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by Tony Gomez

The new economy has many people looking for ways to earn extra money from home. Stay-at-home moms, in particular, may want to supplement the family income, build their savings, or pay off debt. There is good news: work-at-home opportunities abound. And for the crafter, there is no better way to earn money than selling handcrafts.

Many crafters already enjoy making unique gifts for friends and family. They can earn extra money selling their creations, if they are willing to spend some time developing their skills.

Knitting, jewelry-making, and other crafts are fun to do, and they are popular with women and men, alike. Learning new skills and crafting original designs are a good way to earn an income. The following tips can help crafters make the most of their skills so they can make money.

Identify Particular Craft Skills

Some people are good at several different crafts. It is important, however, to decide which skills will earn the most money. Crafters should choose craft items that are original, interesting, professional, and presentable. This guarantees special appeal and helps the item stand out from the crowd.

Develop A Business Plan

Crafters need a solid plan to have a successful craft business. Some important things to consider from the start are: business costs, craft stock, place of business, marketing, shipment, pricing, and sales tax.

Some crafters open a stall at a local market, while others sell their crafts on consignment at a local store. Many crafters today sell online. The Internet provides many venues for crafters who want to work and sell from home. ArtFire, Etsy, and Jewelry Wonder are some examples. Crafters should not overlook auction websites like eBay, or online classifieds like Craigslist. PayPal is another good tool for online sellers. Be careful, though, about unscrupulous Internet offers to make money assembling their crafts. Sell your own wares.

Market and Promote Crafts

Crafters can do a number of things to promote their items. Posters, fliers, and business cards are all good ways to advertise, if the market allows them. A website is another possibility. One of the best forms of promotion is “word of mouth,” whether it takes place in-person or online. Crafters should know their product well, choose the right market, and deliver an effective sales pitch.

Schedule Crafting Sessions

Crafters who plan to sell regularly must keep their stock up. Scheduling regular time to make more craft items is essential. Scheduling additional, separate time for marketing or expansion planning is also a must.

Creating and selling crafts may seem like a daunting task at first. But the job does not have to overwhelm crafters. If they choose their items well, and expend only the energy necessary for their business, they will have a good start on making some extra money from home.

Tony Gomez is a career consultant and loves giving stay-at-home moms new ideas for ways to make money. There are many opportunities to bring needed funds into the home — from writing articles or content for websites to usability testing for new companies.

Thanks to modern technology, the concept of online education and the degree at which universities have taken/developed them over the past few years is phenomenal. With online degree programs you are still able to work and concentrate on your family because you are able to attend the online lessons during a time that is right for you. This is a blessing to all working mothers who are already dealing with busy lives but considering going back to school.

What are the Advantages?

• One advantage of online education is you can work and get a degree without having to become unemployed so you can still pay the bills!
• With online education you are learning at your own speed so you are the one that is predicting how long it will take to complete your education.
• Another great advantage is that you won’t have to worry about gas or relying on the bus to get you to class, it’s all done out of the comfort of your home.

What Types of Degrees Can You Earn?

Whether you are looking to further your career with a Bachelors or Masters degree, or looking to make a career change, there are plenty of accredited online schools offering various degree and certificate programs to choose from.

What Types of Courses are Being Offered?

There are plenty of options for you if you are looking to get your degree online. Let’s take a look at three of the industries.

• Online Business Degrees – If you are involved in the business field you can take advantage of a Master’s Degree in Business Administration program. This course is designed to prepare managers to be effective leaders. The University of Massachusetts has a sample a course here that you can test before you enroll.
• Online Nursing Degrees – If you are a Registered Nurse who has a diploma or Associate’s Degree, earn a BSN degree to help you improve your qualifications. Nursing is one of the top paying careers. Attend an rn to bsn information session but hurry the info session starts soon.
• Online Dental Programs – If you are looking to get into the dental field, an Associates degree for a Dental Assistant would be perfect to take online. This course will help you aquire the skills needed to for manage a dental practice basically training you to become an administrative dental assistant.

How to Succeed

Let’s remember it’s not a walk in the park, you will have to work just as hard as going to a traditional college. The only way to succeed in distance learning programs is dedication to your education, a strict schedule that you keep of when you will take your courses and study, a private study area where you can go and not have any distractions, and help from family with babysitting or cooking dinner when you need to study would all be in your favour.

No matter what career path you are looking for Online Education makes it possible for busy working mothers to get a degree without having to quit your job.