Home Based Business- 7 Great Reasons to Start Your Own Today

Have you ever sat and wondered why so many people are starting their own business? Do they know something you don't? With so many layoffs and down sizing with companies, it's no wonder people are starting their own businesses.

You don't have to be a rich wealthy person to own a business. You don't have to have a college degree to start one either. The average person can start his or her own business with very little start up cost. I'm not talking about going out and buying a big franchise that costs thousands of dollars. I'm talking about starting your very own business right from the comfort of your home.

Maybe you're the type of person who is scared to death of change. Lots of us are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Many people get stuck in the rut of working their traditional 9-5 jobs and will never ever make the transition to start their own business. But if you think about some of the many opportunities a home-based business can offer you and your family, you may just change your mind.

1. More time with family- This is something we all want. Think about this. You work 9-5. This is eight hours a day spent with your boss and coworkers, not counting the hour it took you to get to work and back home. You arrive home at 6 pm. Your kids are so excited to see you. They want to tell you all about their day at school. You try to listen attentively while you cook dinner. After you have all eaten and maybe watched a television program together, it's time to put the kids to bed. It's now 8:30 pm. You read the kids a short bedtime story. They quietly drift off to sleep. You look at their precious little faces, and your heart aches that you don't get to spend more quality time with your family.

If you're a parent with a traditional 9-5 job, this is probably something you deal with everyday. You go to work, day in and day out, spending the best part of the day with your boss and coworkers. You are left with just a few short hours when you get home every evening to spend time with your kids and husband while in between you are trying to cook dinner. This isn't how it should be, but you ask yourself, what else can you do? You are stuck in the daily grind of your job. You still have bills to pay and groceries to buy.

You don't have to be worried about quitting your current job to start your own home business. Your current job is putting food on the table now. No one wants to walk away from that to start something new, and you don't have to. You can start your own home business and still keep your current job. Get on the internet and start looking. A home-based business can offer you the quality time with your family you truly deserve.

2. Flexibility- How many people can honestly say they go to work in their PJ's every morning, take a break whenever they feel like it, and run errands whenever they want to? As we just stated, you don't have to quit your job to start a home business. Here's where the flexibility part begins to play in.

Most home-based businesses can be started on a part time basis. You may only work your business a few hours a week. It's not the quantity of time, it's the quality of time you put into it that matters. Work your business whenever it fits into your schedule. It may be late after the kids go to bed or it may be early before anyone gets up. You could possibly work your business while your waiting for your children to get out of gym practice. The time is yours and you decide how you can use it effectively.

3.NO Boss-How nice it would be not to ever punch a time clock again, listen to our boss telling us to pick up the pace. With your own home-based business, you're the captain of the ship. You are the boss. No one looking over your shoulder, telling you when and where you can take a break, how long to take a break, and with whom you can take a break. Doesn't that sound refreshing.

Some people truly need that boss to keep them focused on their daily tasks. You will have to be disciplined to be your own boss. It's very tempting to slack off and lose focus when there is no one looking over your shoulder. Ask yourself, can you be disciplined?

4. NO Commuting- How would you like to save the money you spend every week on gas and use it towards a vacation. The average person spends anywhere between $2.15-$3.00 per gallon of gas. What if you are driving sixty to a hundred miles round trip to work. Look at the money you could be saving in gas alone if you do not have to commute.

Plug in the numbers and see for yourself what kind of savings you could have. Not only are you going to be saving on gas, but the wear and tear on your car. This all adds up quickly.

How nice it would be if you could get up in the morning, fix yourself a nice cup of coffee, and step into the next room to start your workday. Now ask yourself if you will miss that commute to work everyday.

5. Financial Stability-Not many jobs offer financial stability. If you're like most people, you live pay check to pay check. Starting your own business can give you that extra income you need to pay off those bills without quitting your current job. Once you get your feet on the ground, if you are willing to give your business 1-3 years for growth, you could surpass your current income while saving in other areas.

Most people carry an average of $8-$10,000 worth of credit card debt How long will it take you working your current job to get out of debt? Starting your own business can get you out of debt and give you the stability you need for a growing family or retirement.

Financial freedom is something we all dream about, but for most of us it's not going to happen with our current situations. The right home-based business has the ability to offer you and your family the financial freedom we all long for.

6. NO Daycare- Wouldn't it be a great feeling each morning to wake up and know your children are going to be with you all day and not some stranger? This is one of the hardest decisions we as parents have to make after having children. Having a home-based business allows you to stay at home with your children full time. You will be the one to hold them when they are sick, see their first steps, and hear their first words.

If you are one of the lucky parents who are fortunate enough to have friends or family who can watch your children when you are at work, great! But most aren't that lucky. You have to rely on daycare to take care of your children when you're at work. You try and tell yourself, ok, these are licensed staff members I am leaving my children with. But the thoughts of leaving them with strangers at all, makes you sick. Maybe your kids cry everyday when you leave them. That makes for a long, guilt-ridden day at work. I say this because I have been there and know what it feels like.

Your kids are going to get sick from time to time, but the odds of them getting sick as often it they are home full time with your are much less than if they are in daycare everyday. This means no calling into work, telling your boss you can't come in because you have a sick child. You will be home with your child to comfort him or her when they are sick, play with them, and take care of them when they are hurt. This is priceless and no one can do it better than you.

7. Tax Advantages- Many people don't realize the tax advantages offered with a home-based business. I definitely do not claim to be a tax expert, but there are many common things that can be deducted depending on what your business is.

Just to mentions a few, advertising, business miles, supplies, business building information, ex. Audiocassettes, DVDs, just to name a few. If you decide to be one of the millions of Americans to start a home-based business, talk with your tax advisor. He or she will be able to give you more information about what deductions are available to you.

I hope by writing this, I have opened your eyes to the many possibilities a home-based business can offer you. Good luck in your decision to start your own business!