It's something we all dream about. Even people who have what they feel to be the best job in the world wish they could work at home, pick their own hours, sit at their desk in their pajamas while making money online.

Moms with young kids or new first-time moms would do anything to be able to stay at home with their kids instead of having to entrust them to a baby sitter or daycare center. Take it from a mom who's been there, taking your kids to daycare everyday is one of the hardest things in the word.

I can't leave out the dads either! Today there are many dads who wish they did not have to leave their kids behind every day to go to a job that may take them an hour or even more, away from their home. Even if their wife is a stay-at-home mom, dads usually end up getting the bad end of the deal when it comes to being able to see their kids grow up.

So what is the answer? Do you quit your job and hope to be successful in finding something you can do at home that will pay the bills? How do you go about finding that perfect job, one that really makes some money, not one of those programs that promise to make you rich only to drain your pockets of every bit of savings you may have accumulated over the years?

Well I can tell you again, from experience, it is not easy! There are good ways to make money at home, whether you want to work online or if you want to start your own cottage industry. The thing is, you have to look for something that you know how to do, or something that you really enjoy doing. Think about the reasons why you may leave your job in the first place. Job satisfaction is a major factor in being successful or failing.

Make a list of the things you know you are good at. Think of what is big and popular at the moment and try to incorporate that into your new business. For example; if you enjoy cooking and are good at it, you might consider starting a home catering business or even a cake baking service. I love to cook and bake but when special occasions like birthdays come up, I find it hard to find the time to stop and bake a cake, so this type of service would definitely be one that I would be glad to have in my area.

Are you good at knitting or crocheting? Then figure out a way to capitalize on your talents. Scout out local craft fairs and flea markets, keep track of online groups that focus on this type of product in your area.

Right now I make a very good living writing online. I work for an educational company that sends me assignments such as PowerPoint's, college entrance essays, financial reports. etc. I've always loved writing and am very good at it, so I decided to take it one step further and see what I could find online. Let me tell you, if you know what to search for there are literally hundreds of these types of companies out there looking for people who love to write and have a genuine talent for it.

If you are curious how much I am making, well, that depends on how many assignments I take and how fast I can get them done. Since I started this past February, I have averaged $2000 a month with this work at home job. Now if you consider that there is no travel involved, no wear and tear on my car, no gas and the fact that I can deduct a lot of things such as office space in my house, electricity and Internet bill....I think it's the perfect job.

I have another hub that talks about what to watch out for in regards to online businesses and scams. It's very easy to spot a scammer. They usually yell at you with all that great big type in flashing red letters and promise that you will make X amount of money overnight if you join their program. This is true for affiliate programs as well as many work-at-home type jobs that are offered online. The one key point to remember with any at home job is that if they ask you for money upfront IT'S A SCAM! Just stop and think. Would you pay a potential employer money to hire you? I didn't think so. So why would you hand over your hard-earned money to somebody on the Internet who you've never even met? It just doesn't make sense.

If you search online for that special niche that you are interesting in, before you make any moves such as joining or applying for the job, first do some research and find out what you can about your company of choice. The BBB is the best place to check. They will have any information pertaining to the company, good or bad. Use reliable sources and don't rely solely on testimonials from people who say they have had amazing success with such-and-such.

It's really sad how many people get taken by ruthless scam artists these days. It's also sad that this type of activity is allowed on the Internet, but there's really not much anybody can do about it. The bottom line is you have to be smart when you are searching for a work-at-home opportunity. Just look at it as you would if you were searching for brick and mortar work. Take the same precautions you would in the cyber world that you would in the real world. The best example of this is the fact that when I applied for my writing job, I had to fill out a job application, send them references, samples of my work and proof of my college degree. Now that right there made me feel as if this was a company worth working for. When they approved my application and credentials I was just as happy as I would have been if I had been hired for any other writing firm!

So here's the bottom line: decide what you are good at and what you like to do, do you research before jumping into any job opportunity, DO NOT pay any company up front for anything, ask questions to both the company and others who have worked for them in the past, be persistent, check back often and keep in touch with reputable companies, in other words, keep your foot in the door and seriously, just don't give up. I'm living proof that you can make really good money at home with either online businesses or by starting your own cottage industry.