Hey Michelle, I hope I may be able to help you with a few suggestions that I do to earn money at home. I actually tumbled over your question while researching some parenting advice b/c I'm a single mother of four children. I totally understand the need to work at home b/c it would be pointless for me to OWE daycare after I've put in ALL my hours for 1 week. LOL!
Over a year ago until now I've weeded out tons of scams to work at home or online to see if any actually worked. I've found about a handful of alright money making opportunities. With that let me inform you that you aren't going to get RICH with any of these either. Depending on how well you work any of the jobs I'm going to mention truly depends on how much you get paid. The great part about these jobs, YOU DO GET PAID!
1. kgb_, Also known as "542542" is my favorite out of all the different jobs I do online or at home. Of course, I'd be much happier if they paid more than once a month. kgb_ was also one of the 1st work at home jobs that I found that actually paid and there was NO SCAM....
kgb's text answer service currently operates in the US and Canada, 542542 (kgbkgb) combines the power of the company’s best-in-class knowledge database with the judgment and skill of a specially-trained community of kgb Special Agents who provide quick, accurate responses to any question. Users who text 542542 (kgbkgb) receive real-time responses to questions any time, day or night, from any cell phone, for a cost of ninety-nine cents ($1.00 CAD in Canada).
To check out their website you just go to www.542542.com and if you would like to apply to be a Special Agent you can go to http://542542.com/current_positions to review the Requirements for the Agents Positions and to take their challenge if you are still interested. Once you pass their challenge you'll get an email and start your training. Its only after you've passed training that you can start. Also if you are interested and still have questions you can contact me on facebook or myspace or even my email: ____@____.com
2. Amazon Mechanical Turk: Honestly this took me forever to understand, but once I did it showed to payoff just like it had mentioned. Not tons of money, but if you need some gas money this wouldn't hurt to earn a few bucks.
Make Money by working on HITs
HITs - Human Intelligence Tasks - are individual tasks that you work on. Find HITs now.
As a Mechanical Turk Worker you:
* Can work from home
* Choose your own work hours
* Get paid for doing good work
https://www.mturk.com/mturk/welcome
3. ChaCha is basically the same type of work online texpert that kgbkgb is, but you've got to find out where you are happiest at so even though I don't approve messing with the enemy, LOL! I don't' want to stop any mother from making money at any cost. You can apply to be a guide for them and reading their requirements at http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/
From what I can remember, ChaCha had a payment option to pay you exactly when you wanted. Basically whatever you earned at the time you wanted to get paid, happened instantly. I was also given and still have my ChaCha Debit/ Bank Card from firstib.com who has a work program set up with ChaCha. Like I said though, they change a lot so I'm sure!
4. Craigslist, I realized you said you didn't want to sell anything but if you need quick money, it comes in handy.
5. ebay.com <---- I'm sure you probably know how this works, if not email me if this is something you are interested in. I did for a few years as a second job and made good money. You just gotta watch out for the fees
6. ioffer.com <---- Kinda like ebay but without ALL the fees that they tact on for each and every little thing.
I realize that I have given you TONS of ways to make some sort of money by one of these options and I don't want to overwhelm you with two much so I'll just list the rest. If any of them interest you or you'd like more information after reading about them, email me... I'll do my best to help you out the best way I can.
7. Amazon has numerous ways that you can make a buck or two with by some of the programs they offer.
Amazon Associates: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&...
Also selling on Amazon is http://www.amazonservices.com/content/sell-on-amazon.htm?...
8. Google: Has different programs such as blogger, adsense, web site creation, etc.. https://www.google.com/adsense/support/?sourceid=aso&...
BLOGGER ACCOUNTS or Written Articles THAT I KNOW PAY:
9. Associated Content is a site where you can write about all kinds of stuff and get paid for it. https://publish.associatedcontent.com/signup.shtml
10. Content Current is a website that offers different services such as: SEO Article Writing, Forum Writing, Article Writing, Custom Community Building, etc..
http://www.contentcurrent.com/
WOW!!! I didn't realize that this information would have taken so long, but my research on what are scams and aren't will hopefully help you and anyone else who is trying to weed out the scams for possibility. I just wish when I had clicked on the links that gave the top 10 online jobs, etc... that I was given a legit list of ways that really pay. I hope this helps and please feel free to email or find me on facebook or myspace if you have any concerns or questions. Thanks for taking time to read all the information I gathered for my response to try to help you. Have a blessed day!
-Chrys