Working and making cash from home can look like a dream, but it can also be a reality. You can be cautious of the strategies of earning money by working at home, but they do exist. Here are some of them :

Sometimes, I’m so tired in the morning, I don’t even want to hear my own voice — let alone talk to others with it. You shouldn’t have to give yourself too much time to become productive in the morning, but you can give yourself some extra time before working directly with others. If you’re struggling to come up with a reasonable work schedule for yourself as a telecommuter, start with the solitary tasks in the morning. Save phone calls, meetings, and other collaborative work for when you’ve officially “woken up.”

Online Guide or Expert: If your friends look to you for advice on things you’re passionate about, such as how to choose the best car, repair appliances, or make a killer cheesecake, listen up: No matter what your area of expertise is, consider becoming an online expert guide. Guides are freelancers with an ability to communicate well. At JustAnswer.com, users agree to pay for the answers to their questions from trusted sources like vets, lawyers, doctors, and more. As a guide, you’ll be paid a percentage of the pre-negotiated price per answer and for the number of answers you provide.

Don’t let friends stop by. Dana Marlowe, principal partner of the Silver Spring, Maryland-based IT accessibility consulting firm Accessibility Partners, uses lunch as a time to meet with friends and if they show up at her house she politely tells them she’s working. “Boundaries are only as effective as they are enforced,” she says. Catherine Simms, co-founder of Stamford, Connecticut-based pet accessories company Whiner & Diner, also avoids drop-in visitors. “I just tell them that it is not a good time [and] over the weekend would be better,” she says. She also instructs them to call first to see if she’s home. Then when they do she doesn’t pick up, at least during work hours. See extra info on Work-from-home Opportunities.

Work for a National Company: One of the leading databases for work at home jobs is FlexJobs. You do have to pay to use this database, but, they prescreen all the companies to only present legitimate jobs from real employers. There are over 50 different job categories to search from to find your ideal employer. For example, you can scour the listings for writing, customer support, writing, and educational categories just to name a few of the possibilities. Payment intervals can vary, but, some of the opportunities will pay weekly.