My take is that nearly anything called a "work from home opportunity" (or something similar) is going to be a scam or very close to a scam.

However, that's not to say that working from home isn't possible. My personal opinion is that the place to look is at your own talents, rather than at the opportunities promoted by others. Think of it in terms of "starting a business...with certain constraints" rather than searching for opportunities listed by others, and I think you have a much better chance for suceess.

You might start by considering: What kinds of things have you done to make money before? What are your talents? What would you like to do? Then, forumulate a business based around that and your other constraints. One way to keep the stree to a minimum (you'll have plenty from other sources) is to start very small and think of it as a more as hobby that just might make some cash. The nice thing about a business that includes working from home and a limited schedule is that the business venture is generally going to be very small-scale - this lets you experiment, adjust, and try things out without a lot of risk.

Lastly, I noticed in your profile that you have "your first baby on the way". Given that, I'd strongly encourage you to get settled into the baby routine first. Then, and only then, will you know what time you have available and what your house needs. It might be better than you expect or worse than you expect. But, it will almost certainly be different than you expect. See how it goes first, and then fill in the gaps with something that meshes with your assessment of the situation. I guarantee that you'll find your time and sanity taxed in ways that you're not expecting.

For example, you might find that when you have free time, you'd actually like to get out of the house, rather than stay there and work. You might consider an out-of-the-house job (with very limited hours) to better fit this need.

Hope that helps some. I have a lot of personal experience with this issue, so feel free to ask anything that's on your mind.

-Mike

Kev - Yes, yes, I agree with that completely. You are a wise man. Among other things, I used to do various types of computer repair in my pre-kid days. I have kept just a few of my friendliest and easy-going clients. However, the others - who had a lot of issues that always needed immediate attention - had to go.

Any business where you have panicked clients in need of immediate attention is not at all compatible with being the primary caregiver for your kids. Even if you have "backup" plans (friends/family that can help, etc), it's hard to imagine this combination being something that would be healthy for anyone long-term.

It didn't take long to realize this, but before I did, it made for a lot a stress. Getting rid of clients that you've developed long-term relationships with (or otherwise pruning down your business ventures) is no fun for a lot of reasons. That's one of the reasons why (in my previous post) I recommended focusing settling in with the new baby first, then filling in the remaining time in whatever way you think is best.

It is possible to do various types of computer work (like what you described) without these issues. I think you just need to be very selective about what you do and keep things contained.