Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Work at Home Mom: Double the Trouble? by Jeff Casmer

The average work at home mom spends countless hours a day trying to juggle both her personal and professional life under the same roof. At the end of the day a number of work at home moms are burnt out. Some, unfortunately, have very little to show for it financially.

The average income for a work at home is less than $500. Now if you are working from home to simply make a little extra then this is nothing to be alarmed about. However, if your goal is to create a full time income with your work at home job then this news should entice you to sit up and pay attention.

Why is the income not as high as many of the sites brag about? Its partly due to poor management skills and a lack of business confidence. True, not every work at home mom can be a millionaire but an income of $2000-$5000 a month is very attainable. However, about 70 percent of work at home moms in the U.S. alone fail to make this amount.

As I said before part of the problem is managing their time and business unwisely. Now before you become defensive many men suffer from this as well. However, men tend to outsource more than women. Thus, they are more likely to find someone to do the jobs that they cant do well themselves or dont have time for.

Statistically, women tend to want to take on everything themselves. Consequently, they can easily put too much on their plates too soon. As a work at home mom you should consider what areas you want to devote your time to within your business and what areas you can afford to outsource. There are numerous resources on the internet to help you find the right person for the job. Whether that be building your website, using SEO experts, or a copywriter.

This also applies to your personal life. Dont be afraid to ask for help from your husband and children with chores around the house. You can even find ways to incorporate your children into your work at home job. They can stuff envelops or staple documents. Time is money and every second saved helps.

Another reason a work at home mom may have a low income is the increasing problem of women under pricing themselves. A work at home mom will work more hours than her male counterpart, but recent job studies show she will work for less. Know your value as a woman. You make up 80 of the consumer force and you have a lot of power. Harness this power and start using it.

Start by finding out what youre worth is in your industry. Judge your experience, skills and niche demand to determine your true market price. Second, learn to effectively negotiate. Dont think that because your competition is staggering you should price yourself well below the market.

A successful work at home mom works for what shes worth not less. She respects herself too much to settle for anything else.

Each time you master a new skill, each time you satisfy another client or make another sale your value goes up. Keep a binder and computer file of your successes and bring it to the table when you need to negotiate your fees. Remember, you shouldnt overprice yourself but you should never sell yourself short either.

You can earn the income you want as a work at home mom. But to do this you have to start believing in yourself. Once you realize the power within you, you will feel more comfortable asking for help and charging your worth. All of this will make you a happier, more successful work at home mom.

About the Author

Jeff Casmer is a leading legitimate work at home expert and is a work from home business owner. His "Top Ranked" Work at Home Moms Directory gives you all the information you need to Work at Home in the 21st century.

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