Income Delema... I Don't Have Any :(

I think nursery's are an optional, not a must. We're in the military and I have never once decorated a nursery with colors or a theme (when you're moving in six months it just seems a little pointless). My kids turned out fine. Those things are really for the parents; the babies don't care as long as they have someplace comfy and safe to sleep.
Is anyone throwing you a baby shower? I got tons of necessary baby 'equipment' from mine with my first. If you're having a friend throw you one, specifically get the word out there that you need the car seat, stroller, etc.
As for money, I agree with Karen in that home-based businesses might be a good way to got. There are plenty out there for everything. I signed up for Mary Kay a number of years ago and, though I haven't done much with it outside of some minimal ordering for friends and stocking up for myself, it's a great business that you can make a lot of money at if you really put your effort and energy into it. I would think most home-based businesses would be the same. I would advise, however, to not worry about it for the first couple months or so after the baby is born. You're going to be adjusting to a whole new life, and juggling a new job at the same time might just be too much. Just my two cents. I know that for me I'm glad I got to really revel in my first baby and those first precious months. You don't really get to do that with subsequent children.

Random emails from companies are rarely legitimate so you are wise to have investigated. It's no surprise that they seem to be scams.

There are some legitimate jobs like medical transcription but those require a certain skill set and sometimes certification. You also need to seek out the clients. There are also deadlines and it's tough with a newborn who may not cooperate with your schedule!

Direct sales is a very good possibility - it's the fastest growing segment of the workforce, as people take more control of their time and finances. People are so tired of giving all their time to corporate America - like your husband, they are working 2 jobs, and like you, they want to spend time with their kids. Companies used to be loyal to their employees, keeping them for 25 and 30 years, but now they are downsizing and cutting benefits.

If you want an in-home business, be sure that the company is a member of the Direct Selling Association. That's a watchdog group for network marketing companies, and only the most reputable companies who adhere to DSA standards are invited to join. A company cannot buy its way in just by paying dues - their books have to be scrutinized for a year, and the company is evaluated for reliability and distributor satisfaction. There are only about 200 companies in the DSA, out of the 5000+ companies that operate in the U.S.

Then, make sure that the products you are selling are things that people need every month. Giftware, toys, household goods, jewelry - people buy once and then not again for a while, if ever. My SIL sold for a very good toy company (good quality) but she had to keep finding new customers every month, and she was always out doing home parties. Plus, her market was only people with children. Another friend sells jewelry - again, great quality - but her market is only women who wear silver. These are things people cut back on during a tough economy.

The next trillion dollar industry is slated to be the wellness industry. (The last big one was computers - imagine if you'd gotten in on that in the early days!) Our food is less nutritious (despite being more abundant), and our kids have record rates of food allergies and behavioral problems and diabetes. The baby boomers are aging and don't want to be! So people are taking care of their health and doing a lot for prevention since the medical/health care system is so ridiculously expensive. Nutritional supplementation is part of most people's lives - at least 80% of people take something on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most of those are individual ingredients (Vitamin this, Mineral that) or something based just on vegetable or fruit juices, which are not effective. But the American Medical Association recommended about 10 years ago that everyone take a comprehensive supplement, and there are a few companies who are both part of the Direct Selling Association and also on the Council for Responsible Nutrition, which is trying to increase the standards for supplement companies. Among those few, you want the one with the best compensation plan so that you can get the most money for your time. That's what I do. Everyone is a potential customer - man, woman, child. And I can do it on line and all over the country (the world, actually) and am not restricted to home parties.

Be careful of a company that only lets you sponsor 2 people beneath you who have to build evenly or you lose your profits (a binary system), or that has monthly minimums or purchases required. Make sure you don't have a big investment or membership fee, and that you aren't required to carry a large inventory (jewelry and toys, for example, require that you have a lot of items on hand to show at home parties). You want a company that lets you sponsor deep as well as wide, and that has multiple avenues of income (retail, wholesale, overrides, bonuses and so on). Also be sure that if you sponsor someone who rises to your level that they don't "break away" such that you no longer make money from their sales. My company has 5 avenues of income and has the highest rated compensation plan in the DSA. And businesses are guaranteed for a year so the risk is minimal. Make sure that the company trades on the stock exchange - that means they are not a scam and that the Attorneys General of all 50 states have not issued a complaint or an investigation.

So those are some guidelines to help you figure this out! Let me know if you want more info.

Good luck!

.

Are you up for a home-based business that involves selling and doing home parties? If you think you would like that, decide what type of business you can be most passionate about and look into that (makeup, clothes, purses, skin care, etc)

My favorite, and the one I work for, is Discovery Toys. I love it! As a mom, it's great to have fun, new, educational toys in the house for my kids. I also love sharing the toys with other families and seeing the excitement on the kids faces when they have something new to play with. My son has learned so much from the Discovery Toys. They are all excellent quality and they come with a lifetime warranty.

If you want more info, please contact me or check out my website at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao

I would really like to suggest that while I know you want to devote all your time to your daughter, consider this please. What's the difference between you dividing your time and loyalty between house cleaning, husband, and baby, throwing in time to work some side job to earn money or, instead, dividing time between your child, another child, hubby, and house.

The only reliable way to make an income at home is to work for a company that has telecommuting in place already and you already have a connection in the field. They don't just hire random strangers for REAL work at home. Then, I've worked with people that say the children can NOT be heard in the background. They still end up needing sitters until the child is 4 or 5 and only then if they are obedient enough to play quietly for the HOURS and HOURS you devote to make what...8-10-maybe 12 per hour? I meant to say the only reliable work at home is a real job or childcare. All the other things is SCAMS, or SALES.

In addition, I don't think it's healthy for any child to be the center of everyone's universe. That's not the real world. It just causes your child to be even more selfish than they are. Kids are inherently selfish and it's our job to train that out of them. Having to divide your time is part of that needed training. That's the reason I cringe every time some woman says her house is a mess because she's spending so much time with her child and enjoying these years they can't get back. Well we can't get time back it's true. But it's also very hard to undue very bad training in children.

Love your baby, live your life, divide your time, clean your home, watch a few kids if you can. It's a GREAT way to make being a stay at home mom work.

Do you think you would be interested in taking in another child to care for during the day? Would your home be suitable for it and your husband not object? Its a real possibility. It takes a special type of person to handle it, especially right after having your own baby, but it can be a nice income and a great help to another family.

So far you have gotten really good advice. Most of the advertisements that I have found on the internet have turned out to be a scam but I have known people, myself included, that have been able to be successful with the home based businesses.I agree that you should find something you can be passionate about and focus on that. That is what I did, I began using tha product line, fell in love with them and began working from home. Whatever you do, it will turn out fine, happy, healthy children and families is what is the most important. Best wishes and enjoy your little blessing.

Congratulations on your baby....

I'm sorry you don't have anything for your child...I can recommend that you look on freecycle and craigslist for items for your baby...you may be able to find things like clothing on freecycle - you just need to pick them up...and on craigslist for a decent amount of money.

I don't know your skill set other than you used to be a Nanny....that's a hard job too, caring for others kids...once you get settled and into a routine with your child - I would consider having an in-home day care..so I would utilize my skills and make money for the family but still be with my child....

Other businesses like Pampered Chef, Avon and Tupperware are all legit. Other than that - there are more scammers out there than legit ones....I've not utilized any of them....

GOOD LUCK!

A home-based business is a great way to bring in extra income. Three years ago after I had my second child, I had post-partum depression. I returned to work for two weeks and had an anxiety attack. It was awful and the doctor suggested I take some more time off work. I prayed about what was happening and was led to quit my job and stay at home. This was a crazy thought at the time considering I made more than half our monthly income. We had just bought a new house, a new car, etc all on the idea that we would have two incomes. I knew that our families wouldn't let us starve so I quit. It was a huge leap of faith but I knew it was the right thing to do. I have learned a whole host of things from the ladies on this board about how to save money and it has helped tremendously. Last June, I went to a scrapbooking convention with a friend of mine and there was a booth that had different kinds of bags. My friend drug me over there because she thought they were cute. The consultant handed me my first Thirty-one Catalog. I had never seen or heard of Thirty-one. I looked through it and thought it was cute stuff but wasn't really interested in buying at that time. My husband shelved the catalog when we had our third baby. I found it again in November when I was cleaning and started looking at it again. Man, what cute stuff was in there. I was starting to go a little stir-crazy having been a stay at home mom for two years at that point and thought I can do this! So in February of this year I signed on to start my own home-based business with Thirty-one. It has been a huge blessing for me. It is one of the fastest growing Direct Sales companies in the US right now. It's not for everyone, but it's something I have truly enjoyed doing because it gets me out of the house and allows me to have something of a career while staying at home with my kids. So if you think it's something that you might like you can visit my webpage and check it out. www.mythirtyone.com/JennMarkiewicz or shoot me an email. ____@____.com

There really is no right answer, you just have to do what feels right for you. I looked at every online thing there was out there. Most are scams, some are legit. It just depends on what you want to do.
Take care,
J.

Beautiful answer Diane B. Very well said. I completely agree. Network Marketing is the fastest growing industry. However, just like Diane said, you want to make sure it is a consumable product...one that someone will use and reorder. Although fantastic products, how many kitchen gadgets or jewelry can one have? Make sure the product is in line with timings and trends and one that there is a current and future demand for. A products that shows immediate results (people see immediate results - they buy immediately) and most importantly, one where you can leverage your time. I have many women in my business that were pregnant when they started their businesses so that when their child was delivered, they already had an income coming in. Don't wait...now is the time. If I can help you in any way, please let me know. This is such an exciting time for you and your family. Thanks and best wishes.