Working from home - not your usual data entry

Working from home is all the rage these days - anyone with a telephone can get a job answering phones remotely, taking orders, and providing other customer service. But there are a whole range of jobs available that vary from the norm - they aren't the usual telephone work or data entry. Some pay better than others, some have varying schedules, so it's not constant income. It just depends on what you are good at, and what your financial needs are.

Please note: It is a good idea to research any job opportunity, and don't get scammed! The number one sign of a scam is that you are charged to start a job. A real work at home job will not ask for money up front (disclaimer: a few reputable companies will charge for things like background checks, but they don't charge to actually start the work).

Research positions:
Organized Wisdom - This is a health care related website. You will choose topics on various health related subjects, and compile "Wisdom Cards" related to that subject. You must have excellent research skills, as well as a good grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Court Researchers - Court researchers go to area courthouses, look through records (on anything from real estate to marriages and divorces), then input the data to the company's website. There are numerous companies that employ people for this type of work; I'm only listing a few of them. A Google search will turn up many more. This is not an "at home" position, but it does allow you to be flexible with your time, and work when you want to. You will need to be able to travel to the courthouse(s) that you choose, as well as work on a deadline.
Other court researcher companies: JellyBean Services, United Data Network

Writing:
Mahalo - Mahalo is a human powered search engine. As a Guide, you are considered a freelance writer, not an employee. You put together links, write up short information segments on search terms (with citations), and a fast fact list.

Helium - On Helium, you can write articles on just about any subject. You come up with the subject and content, send it in and if approved, it is listed on the site. Articles are ranked by other members (you can rank articles as well). Members are paid by a shared revenue system; the more you write and participate (reading and ranking other members' articles), the more money you can make.

Associated Content - On Associated Content, you also write articles. However, you are paid a flat rate per article you write. The pay varies, so be sure to read up on their terms of service.

Handwriting - Handwriting jobs are usually location specific. You do work from home, but you must live within a certain radius of the company's location, because work is picked up and dropped off in person. Handwriting jobs usually include doing things like writing out thank you cards. You are hired to write them for someone who may be too busy to do it themself.
Write On Results, The DNR Group, Aria Calls and Cards

Voiceovers:
Opuzz Voice - Doing voiceover work is a bit more complicated, because you have to have (or have access to) certain equipment. However, if it's something that you can do, I think it sounds like a lot of fun!

Live Search Guide:
ChaCha - ChaCha is a live search site. You are hired as a guide to basically do people's searches for them. You must have excellent search skills to do this job, as there is a small turn-around time in which you must find the answers. This is a very flexible position, as you log in and work when you want to. Another plus is, you never know what searches you'll get, so it's not boring!

Website User Testing:
User Testing - To be a user tester, you view new websites while talking (using software provided to you), to record the website's functionality, ease of use, etc. You fill out a detailed profile, and are contacted when there are websites available that match your profile. Pay is $10 per website tested.

Stock Photography:
Shutterstock - On Shutterstock, you upload your original photography, which is then sold to subscribers to use as stock photography. You are paid 25 cents per photo downloaded. Pay is available through PayPal, or a check in the mail. The more photos you have on the site, the better your chances are of having them downloaded.

Surveys & Product Testing:
Product Evaluator - This is not a paying site, but you are sent brand new, cutting edge consumer items to try. You must actively use the items, and then provide feedback via the web, through surveys, or on the telephone.

Women For Hire - This is a list of paid survey sites, as well as product testing.

Freelance Position sites:
Guru and iFreelance are two great sites to find freelance work in many different areas. You bid on jobs against other freelancers.

Paid Blogging:
Blogitive, iHype, PayPerPost, and PayU2Blog are all paid blogging sites. You choose items that you wish you blog about from their site. Once your blog post is accepted, you will be paid the previously agreed on amount.

Other job search sites:
Rat Race Rebellion and Work Place Like Home both list work from home jobs on a regular basis (RRR lists daily, WPLH lists as members find them). Although they try to only list reputable jobs, it is your responsibility to research and use common sense when contracting or accepting employment with any company.

Disclaimer: I don't have personal experience with each of these companies. I do have accounts with Helium and ShutterStock. The Shutterstock link is a referral link, but that is the only one. From what I have seen, they are all legitimate companies and not scams, but please do your homework, ask questions, get all information in writing, etc.

I am employed!

I went out and got me a job today. I've been looking, but not getting any responses from anywhere. On a whim today, I called the movie rental store I worked at a couple of years ago and talked to the manager. I asked him if they were hiring, and when he found out it was me, he told me to come in and get an application. When I showed up, he had already called the district manager and okay'd it with him to hire me. I start tomorrow. Woot!

I don't even know how many hours he's needing someone for, but I need a job, so I don't care. I know the hours they are open, and I can work any of them. I am a bit nervous about managing to work and go to school, but I won't be the first person to do it, and I'll manage it somehow.

Go me!

I have writer's block

I've been trying to come up with ideas to write about lately, and I've had plenty of them! I just can't seem to craft anything into a coherent, non-sleep inducing post to entertain the masses (okay, the two of you that read here). Something will happen and I'll think "Oh! I can make a blog post out of that!", only to discover when it comes down to it, that I can't think of much to say on the subject.

Maybe things will get more exciting here, soon. The kids do go back to school in a month, and I start a couple of weeks after that. Hey, maybe one of the kids will get a sucky teacher again this year. That will guarantee ideas. Okay, I'm just kidding there.

I think I may be getting a bit delirious. It is past my bedtime. Okay, uh, bye!

Not much to say lately

It's been pretty boring around here lately, and I haven't had a lot to blog about. Last weekend was fun, we spent Saturday with my brother, SIL, nephew & niece. On Sunday, we took the kids swimming and then fishing. The rest of the week has just been kind of blah. We've done pretty much nothing.

Tonight was a huge bust. We were supposed to go over to a friend's for a party, but that didn't work out. So we just sat around here and did a lot more of nothing.

I've got some stuff I wanted to get listed on eBay, but I haven't even taken the pictures for it yet. I've still got to call and schedule Maggie's Pre-K physical, and Shelby has a dental appointment in less than two weeks. I want to do some crafts with the kids before they go back to school, which is in a month. The girls and I are going to do some tie-dye shirts, and I don't know what else.

Boring, I know, but I wanted to post an update.