Once was a time when the American Dream was to own a home, two cars, have a family and maybe ultimately become independently wealthy. Those days are not necessarily gone, and for a lot of people that dream has not changed, but in the last few decades, about half of middle class America has had to reduce to one car, while simultaneously increasing to two incomes. Used to be a time when we said ‘tough times are here, but things will get better’. But one economic study after another has indicated that two-income single car households are now the norm, and the dollar does not go as far as it used to.

So Americans have decided to find alternate ways to make that second income. If having a yard sale isn't going to cut it, the most ideal situation for a second income is the ability to work from home, but there are very few jobs that will allow a person to ‘telecommute’. That doesn’t mean you can’t earn money from home, however. When you need money quick, here are ten of the best ways to earn an income from your own home.

Note: these are legitimate tips on how to make money from home, not ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes or minor activities that only net you ten or twenty bucks a month. Your success depends on you. We make no guarantees of income and cannot promise you will be able to work from home simply because you tried one of these ideas.

1. Make and sell your stuff.

Usually when people hear this, they think of things like carpentry; furniture makers or skilled craftsmen, or people who make decorative crafts and sell them on boutique sites. But there are any number of things you can make at home and sell online to supplement your income. Got a super-secret tasty BBQ sauce recipe? What about an authentic spaghetti sauce? You can make it and sell it online! And we’re not just talking about specialty sauces. Increasingly, comfort food saues like salsa or pasta sauces are becoming big sellers online to those who just don’t have the time to cook a full meal at home, but want that home cooked taste that doesn’t come from a store brand jar or can! And, of course, if you do have a talent for arts or crafts, there are plenty of outlets for you to sell your products.

2. Work remotely for a call center.

If you have a computer, internet connection and a good landline, chances are you already have the tool to remotely work for a call center. Many call service oriented businesses are realizing they can cut a lot of costs by having their employees make calls from home. You can work for a politician, survey taking business, or any number of services that involving contacting people by phone. If you use your computer to make the calls, there are lots of online programs that will keep track of your calls and you can be paid on that basis. Do an on line search for ‘call center employment’ and check out the results.

3. Become a consultant.

Do you have specialized knowledge about a given subject? Got experience and knowledge about such things as interior design, or financial counseling, or something else that would be useful to the public? Start your own consulting business. You don’t necessarily have to shell out a whole lot of expense to get the word out. Social media is a great source to advertise your service, and enlist your friends to help spread the word about the services you offer. The rest is up to you.

4. Sell your words.

Like to write? Check out online services such as ‘Upwork’ or ‘Freelancer’. These services connect freelance writers with businesses who need to have their content written in a professional, humorous, or simply plain communicating manner. Thanks to these online services, freelance writing is not just for those who were lucky enough to get into the business. As always, it is important to build and maintain a good reputation, but eventually you could find your services in high demand. (Note: the person who wrote the words you are reading right now did so from his office at home. It does work.)

5. Medical transcriber.

It may sound similar to freelance writing, but this particular service does require specialized training, usually from your local community college or an online service. The cost is around $3,000 for the certification process. This is because medical transcription is an exacting task, and you need to be familiar with a lot of terminology that is not typically used in the public vernacular. But, if it’s something you think you would enjoy, then consider the cost an initial investment in your home business. Check first with your local community college and see if they offer training as a medical transcriber.

6. Open up a bed and breakfast.

Got an extra room or two? Live in a place tourists like to visit? Do you have a very high tolerance for strangers being in your home, and don’t mind making them breakfast? You might want to think about operating your own bed and breakfast. In most states, B&B’s don’t have to have the same kind of business license as regular hotels/motels, and if you live in a highly desired destination, you could put your extra bedrooms to work for you. This is especially appealing to those whose children have recent grown and moved out of the house. We don’t recommend just hanging out a shingle with “B&B” painted on it. Do plenty of research into what it will take to operate a successful one, so you know what you’re getting into.

7. Sell used books.

If you have one or two used bookstores in your town, or some thrift stores that have a book section, you might be able to make a profit from buying those books and selling them online. Amazon is a good place to do this. Even if you sell a book that costs you a dollar for three or four dollars online, you’ve made a decent profit that can really add up over the course of the week. Remember: buy low, sell high.

8. Be an online juror.

This one will demand your time and concentration, but it can provide a few extra bucks by working from home. Check out website like ‘ejury’ or ‘online verdict’. These are companies that ‘sell’ juries to law firms who stage mock trials in order to get a feel of how a real jury would vote. This is completely legit. Essentially, these attorney firms prefer to try out arguments on synthetic juries who can give them potentially valuable feedback on how to conduct their actual cases.

9. Try Tutoring.

Simply put, if you have decent knowledge in an academic subject, you can very likely make money tutoring those who need help in that academic subject without ever leaving your home. Everything is conducted online, sometimes via live video (so make sure you’ve got the right equipment). There are a few services out there that will link you up with potential clients. Check out ‘tutor.com’ and go from there.

10. That one great idea.

Are you the inventive type? Do you have a product in mind that you think would sell millions if only there were someone who could help you get started? We could name any number of stories about someone who built a light camping trailer and wound up selling millions because it was a unique design or had incredibly useful features, or that other someone whose grandmother had recipes for homemade soap in her attic and now she markets an entire line of personal cleansing products. If you have that one great idea floating around in your head, you could be sitting on a potential gold mine of income. Not sure how to get started? Try this search: “How do I get my invention to market?” Skip over all the “sponsored” links and thoroughly read through all the articles you can find.

Once you’ve done that, make sure you do some research on how much you will need in startup costs. As with all new products, there is always an initial investment, and we want to make sure you understand all the risks involved. Once you’ve done that and you find you still need seed money to get the materials to fire up your new invention, come see us at CASH 1 and get cash for title loans with Nevada title loans or Arizona title loans.