by Kenneth Ang

Created on: January 05, 2010

How to start a home based business.

Today, as a result of the recession, many people are looking at starting a home-based business, either to supplement their present income, or to replace it.

If you are considering a home-based business, know that it is not expensive to set up. Of course, this will depend on the kind of business you plan to run from your home. If you plan to set up a woodcraft business, then obviously you'll need specific equipment for that purpose.

For the purposes of this article, we will be looking at the general equipment a home based business needs.

First and foremost, a business needs to communicate with its prospects and customers. If it is not convenient for your prospects and customers to get in touch with you, chances are, you will lose a lot of business.

Phone and Fax

A facsimile used to be essential in order for a business to send and receive documents, but it is more common these days for such communication to be done via email so don't spend money on it unless your business requires it. You can now send faxes from your computer through your modem, using proprietary software.

A phone though, is a must. It can be a fixed line at home, or at least, a mobile phone. Preferably get a mobile phone that can receive and send emails. This will enable you to communicate with your customers if you are always on the move. You can also arrange to have calls made to your fixed line forwarded to you if you are out of your home office.

Computer and modem

Whether or not you do your business online, you have to own a computer. It need not be an expensive one with all the bells and whistles. Most businesses use computers to process data. You can do your bookkeeping and taxes, write correspondence, access the Internet, anything that enables you to manage your business.

Depending on your budget, consider getting a laptop or notebook. It offers you mobility. Imagine being able to work, while sitting in the park, watching your children play.

Unless you do graphic design or work with large video files, you will not require a computer with a large memory (RAM). Ideally, have two hard disks that mirror each other, so that when one hard disk fails, your data will be safe on the other one. The safety of your data is crucial so do not try to save money in this area.

In order to use your computer to communicate with your prospects and customers, you will require a modem. If you have a laptop, it will normally come with a built-in modem.

If you have more than

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