8 Reasons for Working at Home Working at home has its rewards.

Working at home has it's ups and downs, but for most of us the pros outweigh the cons of working at home. While our career paths, home office setups, and childcare arrangements may vary greatly, telecommuters' reasons for working at home are more consistent.
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1. Spend more time with your kids.

Working at home allows you to be a part of your children's routines throughout the day; not just morning, evenings and weekends. You can take a lunch break with your toddler and hear all the day's news when they get home from school. Work-at-home moms don't have unlimited time with their kids, but they do have more frequent opportunities to be with their children.

2. Increase or maintain your income.

Mothers who left careers to raise children can ease their way back into the workforce by working at home. Working at home might mean taking on consulting work or starting a business, while still employing a hands-on, day-to-day parenting style. Or, working moms who move from an out-of-home office to telecommuting can maintain their incomes, while spending more time at home, and save on many workplace costs.

3. Give up the commute.

When you travel to work, you're neither working nor spending time with family. Working at home eliminates this waste of time leaves more time for both. Also, not only is commuting a drag, it's expensive. You’ll save money on gas, public transportation costs, and/or car insurance and maintenance by working at home.

4. Work flexible hours.

Though self-employed folks often enjoy more flexibility than telecommuting employees, both usually have increased control over their schedules. Many who are working at home choose hours early in the morning or after the kids have gone to bed.

5. Gain a sense of control and contentment.

Make time for yourself as well as your family with the time saved by working at home. The self-employed in particular gain a feeling of controlling their own destiny, but telecommuting employees who juggle home and work responsibilities more effectively gain a sense of balance. Plus the income generated by working at home can make a difference on luxuries that you might otherwise forgo.

6. Save money on childcare costs (possibly).

This doesn't necessarily apply to everyone, but some moms who are working at home, depending on their jobs and the age of their children, can earn a living with part-time or no outside childcare. Determining how much child care and what type of child care you need, then work that into your budget.

7. Escape the office's social dynamics.

This one cuts both ways. Some people who begin working at home miss the social aspects of an office, but others feel the distractions of unnecessary meetings, social gatherings, or unscheduled chats at the water cooler cut their efficiency, further extending time away from family.

8. Save money on clothes and lunches.

And though it's really not a good idea to work in your PJs, especially with kids around who look to you as an example, you will likely spend less on work clothes by working at home. Unless you were packing your own lunch (if so, that’s one task off your list!), the amount you spend on lunches and coffee breaks will decrease.