Many families today rely on two incomes to pay their bills not being able to make ends meet month to month. They face several options to secure that extra income they need, one being obtaining a part-time job and the other a home-based business. It's a decision with advantages and disadvantages to each. I want to provide some suggestions to help you make the right choice.

When deciding between a standard second job and a home-based business, it is important to consider the expenses incurred in both. For those considering a second job, many do not take into account the numerous extra expenses that go along with childcare, clothing, gas, etc. Crown Financial Ministries offers a worksheet online (http://www.crown.org/Tools/mommake.asp ) to help you determine how much you will actually make once these expenses are deducted from your income. By breaking it down and seeing the guideline, you can see just how much extra you really bring home each week.

A home-based business also incurs expenses, but most of your business related expenses will be at least partially tax deductible. The IRS looks favorably on home-based businesses. The more money that you save with legitimate tax deductions, the more finances you'll have to increase the size of your business. This in turn creates more revenue for the IRS.

A home-based business can also offer flexibility that a second job cannot. You can work from the comfort of your home - often in your pajamas if you choose. You can work the days you want and the hours you need. Your schedule is up to you! For example, Diana Ennen, author Virtual Assistant the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, states, "I enjoy the flexibility my home-based business provides. You can easily wake up at 5:30 a.m. to work or work until 2:00 a.m. whatever fits your personality. Many people enjoy it because they can start work after they have put the kids the bed and work a couple hours and earn extra money without having to hire a babysitter. Plus, it's all in the comfort of your own home. No costs on dry-cleaning, travel to work, gas expenses, etc., and you can't beat the one minute commute to the office!"

Allowing your family to be a part of the business is another benefit that not many jobs can compete with and thus another positive benefit to home-based businesses. Depending on the type of home-based business you choose, there may be small jobs that your children can assist with in the daily operations. These include: Helping prepare your mailings, preparing packages if you have a direct mail company, or even answering the phone - depending on their age. Your spouse can also be a part of your business and may be able to help run the business when you are not able to be at home.

Helping others be successful working from home is another great perk of being a part of a home-based business. Most home-based businesses allow you to build a team of people to work along side you. Finding other people that are interested in owning a business and then helping them succeed is satisfying and can be financially rewarding as well.

There are, of course, negative aspects about working from home. The success of your business depends solely on you. You need to be determined, efficient and organized to be successful. You must take the time to work at the business or you will not see the additional income that you desire. It can be very easy to let your business slide when you are tired or feeling discouraged. However, if you are aware of these temptations, you can create a plan to overcome them when they arise.

The benefits of a home-based business can many times override the work and time you must devote. When compared to the expenses occurred by taking a second job it is a great alternative. Because of the tax breaks when operating a home-based business, it is many times a more profitable option. You may not make a million, but it may allow you the freedom and income that you need to make life a little easier. Even with the disadvantages, many who work-at-home wouldn't have it any other way. I hope this helps you make the right decision for you and your family.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Hart is the founder and editor of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, and the author of the e- book, The Two Week Devotional Journey for Christian Work at Home Moms. The CWAHM.com website is dedicated to providing moms with free resources to aid them in their work at home search. The site also provides current work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. E-mail Jill at jill@cwahm.com for additional information or stop by her site at www.cwahm.com.

This afternoon was a good one. My little girls had a friend over and they all entertained each other marvelously. My baby slept most of the day and I even got to read an entire magazine in one sitting! (Jealous yet?) After sitting on my porch swing for a few moments trying to decide what to do next, I went inside for a drink.

After my refreshing beverage, I started to pick up the kitchen and slowly put things away. Our friend had gone home, lunch was successfully finished and all three girls were napping. Ah, bliss. I grabbed the plates and threw them in the sink. "What a beautiful day" I thought to myself. A few wrappers in the trash, a little food in the cat dish. "Does life get any better than today"? I thought aloud.

I grabbed some graham crackers and then suddenly life went downhill. In an instant I was crying and silently cursing these whole grain snacks from the pit of hell. What happened?

Well, let me back up a bit. As anyone who has ever bought graham crackers knows; they can go stale in less than four seconds. So after I saw that I had left them on the counter, I was frenzied. "What a waste of money if these are stale and I have to throw them out!" Angry at myself for the fateful slip-up, I searched for a little sandwich baggie to put them in.

After the triumph of finding the zip-lock, I started to very carefully maneuver the grahams into the baggie. Anyone who has ever tried this knows that you can barely fit a full-length graham into a sandwich bag. Getting more and more frustrated at each falling crumb, my eyes started to well up with would-be waterworks. I silently prayed for some sort of heavenly help from above when all of a sudden, I heard a still, small voice in my heart. God asked me "Angie, why do the grahams have to be whole? Break them in half and they will fit just fine." I started to cry. Crying over the simplicity of the answer. Crying because the Lord of all creation stopped everything He was doing to help me fit crackers into a baggie. Wow.

I am still not sure why I got so frustrated at such a silly little thing after having a seemingly perfect day. I think moms are like that though; a careful concoction of emotion ready to tip this way or that.

As moms, how often to do try to do something a certain way only to get frustrated that it doesn't work. We did it that way before, or our moms did it that way. We get stuck in ruts. But luckily the Almighty doesn't. He has new ideas and new mercies everyday. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in being perfect that we forget broken is okay too.

God knows we are broken. If we were full and whole, we wouldn't need Him. We need to be broken to fit in His divine plans, just like crackers need to be broken to fit in the bag.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela K. Doughty lives in Minnesota with her husband Jesse and their 3 young daughters; Natalie, Victoria and Lily. Angela is an aspiring writer who loves to journal, craft, go for walks and play with her daughters. This will be her first year homeschooling a kindergartener and a preschooler. She is currently working on her first book in her "free time."

This is one of my favorite recipes to serve. It is easy, delicious and a great twist on regular spaghetti.








You will need:

1 package of cooked spaghetti
1 can or jar of spaghetti sauce
1 pound of cooked ground beef
3 egg whites
1/3 cup parmesan cheese shreds or crumbles
1 package mozzarella cheese
1 container sour cream


What to do:

Cook the pasta according to directions. Brown hamburger. In a casserole dish, place cooked pasta in bottom. Add egg whites and parmesan. Stir until mixed well. Spread sour cream on top of spaghetti. Add hamburger over sour cream. Now add sauce and then top with cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes.