Task #1: Create a Professional Work Space
As Jean points out, the most successful home workers have a dedicated work space. Part of the beauty of working from home, Jean says, is the ability to function in a more casual environment; however, the chosen work area must still meet parameters that allow for quality work.

Certainly if you will be having face-to-face contact with clients, a professional office area is essential.If that isn’t possible, the best solution is to meet with clients elsewhere, such as at a local restaurant.

Task #2: Purchase the Supplies and Equipment You Need
Rather than risk running out of essential supplies like copy paper or toner, Jean suggests making a list of all necessary equipment and supplies and have these items in place before the first day of at-home work. Stock up on frequently used items, such as printer cartridges, copy paper, and pens.

Task #3: Set Boundaries for Family and Friends
Make the transition to a home business as stress-free as possible for everyone. Let your family know your expectations before you start your new business. You should post your work hours where family can see them. Let your friends know your work hours, too. Tell everyone that personal calls and visits are not acceptable during work hours. “Standing firm on work-related boundaries in the early days of a transition sends a clear message that this is a serious work endeavor worthy of respect,” says Jean.

Task #4: Prepare for Distractions
Distractions in the home abound. Home workers are constantly in danger of being distracted by household chores, TV sets, and online chats. Self discipline is essential. As Jean explains it, one of the advantages of working at home is the ability to toss in some laundry or walk the dog on a break, but it takes vigilance to keep these activities from creeping into work hours. Simply knowing there will be a temptation to veer off the path of productivity is an advantage that helps establish good work habits at the outset.

Not every work-at-home opportunity is a scam, but one way to end up losing instead of making money is by not reading the fine print before you give your credit card information or provide personal details.

In this story about a work-at-home ripoff, Joe Ducey at an ABC affiliate in Arizona, tells the story of would-be entrepreneur Jerry Landers. Jerry paid $1.97 to get more information about a home-business opportunity from Income Easy Street. Not long afterwards, Landers learned that his credit card was charged another $129 because he didn’t cancel his membership within three days.

Income Easy Street claimed that customers were given a notice about the three-day cancellation policy. We’ll never know if they were telling the truth. If they were, the notice was likely not very prominent. In that case, it is up to the consumer to look carefully for any fine print, asterisks, or other indications that there is some legalese that they need to read.

Is it fair that we have to be so careful and hunt for disclosures? Clearly, it is not fair, and in many cases state consumer agencies have forced Internet marketers to make their disclosures easier to find and understand.

In the meantime, you have a choice: get ripped-off and wait to get justice from a slow-moving bureaucracy, or take the time up-front to make sure what you are buying and what it really will cost you.