I have wanted to own my own work-from-home business since the birth of my first child. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to be sucked into a scam when seeking such an arrangement - and boy was I. I paid good money to "learn" pyramid schemes, sell Tupperware and Mary Kay and Avon, and buy tons of books about owning your own business. What I found was that I was only buying someone else' dream. I have no desire to take money from people who are dead broke to begin with, and I have absolutely ZERO natural sales talent. After a couple of years of adulthood, I finally realized the value of an education. Unfortunately, the post-secondary education system in this country is just as skewed as their predecessors. So many people spend YEARS of their lives and thousands of dollars they don't have to earn a degree which sets them one or two bucks an hour over minimum wage. So, I decided, unless it comes free, that career track is not for me. What I really needed were marketable SKILLS. In my enthusiasm of youth, I subsequently earned (and continue to earn) certifications and credentials which boost my appeal to employers. As of this writing, I am licensed to prepare business and personal tax returns, notarize official signatures in my state, and care for the elderly or disabled with a CNA certification. On top of this, I ran a very successful business (successful in that it made me a lot of money - not that it was personally rewarding) for seven years. In an employer's standpoint, this is the equivilant of holding a BA in Business Administration - albeit, from the School of Hard Knocks. Why then, I ask myself, am I working for ten bucks an hour as a receptionist, scheduling appointments for a physician in my hometown? Especially since that money barely covers my living expenses (although, I have very little debt), and I cannot be home to welcome my three young children home from school. Not to mention, I have less time than I'd like to prepare for them healthy meals and keep up with the ever-existent mountain of laundry. The answer is: I settled. Never settle. The fact is, I know a LOT about a LOT of things. That, combined with a 129 IQ, says I have what it takes to do WHATEVER I need to to make my life what I want to. The initial form that this experiment will take, then, will be a combination of things: EBay sales - I already earn $250-400 per month doing this less than 10 hours per week. Writing - I am a fantastic writer and believe that I could earn an excellent living writing articles and books. Taxes - This is obviously only a seasonal position but, with the right base of clients, it's easy money for someone who knows what they're doing. I will, of course, be adding to this list as time goes by...