Most people who begin a business working from home are operating on less than a shoestring budget. The problem is, as most of us realize, that it takes money to make money. You must have money to invest in your business in order for it to grow. Despite all the claims to the otherwise you need to make some sort of investment, quite often a painful investment in your business in order for it to really take off as it should.

There are many online gurus who claim you can start with nothing and build an empire. That isn't entirely true. You must have something to offer first of all, and second, you absolutely must have someone to whom you can offer your product or service. Services may require items you already have. In that you are actually quite fortunate. But, you need to make sure you do not need a business license in order to operate in your area, insurance (this is an important one that often gets overlooked but any business needs to make sure they are properly covered against professional liability as well as physical damage to equipment, office space, loss of income, etc.), advertising, and any other incidental expenses that may present themselves along the way.

While insurance, equipment, and licenses are important in getting your business going, advertising is what will keep your business growing. If your business isn't growing then something needs to change and you need to make serious adjustments to your advertising budget. I know what it means to operate on a shoestring, believe me; even those get stretched and frayed at times. However, if you aren't investing at least part of your income back into your business through advertising you are doing yourself and your business a huge disservice.

I also know that most of us sacrifice so much during the process of getting our business up and running and off the ground that we are very tempted to reward ourselves with our profits and it is very hard to set limits for that. Here are a few things I recommend to help you reward yourself in small ways while investing in your business for larger payoffs later.

1) Small rewards.Small rewards work wonders for the mind and body while reaffirming your efforts for a greater payoff later. Start with something small like a favorite scented candle for your work area. You will enjoy the pleasant aroma as you are working towards bigger and better rewards for your space at a later date.

2) Reward yourself with family time. Most of us sacrifice so much family time with our work that it is important not only to reward ourselves for our sacrifice and hard work but also our families who have sacrificed that time together as well. Something as simple as renting and watching a movie together while cooking frozen pizza and microwave popcorn can be a relatively inexpensive yet priceless reward for the entire family.

3) Reward yourself with time off. This may cost future income; it also may not. The important thing is that it will not take money from the business budget and will still allow you to have fun and put food on your table. Play a board game with the family or take a walk around the neighborhood. Get out and connect with those around you so that you remember why you wanted to work from home in the first place. My personal favorite is working out and riding my bike. It recharges your battery, keeps you healthy, and doesn't cost a penny.

The thing about rewards is that they do not have to cost money and some of the best rewards don't cost a penny that you would not have otherwise spent. By saving the money you would have spent by going out to eat or catching a movie at the local theatre you've actually saved a pretty nice amount of money that you can reinvest into your advertising budget while giving yourself a nice reward for all of your hard work.


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