Dave Says: Staying Away from Scams

Dear Dave,

I’ve always wanted to work from home. How can I separate the scams online and on television from the real jobs where I can make money?

- Randy

Dear Randy,

The vast majority of things you see in late-night infomercials and online—except of course for legitimate job hunter sites—are scams. I’m talking about the business-in-a-box kind of stuff and everything else. And I know you’ve seen the postings online that go something like, “My sister-in-law makes $50 an hour from home, and you can, too!” These scammers are the worst of the worst. Don’t waste a second of your time on that garbage.

My biggest worry is that you’re looking at your career the wrong way. Just making money shouldn’t be the measuring stick of success in your professional life. Whether you’re going to start a home business or work in an office for someone else, your work should engage you in doing something you know about and love.

You spend too many hours of your life at work to be miserable in what you do. Shuffling day after day through a job you don’t like—even one with a big paycheck attached—is also a bad idea. Sooner or later the fact that you don’t like your work is going to catch up with you on the job and at home.

Think of something you love to do, then get creative and find a way to make money at it. It may mean turning a hobby into a part-time gig nights and weekends for starters. Who knows, with a lot of hard work and a little creativity, you could be your own boss in no time!

- Dave