ON-LINE RESOURCES FOR STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS 1) At-Home Mothers www.athomemothers.com The National Association of At-Home Mothers offers complete support for theat-home motherhood lifestyle, including a quarterly magazine called At-HomeMother, as well as numerous other member benefits. NAAHM is "committed tofinding solutions to all of your at-home mothering concerns". Membership is$18 per year. You can get more information by writing the NationalAssociation of At-Home Mothers, 406 E. Buchanan Ave., Fairfield, IA 52556,or by e-mail: information@AtHomeMothers.com . Also take a look at theircomprehensive website, which offers free information, sample articles andInfo Guides, a bookstore of publications chosen specifically for at-homemothers, and much more. 2) Caring at Home www.momsnetwork.com/suites/parentchild/caringathome/ Caring at Home is a non-profit organization operated by work at home momswho would like to make a difference in the lives of the nation's childrenand the people that care for them. They want to create a link among allpeople who share the same concern and help them reach the ears ofgovernmental decision-makers. Their motto: Together we can make adifference! 3) Cheapskate Monthly www.cheapskatemonthly.com Author Mary Hunt's Cheapskate Monthly is a 12-page newsletter published 12times a year and delivered either to your mailbox or via the Internet.Cheapskate Monthly's purpose is (1) to empower and educate those that areliving financially responsible lives to become even more effective moneymanagers, and (2) to help those who are struggling to live within theirmeans find practical and realistic solutions to their financial problems, toget out of debt and begin living joyfully beneath their means. Bothversions of Cheapskate Monthly are filled with tips, humor and greatinformation to help you stretch those dollars till they scream! Tosubscribe to Cheapskate Monthly, send a check or money order for $18.00 toCheapskate Monthly, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723-8135. For moreinformation, call (562) 630-6474. 4) Cyber Working Moms www.cyberworking.com Cyber Working Moms site was built to encourage working women who chose to stay at home with their children, by providing helpful information, encouragement, tips on how to make things easier and secondly for support and advice from other "work at home moms." 5) Daddy's Home www.Daddyshome.com An on-line resource for primary caregiver fathers. 6) The Dollar Stretcher www.stretcher.com The Dollar Stretcher is dedicated to "living better...for less" and featuresways to help you stretch your day and your budget. The website includes alibrary with over 3,000 free articles covering everything from babies tovacations. There are also three free electronic newsletters, as well as amonthly print newsletter that is available by paid subscription. The site'seditor, Gary Foreman, is a former Certified Financial Planner and purchasingmanager. If you want to save money, this is the place to start. 7) Frugal Moms www.frugal-moms.com Practical advice and ideas on how to save money, make the most of yourincome and still enjoy life around you. Topics include anything with afrugal slant: cooking, cleaning, decorating, crafts, help for beginners,gardening, humor and more. Discussion lists, newsletters and weekly articleson saving, scrimping and clipping. Where is YOUR money going? 8) Hearts at Home www.hearts-at-home.org Founded by Jill Savage in 1993, Hearts at Home offers a variety of resourcesand events to assist women in their job as wife and mother. Resourcesinclude the Hearts at Home magazine, the Hearts at Home devotional, and theHearts at Home website. Additionally, Hearts at Home conferences make agreat getaway for individuals, moms' groups, or that special friend, sister,or sister-in-law. Regional conferences attended by over 10,000 women eachyear provide a unique, affordable and highly encouraging weekend for thewoman who takes the profession of motherhood seriously. Contact: Hearts atHome, 900 W. College Avenue, Normal, Illinois 61761. Phone: (309) 888-MOMS. 9) Home-Based Working Moms www.hbwm.com This is a professional association and an online community of parents whowork at home and those who would like to. HBWM members receive a monthly(print) newsletter, free advertising options, Hire-A-Mom directory listing,national publicity opportunities, e-mail discussion list, private messageboards, support, networking, information, more! Home-Based Working Moms,PO Box 500164, Austin, TX 78750. Phone: (512) 266-0900 10) Homebodies www.homebodies.org Author and speaker Cheryl Gochnauer's aim is to empower and encourageat-home parents and working mothers who are considering the at-homelifestyle by providing practical financial, emotional and career-planningadvice. Her website features columnists, resources and message boards whereyou can interact in a safe environment with likeminded parents around theworld. Read how she cut $1000 from her family's monthly budget: www.homebodies.org/dollars.html . 11) Main Street Moms www.mainstreetmom.com Main Street Moms is the online magazine for modern mothers with traditionalvalues. You will find articles on parenting, marriage, family budgeting,craft ideas, spiritual growth, family life, and more. You will also findlively discussion boards, free newsletters, and monthly contests. Foundedin 1998, MainStreetMom.com has developed into a community of at-home momswho network their ideas, joys, and frustrations. Money is tight for all ofus, but through sharing ideas, we help each other get through the toughtimes so that we can fully put our children first. 12) Miserly Moms www.miserlymoms.com Miserly Moms is a multi-faceted organization founded by Jonni McCoy in 1992.Jonni's goal is to help people (especially moms) get the tools that theirfamilies need to save money and spend more time together. Jonni writes booksand articles, teaches workshops, runs discussion groups, and does radio andtelevision appearances, all for the purpose of educating people on how toshop more wisely to stretch their dollar. 13) Mommies on the Web www.mommiesontheweb.com A site offering not only parenting information and articles, but alsosupport and friendship to all moms. Join the online community to meet andinteract with other mothers. Enjoy planned chats, special events, recipeexchanges, and many mailing lists. Or shop in the MomVentures mallfeaturing services and products offered by work at home moms. 14) Mommy Savers www.mommysavers.com This website is for thrifty moms who want the best for their families butdon't want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. The decision to be astay-at-home mom is one of the most difficult many new or prospectiveparents face. The main reason many parents feel it is not possible isfinancial. How can a couple with two wage-earners get by on one salary whileadding another member to the family? It certainly is not easy. While everyfamily is different, they all have one thing in common: nobody takes hometheir entire salary. That is where the cost of work comes in. To read therest of the article, go to www.mommysavers.com/moneywise/cost_of_work.htm 15) MOMS Clubs International www.momsclub.org MOMS Clubs are exclusively for at-home mothers, no matter how old theirchildren are. Founded in California in 1983, they now have over 1,250chapters with more than 63,000 members across the United States. MOMS Clubsmeet during the day, and children are welcome. 16) Moms Promoting Moms www.joemamaproductions.com Ann Diaz of Joe Mama Productions in Littleton, Colorado, has a great idea:She provides a business opportunity for parents who want to work from home -and the opportunity involves having that parent create opportunities forother parents who want to work from home. It's a real win-win. Says Ann, "Iam in the business of helping other work-at-home moms to be more successful,by presenting them to their local communities as a group, giving them aunique co-op type of marketing venue. I do this by publishing a bookletcalled Moms Inc.: Business Directory of Work-at-Home Moms T." For a modest upfront fee, Ann provides essential materials, businessguidebook and marketing support that a person needs in order to create adirectory in her own city. "One of the great features of this businessopportunity is that your out-of-pocket expenses are very low. "When I wasdoing my first directory, I started from scratch and with no workingcapital. I didn't go to the printer until I had generated enoughadvertising income to pay for it. That way, there was no risk. If Ifailed, I would have simply returned everyone's checks. Fortunately, ittook off!" Interested in creating a Moms Inc. directory for your city? For informationabout becoming a licensed publisher of Moms Inc.: Business Directory ofWork-at-Home Moms in your local area, or to find out if there's a Directorycoming soon to your area, contact Ann Diaz at (970) 593-0604; or e-mail: joemamapro@aol.com . You can also visit her web-site at www.joemamaproductions.com . 17) Mothers More www.mothersandmore.org Mothers More is an international not-for-profit organization supportingsequencing women - mothers who have altered their career paths in order tocare for their children at home. The organization addresses women'spersonal needs and interests during their active parenting years, promotesrecognition and respect for sequencing women, and respects the right ofevery mother to choose if and how she will combine parenting and paidemployment. Mothers More also acts as an advocate for public andemployment policies that accommodate sequencing. Visit their website orcall (800) 223-9399 to find a chapter close to you. 18) Mothers at Home www.mah.org Mothers At Home is the first and largest national non-profit organizationdedicated to the support and encouragement of at-home parenting. Founded in1984, Mothers At Home publishes an award-winning monthly journal, WelcomeHome, as well as books and information on at-home parenting issues. MothersAt Home serves as an advocate on behalf of at-home parents through mediainterviews, public policy analysis, and presentations to parenting groups.For more information visit our website, e-mail us at: mah@mah.org , call(800) 783-4666 for a free information packet, or write Mothers At Home,9493-C Silver King Ct., Fairfax, VA 22031. 19) Stay At-Home Dads www.Slowlane.com The Slowlane web site is a friendly online environment to help support,advocate and inform dads, with particular attention given to stay-at-homedads (SAHD). The site is a comprehensive collection of resources includingthose that handle the common issues like starting a playgroup with otherdads and running a home business as well as the tough issues (divorce,death, custody, etc.), so a dad who needs specific information will easily beable to find a resource to fit his personal search criteria. 20) Work-at-Home Moms www.wahm.com The Online Magazine for Work-at-Home Moms ( www.wahm.com ). This site ispacked with useful information about succeeding in the work-at-home mom(WAHM) arena. Excellent links and resources, plus a smattering of cartoonsand light commentary, make this an excellent resource for current WAHM's orWAHM wanna-be's. 21) Working From Home www.workingfromhome.com Paul and Sarah Edwards, authors of this month's Perspective Guest Essay,have been trailblazing the topic of working from home for over 20 years.Their books on working from home are essential resources. Their web site at www.workingfromhome.com also contains a wealth of ideas and advicefor those of you who want to take control of your lives and realize yourdreams. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

Have You Thought About Scoping to Make Money? '...A scopist works with a court reporter and will use whatever resources are provided, as well as any they have at their disposal, to produce a clean transcript for the court reporter...' Check out www.scopists.com . They have information about what scoping is and they also have a place that you can register your name as a scoper or proofreader. Proofing is a good thing to do if you don't want to invest the money in the software needed to scope. Proofing for court reporters is a little different than proofing for, say, a book editor or some other profession. However, most court reporters would be more than willing to give feed back on how things should be done. In fact, when I have someone come to me who is interested in proofing I kind of give them an overview of what I'm looking for. Basically what I tell them is that I really need them to concentrate on the words -- sometimes, though, what they're reading contains wrong words -- and I can deal with the punctuation, et cetera. If you would like more information regarding this, please email me: paula414@cox-internet.com Sincerely, Paula Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

At-Home-Parents in Dr. Laura Perspective The Dr. Laura Perspective now has a section devoted to the needs and interests of parents who wish to be at home while their children are at home. This month#146;s column features Pamela Tripaldi, whose business, #147;You Can Make It#148; has enabled hundreds of people to begin earning extra income by offering sewing lessons. #147;You Can Make It#148; supplies everything that an experienced seamstress needs to teach. There is a one-time purchase price for the program, with no franchise, monthly or student fees. The program includes complete lesson plans, advertising materials, marketing tips, and other sewing teachers to network with. If you would like to learn more about You Can Make It, go to www.youcanmakeit.com or call them toll-free at (888) LRN-2-SEW. More >>

Master the Pitfalls of Your Home Business Christine Kloser www.newentrepreneurs.com Ok, you made the choice to leave the SAFE job and venture out on your own. Now what? You know your experience or product and understand the inner workings of your industry. The product or service is ready and you have spent time on your materials, brochures and website. You are ready for business#133;Monday comes and you are staring at the phone waiting for customers#133;this is the place that most at-home and small businesses fall short#133;MARKETING! Isn#146;t it funny that we spend all the time in preparation of who we are, what our product will provide but not who is the customer and where do I find them? What are the different cost-effective channels of marketing? What#146;s the best use of my resources? What are ways to reach my target market with a message that will generate sales? Don#146;t use demographics and agency research#133;you know who your buyer is, and only you understand the habits and day to day patterns. Industry related websites are usually good resources. We now have this amazing tool called the Internet. Find ways to use the Internet as a cost-effective means to reach your target market. Identify the problem that you are a solution for; let websites and the media know that you have a solution of value for their readers and you#146;d like to submit an article (or would they write about you?). Articles and PR are THE most cost-effective adverting a small business can use to get great exposure. Be willing to be creative and to think outside the box. Attend seminars where you can network with people like you who have relationships that could be valuable. Get out of the house or office and find new customers, business will not come to you until you get the word out there#151;and don#146;t be afraid to ask people who have used your service or product for referrals. Christine Kloser, founder of the Network for Empowering Women, educates, inspires and empowers women entrepreneurs to start and expand their business and turn their dreams into reality! NEW is one of the fastest growing organizations of its kind and the only one that dedicates itself to helping women make money AND MAKE A DIFERENCE. Christine can be reached at ck@newentrepreneurs.com or by calling (310) 745-0794. Get her FREE newsletter, or find an upcoming workshop or teleseminar at www.newentrepreneurs.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

When Buying A Franchise Look For The "Dirty Lowdown" By Cliff Ennico #147;About two weeks ago, we got the approval paperwork for a real estate franchise. My partner and I are now finding out that the franchise we bought has a bad name around town, and it is hampering our development. We had no idea of the bad reputation of this franchise, and also that they had problems in the past in our area. This is looming over everything we try to do. We want out, but we paid a $15,000 franchise fee and we want to get it back. Is this possible? We initially asked to cancel, but were talked back into it.#148; You really have to do your homework before you buy a franchise. Once upon a time, companies didn#146;t franchise their operations until they had dozens of outlets going in different parts of the country, so you knew you were buying a #147;sure thing#148;. With franchising so popular now, fueled by middle-aged downsized executives looking to buy themselves a job, more and more franchises are being launched before they have had the chance to test and prove their business model. The result often is a lot of unhappy franchisees. While franchises are required to deliver a Uniform Franchise Offering Circular to prospective franchisees disclosing certain facts about the franchise and its business, they are not required to disclose any information about their reputation. This is something you have to do yourself. Remember Ennico#146;s Rule: when buying a franchise, gossip, hearsay and innuendo is far more important than hard data. Some of the best information you can learn about a franchise will come from sources that will not want to be quoted. You should talk to as many franchisees as possible and ask them if they were happy with their decision. In my experience, it#146;s hard for people to hide it when they#146;re really unhappy #150; be sure to watch their facial expressions and listen to the #147;music#148; in their voices as well as what they tell you. You should also ask the franchise for a list of ex-franchisees (the franchise is required by law to disclose this to you), and talk to all of them. You should also visit 2 or 3 franchisees in person and spend the day looking at what actually happens in their business. But what about a franchise#146;s reputation? There is absolutely no excuse for not #147;Googling#148; the franchise and finding out what people are saying about it on the Web. The process takes about five minutes. As for local reputation, call the local Better Business Bureau. Visit the nearest library and chat up the librarians when they#146;re not busy #150; they tend to know a lot that goes on in their community. And if they don#146;t, ask the old men sitting in the magazine section (in most libraries, there are always old men sitting in the magazine section). Of course, it#146;s too late for you to do that now that you#146;ve forked over the money. Most franchises will not give you your money back under any circumstances, and this is usually stated very clearly in the franchise agreement. The concept is that the franchise incurred significant expense by training you in the franchised business, as well as an #147;opportunity cost#148; by turning away other prospective franchisees once you signed on board. In practice, however, many franchises will give you at least some of your money back if you yell and scream loudly enough. This is because they are concerned you will complain to other franchisees about how unfairly you were treated, and the franchise will want to keep #147;peace in the family#148;. Keep in mind, though, that if the franchise does refund your money, you will have to sign a noncompete agreement saying you will not engage in the same business as the franchise for a number of years. By claiming a refund you may be locking yourself out of the real estate business entirely. Make sure it#146;s worth the tradeoff. Given the #147;hard sell#148; this franchise apparently gave you, I wouldn#146;t expect them to be very flexible. You have clearly been too gentle in negotiating with these sleazeballs, and you now have an uphill fight ahead of you. If you#146;re not comfortable playing hardball at this point, hire an attorney to act as your #147;bad cop#148;. A couple of nasty letters threatening litigation should get these guys to the bargaining table. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2004 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

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Welcome to Stay-At-Home on DrLaura.com The most frequently asked question on my radio show is "How can I become a stay at home mom?" So, in response to everyone who wants to know the steps to take to stay home or for parents who need moral support, tips or advice, we are debuting a new section on my website, devoted to YOU and your needs. You'll find success stories from parents who are committed to staying at home and making it work-- they'll tell you in their own words how they did it. You can also get ideas and information on how to make money at home to supplement the family income, as well as seminars, associations and more! I promise you, you'll want to keep visiting my website for new tips and to read about people like Lisa Barnes, who started Baby Bee, Inc. Lisa found a way to stay at home and to help less fortunate children at the same time. There are only two types of mothers. The ones who happily stay at home and the ones who wish they could. Will Rogers once said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." I hope my website will be the vehicle to help you take charge of your life. So if you stay at home or just dream about being home with your little bunchkins take a look at the entire Stay-At-Home section on my website. -- Dr. Laura More >>

SUMMERTIME BLUES By Cheryl Gochnauer We just came through tax time, but there's another financial hurdle rightover the horizon for working parents of elementary students: summer break.For most families, daycare costs will skyrocket once the kids need care 10to 12 hours a day, instead of simply before and after school. This monetaryreality can trigger depression in those moms who don't want to work outsidethe home, anyway. I spent six years as a working mother who wanted to be home with mychildren. Like so many of my peers, I figured that since we were barelymaking it on two incomes, we'd go under if I quit my job. However, anunanticipated conflict between a sick child and a big project at work forcedme to take a serious look at our financial situation. Could we afford forme to become a stay-at-home mom? I was as surprised as anyone when I realized that, after subtracting all thecosts associated with my job (childcare, transportation expenses, eatingout, business clothing, taxes, etc.), I was only clearing $39 a week. Thecalculations I used included daycare charges for my first grader (before andafter school) and my 2-year-old (all day). During the summer, I actuallywasn't making any money at all, since that $39 a week was easily erased byincreased daycare costs for my older child. Was I nuts? No. I didn't know I was working for free from June toSeptember, because I'd never done the math. If you've been consideringbecoming an at-home parent but think it will never work financially, Iencourage you to learn from my mistake. Check your own figures now . Beyond the actual dollars and cents, be sure to take into account theemotional cost of allowing someone else to care for your babies when youwant to do that yourself. Also, if you're one of the ladies with latchkeychildren who gets nervous between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., you're going to have anextremely difficult time leaving your older kids alone all day for nearly 3months. So be sensitive to your feelings and to those of your children. My becoming an at-home parent relieved so many pressures in the Gochnauerhousehold, not the least of which was worrying about what to do with thekids over the summer, and how to pay for it. Although I am the first toadmit that this lifestyle is not for everyone, it has been a great move forus. Before you start singing the Summertime Blues, look at all your options, andsee if, as was true in my case, there is a Plan B that will work better foryour family. Comments? Write Cheryl@homebodies.org or visit her website at www.homebodies.org . Copyright 2001 Homebodies.Org , LLC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. More >>

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Scam Alert By Cheryl Demas We've all seen the ads that claim to be hiring home workers. Beware, many of them are scams. Here are some warning signals that will help you weed out the scams from the legitimate jobs. They ask for money. They may claim that you need to send money to "show you are serious" or "to cover our costs." This is a giant read flag! Don't do it! You should never have to pay someone to work for them. Getting hired to do a job is different from starting a home business. You may have to pay for a starter kit when you begin many direct sales businesses, but they should be very clear about exactly what is in your kit: what you're getting for you money. Ads that emphasize WORK AT HOME but are vague about the actual work you will be doing are another danger area. They may say that you will be selling "reports" or typing "orders," but again, they are vague regarding the actual products or services. Ads for assemblers. You will have to pay to get your supplies (first red flag), but here's the big catch. In assembly scams, the company has to approve the work you do. They might approve your first or second batches, but after you purchase a large amount of supplies, your work will be rejected because it's "full of flaws," and you will be stuck with your expensive supplies. Ads for envelope stuffers. Just don't do it. Think about it. Why would anyone pay $2 to $3 to someone simply to put paper in an envelope and apply a stamp? They won't. Most often, after you pay for your supplies, you will be instructed to place ads recruiting others to stuff envelopes. The envelopes you will be stuffing will be the letters you send out trying to sell others on the same scam you just fell for. The ads claim that "No experience is necessary" and "Make easy $$$$." Of course there are jobs that offer on-the-job training, but the majority of employers prefer someone with skills and experience. If they lead their ad with these come-ons, watch out. It's another warning signal. Excerpted from " The Work-at-Home Mom's Guide to Home Business " by Cheryl Demas. Permission granted for use on drlaura.com.Cheryl lives in California with her husband and two daughters. She is the publisher of WAHM.com -- the online magazine for work-at-home moms. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com More >>