| Many people love the idea of working from | | | | balance out against your costs. You can also |
| home. Wouldn't it be nice to choose your own | | | | take this opportunity to find out what your |
| hours and be your own boss? To do something | | | | competitors are doing and work out a strategy |
| you really enjoy? To feel that you were | | | | to enable you to deal with them. How much are |
| making a difference? The trouble is that most | | | | they charging for their products or services? |
| people don't know where to start. | | | | How are they advertising? How can you |
| | | | advertise to make sure you get yourself |
| Giving up a secure job, even one you don't | | | | noticed? |
| like, is a frightening prospect. When you | | | | |
| start running your own business, it may take | | | | Being home based gives you two major options |
| a while for money to come in, and getting by | | | | - you can get a good internet connection and |
| in the meantime could be a struggle. This is | | | | work in the open market, or you can focus on |
| why it's important not to take that step | | | | providing a product or service based on the |
| until you have a firm plan for what you're | | | | needs of people in your local area. You'll |
| going to do. If you can, save up some money | | | | probably need a home computer to help you |
| first so that you have something to tide you | | | | keep track of your accounts anyway. If your |
| over. With some savings and a well worked-out | | | | business seems likely to benefit your home |
| idea, there's no reason why you shouldn't | | | | area, you may find that there are |
| succeed. | | | | locality-based government grants and low-rate |
| | | | loans available to help cover your start-up |
| Starting your new life with your own business | | | | costs. This will be particularly useful if |
| can make the first few months a lot easier. | | | | you have special software to buy for your |
| Although your income may go down, your | | | | computer or if you intend to do work based |
| expenses don't need to rise by very much. You | | | | around small scale manufacturing. |
| already have your business premises, and you | | | | |
| won't be paying much more than usual for | | | | A home based business doesn't mean an |
| things like electricity. What's more, you may | | | | unambitious business. Although you're |
| be able to write off some of these expenses | | | | starting small, if you do well you may in |
| against tax. You won't have the cost of the | | | | future be able to expand and take on |
| commute to worry about anymore, and this will | | | | contractors or employees. Your local tax |
| also save you a lot of time which you can | | | | office can advise on the costs and benefits |
| dedicate to getting your business up and | | | | of this. They can provide you with |
| running. You will need to put in a lot of | | | | information packs to help you get started. |
| time and hard work, but you'll have the | | | | You should also be able to get advice from |
| satisfaction of knowing that, as you do this, | | | | your bank, though you should shop around - |
| you are continually improving your own | | | | even if you get good service as a private |
| situation. | | | | customer, there may be better deals out there |
| | | | for business customers. You should take the |
| To work out how to turn your idea into a | | | | same approach when you need the services of |
| workable home based business, you'll need a | | | | an accountant or a solicitor. |
| business plan. Fortunately, there's lots of | | | | |
| free advice on the internet about how to | | | | This may sound like a lot to consider, but |
| construct one of these, and you may also be | | | | once you get started, you'll find that it's |
| able to get help from your local library. | | | | really quite simple. What you need is drive, |
| This plan will help you to work out how | | | | dedication and determination, and soon you |
| viable your project is, how much you can | | | | can be working from home the way you've |
| expect to make from it and how that will | | | | always wanted to. |