18

May

Why You Should Be Concerned About a Background Check Evern If You’ve Never Been Arrested

Have you been the victim of a background check? Background checks are big business on the internet. And the internet has definitely made conducting a background check easier than ever. One might also suggest that the internet has made it easier than ever for anyone conducting a background check to discover something in your past you might not want found out. Like drunk driving or high school bullying. So if you are ever thinking of running for President you’d better…oh, wait.

Well, if you are not a privileged bad boy who doesn’t have to answer to anything you may have done in your past, you need to be aware of the prominence of background checks by keeping in mind that today’s background checks are not necessarily criminal background checks. The easy availability and lack of outrageous expense means that companies looking into your background for criminal behavior need not necessarily be corporate in nature. A mom and pop operation looking to hire a part time has access to the kind of investigation into your criminal past that used to be the domain of those types of companies that a privilege drunkard might run into the ground or a privileged bully might run out of business in order to take a profit for himself.

So what kind of stuff in your past can come back to haunt you in a criminal background check? Look, if you’ve got an arrest on your record for beating up your spouse, molesting a child or breaking and entering, the consequences of not getting a good job may be the last thing you need to worry about. The criminal part of this background check can delve into things you may not suspect are likely to come back and bite you in the butt. For instance, if you were expelled from school for cheating or tossed out of a college class for plagiarism, it could very well be on a background check. Were you in the military? Hey, Spent some time in the drunk tank when you got a little overintoxicated during that stayover in San Diego? Could be on the background check, Otis!

It gets worse. Remember that time you got in a cold war with your next door neighbor and you dumped the contents of your garbage over the fence? Some background checks can actually include interviews with disgruntled neighbors. Or that teacher you used to royally piss off on a daily basis. Or that co-worker whose expensive bottled water you used to occasionally pinch from the break room fridge. Or, heaven forfend, that boss whose wife you groped at the Christmas party.

As far as the criminal element of a background check goes, pretty much court record not official sealed is fair game. That could mean anything from a speeding ticket to an unpaid parking ticket to that lark when you tried to shoplift a $ 20 bracelet. That $ 20 could wind up costing you half a million dollars over the long term.

Now for the good news. Those forensic science shows are not the only crime dramas full of crap. Just as it is a myth that no two fingerprints are exactly alike, so it is a myth that there is this gigantic beast of a database containing all this information about you. That information about your refusal to clean up a disgusting backyard may well be available and accessible, but that doesn’t mean that a background checker doesn’t work hard to get it.


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17

May

Coffee and Your Health

I was a late bloomer when it comes to drinking coffee. I started drinking coffee when I was in my late 20s and I have not stopped since. I enjoyed a cup of flavored coffee every day, hot or cold, Latte or Frappucino. But ever since I started living a healthier lifestyle, I had to make a list of healthy vs. unhealthy “food inventory.” Unfortunately, hard as I try to justify the health benefits of keeping my flavored coffee on my healthy list, there were none. The good news is I haven’t completely turned my back on my love for coffee. No, it was not that easy. However, I had to choose a healthy alternative; I have chosen to give up my flavored Macchiato and replaced it with regular coffee instead, with a little bit of cream on the side.

It’s been almost three years now since I stopped enjoying flavored coffees on a daily basis. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it from time to time as a special treat. A good cup of regular coffee and cream now makes my day. The main reason I had to give up my flavored coffee was because of the calories. It is not hard to give up the calories, but, I don’t think I am ready just yet to give up coffee. Here’s why:

1. It gives me increased mental alertness. Either I get a kick out of the caffeine or it’s completely psychological, but something about a cup of coffee that makes my day. I become more awake, alert and mentally focus, thus, improving my overall mood. Again, it could all be just psychological, but it works for me.

2. It speeds up my metabolism. Personally, it works for me and my metabolism and I think I am not alone on this one. There have been several articles written about how coffee (caffeine) acts as a diuretic and/or laxative. It really does, and because I feel lighter, I also feel more energized.

3. I am hoping to reap the potential health benefits of drinking coffee. Coffee is not bad if taken into moderation. There will always be a discussion over the good and bad health benefits of drinking coffee. But, judging from what I have read about the health benefits of drinking coffee so far; it looks to me that the benefits currently outweigh the risks.

Go ahead; enjoy a cup of regular coffee today or a cup of flavored coffee once in a while. But always remember to drink it in moderation.

To your wellness!


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16

May

Dealing With Bulk Fabrics

In looking for fabrics that can be produced and purchased on a large scale, there is no other fabric like polyester fabric.  A durable, wrinkle resistant fabric that can withstand lots of abuse and retain its shape and color.  That is why there are so many things we may not have thought of are made or have polyester in them.  In our closets alone are many products made from this material, such as, shirts, blankets, pillows, pants, hats, jackets and more.  Just about anything in our closets has a tag that has polyester as part of its make up.
As a designer I look for ways to incorporate polyester into my designs as well as wholesale teflon.  To find a distributor who can provide me the quantities of fabric I need to reproduce a product over and over is sometimes hard to find.  Luckily the Internet is a good source to find a company who works with this fabric and product it in large quantity.   I found a company who has a long history of working with this product and who takes on-line orders.  They also have literally hundreds of products to choose from just in the polyester line, as well as the ability to buy Kevlar and other unique fabrics.  There catalog has other products which you may consider in your product line.  The company name is Stern & Stern and has been around since 1889.  If you need a material that requires a large amount, you will want to check out this website to see if they can serve your needs.

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15

May

Photo Globe

Does it bother you to glue, and glue, many times, to cover a large object? That much gluing might be redundant but it isn’t difficult. In fact, it can be quite exciting, especially if you’re working towards a goal. If you have one of those large, round globes, which has a stand that connects to it, the goal is to cover it completely with photos. You’ll love the way that the globe has to be turned in order to see the pictures. The photo globe is a great table topper, centerpiece, or gift.

A large globe is a fabulous place to put your pictures; it can hold many. Rather than ruin your real photos, make copies, and use them to create a collage on the globe. Cut photos of different sizes, use ones that are all black and white, or ones that are all in-color. Give the collage a theme, like “Family Vacation”, “School”, or “New Baby”. There are many different themes you could do but you can also just put assorted photos on the globe, with no theme in mind.

Decoupage adhesive works great for attaching paper to nearly any surface. Find the glue at a craft store or order it online. Apply glue to an area of the globe, lay a photo on it, and then spread a thin coat of glue over the top of the picture. Continue to add photos, coating each one with glue, and turning pictures this way and that. Tilt pictures, overlap them, and otherwise “combine” them. Use some large pictures and some small ones. However, really large pictures won’t conform easily to the shape of the globe. Cover the entire globe. When all the glue is dry, apply a full coat to the whole globe. Decoupage adhesive is white when you apply it but it dries clear. If it has a milky look after it’s dry just sand it with very soft steel wool.

You don’t absolutely have to cover the globe with pictures of people. You can do an entire globe of pets, of world attractions, of different flowers, of vehicles, of famous people, or of other printed images. Instead of having a large globe sitting around, and never using it, turn it into something interesting and fun. It’s so big that it will definitely get noticed and isn’t it a nice way to show off some of your many photos?


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14

May

How to Dispose of Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are those gadgets which never get any attention unless … well, we’re all aware of the exact moments when they make their otherwise oblivious presence felt with their characteristic beeps. Funnily enough, when asked about our favorite inventions, we never think twice about naming our cell phones, tabs or computers, and remain blissfully unmindful of the one little thing that is undoubtedly the most useful.

Reportedly, around two-thirds of the deaths resulting from household fires have occurred in homes without a working smoke alarm; so, one can never underestimate the importance of a functional smoke detector. Smoke detectors may be doing the priceless job of alerting us when there’s a fire at home; but, seriously, how many of us pay attention to maintaining it or even checking it? Besides the annual or biannual battery change ritual, not many are aware that we need to replace our smoke detectors every eight to ten years. And, when it is time to replace them, we can’t just throw the old ones into the trash as they contain hazardous material.

Smoke alarms usually come in two variations, ionization and photoelectric, each being differently capable of detecting smoke. These days, we have alarms with dual sensors that incorporate both technologies to maximize the effectiveness. Smoke detectors mostly contain alkaline or lithium batteries and electronic circuit boards, which need to be recycled appropriately, whereas ionization alarms contain traces of the radioactive element, Americium-241. What it does is that it releases particles that are instrumental in detecting smoke in the area. It is present in a compartment within the plastic casing, so it can cause no harm when it is installed in homes; however, safety measures must be followed while disposing it. Disposal of smoke detectors should be done carefully to prevent radioactive material from polluting our landfills.

Household Smoke Detectors: Points to Remember

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According to the Fire Protection Agency rules, smoke detectors are potential health hazards if they are not disposed off carefully.

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By law, manufacturing companies are supposed to label their products with warnings regarding their hazardous nature due to the presence of radioactive material. This is to make users aware that they should be disposed only at a nuclear waste disposal center.

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Another option is to return the device to the manufacturer, who would then responsibly recycle or dispose it. Extreme caution should be taken while returning a smoke alarm to the manufacturer.

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While returning it, do not open the device or fidget with its components. Wrap it in paper or bubble wrap, place it in a box and seal it before dispatching.

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In case the unit cannot be returned to the manufacturer, you can give it to a Household Waste Facility in your town.

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State laws regarding disposal of smoke alarms vary, so update yourself about the rules in yours.

Disposing Smoke Detectors With Radioactive Material

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The first step is to take the smoke detector apart as different components need to be disposed separately. Ensure that you are wearing protective rubber gloves before you begin.

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You must remove the batteries from the device and recycle them as per your regional laws.

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The plastic casing needs to be removed now. You can recycle this as regular plastic.

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The remaining contents should be wrapped and then sealed into a box. Never try to compress the unit or crush it.

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Make sure to return it by UPS ground mail only. You are strictly recommended against sending it by airmail.

For some, this entire exercise may seem like a troublesome chore, but you must remember that it needs to be done after long intervals. The humble old smoke detector is the appliance that works nonstop to ensure that our homes remain protected from being ravaged in fires. Maintaining a device that does so much for our well-being shouldn’t require a lot of encouragement, should it?


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12

May

Increasing Your Food Blog Traffic – Part 1

Are you new to the food blogging world? Or maybe you’ve been blogging a while and are just looking at improving your site traffic. One of the great things about the food blogging world is that there are specific and unique ways geared just to the food community in order to increase site traffic.

I’ve been part of the food blog community for more than a year now. I’ve been blogging and writing for close to five years. And I have to say that the food blog community has been one of the best at supporting and helping to increase site traffic and grow my blog. When I have a question, I have multiple people sending me answers or suggestions. I decided to compile them into one article for others.

These are simple and easy ways that won’t cost you anything but will help to increase traffic to your site. Here are just a few suggestions:

BRANCH OUT

One of the best ways to get traffic to your site is to get noticed by large food sites like FoodGawker, TasteSpotting, and Photograzing. These sites can help stats, but are very picky about the submissions they accept. Keep trying though, as they can be a great resource for your site stats.

Posting your recipes on sites like Tasty Kitchen, FoodBuzz and Yahoo! Shine can also be productive for helping your traffic. There are times that I get many hits from these sites.

BRAND YOURSELF

This one is generally overlooked, but one that is important! Any food community, forum, or comment link should be branded! If you don’t brand yourself, how can people begin to recognize your name? Make sure you also take the time when you comment to fill in your website address! I hate when people comment and I can’t click back on their blog. I want to be interested in your material just as much as you are in mine.

COMMENT

There are times that I grow a little frustrated with this one. I usually comment on about 20-40 blogs a day. In return, sometimes I get a lot of comments back but generally I grow a little agitated at the fact that I put in so much work with so little return. Commenting really is a great way to grow your blog – if it’s reciprocated. It’s nice to be noticed and it’s nice to feel that people actually listen to what you spend your heart and soul writing. It can also be frustrating when you spend time commenting and it’s not acknowledged. I always try to take the time to check out your blog and make a comment if you take the time to comment on my blog. Also do the same for those that visit your blog. Repeat commenters can be gold in building your blog. If you find someone is coming back consistently to your blog, get email or RSS updates so you can visit them and continue to be a regular on their site as well as have them be one on yours. Also make sure that you have a program like Feedburner and an RSS feed installed so people can easily subscribe and follow your blog.

A lot of debate is made as to whether smaller, growing blogs like myself should even take the time to comment on larger blogs that are getting 100 or more comments every post they make. Do they really even notice or help you out when it comes to your stats? My answer is mixed. I have had some success on this. One of the larger bloggers I visit frequently linked to one of my recipes. I regularly get a couple of people visiting my blog per day from this one link. Randomly, I also get a few people visiting my blog from comments I left on larger blogs. So it brings in traffic, but I wouldn’t say it’s the best way to get traffic to my site.

CONTENT

The more content you write, the greater your chances of having someone come across your blog. You also want to make sure that you have a blog that people want to visit. Appealing graphics, large pictures, and clear titles are important. Make sure that you have a page where people can access your recipes. Free pages like Recipage are helpful because they allow others to view your recipes and also link to a larger database that increases the amount of page views you may receive.

Making your content print friendly is also important too. People don’t want to have to cut and paste your recipes. Make sure you include a way to make your recipes print friendly. The program Print Friendly is simple, easy and free to install. Others prefer to make free Google pages out of their recipes and claim that it helps their stats by allowing people to search and find their site.

When labeling and tagging, make sure that you tag and label your photos as well as your article. This will allow people to find your content as well. One other thing that has worked well is to have a “Related Links” tab at the bottom of every one of my posts. I connect my content to three other bloggers with similar content and allows me to leave trackbacks. Also make sure that you link to some of your other posts too. This keeps people on your blog!

One other thing that is helpful to do is to occasionally write articles like “Top 10 Uses for Flour” or How-To articles. These can be very popular articles for readers. My how to on making baby food and the top kid friendly fruits and vegetables continue to top the list in popularity each month – even though I wrote them two years ago.

FOOD BLOGGING EVENTS

These food blogging events help provide link ups and a chance to get to know other bloggers within the community. There are many different types of events both large and small. Some of the more popular ones are Tuesdays with Dorie and Daring Kitchen. These require that you take part in a particular monthly challenge and post them on your blog as well as the host’s blog. They are set up a lot like clubs with membership requirements and participation. Most are free, but will have certain requirements in order to stay active within the community.

GUEST BLOGGING

This is one that I love to do over the summer when I’m not in school. Do your homework and research other blogs that may be getting more traffic than you. You probably don’t want to immediately reach out to some of the largest food bloggers. Start with ones generating steady traffic and comments and offer to guest post for them. Many of us vacation, have kids at home, and generally have hectic schedules outside of the computer. Volunteering to guest blog or having others guest blog for you on your site may bring in traffic and help make new friends in the blogging community.

In addition to guest blogging on other food blogger sites, I’ve been able to guest post for companies like Whole Foods Market and Bob’s Red Mill. These sites generate traffic for me, and get new followers. Sometimes they even offer some free product or a gift card in return for my time. I also volunteer on parenting or diabetes sites too to branch out.

MARKET
Keep your eyes and ears to the ground. As a food blogger, you always have an excess of food laying around. Use that food for good use. I regularly participate by making food for baby and wedding showers, bake sales, church events and birthdays. Using a site like Vistaprint, I can print out free cards that I attach to bake sale products so people can come back to my site. I regularly have people asking me where I got that recipe for a cookie I made at an event. I direct them to the blog. This is a fantastic, low budget way of getting your name out there (and keeping the extra calories lying around the house away from your own waistline!)

NICHE YOUR BLOG

Focus your blog on what you really want to talk about and be known for. My niche has become a place that you can find recipes that have become “healthified.” (Although I do splurge at times). I want my readers to know that they can come to my site and find traditionally unhealthy recipes that I have revamped to be healthier for their family without compromising taste and glares from the picky palates in their family. I try these recipes on my own picky eaters and along the way I share my struggles with my husband who has Type 1 diabetes, my parenting struggles, and life as a work from home Mom who is also in school part time. But my main focus on the blog is the food. The rest of the things I share enhance my blog and who I am as a person, but don’t define it.

SOCIAL NETWORKS
These are gold to a blogger. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google+ are vital to growing your blog. Make sure that you regularly visit, update and share your interests (both food and outside of food). I love P90X and Insanity and stay active with those online communities. I’m also active within the diabetes online communities. All of these sites will draw visitors to your content. But don’t just post content. Like I said, make sure that you are also posting outside of your niche to draw in new visitors to your site.

YAHOO! ANSWERS

People really don’t like when you leave links to your own recipes in their comments section. It’s a bit taboo. I learned this the hard way unfortunately. If you are link happy and want to share those great links to your posts, consider posting them for people who are looking for answers at Yahoo! Answers. Honestly, there are many times that I have a question that I find by doing a google search. Guess what appears most often? Yahoo! Answers is one of the top search results that comes up.

If you find any other great ideas that you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment. Helping one another builds everyone up and helps everyone improve!

Traci is author of the food and personal blog BurntApple.com


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12

May

Spending Time to Get Free Things

Winning free things on the internet is a fun hobby that I’ve had for quite some time. My husband really likes it, too, as we both have won free things on the net, like laptop computers and so on. Winning things isn’t always easy, but once in awhile, you can find things like free sweepstakes that let you win big prizes without spending money. With how little money we have to splurge on things, its a welcome change to see that there are places you can, if you’re lucky, win things for free.

You always have to be cautious about free products online, but I’ve found that more often than not, there are many legitimate websites out there that have various deals they can offer you. How can they do it? Usually, by signing up to their site, they can subscribe you to newsletters from other sites, which can earn them money. It can be frustrating to have that happen to you, but it does fund their prizes, which is great. Make sure you visit multiple websites to increase your chances of winning things like a free lottery. With any luck, you can win just like I have before.

Have you ever had luck with the lottery or a sweepstakes? Let me know!

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11

May

Astrology of the Moon Signs May 20 Through May 26, 2012

Monday has a spirited start with new moon astrology coordinating and Gemini leading the way. Two days have a mercurial bent, and social interchanges are light and airy. Venus is also in Gemini, but retrograde. Starry eyed distractions won’t get in the way of progress if the retrograde energy is used wisely. Gathering up loose ends of ongoing projects works well at this time. Two home focused days of the moon visiting the arc of Cancer quickly revert to an extroverted Leo influence for the weekend. The last quarter finishes this phase by early next week.

Get ready, and gather viewing equipment for the upcoming, NASA sponsored commemorative celebration focused on Venus transiting the sun. A long awaited event amongst astrologers, this day symbolizes a huge turn around for mankind. June sixth is when a few parts of the world have opportunity.

Moon Sign Gardening Report

Good planting days can overlap. Gemini, an air sign, is for aeration. Though Gemini is barren, the timing is close enough to the next moon sign, Cancer. Cancer is a water sign and contributes to themes of nurturing which includes pruning to encourage new growth. Cancer is a fertile water sign conducive to transplanting. Remember to say “God bless you” for each transplanting. The barren sun sign of Leo heats up the picture by Friday. New plantings stand the chance of scorching if not watched. Place baskets around for shading tender new growth.

Notes

Moon Sign Astrology Forecast is a weekly publication. “The Moon Sign Activities Recommendations” by astrologer George Llewellyn is committed to memory. Practice and observation of Llewellyn’s forecasts yields impressive results. Another source of information is what’s known as an ephemeris. It lists the degrees and positions of the moon and the planets.

The colors listed with each moon astrology segment are the astrological correspondence of harmonics comparable to those causing the appearance of a rainbow. The listed colors are suggested for meditation or simply feeling integrated with the influx of the moon’s energies and zodiac sign. UTC for areas outside of the northern hemisphere is required.

May 20

Taurus – pink, pale blue & green, reddish brown, dark tan
Sunday

Today carries a home and garden kind of atmosphere. A focus on beautiful children and the warmth of family gatherings has its comfortable place today.

May 21, 22
Gemini – orange, coral, peach, any color
Monday, Tuesday

Venus visiting Gemini factors in with the moon astrology featuring the Twins of the Zodiac. Gather up loose ends before moving forward. Write, send mail, and make phone calls. Balance the budget or the checkbook or both.

May 23, 24
Cancer – light gray, soft yellow, white
Wednesday, Thursday

Cancer has fluency and flexibility, and the moon is a favorite friend. Sensitive expression is aided by the influence of this flowing water sign. Shopping and beauty treatments are favored. Home centered activities and nurturing are keywords.

May 25, 26
Leo – red, orange, yellow, royal blue
Friday, Saturday

The Lion has the opportunity to express Leo’s playful side this weekend. Lighthearted drama is in the air.

The moon sign astrology forecast is a weekly publication.


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10

May

Finding Help in the Queen City

Recently, a friend of mine has gone through a lot of problems in and around her home in Cincinnati. Although she loves the city, she has noticed a lot of crimes going on in her neighborhood. For the most part, she’s been able to avoid issues, but some of her friends have been targeted for various petty and serious offenses.

Just recently, someone broke into her neighbors house. The perpetrator is likely going to face the judge for his crimes, but he has a great property theft lawyer Cincinnati that can defend people very well. There have been a lot of other problems in and around her area too. Just recently, she heard about another couple that got into a major fight, and the woman had to contact a domestic violence attorney Cincinnati to help deal with the abuse she received. I hope that everything can work out right with her, and the pain she’s going through.

Recently, though, she even needed to talk to someone, because her underage son was drinking and driving. Its a horrible thing to go through, but she had to contact an OVI DUI lawyer Cincinnati to help her son deal with this mess that he has got himself in. I am so glad that I don’t have to deal with such crazy things.

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09

May

Let’s Bust Those Work at Home Myths!

If you have researched working at home, I am sure you have run across some of the myths I am going to list in this article. If these myths have discouraged you from working at home, don’t let them. These myths have all been busted and shouldn’t stop you from working at home. Working at home is rewarding and a lot of time better than having to work outside the home. Here are some of the working from home myths you may have seen.

If You Have Kids, You Can’t Work from Home!

That is the biggest myth of all and let me go ahead and bust that for you right now! I have two kids, and often nieces and nephews at my house all the time and I work at home full time. My dear hubby works at home full time as well. Having kids should not stop you from being able to work at home full time. All you have to do is find you a quiet place to get your work done. You need to explain to the kids that you have work to do and they need to watch TV or do something quietly while you are working. Some people can work with the kids running around. I sit right in the livingroom with my kids and do my work. I can block it out. So myth one- busted!

You Will Make Thousands a Day Just Starting Off!

Wrong! The only way you will make thousands a day just starting off is if you are in the porn business or doing something illegal. Working at home doing something legal is not going to earn you thousands of dollars just starting off. You can earn an income that will pay your bills and once you learn the ropes, you can sit nicely. So myth two – busted!

Work at Home Jobs are Not Real

People think if you work at home, that you are not working a real job. This is one of the myths that makes me mad as fire. I work at home seven days a week, 14 – 16 hours every day. I promise you, it is a real job. And sometimes not an easy one. So, yes, work at home jobs are very much real. So myth three – busted.

You Won’t Make Real Money at Home!

This one is far from the truth too. You can earn real money from home if you know how to go about working from home. There are many things you can do at home like freelance writing, blogging, web design, and so on. It’s not fake money that pays my bills every week. I don’t think the light company would take fake money from me, so yes, you can make real money at home. So myth four – busted!

Don’t let myths discourage you from working at home. I have been working from home since 2005 and am very blessed because I can’t work outside the home due to a disability. So, instead of drawing disability, I sit on my couch every day and write tons of articles and tutorials every day.


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