes a second. There is no fee to apply or be hired however hiring employers do require the following:

• Must provide at least three references (they will be checked)
• Must have acceptable credit score and history. You will need to request your free credit score
• Must have newer computer. Please provide details about your system.
• Must have backup storage before being hired.
• Must have high speed Internet access (no dial-up accepted)
• Must have online collaboration access for job interviews
• Must have dependable email (aol, yahoo, hotmail and others are problematic). If you must use free email, we suggest Gmail
• Must have the ability to send and receive faxes via email and set up multi-mailbox voicemail.
• Must have a USB headset
• Must have experience with the Internet, email and file attachments

TO REGISTER:
Please visit http://www.virtualassistantjobs.com/register.php

You will need to verify your email address and then login and setup your Resume Profile my selecting the MY ACCOUNT option. Then, simply click on the job that interests you and select the “APPLY NOW” button. Your resume will be automatically sent to the hiring employer!

Good luck!

Leveraging your time is one of the ways that smart businesses operate. One way that you can do this is by borrowing resources, trading skills and services instead of using money. But first what is a team? According to Webster’s dictionary, a team is “a number of persons associated together in work or an activity.” There are many ways to assemble a team, and one way is through what is known as a joint venture. How does a joint venture work?

• Let’s say that at one of those business mixers you meet a Ms. Escribe who runs a transcription business. You two develop a friendly relationship. Now somewhere down the road you decide to create an audio or webinar product that you want to sell to your client base, but you want to also include a free eBook for those who prefer reading information to watching or listening. You think of Ms. Escribe and give her a call. You tell her your situation and plans. You offer her a deal. If she will do the transcripts for the product launch for free you’ll split the profits from the sale of the eBook and product. Ms. Escribe accepts and now you are in a joint venture.

Carefully planned joint ventures can be a winner for both (or more) parties involved. All you did was exchange skills (her transcription skills for you marketing skills). By exchanging these skills you’ve created another source of income for both of your businesses without any additional cost to either partner.

• Another way to add members to your team is to enlist contractors to get the work done for you. Some virtual assistants are Marketing Mavens and can bring in business faster than you can blink. However, the downside for these gifted people is that now they may have more work than they can physically accomplish! To alleviate the stress (and panic!) that this will cause they reach out to fellow Virtual Assistants for help. These subcontractors are paid to do the overflow work for the Marketing Maven VA who is bringing in the business.

This is another win-win scenario. Newer virtual assistants can join up with experienced VAs while they learn the ropes and gain greater skills. For VAs that may not be as successful in attracting clients, this allows them an opportunity to earn a living while still doing the work that they love. And in many cases they also learn some marketing skills from an expert. Of course the subcontractors are still responsible for their own taxes, so the Marketing Maven VA has not added any additional tax liability to her business.

VAs that create joint ventures and make up a team not only gain the monetary benefits, but have a built a talented support system to keep their business chugging along in good and bad times. Speaking of which, I just found out about an upcoming free teleseminar that’s being held on January 27th, 2010 at 8 PM (EST). It’s being hosted by someone I just discovered named Sydni Craig-Hart. She’s a coach to virtual assistants and has some great material at her websites EAtoVA.com. You can sign up for her seminar by visiting VASuccessSecrets.com.

You can “employ” your children once they turn eight years old (and earn tax deductions too!).

Imagine how much of an advantage our children will have by learning the ropes of business firsthand and at an early age. As our children grow, so will their skill sets and experience.

Imagine your son or daughter approaching their first outside employer with a full set of office skills (and references!) as a young teenager. Their credentials will jump them to the top of line. And all because you recognized the many benefits of working at home to help your family.

For example, in my home office, my eight year old is learning how to file away papers properly.   and other easy tasks that meet her current abilities. She also has learned how to answer the phone in an appropriate business manner (i.e., “Hello my name is Jade Khalid. How may I help you?”). Watching me work hard to make deadlines teachers her about time management and the importance of fulfilling contracts.

So, not only is Jade learning the ropes of basic office management, but I can count her current allowance as her salary and receive a tax deduction because of it!  Her little sister, Alaya has a natural bend towards organization so I ask her to also help with the filing even though she is still an early reader.  She’s very good in math, so I’m letting her help me balance the books as well.

And I’m helping them to launch their own business as well. After coming home from Rhea’s Beach Retreat, I’ve also helping her to setup her own Ebay store to raise money towards the  many important things in her life, Barbie clothes, cool games and books. I learned how to get started while on the retreat and we’re photographing and writing up descriptions for the things we’re selling. They are very excited and proud.

For more information on tax deductions click the link here.

Would earning tax reductions be a good thing for you? As a home-based business owner or an independent contractor this is one of the benefits waiting for you? Here’s a quick look at some of the perks:

General Office Supplies and Equipment

Items which are used to do your job are also deductible. This includes office supplies, your personal website, phone service, office furniture, computers, copiers and fax machines. You are allowed up to $17,500 a year for such deductions.

Automobile

The cost of maintaining your automobile can be a large deduction, especially with the cost of gasoline these days. The amount of the deduction for fuel and maintenance of your car depends upon what percentage of usage is for business.

If you have two cars and one is used exclusively for business, 100% of the cost of the car used for business is deductible, including gas, oil, repairs, insurance, licensing, parking, etc.

Food and Entertainment

These costs are deductible if you are spending time with existing or potentially new clients. Travel Expenses: Hotels, motels, cab fare, and parking can be deducted if you are traveling for any business-related reason, such as meeting new clients, or attending a seminar or conference.

Education and Self Promotion

Membership in organizations, subscriptions to publications, seminars and conferences can be additional deductible items.

Mortgage

You are allowed to deduct many of the monthly costs of your home if a section of it is designated as your office. The deductible portion is based on what percentage of the total square footage or rooms is designed for business use.

This means a portion of the cost of your rent or mortgage and interest can be deducted, in addition to various types of home insurance, utilities and taxes, including a portion of home repairs, painting and even house cleaning.

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If reducing taxes is so easy, why isn’t everybody doing it?

One major reason is that we’ve been conditioned to be employees and not employers, so we never took the time to investigate the two different tax systems that we have in the United States. But never fear, there are quick and easy ways to get yourself up to speed.

Tax Reductions I.Q. Test