| Are you a stay at home mom who has decided that | | | | time to decide where you can cut corners and where |
| starting your own home business is the best way for | | | | you need specific equipment and materials and |
| you to earn some extra income to supplement the | | | | substitutes won't do. |
| family budget? Do you know what sort of business | | | | 2. Running costs for first few months. You must have |
| you want to have? If so, you are probably wondering | | | | a budget for running costs for at least six months. Few |
| exactly where to start. | | | | businesses get into profit in less than six months, many |
| The first thing you need to do is to make a plan. This | | | | take a full year or more, and there is no point in setting |
| does not need to be anything fancy, it is just a way | | | | yourself an unrealistic target for this. |
| for you to clarify your ideas about a home business. | | | | 3. Assistance. You will probably find times when you |
| Writing things down always makes ideas clearer, and it | | | | need some help. This might mean you need a pair of |
| can open your eyes to things you might have missed | | | | willing hands to finish a project for your business, or |
| while the plan was just in your mind. However, if you | | | | somebody to mind the kids for a couple of hours while |
| are going to need to ask your bank for a business | | | | you make a delivery or have a meeting with a |
| loan, you will need a proper business plan before you | | | | customer. You need to plan for this eventuality. If you |
| make the application. | | | | have a partner or relative who will help out, that's fine, |
| Some things to include in your draft plan are: | | | | but if not you will need to consider where you will be |
| 1. Start up costs. How much will you need to start your | | | | able to get help and the potential cost of paying |
| business? You must include everything from | | | | somebody to assist you. |
| expensive equipment to postage stamps. This is the | | | | |