Work-at-Home Businesses

Be part of one of America’s Fastest Growing Industries.
Be the Boss!
Earn thousands of dollars a month from home!

Ads like this are everywhere — from the telephone pole on the corner to your newspaper, email and favorite websites. The jobs might be different, but the message is the same — start earning a great living today working from home, even in your spare time.

When money’s tight, work-at-home opportunities can sound like just the thing to make ends meet. Some even promise a refund if you don’t succeed. But the reality is many of these jobs are scams. The con artists peddling them may get you to pay for starter kits or certifications that are useless, and may even charge your credit card without permission.

Others just don’t deliver on their promises. The ads don’t tell you that you may have to work a lot of hours without pay, or they don’t disclose all the costs you might incur — say, for placing newspaper ads, making photocopies, or buying the envelopes, paper, stamps and other supplies you need to do the job. People tricked by these ads have lost thousands of dollars, not to mention time and energy.

Here are some examples of work-at-home schemes to avoid:

Envelope Stuffing

For a “small” fee, the ad says, you’ll learn how to earn lots of money stuffing envelopes at home. But once you pay, you find out the promoter never had any work to offer. Instead, after you send in your money, you get a letter telling you to get other people, even your friends and relatives, to buy the same envelope-stuffing “opportunity” or some other product. The only way you can earn any money is if people respond the same way you did.

Assembly or Craft Work

According to the ad, you can make money assembling crafts or other products at home. You may have to invest hundreds of dollars for equipment or supplies — for example, a sewing or sign-making machine from the company, or materials to make items like aprons, baby shoes or plastic signs — or spend lots of hours producing goods for a company that has promised to buy them.

But after you’ve paid money and done the work, the company doesn’t pay you — supposedly because your work isn’t “up to standard.” Unfortunately, no work ever is, and you’re left with equipment and supplies — but without any income to show for it.

Rebate Processing

The ad in your email says you can earn money by helping to process rebates. And the fee for training, certification or registration is nothing compared to what you’ll earn processing rebates from home, according to the promises in the ad. It says the #1 certified work-at-home consultant behind the program will show you how to succeed like she did.

What you get are poorly written and useless training materials. There are no rebates to process, and few people ever see a refund.

Online Searches

The ad on the website piques your curiosity — earn $500 to $1000 a week, or even $7,000 a month, running Internet searches on prominent search engines and filling out forms. Even better, you can be your own boss and do the work right from home. What have you got to lose, except a small shipping and handling fee?

Unfortunately, you have a lot to lose. The company isn’t really connected with a well-known search engine — scammers are just lying to trick you into handing over your credit or debit card information. If you pay them even a tiny fee online, they can use your financial information to charge you recurring fees.

Medical Billing

The ads lure you with promises of a substantial income for full- or part-time work processing medical claims electronically — no experience needed. When you call the toll-free number, a sales rep tells you doctors are eager for help, and in exchange for your investment of hundreds — or thousands — of dollars, you’ll get everything you need to launch your own medical billing business, including the software to process the claims, a list of potential clients and technical support.

But companies rarely provide experienced sales staff or contacts in the medical community. The lists they give you often are out-of-date and include doctors who haven’t asked for billing services. The software they send may not even work. Competition in the medical billing market is fierce, and not many people who purchase these “opportunities” are able to find clients, start a business or generate revenue — let alone get back their investment and earn any income. Many doctors’ offices process their own medical claims, and doctors who contract out their billing function often use large, well-established firms, rather than someone working from home.

To avoid a medical-billing scam, ask for a sizable list of previous purchasers so you can pick and choose whom to contact for references. If the promoter gives only one or two names, consider that they may be “shills” hired to say good things. Try to interview people in person where the business operates. Talk to organizations for medical claims processors or medical billing businesses and to doctors in your community about the field. Finally, consult an attorney, accountant or other business advisor before you sign an agreement or make any payments up front.

When it comes to business opportunities, there are no sure bets. Promises of a big income for work from home, especially when the “opportunity” involves an up-front fee or divulging your credit card information, should make you very suspicious. It doesn’t matter if the ad shows up in a trusted newspaper or website — or if the people you talk to on the phone sound legitimate. The situation demands both research and skepticism.

Ask Questions

If you’re thinking about following up on a work-at-home offer, do your homework. Here are some questions to ask:

• What tasks will I have to perform? (Ask the program sponsor to list every step of the job.)
• Will I be paid a salary or will I be paid on commission?
• What is the basis for your claims about my likely earnings? Do you survey everyone who purchased the program? What documents can you show me to prove your claims are true before I give you any money?
• Who will pay me?
• When will I get my first paycheck?
• What is the total cost of this work-at-home program, including supplies, equipment and membership fees? What will I get for my money?

The answers to these questions may help you determine whether a work-at-home program is legitimate, and if so, whether it’s a good fit for you.

You’ll also want to check out the company with your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau, not only where the company is located, but also where you live. These organizations can tell you whether they’ve gotten complaints about a particular work-at-home program. But be wary: just because there aren’t complaints doesn’t mean the company is legitimate. Unscrupulous companies may settle complaints, change their names or move to avoid detection.

In addition, consider other people’s experience by entering the company or promoter’s name with the word complaints into a search engine. Read what others have to say. After all, you are making a decision that involves spending your money.

Where to Complain

If you have spent money and time on a work-at-home program and now believe the program may not be legitimate, contact the company and ask for a refund. Let company representatives know that you plan to notify law enforcement officials about your experience. If you can’t resolve the dispute with the company, file a complaint with these organizations:

• The Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint or 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
• The Attorney General’s office in your state or the state where the company is located. Visit naag.org; the office will be able to tell you whether you’re protected by any state law that may regulate work-at-home programs.
• Your local consumer protection offices.
• Your local Better Business Bureau at bbb.org.
• Your local postmaster. The U.S. Postal Service investigates fraudulent mail practices. Visit postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
• The advertising manager of the publication that ran the ad. The manager may be interested to learn about the problems you’ve had with the company.

This article was previously available as Work At Home Schemes.

Starting an Internet Business

Starting an internet business can sound like a dream: work from home, set your own hours, be your own boss. But most internet start ups require significant investments of time and money, and many of them fail. If you’re considering buying an internet business opportunity, know that the promise of big earnings and ideal work conditions is a pipe dream for most. Regardless of the handful of stories you’ve read about college-age entrepreneurs turning into internet gazillionaires, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

You may encounter pitches like “Start your own internet business;” “No experience required;” “Experts available to coach you” in a variety of places: on the Web and in e-mail offers, infomercials, classified ads, flyers, texts, telephone pitches, seminars, and direct-mail offers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that many of these solicitations are scams that promise more than they can possibly deliver. Often, bogus internet opportunity sales pitches are short on details and long on high-pressure tactics to persuade you to buy before you’ve investigated the offer.

Short on Details

An internet business is just like any business – it requires a solid business plan. Anyone who sells legitimate business opportunities should give you detailed information. Be skeptical of a seller who offers vague descriptions of what the business is and how it will work. Sit down and ask yourself some critical questions, like:

• What would you be selling or doing?
• How and why shoppers would find and use your website?
• How would the business generate income and what are your specific expenses?

Answer these questions before you pay any promoter the price of admission to a business.

Some sellers claim you don’t need to understand the details of the business because “it’s the internet” or because their expert coaches and support staff will “take care of everything for you.” The internet is not a magic place for business owners: in an internet business success requires the same solid planning and hard work as in any other venture. It’s your business and your reputation; you can’t afford to be in the dark about key details.

Long on Pressure

Scammers try to create the impression that if you don’t buy immediately, you’re going to miss out on a valuable opportunity. They emphasize the need to act fast, and may suggest that other buyers are ready to take your place if you hesitate or ask questions. They want to persuade you to give up your credit card or bank account information before you’ve had time to research their claims or other people’s experiences with the company. The scammers know that if you do even a little research, you’re likely to find reports of rip-offs. In fact, a quick internet search often is enough to reveal alarming complaints. Legitimate business opportunities don’t need to use high-pressure sales tactics: if an offer is good today, it should be good tomorrow.

As part of their sales pitch, scammers often hype a “no risk” refund policy to encourage you to buy an opportunity before you’ve researched it. Here’s a tip: don’t rely on a refund policy or a money-back guarantee because you have “nothing to lose.” No matter the guarantee, scammers will make it virtually impossible for you to get your money back.

Before you buy any business opportunity:

• Consider the promotion carefully. If it claims buyers can earn a certain income, the promoter also must give the number and percentage of previous purchasers who earned that much. If the promotion makes an earnings claim - but the additional information isn't there - the business opportunity seller may well be violating the law.
• Study any disclosure documents. Under the Business Opportunity Rule, which is enforced by the FTC, many business opportunity promoters are required to provide a document to potential purchasers that includes information about cancellation and refund policies, whether the seller has faced any lawsuits from purchasers or other legal actions alleging fraud, and contact information for references who have bought the opportunity.
• Interview previous buyers in person. This helps reduce the chance of being misled by phony references.
• Do a few internet searches by entering the company name, or the name of the company’s CEO or president, and words like “complaints” or “scam.” Contact the state attorney general's office, local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau, both where the business opportunity promoter is based and where you live, to see if complaints are on file. While a complaint record may indicate questionable business practices, a lack of complaints doesn't necessarily mean the company – or the opportunity – is legitimate. Unscrupulous dealers often change names and locations to hide a history of complaints.
• Consult an attorney, accountant, or other business advisor before you put any money down or sign any papers. Entering into a business opportunity can be costly, so it's best to have an expert check out the contract first.

13 Online Business Ideas

by Nicole Fallon
 

One of the quickest and easiest ways to start your own business is to do so online. Rather than spending thousands of dollars and countless hours finding the perfect brick-and-mortar location, you can get an online business up and running rather quickly, for a fraction of the cost. In addition to generating an idea that will get consumers to gravitate to you, starting an online business requires you to create a well-designed website and figure out ways — through search engine optimization and social-media, email and content marketing — to drive consumers to your site. If you think you have what it takes to become an online entrepreneur in 2015, we've got 13 business ideas to help you get started.

1. Specialized retailer – An online store lets you reach customers all over that world and that means you can afford to specialize. Whether it's dollhouse furniture or organic dog food, there's an audience for everything. Using a web hosting service with an integrated shopping cart or e-commerce software, your business will be operational in no time. Many vendors will even ship products to customers on your behalf, which means you don't need to own a lot of inventory.

2. Social media consultant – Larger firms can hire an agency or full-time staff member to run their Facebook and Twitter accounts, but small businesses often have to handle their own social media marketing. With so many other responsibilities, business owners are often too busy or overwhelmed to spend time developing and implementing a great social media strategy. As a consultant, you can help them determine the best tactics, posting schedules and content for their target audience. As their follower count grows, so will your business.

3. Web design – Have you ever been turned off by a business’s generic-looking website layout? If you know some HTML and have a good eye for design, you can launch a service to create attractive, easy-to-use websites for small businesses. You can put your skills to good use for business owners who want to take their online presence to the next level. Build up a portfolio of work with smaller freelance jobs, then create your own website to show it off and bring in a steady stream of clients.

4. Resume/cover letter writing – It's a tough truth to swallow, but a standout resume and cover letter can make all the difference when applying jobs. While listing career accomplishments might seem like an easy task, the fine art of “humble bragging” eludes some of us. Get hired to help others get hired by writing stellar resumes. Capitalize on the increasingly important social media branding bandwagon and offer to fix LinkedIn profiles as well.

5. Professional freelancer – You might not think of freelancing as a business, but with more and more companies turning to part-time contract workers to fill their skill gaps, it's not hard to imagine making a living providing businesses with a variety of freelance services. Depending on your skill sets, you could work for multiple companies in a variety of fields, offering flexibility and a refreshing change of pace. According to the freelance job listing website Freelancer.com, tech services, content creation and web design are popular fields for contract work.

6. Affiliate marketing – If you're a person that loves leaving customer reviews on sites like Amazon, stop doing it for free. Word-of-mouth advertising is still a huge lead generator for many companies, and a lot of businesses are willing to share a portion of their profits with persuasive individuals who will promote their products to the public. If you have a personal website with a large following, this might be easier to accomplish (PR reps are always seeking out brand advocates they can send free samples to). Smart Passive Income breaks down three types of affiliate marketing and explains which one is most profitable.

7. Health/nutrition coach – When it comes to nutrition, Americans seem to have a mental block. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 70 percent of the adult population is overweight or obese, and many people that want to lose weight and eat better simply don't know where to start. You don't necessarily need to be a registered dietitian (RD) to offer meal plans and diet counseling to your client base, either. With the right combination of personal support and nutrition and exercise knowledge, you could be helping people get healthier through your online service.

8. eBook author – Have a ton of knowledge on a particular subject that you want to share with the public? With e-readers now a staple in most households, self-publication has become a reality for many writers who might never get picked up by publishing companies. With the right marketing tools, you can successfully publish your own books on anything from cooking and weight loss to real estate. Inbound Pro’s advice from successful e-Book authors offers tips for writing content that sells.

9. Remote technical support – Many small businesses don't have room in their budget for a full-time IT employee, so when their systems go on the fritz, they'll usually call a computer whiz friend or family member. If you have experience working on computers and networks, you can eliminate their need to call in a favor and offer immediate remote technical assistance.

10. Virtual consignment store – Bargain hunters and thrift store enthusiasts can turn a nice profit reselling their vintage clothing finds. Brand yourself by setting up an independent website as your virtual storefront, but use a managed service like Google Checkout to handle transactions. High-resolution images and catchy copy for your products will make you stand out in the sea of Internet users trying to sell their used items..

11. Handmade craft seller – Online sites like Etsy and ArtFire are platforms that make it extremely easy for crafters who can produce a steady supply of quality handmade items, like crocheted blankets or unique painted glassware. Startup costs are extremely low if you purchase your materials in bulk from a craft supplier, and if you can turn orders around quickly, you’ll be making a profit in no time at all. It’s even possible to turn your store into a full-time gig.

12. Teaching online courses – You don’t need a degree in education to teach people how to do something you know inside and out. You can help others enrich their lives by offering classes in an area you’re passionate about, like yoga or baking. Create instructional packets and videos for download from a website, or schedule real-time Skype lessons with clients.

13. App development – Mobile applications are more popular than ever, and people are willing to pay good money for ways to manage their lives from their smartphones. If you have a great idea and happen to know coding, you can run with it and create your app yourself. If you just have an idea and don't know the ins and outs of how to turn it into a reality, there are plenty of software developers looking to collaborate with people on app creation.

Rattan Furniture from Indonesia

by Evan Ramdhani and other sources

Indonesia is well known by its rattan furniture and craft. The rattan crafts from Indonesia have been exported to many countries in the world.

Many years ago, the rattan industry from Indonesia occupied 90% of international market. By this huge domination, many people in the world are proud with this rattan furniture.

At the Potsdam Conference (occupied Germany) from 17^th July to 2^nd August 1945, several influenced world leaders such as Winston Churchill (United Kingdom), Harry s. Truman (US), and Joseph Stalin (Sovyet Union) sat on the rattan chairs -estimated made in Indonesia- as shown on the photo below:

                      From left: Winston Churchill, Harry S Truman, Joseph Stalin (doc. circa 1945)

Rattan

                                 Rattan Plant
 

According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2014 | Copyright:

rattan (rătăn´), name for a number of plants of the genera Calamus, Daemonorops, and Korthalsia climbing palms of tropical Asia, belonging to the family Palmae (palm family). Rattan leaves, unlike those of most palms, are not clustered into a crown; they have long, whiplike barbed tips by which the plant climbs to the tops of trees. From the stem, noted for its extraordinary length (often several hundred feet) is obtained the rattan cane of commerce, a slender, flexible tough cane of uniform diameter, usually split for wickerwork, baskets, and chair seats and left entire for walking sticks, e.g., the Malacca cane. A resin that exudes from the fruit is known commercially as dragon's blood. Rattan plants are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Arecales, family Palmae.

According to The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright:

rat·tan / raˈtan; rə-/ • n. 1. the thin pliable stems of a palm, used to make furniture. ∎  a length of such a stem used as a walking stick. 2. the tropical Old World climbing palm (genus Calamus) that yields this product, with long, spiny, jointed stems.

According to World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright:

rattan Climbing palm native to the East Indies and Africa. Its stems can grow to 150m (500ft). They are used for making ropes and furniture. Family Arecacae/Palmae; genus Calamus.

                                                                     Rattan cane

Structure

Most rattans differ from other palms in having slender stems, 2–5 cm diameter, with long internodes between the leaves; also, they are not trees but are vine-like, scrambling through and over other vegetation. Rattans are also superficially similar to bamboo. Unlike bamboo, rattan stems ("malacca") are solid, and most species need structural support and cannot stand on their own. However, some genera (e.g. Metroxylon, Pigafetta, Raphia) are more like typical palms, with stouter, erect trunks. Many rattans have spines which act as hooks to aid climbing over other plants, and to deter herbivores. Rattans have been known to grow up to hundreds of metres long. Most (70%) of the world's rattan population exist in Indonesia, distributed among Borneo, Sulawesi, Sumbawa islands. The rest of the world's supply comes from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Bangladesh

Economic and environmental issues

In forests where rattan grows, its economic value can help protect forest land, by providing an alternative to loggers who forgo timber logging and harvest rattan canes instead. Rattan is much easier to harvest, requires simpler tools and is much easier to transport. It also grows much faster than most tropical wood. This makes it a potential tool in forest maintenance, since it provides a profitable crop that depends on rather than replaces trees. It remains to be seen whether rattan can be as profitable or useful as the alternatives.
Rattans are threatened with over exploitation, as harvesters are cutting stems too young and reducing their ability to resprout. Unsustainable harvesting of rattan can lead to forest degradation, affecting overall forest ecosystem services. Processing can also be polluting. The use of toxic chemicals and petrol in the processing of rattan affects soil, air and water resources, and also ultimately people's health. Meanwhile, the conventional method of rattan production is threatening the plant's long-term supply, and the income of workers.

Uses

Generally, raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making. The various species of rattan range from several millimeters up to 5–7 cm in diameter. From a strand of rattan, the skin is usually peeled off, to be used as rattan weaving material. The remaining "core" of the rattan can be used for various purposes in furniture making. Rattan is a very good material mainly because it is lightweight, durable, suitable for outdoor use, and—to a certain extent—flexible.

Furniture making

Rattans are extensively used for making furniture and baskets. When cut into sections, rattan can be used as wood to make furniture. Rattan accepts paints and stains like many other kinds of wood, so it is available in many colors; and it can be worked into many styles. Moreover, the inner core can be separated and worked into wicker.

                                Indonesians making rattan furniture (doc. circa 1948)

                               Rattan furniture from Indonesia

 

Handicraft and arts

Many of the properties of rattan that make it suitable for furniture also make it a popular choice for handicraft and art pieces. Uses include rattan baskets, plant containers and other decorative works.
Due to its durability and resistance to splintering, sections of rattan can be used as staves or canes for martial arts— 70 cm-long rattan sticks, called baston, are used in Filipino martial arts, especially Modern Arnis and Eskrima and for the striking weapons in the Society for Creative Anachronism's full-contact "heavy combat".
Along with birch and bamboo, rattan is a common material used for the handles in percussion mallets, especially mallets for keyboard percussion (vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, etc.).
It is also used to make walking sticks and crooks for high-end umbrellas.

                                             Rattan handicraft from Indonesia

Rattan as a shelter material

Most natives or locals from the rattan rich countries employ the aid of this sturdy plant in their home building projects. It is heavily used as a housing material in the rural areas. The skin of the plant or wood is primarily used for weaving.

Food source and medicinal potential

The fruit of some rattans exudes a red resin called dragon's blood.Some rattan fruits are edible,with sour taste akin to citrus. This resin was thought to have medicinal properties in antiquity and was also used as a dye for violins, among other things. The resin normally results in a wood with a light peach hue. In the Indian state of Assam, the shoot is also used as vegetable.

Corporal punishment

Thin rattan canes were the standard implement for school corporal punishment in England and Wales, and are still used for this purpose in schools in Singapore, Malaysia and several African countries - and similar canes are used for military punishments in the Singapore Armed Forces,
Heavier canes, also of rattan, are used for judicial corporal punishments in Malaysia, Aceh, Singapore, and Brunei

Other uses

Traditionally the women of the Wemale ethnic group of Seram Island, Indonesia wore rattan girdles around their waist.
In early 2010, scientists in Italy announced that rattan wood would be used in a new "wood to bone" process for the production of artificial bone. The process takes small pieces of rattan and places it in a furnace. Calcium and carbon are added. The wood is then further heated under intense pressure in another oven-like machine and a phosphate solution is introduced. This process produces almost an exact replica of bone material. The process takes about 10 days. At the time of the announcement the bone was being tested in sheep and there had been no signs of rejection. Particles from the sheep's bodies have migrated to the "wood bone" and formed long continuous bones. The new bone-from-wood program is being funded by the European Union. Implants into humans are anticipated to start in 2015.

If you need more information of rattan furniture, you can contact this person:

Evan Ramdhani
e-mail: evandhanifurniture@gmail.com