The dream of working from home fills the thoughts of most of us as we drag through a mundane day at your average job place. The dream of being your own boss, setting your own schedule and earning the pay that you deserve is so enticing. You have skills, hobbies and talents that you could use towards your own business but you only have a limited budget to work with. So what home business opportunities are available to those with limited budgets?

There is a number of works from home opportunities waiting for those of us with little money in the bank. You have to remember the key to not spending a fortune on a business is using your resources at hand wisely. For most of us we have the basic set up for a home office. These items include a computer, a printer and an Internet connection.

With these three tools you are more than halfway to several online opportunities. Here are three of home businesses that do not require a large amount of capital.

Customer Service Agent

This home business opportunity requires the above office items as well as an active home phone line and a microphone or headset. You do not have to pay money up front and the training is provided online. You read over the course, take the online exam and submit the exam online. Once you pass your training course you receive a log in id and password to your customer care site.

Phone calls are forwarded to your home phone number and you are in business. The only cost to you is the electric for the computer, the fee for the Internet connection, the cost of the phone service and a headset which will cost you about $20.00. You do not have to spend in excess to begin a home business.

Freelance Writer

As long as you enjoy writing you have the golden opportunity to become a freelance writer. There are several companies requesting various articles or stories for websites as well as magazines. You may have to pay a small fee to join a writers membership but this is not always the case. You can earn anywhere from $16 to $100 per article.

You write when you choose, what you choose. In most cases a publisher supplies a title and writing guidelines for you. You simply research the topic and write the assignment. Mostly you spend time not money, as you make money.

Sales Representative

This job does often require a start up fee that varies between products. For example if you go into business for a company such as Mary Kay or Avon, you have to purchase a starter kit that allows you to begin selling the product. You can spend $200 to $500 depending on the purchase amount.

Other companies such as those selling health beverages or nutritional supplements may require you purchase your first months supply of product for $100-$300 dollars. After you sell the product you are reimbursed. Either way the start up money is far more affordable than beginning your own company from scratch, which costs thousands of dollars before you can even begin to sell your product.

These are only three of the home business opportunities available for those who are on a tight budget. Even if you do not have a large amount of capital you can begin your own home business.

As we enter the information age and the world enters a global economy, more and more women today are turning to alternative ways to earn additional income. The old adage of “go to school, get good grades and get a safe secure job with benefits” may have worked in the industrial age of our parents and grandparents. However, relying on old age advice in a new age can be a recipe for financial disaster. What are you going to do if your job gets outsourced to another country? What if you are happily married to a loving husband with three wonderful children and God forbid, your husband dies unexpectedly. In an age where most households are a two income household, how are you going to provide for your children?

Some women make an incredible income and have a job in a very stable industry. However, they never have time to spend with their children. A mother’s worst nightmare is when your youngest child calls the babysitter “mommy” instead of her. It is for these and many other reasons why women are flocking to the work from home businesses and having massive home business success. Here are some examples of home business success stories of successful women who have made the transition to the home business industry.

In a recent issue of Home Business Connection magazine, we learn the story of Ms. Elizabeth Foo. A young, single and successful woman in her mid twenties, Liz had a very successful career as a top salesperson marketing gym memberships. With a six figure income in her twenties, you would think that Liz had the ultimate lifestyle. Unfortunately, that income came with a price and the price was working 6 days a week including nights and weekends with very little time to do anything else. By getting involved in a proven home business, she was able to make $40,000 part time her first year and over $100,000 full time her second year. She now not only enjoys home business success, an incredible income, but she actually has time to enjoy it and the income continues to come in whether she personally works or not.

Dani Johnson has an incredible story of the power of owning your own business. Getting started in the work from home industry, at the age of 19, she really struggled to have success, not making any money and going deeper into debt. However, after investing in herself and getting much needed training and development, she was able to go from being broke to becoming a home business success as the #1 producer in her work from home opportunity and earned her first million by the age of 23.

Margaret Tanaka was a highly successful producer at a public broadcasting station in Chicago, Illinois. However, she and her family were tired of the big city life and wanted to slow down. Of course, with a slower pace in life, her income took a huge hit as well. Prior to moving from Chicago, she got involved in a work from home business but didn’t do anything with it for 3 plus years. She finally made a decision to get started and work her business like a business. It’s a good thing she did that. Her husband unfortunately died at the age of 36. However, because of the time she invested into building her business she was able to take off completely, spend time with her son and still earn monthly checks that averaged $5000 a month.

There are many reasons why getting started in a work from home opportunity is often the right move for women. Success in this type of opportunity is usually based on effectively communicating your vision for what the business opportunity can do for people. Women, generally speaking are better communicators than men, which is one of the reasons why so many women are coming to this industry and are experiencing massive home business success.

Success in this type of opportunity is also based on building effective relationships, another trait that women tend to do a better job at then men. For example, one of the reasons why Margaret Tanaka decided to give her business opportunity another try is because her sponsor, also a successful woman distributor within the opportunity constantly followed up with her through letters and phone calls over the 3 plus year period that Margaret was inactive in the business. As you can see there are many home business success stories for women. The only question that remains is will you be the next one?

Is it really possible to make your home business successful simply through a connection with another business? Indeed, the answer is a resounding “yes!” Granted, skeptics are quick to point out that it is unwise to send your customers or even only potential customers someplace else, but consider all the benefits!

For example, if you are running a home business that specializes in designing and creating outfits for dogs, why not make the connection with your local veterinarian? If you already own a dog and assuming you and your vet have a good relationship, she or he will most likely not mind having some of your business cards and maybe even a photo of your dog in a spiffy outfit displayed on the office bulletin board. This connection might net you some customers, since anyone who visits the vet’s office is usually kept waiting long enough to peruse some of the ads on the board. From there, why not branch out and make the connection with your local animal shelter? Maybe you adopted your own dog from there, and you could offer a free doggie garment – of a non expensive variety, of course – for anyone who adopts a pooch from there. This will get your name out, but it will also be undoubtedly good for some repeat business! Yet another connection could be made with your dog’s groomer. After all, she or he is in business to make dogs looks and feel good, and so are you! As you can see, your home business can become a resounding success simply by making a connection here and there.

Another example is that of the home business that does notary work. Notaries are in constant demand, since many business transactions have to be notarized. Sure, banks, law offices, and even some medical offices might have their own notaries, but what if someone gets sick? What if a transaction did not originate in a local office, but instead took place via the Internet? Getting the name of your home business out there is the connection you will need to make in order to be called in when there is a need! For example, think of a way that your notary business is different from the way the notary at the local law office does business. Odds are, the law office’s notary is also a legal secretary, paralegal, or relief receptionist, and having her or him leave the office is next to impossible. You, on the other hand, are free to travel to a signing, a client’s business, or even the courthouse. Make sure that you talk to the lawyer and the human resources manager at the local law firm and make that connection. After all, a home business connection is worth money!