Home business forums: Homeworking.com
Homeworking.com was set up in 2003 when Caroline Tresman, its founder and editor, realised that there was very little UK-based information on the Internet for people working from home. Homeworking.com claims to be one of the best starting places for homeworking, providing a springboard that will help you focus on what you want to do and what you can do. There is also information for employers, but the site is very definitely not a job directory.
Six consultant specialists contribute and give advice to the site, and their specialisms range from debt advice to network marketing to business finance. They are all active participants of the forums.
- The forums are searchable by topic, by day and by week. Threads are categorised into six different forums:
- Practicalities – including topics such as tax and bookkeeping
- Work at home – including the latest scams and how to avoid them
- Network marketing/affiliates/franchises – the pros and cons of buying into ready made businesses
- IT/technology/websites – covering IT support for homeworkers, warnings about viruses etc
- Media/news/research – all the latest relevant news, useful information and research requests
- The coffee shop – a sort of catch-all forum for sharing thoughts on a wide range of topics, from cream buns and jokes to general news.
There is also a business development forum which is for registered members only. The community appears to be pretty active and very supportive. The rules are clear and the site is well moderated, with libellous comments rapidly removed. Members are not allowed to blatantly self promote.
It’s possible to access the forums without registering, but to get the most use out of this site you will need to register.
As well as the forums, Homeworking.com also offers some useful links for job opportunities, a wide range of case studies for inspiration, articles for small businesses and debt advice.