Rising Prices

With gas prices the way they are, lots of people are trying to find ways to work from home or make a fast buck. The biggest problem with that is that they are so willing to try anything that they jump at every offer out there. Here's the catch...There are many websites, telemarketers and even mailings out there that are bogus and once you fall for one of the phony offers not only could your credit be ruined but your entire identity could be stolen and it can take years to repair the damage.

I think now is a good time to start a discussion on how to find legitimate ways to earn a little extra money to fill up that gas tank, and how to spot those scams and avoid the traps.

There are far too many options out there and you will have to do some research but I will try to get you on track to finding those opportunities. Lets start.

I work for a company called Alpine Access. They started here in Colorado but have grown and add more states all the time. You'll have to see if they are available in your area yet but you can go to www.alpineaccess.com to find out. They are a home based customer service company with many portfolios to choose from, from temporary part time positions to full time positions.

There are several companies that have this kind of work available, the biggest differences are that some of them require you to be a "independent contractor" where you are responsible for your taxes and a DBA name and tax id. Others are the employer and you are a real employee so you get a paycheck and they do the withholdings and all the behind the scenes work.

On average, the pay is between $8-$12/hour but you can find more or less depending on the service you are providing.

Keep in mind you don't have to fill the tank and send the kids off to day care! You do, however, have to ensure a quiet, distraction free work place. Even though you work from home, you can't go screaming at the kids, have the dogs barking, radio/tv blaring, etc. If you don't take it seriously, you'll miss out on the opportunity and have to get right back in the rush hour of that good ol rat race.

Next time: A list of some of the companies that hire at home professionals and how to find them yourself.