The Old Schoolhouse magazine has just launched a new electronic book on being a work at home, homeschool mom called HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance

ebook only $12.95

Are you looking to creatively supplement your family's income?
Would a home business even work for your homeschooling family?
Whether you are. . .

• Considering a new home business endeavor, or already working from home 
• Seeking creative ideas, or exploring opportunities that might work for you
• Wondering how to set up a home business
• In need of some inspiration, encouragement, motivation or advice from experienced home'preneurs who've been there
• Wondering how others manage homeschooling and homework and continue to smile

. . . this E-Book, HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance contains the information and support you are looking for!
 
Packed with practical tips, encouragement, and advice, this wonderful, new resource from The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine, will help you gain the confidence necessary to make wise

decisions concerning starting a home business or maintaining one, and combining it with your homeschooling adventures.

My friend, Katy, was the project coordinator and asked me to contribute a chapter. My chapter is titled "Keeping Finances Organized in a Work-at-Home Business."

To see the rest of the topics and a description of the book, click here:
HomeWork ebook

SBTV.com Small Business TV profiles an artist that turned her pottery hobby into a business.

Making a Hobby Pay in 2009

Most of my small business clients operate micro businesses. What is a micro business?

• Sole proprietorship (one owner)
• No employees
• Low or no start up costs
• Frequently a service business with no inventory
• Home based to keep costs low
• Usually the first business a individual starts
• Sometimes a starting place to launch a bigger business
• Sometimes started for a specific financial goal such as a college fund for their children, a vacation, or to fund another business
• Run extremely efficiently-everything must bring in more benefit than it costs
• A wonderful learning experience!

Hard economic times are good times for CPAs.  Why?  Because its a good time to start a small business.

I've had three people call me for small business consultations in the past two weeks.  They are all sole proprietorships looking to start very small, one person service businesses. Two of them are homeschooling families! Here's some smart things that they are doing:

• Consulting with a CPA (me!) to understand record keeping, taxes, how to pay themselves and how to minimize taxes
• Consulting with a small business attorney about business formations (partnerships and limited liability companies) and contracts with others.
• Choosing a service business so there is no inventory to manage
• Launching a website for publicity
• Running the business from their homes
• Avoid hiring employees to keep costs down, paperwork down and to keep the business manageable in its early days
• Writing a business plan to think through factors that will determine their success or failure such as
  • Who will be your customers?
  • How will you reach your potential customers?
  • What price will the customer pay?
  • What profit do you need?
  • What are your expenses?

I run a home based tax preparation business form my home and  I meet with clients at my dining room table.  Do they like it that way? Or do I come across as "unprofessional"?

Bruce Katcher, Ph.D. president of The Discovery Consulting Group, Inc. writes that there are advantages to your clients of having a home-based business.  Here are a few advantages that he sees:

1) MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON THE CLIENT.

No commute!

2) AVAILABILITY

You are also more likely to be available to your clients when they call during non-business hours.

3) LESS OVERHEAD COST

Maintaining even a small office outside of your home is extremely expensive. The money you save can be partly passed on to your clients in the form of lower fees.

If you need to meet with clients, do so at their office. This saves them their valuable time.

I am frequently asked, "Can I homeschool other children?"

Carol,

I’m in Texas. Can I homeschool other children in my home?  It might be one or two classes.  For instance, I’m a certified Math teacher.  Could I be the math teacher for other children and then be paid as an IC (Independent Contractor) by the parents if I determine the curricula and completely control what I would be doing?

I’ve been prayerfully considering if I should continue on as a Mary Kay Sales Director or try to find other stay at home pay that might integrate in with my homeschooling better.  I have had several people approach me about “tutoring” their children.  Unfortunately, we depend on my income so I have to find some way to work but still be effective in my homeschooling. 

Any advice would be helpful.
Deborah

I have a cold.    I got it from my 17yo dd.  She's been sick for a week.

I love being a WAHM (Work at Home Mom) when I don't feel well.

I can lie down in the afternoon for an hour when I feel "ache-y."
I can dress comfortably in my flannel pants if no one is coming over.
I can still do tax returns (if my head is clear!)

The excellent homeschooling magazine, Old Schoolhouse magazine, has several job openings.  I received the following in an e-mail. If any of them sound interesting to you, e-mail TOS at : publisher@thehomeschoolmagazine.com. These are all work-at-home, independent contractor positions.  (I normally do not post such long entries, but since I frequently blog about homeschooling and working, I thought many of you should know about these positions)

General Editor - This position is opening up at TOS Magazine. This is the main editor; the one responsible for keeping our themes and calendar, slating authors, issuing and collecting writer contracts (lots of filing), and doing a PRISTINE job editing our magazine. The General Editor must be extremely friendly (not high strung), highly organized, and have a working knowledge of homeschooling in general. Will work closely with Gena Suarez and Deborah Wuehler (Senior Editor) on a daily basis. Must have a college degree or equivalent. Email us with "General Editor" in the subject line. Include a resume, other qualifications, and a detailed summary of qualifications. What can you bring TOS as its General Editor?
 
Interviewers/Reporters - We need more interviewers and reporters who can dig up stories about homeschooling's growth and successes. Approved candidates will be expected to pitch (and sometimes write) stories, but also will be assigned interviews. This position pays by the piece. Put "Reporter" in the subject line and include a summary of qualifications. Feel free to attach a writing sample.
 
Public Relations - Can you write a good press release? Can you write ad copy that attacts attention? What about representing TOS on the radio? Attach a sample press release you've written, as well as fictional (phony) ad copy for TOS Magazine. Subject line should say: Public Relations.
 
Researcher - Must have working knowledge of Excel databases. Must be skilled at online searches and not afraid to phone organizations for information. Put "Research" in the subject line of the email. Include a summary of experience.
 
TOS e-Book Project Manager - We have three successfully selling ebooks. We need seven more for 2008. Candidate must be an excellent researcher and have the ability to work with others. Team player mandatory. Excellent writing and design skills. Send a sample of previously made ebook(s) and resume. Subject line: e-Book Manager.
 
Sales opportunities - Do you like forming new business relationships? Our top advertising sales reps make a very good income working full-time for TOS Magazine. Email us with "Sales" in the subject line, and we'll get you set up to talk with a manager. Attach a resume if you'd like. Be prepared to put in several hours per week in order for this position to work for you. Sales is commission-based only.
 
Conference Booth Reps - Put this in the subject line when you email. Candidates must be very outgoing and able to commit to representing the TOS booth in their state. Only professionals please apply. Must be outgoing enough to agressively sell from the booth (drawing people in from the aisles). Strong math skills, organized, and smiley.
 
Renewals - Care to talk with other TOS subscribers on the phone? Our Winter issue just hit the streets, and with it came over 8,000 families we need to renew - their subscriptions just ended. This is a telemarketing position; email us with "Renewals" in the subject line if interested.
 
Layout and Design - Put this in the subject line when you email us about your  qualifications in layout. What programs do you use/possess? We are looking for professional layout people to put our magazine together every quarter. Must have an eye for art and a professional working attitude along with an ability to follow instructions. Must work well with others and be patient with editors. Pays very well.
 
Marketing Helpers - Again, put this title in the subject line along with a written summary of your qualifications. How can you help grow TOS Magazine's subscribership? Please tell us how you think you can (part-time) assist our current marketing team. Attach a resume if you'd like, but certainly include a few paragraphs on why we should consider adding you to our team. The ability to analyze information, including surveys, is an important qualification. Can you take survey results and turn them into strongly written marketing pieces? We need you.
 
Secretarial Services - Use this title in the subject line when you respond. Let's face it - TOS is growing, and our managers and directors are needing office support. Borders Bookstores nationwide is putting together a new homeschool section, and TOS will be the ONLY magazine on a special shelving unit in that whole section. Not only that, we're launching a digital magazine to go along with the print. Beyond even that, we're hitting the road this season with TOS booths at various conventions nationwide. We need help keeping us organized (Gena especially!).
 
Photography - Have you noticed our covers? They're schoolhouses! We pay for good schoolhouse shots, and we reference the photographer right in the front pages of the magazine. Put "Photography" in the subject line when you approach us about your services.
 
Schoolhouse Store Helper - Our store manager needs help. Take a look at the store. Can you help us organize it? Can you support our manager? Tell us what you can do to assist TOS in this very part-time role. Please put "Schoolhouse Store" in the subject line.

Important to note before contacting us about any of the above positions!

The fastest way to lose a contract position with TOS is by proving to be slow at returning emails. TOS is a fast growing company which has primarily been operated via email alone. We are not brick and mortar. We depend on our contractors to stay very visible by phone and/or email. Our current staffers are extremely fast with communications. We do not renew independent contractors who don't respond to emails on a daily basis. Slow responders need not apply.  :)
 
Lots of interesting jobs here.  Do you fit any of them? Drop TOS an e-mail!  You may become a WAHM (Work at home Mom)!

Carol

This is so cool!  Coming soon:  the Winter 2007-8 issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine (TOS).

Way back in May 2007  I submitted an article idea about homeschool moms being work-at-home moms.  Gina Suarez liked the idea and I submitted an article based off a workshop I give called Wanna be a WAHM?  I had a lot of fun sharing my story and tips on being a WAHM and now its mentioned on the cover of the next issue!

I know that earning some cash while still homeschooling is an important issue for many of us.  I hope the article is helpful to many of you...You can subscribe here.

Carol

Last tax season another homeschooling mom told me that she referred my name to a friend needing tax preparation help.  I thanked her, but then she said, "I looked all over your website and couldn't find anything about tax preparation!".  She meant, of course, my website for homeschool nonprofit organizations called HomeschoolCPA.com.  At that time I didn't have a website for my tax and accounting services. 

That's awfully short sighted since tax prep is my "bread and butter" and brings in more than 50% of my total business income!  So I'm happy to announce that I've finally launched a new website for tax prep and small business accounting:

Every once in a while the IRS does something good...
Here's an example.  Now you can get an Employer ID number (EIN) on-line immediately!  It's about time!

EINs are used by homeschool organizations to open a checking account, by a small businesses starting out and by WAHMs (work at home moms) or teenagers starting a business.  The IRS hands out EINs like candy.  I'm glad they made it quick and easy to get one.

I just used it myself this week.  I was asked to handle the money for a homeschool graduation ceremony.  I need to set up a nonprofit checking account at the local bank.  I know the bank will ask for an EIN number. One of the parents on the committee and I discussed an "official name"; she sent a check made out to that name  ("PEP Graduation Ceremony Fund") and I hopped on the IRS website and got an EIN.  BTW, I called this a nonprofit organization and chose Parent-Teacher Organization (like a PTO or PTA or Booster Club) when asked. I printed out the official IRS confirmation and we're ready to head to the bank!


Online Application for Employer Identification Number Now Available

Fellow CPA  Kristine McKinley has a great post titled How Do I Go About Filing Taxes on My EBay Sales?

Since many homeschoolers sell books and lots of other stuff on eBay, its a great questions to ask.  Kristine's blog Tax Tips for EBay Sellers has some good tips and information in other posts.  She discusses what expenses you can deduct, how to record sales and what taxes you'll owe.

eBay sellers, do your homework. Get help if you have questions and do your taxes correctly.  As Kristine points out:

The IRS is targeting eBay sellers and other small business owners who may be under-reporting income (or not reporting it at all), so good for you for being proactive and learning your responsibilities as a small business owner.