9 Things Incredibly Attractive People Do

Studies have shown time and again that pretty people have an advantage over unattractive people. Most human beings harbor generally superficial tendencies, which is why most people respond to marketing that features attractive models and celebrities.
Attractive people are more likely to become leaders, make more money, get better opportunities, and attract other attractive people as mates.
But beauty is not the only thing that makes people attractive. There are many people out there with slightly better than average looks who are a magnet for adoration. Think hard about the attractive people you know. You'll find that most aren't movie star material and you likely know some who are beautiful on the outside but not so attractive once you get to know them.
Incredibly attractive people make it their business to stay attractive regardless of how life shines upon them. Here's how they do it, along with suggestions how you can be more attractive as well.
1. They smile ... a lot.
Incredibly attractive people love life, all aspects of it. They thrill to challenges as much as they enjoy the rewards of success. They make the most of every minute and live in the moment. They are not afraid to share their joy in their movements and on their face. Feeling unattractive? Try finding the little joys in your day and express each positive notion with a big smile. Soon people will wonder what's causing your happiness and want to join you.
2. They dress to kill.
Dressing well doesn't require a lot of money, but it does require a bit of thought and attention. Incredibly attractive people are fashion conscious not due to vanity but because they know that clothing can set the right mood and tone. They know when to dress it up or take it casual to fit the appropriate environment. You can feel a bit more together by studying up on a few fashion blogs or going shopping with a friend that has good taste. Wear fashion proudly and people will notice.
3. They are careful about what comes out of their mouths.
Nothing makes pretty people ugly faster than stupid things they say. Incredibly attractive people know that you don't have to be the smartest person in the room to maintain interest, but demonstrating your ignorance is sure to push people away. Mystery and attraction go together. Given the opportunity, say enough to pique interest and always leave people wanting more of your brain.
4. They are careful about what goes into their mouths.
Not everyone can be skinny, and people of all shapes and sizes are widely considered beautiful, but incredibly attractive people manage their bodies. How and what they eat matters to others because food is an important part of the social construct. Bad habits such as gum, cigarettes and too much alcohol can knock attractiveness down quickly, even though people won't say anything. Don't let over indulgence and poor choices get in the way of the respect people should have for you.
5. They listen.
Many people are preoccupied with themselves and what's on their own mind. So when someone genuinely shows interest in another and listens, they immediately strengthen their connection with that person. I have personally become closer with a mere acquaintance through sharing an important story. Incredibly attractive people have mastered the art of listening. Try doubling your personal listening-to-talking ratio for a week and enjoy the noticeable difference.
6. They learn.
There is no question that smart is sexy and ignorance is ugly. Incredibly attractive people know you don't have to be a brainiac to maintain admiration, but it helps to be aware of current events and develop your mind. Dedicate an hour a day to making yourself smarter and watch a whole new class of people join you in discussion.
7. They take care of themselves.
It's difficult to be around people who neglect themselves. It's often a clear sign of low self-esteem. Incredibly attractive people hold themselves in high regard. They are strong in self-confidence and care about their bodies. They enjoy life and want to be around for as long as possible. Make your own body a priority. You don't have to be a perfect specimen, but good hygiene and maintenance go a long way to show people that you matter.
8. They take care of others.
A generous spirit is a huge attractor. Incredibly attractive people know that selfishness can is ugliest on the physically fortunate. There is something magical about genuine altruism. Give of yourself freely and the universe will embrace you and shower you with love.
9. They make others feel attractive as well.
I'm not an ugly guy but I certainly won't make the list for People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive this year. Still, when I am with incredibly attractive people I don't feel deficient. I feel like a part of the glitterati because of the way they treat me and include me in their happiness and joy of life. Each person you meet brings something special to your world. Make sure you enhance theirs with the best you have to offer.

Read more: http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/9-things-incredibly-attractive-people-do.html#ixzz3OayYQE1y

The 20 Hottest Startup Hubs In America

Silicon Valley is the most famous place for startups to thrive, but it's far from the only one. A recent report from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation took a look at what areas of the United States had the highest density of high-tech startups.
It broke down which metro areas have seen a rapid rise in the number of startups, and which are coasting on a strong base. Silicon Valley's dominance isn't surprising, but perhaps more so is the rapid rise of places like Kansas City, Portland, and Salt Lake City.
Interestingly, the strongest influence on startup density isn't a strong research university in the area, but a concentration of established companies that help spin them off.

20. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.

Flickr/Tomcio77

1990 rank: 15
Top companies: Qualcomm, Illumina, Isis Pharmaceuticals
San Diego's particularly well known as a hub for biotech companies, driven by UC San Diego and its medical center, but there's a large telecom and technology presence as well.

19. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La.

Courtesy of Ericsch/Dreamstime.com

1990 rank: Outside of top 20
Top companies: iSeatz.com, Kickboard, Entergy
In the aftermath of Katrina, there's been a flood of young, ambitious, and driven people hoping to help reinvent the city. As a result, many more people are starting companies there than ever before, and an increasing infrastructure is being built to support them. There's still a long way to go though.

18. Kansas City, Mo./Kan.

Flickr/ocad123

1990 rank: Outside of top 20
Top companies: Sprint, Cerner, Perceptive Software
Kansas City was the first city to get on the ultra-fast Google Fiber broadband network, which has brought a flood of startups to the area. It has a long history of companies spinning off other innovative companies, as this massive map tracing its tech scene's development shows.

17. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.

Nrbelex via Compfight cc

1990 rank: 20
Top companies: Cox, IBM, Earthlink, First Data, Pindrop
Atlanta's making a concerted effort to move past the one business fact everyone knows about it — that it's the home of Coca Cola — and build itself up as a technology hub. Seventy percent of the country's credit card payments are processed in the area due to a high concentration of payment centers.

16. Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Shutterstock

1990 rank: 18
Top companies: Citrix, Heico
Fort Lauderdale is thought of as more of a vacation destination than tech hub, but leading software company Citrix has been based there for well over 20 years.

15. Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Calif.

Flickr/visualthinker

1990 rank: 8
Top companies: Broadcom, Vizio, Liquidmetal, SendGrid
LA's "Silicon Beach" may get more press, but the Orange County area is surprisingly strong. It benefits from the same concentration of world-class universities, and the weather and beaches can't be beat.

14. Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas

Sotheby's International Realty

1990 rank: 5
Top companies: Texas Instruments, AT&T, Genband
Dallas hosts the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters in the country, and its "telecom corridor" is home to nearly 6,000 companies.

13. Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.

Alan Stark via Flickr

1990 rank: Outside of top 20
Top companies: GoDaddy, LifeLock, First Solar
Phoenix is home to the data centers of a huge variety of companies, beyond its own Internet firms. The fact that it's one of the places in the country least prone to natural disasters makes it a natural hub for a huge tech infrastructure.

12. Wilmington, Del.

Shutterstock

1990 rank: Outside of top 20
Top companies: DuPont, Bank of America, AstraZeneca, Incyte
Delaware's one of the most business-friendly states, from a legal perspective, in the entire country, which is why it's the home of a huge variety of payment and financial firms. Many large companies who aren't based there at least maintain a presence.

11. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore.

Wikimedia/Visitor7

1990 rank: Outside of top 20
Top companies: Elemental Technologies, Jive Software, Puppet Labs, Intel
Portland has emerged as more than just an (occasionally mocked) cultural hub. It's also an increasingly vibrant startup hub, with companies that reflect the city's unique culture. Eleven startups in the area collaborated on a video highlighting a shared culture in the startup scene and are working together to recruit talent to the city.

10. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas

Flickr/Robert Hensley

1990 rank: 3
Top companies: AT&T, Dell, RetailMeNot, HomeAway, Bazaarvoice
Austin has a young, educated population, and has had a vibrant startup community for years with heavy VC funding, particularly in the software and semiconductor space. The relatively low cost of living, coupled with an excellent music and restaurant scene make it easy to convince people to relocate there.

9. Bethesda-Frederick-Rockville, Md.

Google Maps

1990 rank: 2
Top companies: Lockheed Martin, Westat, National Institutes of Health Headquarters
Bethesda benefits from proximity to both Washington D.C. and Baltimore, and is one of the country's most affluent and highly educated cities. 

8. Raleigh-Cary, N.C.

Shutterstock.com

1990 rank:11
Top companies: Red Hat, SAS Institute
The Raleigh area forms one corner of the Research Triangle, which is home to everything from tech startups to massive pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline, Biogen, and Merck, as well as tech giants like IBM.
There's a huge concentration of education institutions in the area as well, including the University of North Carolina, Duke, and North Carolina State, which helps provide a steady stream of talent.

7. Salt Lake City, Utah

Dave Gates via Flickr

1990 rank: 15
Top companies: Domo, Vivint, Qualtrics,
The growing concentration of tech companies in the area has earned it the nickname "Silicon Slopes." The state has made a particular effort to improve its universities in the science and technology fields, and to make it easier to spin research off into companies.
A secret weapon? The area has a particularly high concentration of foreign language speakers due to Mormon missionaries returning after two-year stints abroad.

6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C./Va.

REUTERS/Larry Downing

1990 rank: 10
Top companies: Living Social, Opower, Blackboard, Everfi
Let someone know you live in D.C., and they'll pretty much immediately assume you're an employee of the government or the massive apparatus that's grown up around it.
But there's actually a surprisingly vibrant tech scene, drawn from the broad base of resources, talent and potential customers, like the government's funding of high research, and the growing technological intensity of defense contracting and IT security.

5. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash.

Alex Davies / Business Insider

1990 rank: 12
Top companies: Amazon, Microsoft, Redfin, Payscale
Seattle has one of the most robust tech foundations of anywhere outside of the Bay Area. Giants like Amazon and Microsoft mean that there's a large concentration of extremely bright people from a variety of fields who go on to start their own companies.
Many Silicon Valley companies open up offices there to take advantage of the talent.

4. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo.

Wikimedia Commons

1990 rank: 9
Top companies: Paysimple, Associated Content, Photobucket, Closely
Nearby Boulder was actually named as the No. 1 startup city in America in another recent ranking. The presence of a young, educated workforce helps, as does a state government that's put a particular emphasis on encouraging the local startup community.
The venture capital fund Foundry Group and its influential founder Brad Feld have been a significant booster of startups in the region as well.

3. Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass.

Wikimedia Commons

1990 rank: 6
Top companies: HubSpot, uTest, Akamai, offices for Twitter, Google, Facebook, and Box
A lot of brilliant people come out of the Cambridge area from Harvard and MIT alone. More and more of them are starting companies right there rather than decamping for California, and the area has one of the strongest venture capital environments around.

2. San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif.

Flickr/LiveNature

1990 rank: 4
Top companies: Twitter, Klout, Dropbox, Pinterest
Lots of startup gurus already make their homes in San Francisco. Increasingly, they're basing their companies there too, looking to combine all of the advantages of the Valley with a more vibrant, urban setting.
Still, San Francisco has the same talent crunch, with a real estate market that's even more hotly contested.

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.

flickr/the_tahoe_guy

1990 position: 1
Top companies: Facebook, LinkedIn, Google
This is the heart of Silicon Valley, as it was 20 years ago. Despite producing massive companies like Facebook and Google, it had the largest drop in startup density from 1990 to 2010 among large metropolitan areas, even though it maintains the highest overall concentration.
The proximity to places like Stanford and billionaire investors is appealing, but the incredible cost and competition for talent and real estate can make things tough for those starting out.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/hottest-startup-cities-2013-9?op=1#ixzz3Oaxi2R2E

15 {Surpisingly Simple} Money Saving Tips for Families

Try some of the following money saving tips and use them to take charge of your budget.

1. Organize your grocery shopping

The more organized you are when you go grocery shopping, the more money you can save. Have a list of items you need to buy, an envelope filled with related coupons, and a maximum budget you’re prepared to spend on the trip (this alone can keep you from overspending).
Also, try to shop early in the week when stores are the least crowded. Crowds mean added stress, and that’s never good for a budget-conscious shopper.
And one way to avoid stress is don’t take your 3 boys to the grocery store if you can avoid it. I made that mistake one time when I was in need of kale for my new juicing craze. Holy moly was that mistake! Thankfully I made it out alive but I’m certain a few more gray hairs popped up.

2. Eliminate one service each year that you can do without

The potential here is almost unlimited, since most of us have services we hardly use or don’t ever use at all. It could be canceling a hardly used gym membership one year, a land line telephone service the next, and cable TV the year after that. It may only be $50 to $100 per month, but over the years it really adds up. The easiest way to do this is to have a constant budget going.
My wife is the queen at this so we’re always constantly reviewing what we’re spending our money on each month. I also do this with my businesses (financial planning practice and blog) to make sure I’m not spending money on tools or subscription services I’m no loner using.

3. Never buy “off the shelf”

Any time you plan to buy something, especially something fairly costly, you should always do your homework first. Try the following:

• Surf the web to see who has the item at the lowest price, or if any sales are coming up.
• Check the website of the manufacturer and retailer to see if any coupons are available.
• See if you can buy the same item second hand (more on that later).

By adding research to significant purchases, you can save hundreds of dollars each year. You don’t want to do this for small purchases otherwise you‘ll burn a lot of time on insignificant savings, but you might set a threshold of say, $50 and above.
The best example of this is how we were able to save thousands of dollars when we built our dream home.  In some cases we were able to save 60-70% off the initial price that we found on mirrors, lights, vanities, etc.

4. Participate in – and use – your rewards programs

Many companies offer rewards programs, but not as many people participate in them. Sign up for them where ever possible, and keep tabs of your points. Our first test with this was an Amazon credit card that gave us real money that we could use on Amazon.com.  We let that accumulate until we actually needed something for the home which was great.
I recently signed up for a Southwest rewards card and look forward to booking my first free flight soon. If you’re interested in using rewards points for travel, check out guest post on my blog that showed how you could get a family of 5 for free to Hawaii using reward points.

5. Never fly when you can drive

Air travel has become so common that many people use it as a default choice when ever they travel. But if you are traveling with family, plan to drive instead of flying, especially if the trip is within a few hundred miles.
By driving, not only do you save the airfare of buying four airline tickets for a family of four, but you also have a car when you arrive. If you don’t think your family car is up to the task, you can rent a compact for $300-$400 per week, or roughly the cost of a single airline ticket to many destinations.
While you’re at it, sign up for programs such as Triple A, to add even more savings to major travel purchases. You can save money on hotel stays, car rentals, restaurants, and travel attractions, in addition to other benefit’s the program offers closer to home.

6. Sell what you no longer need

Instead of throwing away items you no longer use, try selling them first to make some additional money. You can have a garage sale once or twice per year, and also sell on Craigslist or eBay. By doing this, you can often raise several hundred dollars per year.
In our area we also have a Facebook community where you can sell stuff really quick.  We’ve sold a couch for $150 that we bought at Ikea over 6 years ago for $400 in one day after we posted it to this Facebook group. That couch has been through 3 kids and 1 dog and we still got a good amount for it.  It definitely proves you can get cash for stuff that you hardly use anymore.

7. Buy clothing in thrift or discount stores

You can buy a shirt or blouse that sells in a retail store for $30, for just $4 in a thrift store, or a $40 pair of pants for $5. Thrift stores don’t have the selection that retail stores have, but you can often come across the perfect item from time to time, sometimes barely used.
At a minimum, you can use thrift store shopping to supplement your regular retail shopping, and save a small fortune in the process. This can be an especially good strategy for buying children’s clothing. Since kids outgrow clothes so quickly, thrift stores offer an opportunity to buy good quality clothes for low prices. And then you won’t mind when they come home with ripped pant knees or shirts stained with red Kool Aid.

If thrift stores aren’t your thing, then take a look at discount stores like T.J. Maxx or Marshall’s.  I can remember buying a new tie for a wedding at Macy’s for $40 only to find the exact same tie at Marshall’s a few weeks later for half the price!  That’s when I knew that anytime I needed a new tie, dress shirt, polo or shorts I would visit one of these places first.
Just recently I snagged a pair of cargo shorts for $25 that I saw in a department store for $60 a few days later.

8. Never buy new what you can get second hand

Just as you should sell what ever you no longer use, others are doing the same all the time. Before you make a major purchase, first look into garage sales and estate sales in your area – you’ll be surprised at the stuff people are looking to unload.
Also, become a regular surfer on Craigslist – it’s like a perpetual garage sale where people are looking to sell anything you can imagine. Best of all, all prices are fully negotiable! Take advantage where ever and when ever you can. You’ll begin to realize that there’s practically nothing you need to buy new again.

9. You probably don’t need a new car – ever

People often get on the new car treadmill early in life, then park there forever. But that’s an expensive way to live. New cars have the following premiums, and the sooner you can rid your life of them, the more money you’ll have:

• The Depreciation Factor – new car values drop like a rock right after you drive them off the dealer lot, and keep dropping for the first few years.
• A permanent car payment – few people can afford to pay cash for a new car, and that brings a monthly payment into the mix. If you’re replacing your car every few years with a new one, you probably never go very long without a payment.
• Higher auto insurance and ad valorem taxes.
• More interaction with dealer repair shops, which are about twice the cost of an independent mechanic.
• Sunk capital – a brand new $30,000 car is holding a lot more of your cash than a $5,000 used car.

Buy a used car for a few thousand dollars – or not more than you have in your bank account. The repairs will cost less than the annual outlay you’ll make for monthly payments on a new car. And the less money you need to put into your car, the more you‘ll have to put into your bank account.

10. Avoid being over-insured

It’s virtually impossible to insure against every potential risk, and you can go broke trying. For example, you don’t need prescription drug coverage if all you ever need is an occasional anti-biotic. Pay cash when you need a prescription, and lower your health insurance premium.
You also don’t need $1 million of life insurance if you only make $50,000 per year. Be sure that any insurance coverage you have roughly matches the reasonable possibility of a negative outcome.

11. Give the gift of time

We often give gifts to people who we can’t spend time with, either for a birthday or at the holidays. If time is less expensive than a gift, plan to spend some with the person or people you want to give something to. An outing, a lunch, a dinner or even a quick cup of coffee could be worth more to a person than a physical gift. It also works wonders for building up relationships.

12. Buy when everyone else is selling

This concept should have universal application in your life. It can apply to investing – ie, buying after a market sell off, so you can pick up investment bargains. But it can also apply to just about anything you might buy.
For example, since retail sales typically fall off in January, nearly everything goes on sale. Plan on doing the bulk of your buying in January rather than November and December.
This also has strong seasonal application. For example, buy your winter clothing in late winter or early spring, when winter items go on clearance.

13. Take better care of your health

We all understand the importance of taking better care of your health as it relates to overall health and longevity, but it also has important financial considerations. By taking better care yourself, you’ll spend less on dealing with the fallout of common illnesses like cold and flu. You can save even more by avoiding controllable health conditions related to inactivity, obesity, smoking and other dangerous behaviors.
Still another health related factor is energy level. The better you feel, the more productive you’ll be, and that usually translates to more productivity on the job or in your business. Health and energy level are often closely correlated to income.

14. Shop with cash or debit cards, not with credit cards

Yes, there are rewards programs that work in your favor with some credit cards, but credit cards also hold the potential of being used as an extension of your paycheck. That’s what happens anytime you allow a balance to slide from one month to the next.
When you do that, you’re adding interest to the cost of what ever you purchased, potentially wiping out any rewards-based savings. With cash and debit cards you’re paying “cash on the barrel” and there’s no chance of getting into debt. That reality will also prevent the possibility of spending more money than you have.

15. Save a minimum of 20% of your net pay

With all the money you will save from the previous 14 tips, you should be able to save up some money! This isn’t just about having money for it’s own sake – it‘s about eliminating the panic factor that often causes you to spend more money than you need to.

A well stocked bank account creates options.

When you have options, you will have time to shop for the best deals, and when you find them, you’ll be able to pay for them. Having money enables you to save money in a way that living hand-to-mouth never can. It takes you out of the state of crisis management, and gives you control over your circumstances. And that’s what you need to have in order to properly care for your family.
What ways has your family found to save money?

Top 135+ Personal Finance Posts for 2009 (That can be used 2010 and beyond)

The start of the decade had us worrying about the digital bug Y2K. Then the last part had us helplessly watching our 401k’s get slashed into 201k’s. As 2009 comes to a close, 2010 starts a decade filled with much uncertainty. One thing that always remains certain is that to achieve financial success, you have to follow basic personal finance principles. Buying less, saving more, investing some: it will never grow old. Because I believe that good basic personal finance advice doesn’t age, I set out to the web and asked some of the best personal finance bloggers to share their favorite articles they wrote for 2009. What’s good in 2009 should still be good for 2010….and beyond.

There’s a ton of great information here, but don’t be overwhelmed. Bookmark it, save it,  Tweet it, Stumble it- whatever your fancy and finish it another day. And just because I felt these bloggers have even more to share, I included their Twitter handle to make it that much easier for you to follow them. (Aren’t I a nice guy?) Lastly, thanks to Pete from Logos for Websites for creating the graphic above. As usual, terrific work.

Final plug: If you like roundup posts, be sure to check out 107 Things That Make Good Financial Cents -another great roundup of practical personal finance advice.

My Favorite Posts From Good Financial Cents (@jeffrosecfp)

• Managing Money While Deployed, My Story.  While deployed to Iraq in 2005, I was able to get financially ahead while I witnessed other soldiers return home in worse financial condition than before we left.  Here’s how I did it.
• How to Prepare for a Storm and/or Emergency. This year we were hit by a mesocyclone that rocked our Mid-western community.  Here’s what I was prepared for and what I wasn’t (but now am).
• How To Do a Background Check on Your Financial Planner. After the Madoff era you would think more people would do a background check on their soon to be advisor, but amazingly 70% don’t. Find out how easy it is and prevent yourself from being taken advantage of.

Bible Money Matters (@moneymatters)

• Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable Or Satellite : People are trying to find ways to cut back. This post talks about a cheaper alternative to paying for cable TV.
• Should There Be Mandatory Personal Finance Classes In High Schools?: Our country is going through tough economic times, and people need all the help they can get with their finances. Is it time that we have mandatory personal finance classes in high school?
• How To Get A Deal And Save Money When You’re Buying Electronics Or Other High Ticket Items: When you’re buying a high ticket item you want to make sure that you’re getting the best deal. Here’s how.

Ask Liz Weston (@lizweston)

• How to Avoid Paying Cash For the Holidays. I’m all for restraining spending and avoiding debt, but cash has quite a few disadvantages. Here are a few.
• FICO: “Never” doesn’t actually mean “not ever”. “Closing accounts can never help your credit score, and may hurt it.” I’ve written that sentence over and over in the decade I’ve been covering credit scoring and the answer seems to be elusive.
• 5 Questions You Need to Ask Your Parents. Knowing some details about your parents’ arrangements and finances can help enormously when the time comes that they die or you need to take over for them.

Mint (@mint)

• Visual Guide to the Financial Crisis. Almost overnight, the talking heads went from perpetuating the euphoria of investors to rushing to pronounce the economy dead. Almost overnight, the talking heads went from perpetuating the euphoria of investors to rushing to pronounce the economy dead
• Five Ways You’ll Know the Recession is Over. The American economy is resilient, and since the 1960’s economic growth phases have dwarfed periods of recessions. So if you believe in history, what goes down eventually goes up. The big question is when.
• Five Bizarre Tax Deductions. With tax season upon us, most people are concerned with just one thing: figuring out a way to not pay Uncle Sam any more than they have to. The quest to outwit the government has produced tax deductions, loopholes, and write-offs that boggle the mind, defy common sense and sometimes seem too outrageous to be true – and yet they are.

Wise Bread (@wisebread)

• 30 Articles to Help You Find a Job in 2010: Whether you’re unemployed or just looking for a way to upgrade your current career, these 30+ articles will help you find the job you deserve in the new year.
• 40 College Resources For Parents and Students: Preparing to send your child off to college is an exciting time, but can also be filled with stress and anxiety as you try to navigate through the admissions and financial aid process, not to mention all the other things that come once accepted. Here are 42 resources to the rescue.
• 40 Awesome Travel Websites That Can Save You a Fortune: Traveling doesn’t have to break the bank (in fact, you can travel for free), and there are plenty of places that’ll help you find the best vacation for your budget. Get discounts and the insider scoop with these great resources.

The Digerati Life (@thedigeratilife)

• How To Pay Off Credit Card Debt: A Success Story. This post offers helpful tips on how to pay down your credit card debt, including an inspiring story of someone who’s succeeded in doing this.
• Stock Market Tips For Beginners: How To Build Investing Experience. This article covers basic investing tips that may help someone new to stock market investments.
• Lower Your Car Insurance Rates! How To Cut Insurance Premiums In Half. Here’s a post that offers some tips and resources for cutting down on one’s auto insurance costs.

Bargaineering (@bargainr)

• Be Successful by Learning Delay Gratification – This is a short post about a study by Joachim de Posada, that kids who delayed gratification were far more successful later in life.
• Regularly Check In On Your Finances – A check in, whether it’s at work or at home, is absolutely crucial whenever you’re working on a team. In the home, it’s important to check in on your finances, whether you’re married or single, because you want to periodically “connect” with your situation.
• How to Budget – This was one of the first foundation series posts and it details how to start budgeting in, hopefully, the least scary way.

ABC’s of Investing

• If you have any bonds in your investment portfolio – have you ever wondered about the relationship between bond prices and interest rates?
• A key aspect to financial planning is a basic understanding of inflation and how it is calculated.
• Stock dividends can be reinvested or paid out as cash. Find out what the difference is.

Cash Money Life (@cashmoneylife)

• Do You Know How Much Interest You Are Paying Each Month? If someone were to ask you how much interest you pay each month, could you give them an honest answer? Chances are, you don’t know how much of your debt payments go straight to the bank, and how little actually pays down your principal. Do this quick exercise, and be prepared to be amazed at the amount of interest you are paying! The result will change the way you think about debt.
• How to Open a Roth IRA. Opening an IRA is one of the easiest things you can do to prepare for retirement. This guide waks you through the process.
• Do it Yourself Debt Consolidation Options. Why pay someone to come up with a debt repayment plan when you can do it yourself without paying anything extra?

Get Rich Slowly (@jdroth)

• The razor’s edge: Lessons in true wealth — My best friend died in January. In this memorial, I share what he taught me about wealth and money.
• How to build confidence and destroy fear — Literally a year in the making, this post shares what I’ve learned about facing my fears head on (financial and otherwise).
• Understanding the federal budget and The truth about taxes make up a two-part post in which I try to cut through the hot air and learn for myself how much Americans really pay in taxes (and how it compares to other countries and to our own past).

Budget Are Sexy (@budgetsaresexy)

• Living the minimalist lifestyle – is it possible? – Fewer things to worry about, less clutter in the house, less maintenance costs, less less less! This is the start of my minimalist journey.
• The $100 Scratch Off Lottery Project – One day decided to play a game that was ridiculously stupid, but also fun, exciting, and rewarding all mixed into one. I bought 100 scratchers and documented my findings – the good, the bad, and the ugly!
• Do you need a “story” to be respected as a blogger? – In particular, a personal finance blogger? Or can any Joe Schmo do it? *coughs*

Man Vs Debt (@manvsdebt)

• Tyler Durden’s Guide to Personal Finance: A unique guide to personal finance in the words of Tyler Durden, himself! Over 17 of Tyler’s most famous quotes and how we can apply them to improve our finances.
• How NOT to Suck at Blogging: On my 6 month blogging anniversary, I reflect on how far I’ve come in a short amount of time and pay homage to those who inspired and mentored me.
• 42 Ways to Radically Simplify Your Financial Life: The more you simplify your financial life, the easier it is to dominate it. Here is a massive list of 42 ways to do just that!

PT Money (@ptmoney)

• 10 Reasons to Get Off Your Butt and Start a Roth IRA: If you ever wanted some motivation to start a Roth IRA, then this is the article to read. There’s a good reason for everyone to get going with a Roth IRA for retirement.
• The Long Road to Buying Life Insurance: In this article I discuss the 7 hurdles you have to jump though to get term life insurance. It’s easy once you know the steps. It still takes a long time though.
• 52 Ways to Make Extra Money: Practical and proven ideas for bringing in extra income. One for each week of the year!

Christian Personal Finance (@christianpf)

• How to make money with a blog – This was a monster article (6000+ words) I wrote about how I grew my blog to a point where I could make a full-time income from it.
• 7 free printable budgeting worksheets – For those who still like the paper and pencil, these are a bunch of budgeting worksheets that you can print out and fill in with a pencil.
• 23 ways for teens to make money (and maybe adults) – These are 23 ways to make a few extra bucks, while the article is geared towards teenagers, many of them could be done by adults looking for some additional income as well.

Free From Broke (@freefrombroke)

• 9 Reasons You Need An Online Savings Account Having an online savings account is a great way to set yourself up on a pathway to saving!
• 25 Traits Of The Not So Well To Do There’s a reason you aren’t wealthy or rich like you see some people – You resemble too many traits of the Not So Well To Do!
• Credit Cards Don’t Suck, You Suck! Quit blaming your credit card problems on your card. Take a look at yourself and take responsibility for your debt!

Debt Free Adventure (@mattjabs)

• Credit Card Debt Reduction – A How To Handbook for getting out of credit card debt. Before you do something you regret… read this article.
• Lending Club – My Review of Peer to Peer Lending – Whether you’re looking to borrow or invest, Lending Club is the best thing since sliced bread. In this article I outline my experience as a Lending Club borrower and offer up insight from several successful and happy investors.
• More Reasons to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Four Pillars (@fourpillars)

• Sometimes people make the mistake of trying to make a business from a hobby. Sometimes this can work but keep in mind that just because you like to do it, doesn’t make it a good business idea.
• If you are a new investor and want some quick tips then check out some beginning investment strategies to consider.
• Are you one of those people in debt who justifies an expenditure by saying “I saved the cash for this purchase”? Remember that spending cash is the same as borrowing if you have debts.

photo credit: donbuciak

JoeTaxpayer (@joetaxpayerblog)

• Roth Mania! a discussion of why the Roth account is not for everyone
• Inheriting or Bequeathing an IRA explaining the rules to properly handle the details of the IRA before and after one passes
• Funding Matched 401(k) addresses the “pay debt or invest” debate when the investment choice is a 401(k) with employer match.

Five Cent Nickel via Matt Jabs (@fcn)

• Is Personal Responsibility Dead? – It is high time we all started taking responsibility for our own actions once again. Period.
• Is it Possible to Live Without Credit Cards? – Sure… it’s possible, I’ve been doing it for several months now – so can you.
• Borrowing From Big Banks – A Moral Issue?

Consumerism Commentary (@flexo)

• “What Works For You” Can Be a Trap: The advice of “do what works for you” allows us to feel comfortable about our financial choices, but it can be dangerous philosophy for your finances.
• Seven Zen Principles to Guide Your Money and Your Life: The concept of “zen” has gained popularity, but we can look at these Japanese aesthetic concepts for real insight into our finances.
• Ten Things I Will Teach My Children About Money: Whether they knew it or not, my parents helped prepare me for financial competency, even if it took me a while to realize it. Here is what I hope to pass on once I have children.

My Dollar Plan (@mydollarplan)

• How Long Do We Really Need to Keep Those Papers? Cleaning out your papers for the new year, here’s what you need to keep and for how long.
• Roth IRA Conversion Strategy to Avoid Taxes. How to stretch your 2010 Roth conversion dollars even further.
• $6,500 Home Buyer Tax Credit for Existing Homeowners. Finally, the tax credit we’ve all been waiting for… extended to existing homeowners!

Being Frugal (@lynnae)

• Don’t Get Hacked or Scammed What I learned when my Facebook account was hacked. Don’t let it happen to you.
• Is your escrow money safe? Maybe not. In this day and age, when banks and mortgage companies are going under, you really need to watch your money.
• How to Get Out of Debt You’ve racked up the debt. Now you want to get out from under it. Here’s how.

Military Finance Network

• Should You Rollover Your TSP Account Into an IRA?. IF=f you have a Thrift Savings Plan account and have separated rom the military or government service, then you should read this article to find out the pros and cons of rolling over a TSP into an IRA.
• Choosing Between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA. Roth and Traditional IRAs are both great retirement plan options. Find out how they are different and which is best for you.
• GI Bill Transfer Rules. The new GI Bill allows current military members to transfer their GI BIll to family members under certain conditions.

Smart Passive Income (@patflynn)

• THE Blogger’s Guide to Facebook: The ultimate resource for anyone who wants to utilize a Facebook Page for their blog or online business, hands down.
• Passive Income Streams 101: Pat shows us in a sweet video, the basics behind creating an automated, passive income business model that allows one to earn a full time income, on just a few hours a week.
• One Year After Getting Laid Off – My Annual Passive Income Report: This is one of the most inspiring and uplifting blog posts you’ll ever read. Not only does it go through Pat’s success story after getting laid off, but he also breaks down exactly where his $203,219.04 came from.

photo credit: Son of Groucho

Debt Kid (@debtkid)

• What Puking After A Workout Taught Me About Money It’s amazing the revelations that come to you when hunched over the toilet.
• Top 11 Money Mistakes That Make Me Crazy – Two words. Ghetto Wheels.
• Get Stuck or Diet Trying – Sometimes being stuck in a bad situation forces you to succeed

Mrs. Micah (@mrsmicah)

• How to Save and Store Critical Financial Information For Your Family. – If something happens to you, will your family know how to handle finances without you? This post includes a handy worksheet and information on where to store it safely.
• Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Kill Myself. Depression can hit anyone, no matter how rich or poor you are, no matter how well-educated or under-educated, employed or unemployed. But you can make it through.
• Is Any Kind of Work Beneath You? With the rise of unemployment during this recession, one question many workers must ask is whether they’re above any kind of work that can feed them and their families.

Fiscal Geek (@fiscalgeek)

• Why My Kids Will Drive a Piece of Crap.  A treatise on the positive benefits of putting your kids in a junker for their first car.
• How to Make your Own Homemade Air Conditioner.  Air Conditioners too expensive? Make your own with an aquarium pump, a cooler and some ice.
• The A-Team talks about 401k’s vs Roth 401k’s.  Who better to explain the differences between a traditional or Roth 401k than a crack commando unit wrongly imprisoned.

Personal Finance By the Book (@pfbythebook)

• How You Can Afford To Be a Stay at Home Mom. Some mothers want to stay at home with their children so badly that they simply quit their jobs without considering the financial consequences.  Others may want to stay home, but have preconceived ideas that doing so is just not financially possible.  Neither extreme is the ideal.  This post will help you work through the thinking process of when and how you can afford to be a stay at home mom.
• Debt Free in One Year…A True Story My son Jeremy and his wife Erin, upon getting married in January of 2009, set a goal of getting out of debt in their first year of marriage.  With $21,500 debt and a very average salary, this was a lofty goal.  This post chronicles their one year journey, bumps and victories alike, on their road to becoming debt free.
• How to Prosper by Celebrating Your Marital Differences Opposites attract.  This is a scientific fact and a tenet to romance.  It is those differences that attract us to the one we marry.  However, when couples no longer appreciate those differences, trouble arises.  This post will challenge readers to recognize each other’s uniqueness and use their differences to prosper financially.  Guess what?  Celebrating their differences will also rekindle a spark in their marriage.

Studenomics (@studenomics)

• The Ultimate Home Buying Guide — Buying vs Renting Detailed Comparison. The only resource you will need to read to help you decide on whether you should buy a home or rent. A 3,000 word post with over 15 valuable links.
• Benefits of a Online Savings Account — And Why You Should Get One. A simple, yet effective post opening up the idea of a online savings account to early-twenty-somethings.
• Overcoming The Fear of Failure. There is no better time that RIGHT NOW to overcome your fear of failing at something. We are often so afraid of what will happen that we give up before we realize our true potential.

Lazy Man and Money (@lazymandandmoney)

• MonaVie Sends a Second Cease & Desist: In 2009, MonaVie, a company who sells $45 wine-bottle-sized fruit juice, twice threatened me with frivilous legal threats. The Consumerist and lawyers from
  Citizens.org offered to help me, but I simply stated my case in the blog post and asked for the community’s help. I got more of it than I dreamt possible.
• How To Be Successful: At the end of the 2008, I tried to figure out some of the basic elements of successful people. In early 2009, I put all 21 tips that I came up with in one blog post that you can read in under 10 minutes. I get a couple e-mails each week thanking me for writing it.
• How Much Does A Dog Cost?: Also early in the year, I did some analysis on how much a dog costs. My wife and I were seriously considering getting a dog. It was one of our biggest financial decisions of the
  year. Over 50 comments from the readers helped guide us to rescuing the right dog for our family.

Jeremy at Gen X Finance (@jeremyvoh)

• How to Roll Over Your 401k – What should you do with your 401(k) after losing or quitting your job? You have a number of options, but making the wrong move could cost you. Learn about your options and see what it takes to roll over your 401(k).
• 5 Reasons Why You Will Retire Broke and Unhappy – Unless you’re planning ahead, you will retire broke and unhappy. Nobody gets to retirement with just a Social Security check and is excited about their financial situation. Here are five things that will ensure you retire broke and/or unhappy and what you can do to avoid it.
• 20 Free Online Finance Courses You Can Take From Home – Ever wish you could take college courses from home? How about taking college courses from home and for free? Well, you can! Here’s a list of 20 free financial courses you can start taking today and they are all 100% free.

No Debt Plan (@nodebtplan)

• Mortgage Payoff: Lump Sum or Monthly? – There are two ways to payoff your mortgage: slow and steady with additional principal or saving up to pay it off all at once. You’ve got to ask yourself: is it better to have that extra money in cash or equity?
• 7 Reasons You Are Still Unemployed – The past year has given us unemployment rates that our country hasn’t seen since the Great Depression. Despite the turmoil there are still jobs to be had out there. If you are still struggling to find your next job this is a great list of advice from someone who works in the staffing industry.
• Avoid Mortgage Acceleration Programs Like the Plague – When you first get a mortgage (or refinance) you will suddenly start receiving marketing letters in the mail offering to set you up on a mortgage acceleration plan. This post sheds some light onto these programs — and why you should avoid them, too.

Money Smart Life (@moneysmart)

• Top Tax Credits for Your Federal Tax Return Tax time is almost here again, check out these tax credits to see if you qualify and can cut your taxes.
• Insurance Claim Tips for Filing a Property or Auto Claim Ever worry that your insurance claim won’t be paid out? Here are some tips on helping get what you’re owed from an insurance claim.
• Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13 BankruptcyFiling for bankruptcy is a major financial decision, here’s a comparison of the implications of Chapter 7 & Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Centsible Life (@centsiblelife)

• Sell it, Give it Away or Donate it?: Whether you are paying off debt, or trying to save up for a savings goal, getting rid of your excess stuff can be a fruitful endeavor. I will show you what’s worth selling, what you should just give away, and what items make a tax deductible donations.
• Kids and Allowance: If you have kids, part of your job as a parent is to teach them about money management. Here I discuss why an allowance is an important tool, and how you might go about giving your kids an allowance.
• Budgeting Bi-Weekly Pay: Most conventional budget advice doesn’t apply if you are paid bi-weekly. I discuss how you can budget for bi-weekly pay, and trick yourself into living on less.

Passive Income Now

• Introduction to Making Money Online. A general introduction to the world of making money online. If you want to earn a few dollars on the internet in your spare time then this is the blog for you.
• The Paradox Of Choice For Passive Income. When it comes to passive income there is a plethora of options. How does one decide which route to take?
• Roth IRA Compared To 401k. An important tool for investors as tax season slowly approaches and decides need to be made.

Darwin’s Finance (@everydayfinance)

• Net Present Value Explained – You don’t need to work in Finance in order to realize the benefit in utilized NPV calculations in everyday life.  Utilization ranges from picking between various refi options to whether you should invest in an improvement to your home.  NPV analysis will tell you if it’s worth it!
• How Wall Street Violated the Most Basic Rules of Physics – A fun and science-based corrolary to the stupidity we just witnessed in the formation and handling of the financial crisis.
• 7 Year-End Tax Tips You Can’t Miss! - A review of 7 actions you can take prior to year-end plus a few you should wait for until next year – all with the intent of optimizing your deductions.

Consumer Boomer (@consumerboomer)

• Identity Theft: Capital One Save Me! When I discovered I was a victim of identity theft, it left me sick.  I soon was feeling much better when I talked to the people at Capital One.
• How to Tap Your 401k with No Penalty.  If you need some cash and worried about paying a penalty if you touch your 401k, here’s what you need to know to tap your 401k penalty free.
• My Pella Storm Door Warranty Claim.  Are Pella storms doors really the best of the best?  This is what boomer thinks.

Financial Samurai (@financialsamura)

• You’re Rejected!  How I Use Rejection to Motivate Me Every Single Day, we discuss  strategies that allow you to harness the power of rejection to your advantage.
• We”re Ignorant Idiots, Please Tell Us Why A Flat Tax Isn’t Fair we lay out a very simple example as to why the flat tax is not only fair, but the right tax policy for America.
• Someone Has To Give Birth, Women Shouldn’t Be Penalized For Being Moms, we discuss the prejudice against a women, from another woman’s perspective, and why we feel all women in the work place should get as much slack as possible.

photo credit: inked78

Miranda Marquit Freelance Writer (@mmarquit)

• One of biggest impacts on personal finances this year was the Credit CARD Act. How it affects individual personal finances is Big News, and it might have long-last effect, especially for those who happen to be carrying a balance.
• During a recession, you have to be smarter with your money. Here are 6 smart moves for a recession. They’re even smart money moves for good economic times.
• Even Good Debt Can Be Bad Debt.  We always hear about how some debt is “good.” But you can always have too much of a good thing. And that means even “good” debt can go bad.

Canadian Finance Blog (@canadianfinance)

• The Psychological Effects Of Risk: If we understand the positive effects of investing in stocks over other safer investments, then why do we choose to invest in less risky products?
• Where To Find Other Sources Of Income: After you’ve cut as many expenses as you can to free up money from your current income, the next step to saving more could be to look for other sources of income.
• Is The Current Market A Return To Normal?: A look at interesting research on business cycles and how it applies to our current economic situation.

Redeeming Riches (@redeemingriches)

• Should You Give Money to a Homeless Person? This is a very fair question because on the one hand we all have an innate sense to help others and on the other hand a lot of us have that feeling that the homeless person will not use the money to buy food, but rather on something he shouldn’t whether it be lottery tickets, drugs or alcohol.  These are legitimate concerns and a question that I think is ok to ask.
• Do You Make These 4 Common 401k Mistakes? We all make mistakes – some of them are just more costly than others.  When it comes to our retirement savings there’s a host of mistakes that could cost you – find out if you’re making them!
• How to Save (Potentially) Thousands by Spending $3.99For the price of your favorite grande beverage at your local coffee house you can potentially save thousands of dollars if you put this plan into place.

Amateur Asset Allocator (@kyleAAA)

• 401k Plans Suck And Must Die – 401k plans were a good idea, but they just don’t work in practice.
• How To Find A High Interest CD Online – How to use the internet to find the highest possible CD rates.
• Outfit A Complete Home Gym For Less Than The Cost Of A Year At The Gym – While nice, gym memberships are completely unnecessary. Here’s all the equipment you need to get in the best shape of your life, all from the comfort of your own home.

Some Bonus Additions:
From David Leonhardt’s SEO and Social Media Marketing (@amabie)

• SEO Strategies for Financial Websites: An overview of strategies that financial websites can use to increase their visibility and traffic.
• Twitter Success for SOHO Small Business: Twitter is known as a great networking tool for consultants and global businesses. Here are some tips that local small businesses can use to make Twitter work for them, too.

From Self-Help Happiness Blog

• Money, Greed and Happiness: Money can’t buy happiness. But money does come in handy. This post discusses how the 2009 credit-crunch recession relates to happiness.

Art of Manliness (@artofmanliness)

Brett over at Art of Manliness runs an awesome blog and I asked him to contribute his top 3 posts.  They are not personal finance related, but a great addition to round out the top 3 posts for 2009.

• 100 Must See Movies For Men: The Men’s Essential Movie Library We put together a collection of films that captures what we think epitomizes manliness. From Butch Cassidy to The Great Escape, this list has you covered.
• 30 Days to a Better Man Wrap-up: In June we did a month long program to help men improve themselves. Each day we provided a task for a man to complete that helped men better their financial status, their fitness level, and their personal life.
• The Ultimate Pushup Guide: This was a fun post to write up. We show readers 35+ different push-up variations. With this humble exercise you can get a full body workout absolutely free.

65 Home Business Ideas You Can Do From Your Kitchen Table

There’s something alluring about chilling in your comfy pants while in the confines of your own home and getting paid at the same time.
No annoying co-worker to interrupt your day with the company gossip that you could give a rip about.

No mandatory meetings that leave you “zombified” that even a cup of the strongest black coffee can remedy. Just you, your computer, and the freedom to get stuff done.
Before you get excited about starting your home based business idea, you first have to make sure you have the right tools in place. The main tool is a speedy Internet connection. Most home based businesses will require some sort of Internet connection. With a good Internet connection, you can also take care of a phone and fax. Isn’t technology great?
On top of the right tools, you should also have a dedicated office or work space that’s free from distractions. No TV’s! When’s it’s time to work you only want to be doing one thing: working.
Now that you have the right tools and workspace, let’s look at some of the top 65 home based business ideas you can start today.

Home Businesses Ideas That Require Training

All of these ideas require some background in the area, but they are an ideal way to use your already-acquired skills in a work-from home business. And even if you do not already have the necessary training, there is nothing keeping you from getting certified in order to start your home-based business.
1. Graphic Design. Businesses always need graphic designers to help them convey information visually, through logos, advertisements, posters, websites, and the like. While it is possible to be an entirely self-taught graphic designer, most have either a certification or a degree. Other than the cost of design software, this business has very little overhead and can be done anywhere with a dedicated computer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic designers have a median salary of $45,000.*
*All median salaries listed are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unless otherwise noted.
2. Bookkeeping. This is a perfect business idea for trained accountants who would like to work from home, although it is not necessary to be a Certified Public Accountant in order to become a freelance bookkeeper—it’s just necessary to have the background knowledge that bookkeeping courses at any community college can offer. This kind of freelance work is especially helpful for small businesses that do not need or cannot afford a fulltime bookkeeper, making it possible for you to have full time work through several smaller clients. Median salary: $34,000.
3. Home Inspection. An important part of the home buying process is having a professional home inspector go through the house to determine the condition of the building and point out any potential problems. A home inspector needs to meet the state regulations for the profession, which varies from state to state, although anyone who has worked in the construction or housing industry will have a leg up. Median salary: $52,000.
4. Massage Therapist. While licensing requirements for massage therapy can vary from state to state, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork can help any budding masseuse fulfill their local requirements. Massage therapists can either work out of their own home or make house calls with a portable massage table. Median salary: $34,900.
5. Tax Preparation. No one likes doing taxes, and they need to be paid whether the economy is booming or tanking. This is why at-home tax preparation can be a great business for anyone with a tax background, or anyone willing to take training courses. Since there are annual changes to the tax code, you will need to refresh your training each year, and you will also need to register with the IRS as a tax preparer. This is more of a seasonal business than a year-round endeavor, but it can be a great way to earn some extra income each winter/spring. Median salary: $30,900.

6. Doula. A doula is a labor coach that can help a birthing mother in any labor environment, from a hospital to a midwife clinic to home. Doulas are non-medical professionals who offer information, emotional support, and physical assistance in the process of giving birth. While licensing for doulas is not required by most states, getting certified by DONA International, the only certifying body for this profession, is a good idea. Doulas do have to deal with unpredictable schedules, but they easily can do this work from home. Doulas generally charge between $500 and $1000 per birth.
7. Hairstylist. If you have experience cutting hair and giving manicures, opening up shop from your home is an excellent way to start your own salon. Make sure that you follow all of your state’s requirements for doing salon care in a home, as they can be stringent. Median salary: $22,500.
8. Interior Designer. While you do not need a degree or certification in order to set out an interior designer shingle, it is really necessary in order to make sure you can meet the needs of many clients. An education in the history and theory of design will allow you to understand trends that you may not like, but your clients do. Median salary: $46,280.

Meeting the Remote Needs of Companies

Many small businesses have gaps in what their employees can take care of. Hiring a full time employee to fill in those gaps isn’t necessarily feasible, which is where your work-at-home business comes into play. Here are some work-at-home ideas that every business needs:
9. Copywriting. These writers put together promotional materials for businesses, including ads, websites, newsletters, commercials, direct mailings, and many others. Copywriters generally have a degree in advertising, marketing, English, or communication, but any excellent writer can do a great job copywriting. Median salary: $55,000.

10. Virtual Assistant. This is a worker who handles any number of small tasks for a business or individual. Tasks include answering emails, data entry, scheduling, managing blogs, and even shopping. Anyone can become a virtual assistant. According to Indeed.com, the average salary for virtual assistants is $42,000.

11. Courier Service. If you live in a bustling area, chances are local businesses could use a local courier service. Unlike the big name services, you can offer more flexible pick-up and drop off times, which can be a godsend to many small businesses. According to About.com, half of couriers earn in the $17,000 to $27,000 range.
12. Marketing Consultant. Whether you are helping a business with traditional marketing materials or instructing them on the fine art of blogging (ahem) and social media, this is a business that has almost unlimited potential for freelancers. Median salary: $108,000 (!).
13. Editing. Like copywriting, this is a freelancing gig where it’s helpful to have a background in English or communications—but any eagle-eyed writer could do great job. Median salary: $51,470.
14. Web Design. Helping clients design the best website for their needs is a great way to make a living from home. About.com lists the median salary as of 2008 at $65,270.
15. Translation. If you know a second (or third) language, you can make a living at home translating documents. It’s a global marketplace, and even the best translation software can’t understand linguistic nuance. Median salary: $43,300.
16. Video Production. Everyone wants a piece of YouTube, so talented freelancers can make a great living producing videos for companies and organizations. Rates vary by area, equipment, and background.

17. Internet Security Consulting. If you’re tech savvy and understand the ins and outs of internet security, consider becoming a consultant for small businesses. Unlike the big boys, these companies can’t afford the huge security budgets, but they still want to be able to protect their internet customers.
18. Green Consulting. Many smaller companies would like to find ways to make their processes greener without spending more green. You can help them to figure out ways to improve their carbon footprint without sacrificing the bottom line.
19. Grant Writing. Non-profits, universities, hospitals and other community organizations all have a great need for grant money to supplement their budgets, but grants are notoriously tricky to write for the first time. If you have experience writing grants, or are willing to learn how to do it by practicing your skills without pay for a few non-profits, you can start a lucrative freelance grant writing business. According to eHow, grant writers can make anywhere from $40, 300 to $67,000.

20. Medical Transcription. You hear about these opportunities, and they often sound like scams. But the truth is that the medical industry has a great need for individuals to transcribe audio dictations into coherent reports. Transcriptionists do need education—generally a two-year degree—to make sure they are clear on the arcane medical terminology. Median salary: $32,900.

21. Debt Collection. It takes a very thick skin to go into this business, but debt collectors only need a telephone and a computer to work, making it a great work-at-home business. It’s also a recession-proof (or even recession-loving) business. Licensing requirements vary from state to state, so make sure you do your homework before setting up shop. Median salary: $31,300.
22. Call Center Representative. Believe it or not, it is possible to actually reach a woman named Peggy (and not a man with a Russian accent) when you call customer service. That’s because of the homeshore movement, which is trying to hire more independent contractors to work from home on customer service issues. If you’ve got a phone line and an internet connection, you can work from home as a call center rep. Median salary: $30,460.

Make Your Hobbies Pay

Anything you love to do for fun could also become a great at-home gig.
23. Blogging. It takes some time to grow an audience and find ways to monetize your blog, but if you love to share your point of view with the world, this can be a good way to work from home. Niche blogs are a particular area of growth in this ever-growing profession. Pay can vary widely, but the income potential is nearly limitless.

Want to start a blog for super cheap? Check out how my wife and I make money blogging and how you can set up your blog in less than 10 minutes HERE.

24. E-book author. Publishing is dead; long live the e-reader! Now that anyone can have their work e-published, it is possible for anyone to make a fortune off their writing. The biggest recent example is the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, but there are many authors taking advantage of the ease of e-publishing. If you love to write and are willing to do your own promotion (and having a blog can really help in that case), writing an e-book is an excellent way to make money at home.
25. Building furniture. Everyone loves a well-built and handmade piece of furniture. If you’re already spending time in your workshop, why not sell your wares? Etsy is an excellent place to start selling without having to have a physical storefront.
26. Sewing. Whether you’re making onesies and quilts for sale online or at local markets or doing repairs and alterations for locals with ill-fitting clothes, your sewing machine could be your ticket to a work-from-home business.

27. Personal Organizer. If you’re someone who reorganizes closets for fun, offer up your services to harried and disorganized individuals and businesses.
28. Home Staging. If rearranging furniture is your idea of fun, home staging is a great home-based business. You will help sellers get their homes looking beautiful so they sell as quickly as possible.
29. Herb Farming. Gardening can be very relaxing, and potentially very lucrative. With both the increased interest in alternative therapies and the demand for locally grown and organic foods, an herb farmer can find plenty of customers, particularly if you’re in an urban area. While this does require some space for growing, herbs are fairly small and nearly any home can be slightly modified to allow for an extensive herb garden.

30. Electronic Repairs. If you’re the sort who takes apart the computer for fun, operating an electronics repair shop out of your home is a natural decision. In particular, repairing iPads and other tablets would provide you with a great deal of business, as many tablet users are looking for a less expensive way to fix smashed screens and other damages that can be costly through the manufacturer. Median salary: $49,170.

31. Baking. Beautifully decorated cakes and cookies, artisan bread, and artful pastries have become all the rage, partially thanks to shows like Ace of Cakes. Median salary for bakers: $23,450.
32. Personal Chef. As a personal chef, you would spend your time whipping up delicious meals for those who don’t have time to cook but do have money to burn. The best way to make a name for yourself as a personal chef is to offer meals that fit stringent dietary or allergy requirements.

33. Mystery Shopping. For many people, the idea of getting paid to shop is a dream come true. There are many mystery shopping scams to beware of, however. Never accept a gig that requires an upfront fee—that’s a good sign it’s not legit. According to the website Scambusters, legitimate mystery shopping can pay anywhere from $8 per job up to $50 to $100 per job.
34. Bargain Hunting. If you love a bargain and know how to make coupons, specials, and unadvertised deals your penny-pinching bitch, then you could help others learn how to save money—and turn a profit. The Grocery Game’s Teri Gault is the most famous at-home bargain hunter turned millionaire, but you could be next.
35. Personal Stylist. You have an eye for clothes and know what styles look best on what body types. So turn your passion for fashion into a business by becoming a personal stylist/shopper. You’ll feel good about making others look great.
36. Catering. If you love to cook on a grand scale, why not start a catering business out of your home? How much you make depends on the scale of the assignments you take, and your ability to correctly decide how much your materials will cost. But this is also an industry where you can start small and work you way up to bigger gigs—and profits.
37. App Designer. Creating a profitable app for smart phones isn’t necessarily about having the best or most innovative idea: it’s about creating the best user experience for that idea. That’s how app designers are able to make their work-from-home a full time job—and then just live off the passive income.
38. Furniture Refinishing and Repair. You might have made a hobby of refinishing and repairing garage sale finds. Now, make your skills profitable by offering to make old furniture as good as new. After all, retro is definitely in.
39. Landscape Design. If you’re never happier than when you are landscaping your yard, landscape design might be the home-based business for you. This is a relatively new field, so you can get some background knowledge through a degree, although schools that offer these degrees are somewhat rare, or you can intern with another landscape designer.

40. Tour Guide. You may love exploring all the fun corners of your hometown, but it might not occur to you to make that hobby a business. This is an especially good idea if you can offer themed tours or other niche tours. Median salary: $23,620.

Necessary Services

Everyone needs a hand sometimes. Here are ways you can lend one and make a living.
41. At-Home Daycare. This is an especially good idea for stay-at-home-parents who need to bring in some money. You’re already staying home with your kids: why not invite a few others to the party? Licensing for in-home daycare varies from state to state, but you will want to make sure you comply with your local regulations. Median salary: $19,300.
42. Off-Hours Daycare. Though this is basically the same as above, it does deserve its own description. Finding someone to regularly watch children during off-hours, like second shift, weekends, or very early mornings, can be extremely difficult for parents. Offering care during off-peak hours means that you can command a higher fee.
43. Elder Care. In most cases, work-from-home elder care workers will make daily house calls to their patients to help with anything from meal preparation to self-care to minor home repairs. Median pay: $20,170.
44. Lawn Care. While once the province of teenagers, lawn mowing, gardening, raking, and snow removal can be a legitimately grown up home-based business.

45. Dog Walker. This job isn’t just for New Yorkers anymore. Any large community can use dog walkers to help the area Fidos and Rovers make it through the master’s long workday.
46. Pet Sitter. If you can find pet owners who are willing to bring their dogs and cats to you, this is truly a home-based business. Otherwise, you’ll need to be willing to live at other houses (or at least visit 3-4 times a day) while you’re working.
47. Pet Grooming. Most pet owners don’t quite have the stomach or the time to clip nails, bathe, or give haircuts to their animals. With a couple of small tweaks to a bathroom, basement, or laundry room, you could have a full service doggy salon in your home. Again, it’s important to double-check your local requirements for this.
48. Travel Planning. While anyone can check an aggregator site for the best price to fly to Saint Louis, planning a more elaborate trip might be too much for some travelers. This is where a travel planner comes in, using his skills to find the best trip—including flight, accommodation, rental car, and tours—for the budget.
49. Meal Planning. One of the best ways to keep a grocery budget—and a waistline—in check is to do meal planning. But for some, this kind of planning is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. A meal planner could put together a list of a week’s recipes, along with a grocery list, for a harried but budget-conscious shopper.

50. Resume Writing. If you have a knack for making a resume shine, you could offer your services to job seekers.

51. Party Planning. From weddings to birthday parties to corporate events to conferences, the details of putting on a huge bash can be beyond the average party-giver. That’s why they’ll turn all the planning over to you. Median salary: $45,260.
52. Child Proofing. Keeping our kids safe is so important, but the details of how to do so can be confusing. A professional child proofing business is inexpensive to start up, but there may be state regulations to follow. It’s also a good idea to apprentice with a child proofer in order to learn the business.
53. Digital Media Conversion. It’s time consuming to convert old school media like CDs into digital files. If you have excellent tech skills, this is a service you can offer to the tech-phobic and time-crunched alike.
54. Tutoring. A background in education is helpful for tutoring, but not necessary. All you really need are mad skillz in one or more academic area, and you can help local students do better in their classes.

55. Patient Advocacy. With the byzantine complexity of modern medical billing practices, there is a definite need for patient advocates. These individuals take the time to track down hospital billing paperwork and potentially argue with insurance companies. Considering the fact that many of those who need to hire advocates are either ailing or grieving, this is a very necessary service.
56. Personal Trainer. You love to work out and you know the ins and outs of nutrition and exercise. Share your passion with novice exercisers, either out of your home or through a local gym. Median salary: $31,090.
57. Junk Removal. Anyone who has ever had the unenviable task of cleaning up a house for sale after the death of the owner knows just how important this job is. Junk removal can be as simple as hauling away unwanted stuff to the dump, or it can be as complicated as separating out the trash from the treasures and handling the actual sale of the goods.
58. Appraiser. We all love the moment in Antiques Roadshow when the owner learns how much their heirloom is worth. Becoming an antiques appraiser will allow you to live that moment every day. This does require a background education in the subject and access to an excellent reference library.
59.  Music Teacher. Teaching piano (or guitar or violin or singing) lessons out of your house is a well-established way for stay-at-home spouses to make a little extra cash. If Lois Griffin can do it, so can any musically minded entrepreneur.

60. House cleaner. With very low overhead and a skill set that is very easy to learn, housecleaning is one of the easiest businesses to start. Depending on how much you want to grow, the income potential is pretty limitless.

Opportunities That Didn’t Exist 15 Years Ago

As technology develops, so do entrepreneurial opportunities. Here are some work-at-home jobs that our parents would never have anticipated:
61. Online Store. It used to be that if you had a product to sell, you also had to have a storefront and all the costs associated with it. These days, you can sell anything to anyone anywhere in the world. Whether you’re marketing the organic honey from your backyard apiary, or selling personalized linens that you embroider yourself, you can find a market for your products online.

Note from Jeff:  My good buddy Steve Chou from MyWifeQuitHerJob.com has created an online course that people step by step in building their own online store.  His wife was able to quit her job and together their online store produces in the six figures. If interested, check out his Profitable Online Store course here.

62. eBay Sales. The other option for online sales is to simply become the eBay middleman. Millions of vendors sell their wares on the online auction house. If you can find an inexpensive source for (legally!) saleable merchandise, you can get into business.
63. Micro Jobs. With the advent of Fiverr, we saw a brand new way to assign and accept work: little jobs for small payouts. But it’s no party trick. Apps like Gigwalk and sites like Mechanical Turk make it possible to cobble together a living with lots of little assignment each day.
64. Internet Marketing Affiliate. If you already have your own website or blog, you can earn money by becoming an affiliate. You can either sell products directly and earn money that way, or you can sign up others as affiliates, much like multi-level marketing.
65. Get Paid for Social Media. Some Twitter users are able to leverage their huge following into a paid gig for advertisers. Prolific bloggers have been known to get paid for commenting on other blogs. If you are a social media expert, you can use that expertise to earn money. People want to reach your audience and are willing to pay you for it.

The Bottom Line on Working From Home

There’s no need to work for The Man. Home business opportunities are plentiful, as will be your opportunities to work in your pajamas