If you want to be a WAHM (work at home mother) remember, dependent upon the age of your child, a mother who is a full time stay at home mom can work harder, longer hours then those who go to work. Don’t get me wrong, it is tough for those who go to work but WAHMs have many more demands. A recent study said women who stay home and are full time moms work 96 hours a week, women who go to work, including mother hours, work about 53.

Work at home moms: it is hard. You can’t dedicate the time you want to your business and your children, so make sure it is a job you can do.

1. Start easy, don’t just quit your job and work full time from home or just be a stay at home mother. In some instances it helps with less bills, but in others, you’re making more bills: more electricity, more food, more heating/AC, etc. Start by going down to part time! (especially if you can get hours while your kids are in school)

2. Thinking you’re going to run your business online is harder! It’s harder to sell products and more often then not, you lose money. Make sure its something that you can sell. If you can’t, then it isn’t for you.

3. Act is if you’re going to a real job: get dressed and presentable. If you are dressed for what you’re going to sell, you will feel more motivated to sell then if you did it in your pajamas with your hair not brushed and your breath not fresh.

4. Set aside specific hours and create a routine. If you get your children into a routine by saying, “Mommy is working these hours, you will have to entertain yourself during these hour,” then you will be able to dedicate time to what you are trying to do, earn income, and raise your kids at the same time.

5. Try not to just settle on one thing. The old, “Don’t place all your eggs in one basket,” trick is a great one, if you’re going to run an online business such as eBay etc. You don’t have to be at the computer 24/7. If you know make-up, try the age old standard of selling Avon or Mary Kay. Even if you only do a few parties a month or have regular clients, thats regular income you could be earning.

6. Don’t think you’re going to make your millions on pay-per-click emails. It isn’t going to work. There are programs where you actually get money (not a lot) such as being a ChaCha guide, or a paid per postie. (If you did all the posts, 3 a day, you could look at about 500 dollars a month, if they are all approved.)

7. Spend less, Make more. If you don’t have to buy it, don’t. Don’t go all out and buy everything at once for your stay-at-home business. Use what you have at home and buy as you need. Make a list of the items you need more often then not, and stick to a low-budget at the beginning. I’m not saying not to put money into what you’re doing, but don’t put money you don’t have. Make sure you have an emergency fund!

Stay at home moms, tend to have a few more bills. You may be spending less on gas in the car, but you also are spending more on house bills, so before you decide to quit that job, make sure you have an emergency fund of a least a couple thousand dollars so you are not swimming in debt!