A New Experiment

Since I've been researching assembly home work, I thought I might make things interesting and order a couple kits to compare companies and be able to give an honest opinion of them. Since much of what you read might be embellished or misleading, I know that this kind of information can be extremely useful. I am not posting about any of this for a profit and therefore I will not post the company names until I consider the end to have come of this project, instead using terms such as company A, B, C etc. as not to mislead anyone.

So, being day 1 of this experiment here are the guidelines I'll be looking for:
-communication
-time of kit shipment
-ease of craft project
-time frame of sample acceptance and "hire"

After I am able to become a regular contractor, I'll be looking for a set of new things and will be posting my experience as it comes and hopefully I will be able to fall within a month by the time of "hire" considering shipping times and such. I will be ordering one kit per company each week starting today (so I will have ordered one from each company by the end of three weeks).

I know that there are a lot of people that do craft work at home that are able to make money doing it and if all goes well, I can end up to be one of them. Keep in mind that I consider myself to have a decent amount of skills and I am able, at this time, to spend at least 30hrs/week on any given project. However, I will not be ordering anything complicated and should use no special tools, other than maybe a glue gun and an x-acto knife. I will also be posting the hours worked and any other details as they come. So here we go, I'm off to order my first kit with company A.

Putting it Together - Craft Assembly

There is a lot of debate about work at home craft assembly...some think it is a scam while other love what they do. The truth is that while you won't get rich, if you have a bit of free time and enjoy crafting chances are that it will be something that's right for you.

So why the bad reputation? Many of these businesses that contract craft work require a start up fee for everything from membership to shipping. Often you will have to supply or purchase the materials necessary yourself or through the company. Many of these companies do refund your fee but only after a certain number of kits or units have been returned and accepted by the company. This also goes for any return of your money if you choose not to continue with the project. Some fee returns can be partial as others can be none at all depending on what the policy is.

Another shadow cast on craft assembly is that there is no guarantee that your work will be accepted. After sending in any completed items, they will undergo inspection and based on this is how much you will be paid. Quite a few people believe that this process is rigged so that there is never a full order being approved while others seem to have no experience with this practice.

The pay rate for the items vary depending on the item and can be as low as a few cents to a few dollars. Some carry the misconception that all is required is a glue gun, a few minutes, and it is just thrown together. This is not a way to work from home and get rich quick, it takes hard work, long hours, and dedication.

I suggest that if this is an area that you might enjoy, ensure that you fully research the company with the BBB, ripoffreport.com, and consult anyone that might have any experience with the company since it is not uncommon for people to experience different sides with the same company. Normally I would say not to send any sort of money, which I will say, however this is normal for craft assembly and the best way to protect yourself is to use good judgment, do your homework, and if you still aren't sure, go with a company that offers a decent refund of your fee.

Here are just a few of the better known home craft assembly companies:
New England Crafters
The Magical Gift Company (same as above)
EZMark Bookmarks
Tiny Details
SonRise Greeting Cards
Cottage Industries

***Please note, I have not personally tried any of these companies. I have heard some good things about them but do not endorse or recommend anything other than you doing research for yourself. NEVER PAY FOR A LIST OR DIRECTORY OF CRAFT BUSINESSES!***

Where to Start Job Hunting

Looking back, my search for work at home really started about ten years ago or so. When I started the internet wasn't nearly as easy to navigate as it is now and many people were lucky to have access at all. Once I started looking for a job at home I was completely lost and had no idea what to look for at all.

I never really knew what kind of work I would end up doing and had no idea if I would ever find anything at all. I knew that if I found the right people to ask I could at least have some direction. The problem was finding people that were willing to share whatever it is they know. So many people that work at home have either signed a confidentiality agreement or just don't want the competition and won't utter a word other than "keep looking and you'll find something" which is not helpful to any frustrated person at all.

I finally stumbled upon a few good sites geared specifically for people looking for home work and that was my ultimate break through. Moms in general are very helpful as they will warn anyone about any bad companies out there that they know of. We all know that finding a job is a job, so checking all of the sites that you know of including craigslist as early as you can can open a world of doors. I made this my daily routine and was finally able to land a contract position with a local woman. In the meantime I had picked up some extra money with various sources online.

There is never a dull moment when you are a contractor of any kind and you will always be looking for another "egg in your basket" but I really wouldn't trade what I have for the world.

Taking Things in a New Direction

It's pretty funny how things can turn around and change without you even really noticing. I've been working at home on and off, now steadily for around a year and boy have things changed! Everything from home to work life is on a constant rotation and it can sometimes be hard to know what to expect.

Since the work at home world changes so rapidly, I figured I'd put good use to this blog and throw up what ever I find along the way to help anyone else out. I myself am still learning an array of ways to earn money at home, so it can be a learning experience for us all. LOL

I look forward to giving someone else the option to become a stay at home mom, dad, or anyone else looking for some extra money.