Home Business Tax Help. Learning to make the most out of deductions! Tax Laws and Rules

 Small business taxes has always been an interest to me. I had done research on taxes for years. Yes, I know, I am weird. Taxes are not what most people do for enjoyment. Recently I learned that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has many different publications for everyone to get access to. I highly recommend you use a tax specialist for your small business taxes, but knowledge is power. I am going to be sharing some of the wonderful small business tax tips I have learned directly from the IRS publications.

The stack I received last week! My learning material. More than 30.

Over the next few weeks, or even months looking at how much material is in front of me, I will be sharing some of the home business tax tips directly from the IRS 2022 publications. So be looking out over the next few weeks for the tips you may need. If you have any specific questions that you want answered about your home business taxes, let me know. I will try to find out. I have been making money from home for many years, but up until the last two years, I only made a minimal amount to put on taxes. I have not made enough just yet to justify getting a financial advisor, or tax professional. 

 

Please always remember, I am not a tax professions, YET. I have my AAS Business, will be returning to University in August to study for my Bachelors in business finance and eventually become a financial advisor, and I am using all of these publications as education to share with anyone that needs help with tax tips for their home business. Please consult a tax professional if you ever need assistance.

To get your own Internal Revenue Services (IRS) publications click here!

Many Changes Since I started this Blog in 2009

 

I received a notice from Google about this blog and how the content does not meet their standards. It has for a few years, but something caught their attention. This made me curious, so I went back through all of my blog posts on My at Home Income Blog. After reading several of the posts I thought to myself, "Hey Google may be correct!". I was entertained by some of the posts I made simply to attempt to get traffic to sites that I used to write for, and others that had so many links that went to absolutely nowhere because of sites that have shut down. Most of the things I did as a home income in the beginning are not even available now. I went through and deleted a few posts and updated some links, there are probably still a few that are not great on here. Now I would like to share how so many things have changed since 2009 with a home income, writing online, and simple ways of earning a few dollars.

 

I was very big into writing for a variety of sites when I began this blog. There were quite a few that were very lucrative, but people were taking advantage of it an publishing mediocre work. For those of us who worked hard on their articles, it was devastating to lose so much income. Sites such as Ehow, Associate Content, Firehow, and many others have either changed the way they gather informative articles, or they have shut down completely. I have not been in the writing community for a while, but I am hoping to brush up on sites that allow for individuals to submit work. I do actually have articles on Hubpages, and have made a little money occasionally. I went from making about $1500 a month to not making hardly anything from my writing online. I made a big chunk selling them, but that was quite a few years ago.

Paid Per Click sites that I used are almost all out of business. The ones that are still in business, changed the way they paid or began offering different forms of payment. Unfortunately, Paid Per Click sites were never very lucrative, but it did help me pay a few bills or purchase some food through the years. It probably would not do that now. I am sure most would cost more in utilities to use then they pay.

 

So what sites are still paying after all of these years? There is only one site that I found in my late articles that still pays me, and I use it quite a bit. That site is Inboxdollars. I have used earnings from Inbox every Christmas for at least the last five years. It may only be $50 or so, but it is money earned in simple ways without much effort. It is not an income really, but a part of my Christmas savings plan. I use it in addition to a few receipt sites that I gain earnings on through the year. It has given me a total of about $500 the last two years to purchase Christmas gifts for my kids.

So, what now? Well in my previous post, Weeks Finds will be Official, you can read about finally opening up an Ebay store. The profits on the store has allowed me to profit a few hundred a month. Not a life changing amount, but enough to get by for now. Unfortunately i cannot work like I used to, actually not much at all. I enjoy doing the resell because it is something I can do on good days, and I can take breaks when needed. I am hoping to get my Notary License in the next week or so, which I can make a few dollars from home with that. Finally, I am returning to school to get my bachelors in Finance. I would also start to write more again. I may look into sites that pay for content, or I may just use this blog and my other blog Saving Money and Home Finances to publish writings that I enjoy. 

We will see where this all leads. Hopefully I can share more of my successes in the near future. With each avenue I take I hope and Pray for success and do the same for each of you.

 

 

 

Weeks Finds will be Offical

 

 I have been going back and forth on a business name. Weeks Finds has been the one that fits. It will be a business focusing on resale of items that we find through bulk buys, second hand stores, thrift shopping, yard sales, and any other methods that we can find items. This will be a home bases resale business based around discount products that we can find.

The business name, Weeks Finds, will be official soon. I put in for the DBA (Doing Business as) today and will get any licenses that I need in the next few weeks. In Arkansas, I should only need a resale license and the DBA. When you are starting any home business, be sure that you do research on the laws in your area. Not just for your state, but also city and county business laws.

What is Next for Weeks Finds?

As of right now I have purchased several bulk wholesale lots for resale. I am averaging at about 15-20% profit on those. The resale lot I have purchased are smaller boxes. There is a much bigger profit margins on larger lots, but there is also a much bigger chance of damaged products. So there is a chance of a greater loss. 

There has been several items we purchased from second hand stores and resale stores. So far I have not made a huge profit on everything in all, but I have made a big profit on a few items. One item that my Mom picked out was purchased for $2, I sold it the next day on our Etsy shop for $20. If I can continue that pattern the business would grown exponentially. 

Recently I made a trip to to acquire a huge lot of items from a deceased friend. These items were things that were either going to be donated, or trashed. So I took them under consignment. Some items may not sell, but in all it will be a profit for myself and the spouse. We agreed upon 50% of the profit split after all of the fees. In about a month, just the consignment, has profited over $300. Now, as of right now, that is the majority of my profit, but it is pushing my business forward. 

Open for Business!! 

 

 Weeks Finds is open for business on Ebay! We have a lot of items from movies, apparel, Elvis collectibles, vintage and more. This will be the main place for sales for our business. For items that I cannot sell online, I will sell at discounts through yard sales or Marketplace. 

Next, I will be putting together a plan to purchase more items. I have been considering starting to offer services to family members of deceased loved ones. Offer to help clean houses and find items the items of value to sell for them under consignment. It is just a thought in my head with many more, but I have a lot of empathy for people that have lost family members and feel that I could help them. 

Who knows where this will take my family. This business is finally giving me a big chance to work from home and be with my kids. They have been loving that their mom is home now. I do not have to leave them for 10-15 hours a day, sometimes seven days a week. This has still been work, and some struggles, but they are there most of the time. I am always available for them when I am needed, no matter what. 

Please check out our shop and let us know what you think.

2023 Starting off with a Profit! Positive Life

 

I am the type of individual that looks at everything as a sign of what is to come. I am also someone that enjoys the small achievements. So when I made a sale on my Etsy shop, WeeksFinds, today. I was excited. It is the small things in life that push me forward.

 OK, I am excited about making a sale on the first day of 2023 The sale was only $9 for a couple of V nickels that I listed a few months ago. It is a small sale for the shop, but for me it is the meaning. I believe that how you start the year continues, or even grows, through the year.

2023 is going to be a positive year for my home business, Weeks Finds and Makes. I am taking this day, and this sale as a positive step. I have a rejuvenation about growing this business. It has been something I have worked on for a while and it is finally coming together. I have a trip to New Orleans coming up this weekend, so Monday is going to be a new life for the business. I mean there will be a schedule put in place that I can adjust if needed. I am also going to put together a business plan fort myself. I am a goal oriented person, and I need a visual of what I am working for. 

I hope and pray that everyone that reads this posts finds peace and happiness in 2023. I do not mean that we will get everything that we need, I mean that we can find the positive in everything that we do. Staying positive will help us all succeed in our home businesses and our lives.

Weeks Finds on Etsy

 

I have had a shop on Etsy for a while. The Etsy shop is Weeks Finds. Up until recently, I have sold mostly vintage or antique items. I have been researching many other options, I have moved to a Arkansas and hve seven acres of natural woods. I have also received a lot of new "toys" that are great for wood working. So I am about to expand on more of the natural items, and reclaim items around the property to make new.

I am going to begin the new direction for Weeks Finds when 2023 begins. My first project I am going to work on is some reclaimed logs I have from my home. I had to have siding installed on my log home, unfortunately it was much more cost effective, I saved a lot of the logs from areas that they were cut off. I now have a jig saw to do intricate pieces. To learn how to make better wood pieces I am going to start with cutting eggs out of the log and using wood burning for decoration, or just stain for decorating. I have so many more wood working ideas 

In addition to the woodworking, I am going to be offering fresh and dried shrubbery items for crafting. Items such as dried pine needles, pine cones, and branches with pine needles and cones still attached. I have actually sold dried pine needles in the past, and it was fairly profitable. It took me a little longer then just grabbing pine needles though, I actually went through making sure they were in tact and would be perfect for any craft. 

 I have many other ideas swarming through my brain, but this is where I am hoping to begin. Expanding my Etsy shop, Ebay shop, and Marketplace sales will expand a lot of my home business. Each year I get closer to my goals, but something always keeps me from believing that I can make enough online to stay home and work. I know it can be done, but now it is time to prove it to myself. Thank you to everyone that reads my blog. This is also going to be a focus for me as well.

Home Business Progress

 In the last few months I have opened up different opportunities to  my home business. I am trying to have multiple income streams to help supplement my income, and give a steady income stream. I do everything from online sales, buying and selling stock, investing and DoorDash. Each provides a small income that helps my kids and I.

 I have finally gotten a temporary spot set up for my online sales business. Weeks Finds is the name I am currently using for both Ebay and Etsy. I only have a few things online right now, but working on more. Unfortunately, due to some health issues I cannot work on it as much as I would like.

I have visited a couple of second hand stores and flea markets in the area, but they have prices that you would pay online for them. I am going to continue to look, because I have found some great deals at these types of places in the past. I am also planning on visiting more yard sales soon. 

Before I purchase a huge inventory, I am doing research. In order to make a real business succeed, you have to know your market. I love doing furniture and things like that, but the shipping rates for some of the are astounding. To keep shipping costs down I am also using Facebook Marketplace to sell. Weeks Finds is trying to expand to numerous different outlets so that we can make the most out of what is available.

Other than doing online sales, I am pushing more into other options. I have invested in different stocks, apps like Landa, Fundrise and Atlas Earth. Most of what I am currently doing will not get me rich but it will provide a small income each month.

Finally, I am doing DoorDash on occasion. Since I live in a very small town, the options for DoorDash or other delivery services is very small. I have to drive about 20 miles to be able to make any money doing deliveries. I try to make it work so that I can do deliveries when I go pick up groceries a couple of times a month.

 I am trying to diversify my income. Due to health issues I am currently trying to get disability. So I am hoping to make enough to cover what disability will not cover. Or, in the worst case, pay my bills if disability is denied.

Finally getting a real home office together

 

 We recently moved to Arkansas, to a much bigger home. Read more about this on my two other blog posts; Moving from Colorado to Arkansas, and How we went from a 600 to a 2200 sq foot house. It has been a long process with taking more than five 15 hour trips back and forth and now trying to do some home repairs ourselves. The stress has been real! Now we have gotten a lot of stuff somewhat lined up, next will be my office. 

We are taking a three week vacation starting next week, follow the Horror Movie site trip here, Once we return from the trip, it is time to get my home business off its feet like I have been trying to do for years. I will be doing online sales of items like antiques and coins. As well as refurbishing some small items like lamps and possibly furniture. This business will be in addition to the stock trading and online writing.

 The first step is setting up an actual home office. I will be using a camper for this. It is the camper I have lived in for the last seven years, but I am remodeling it specifically for a home office. I also received a huge storage shed with the home I purchased, so I will be setting up a work area and storage area for products I am working on or that I have listed on sites such as Ebay and Etsy. 

 

Being a work at home mom is something I have strived for for a long time. I finally have it in my grasp after working many 70 hour weeks over the last 11 years. I am done working for other people. This is due to trying to raise my children with me around, as well as some medical issues that I have that prevent me from working on my feet tat long ever again. 

To all of those women or men that are working hard in their life, do not be afraid to change or work hard for what you want in life. Their will always be set backs and hurdles to cross. Use those as growing and learning experiences.