Customer Reviews

Best Home Businesses for People 50+

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was kind of skeptical when I picked up this book. I was expecting to see comments of having a dream of being your own boss, etc. Then I found a section on Why a Home-Based Business at Fifty-Plus - and it was right on. the authors listed seven reasons people would want to keep working and Why a Home-Based Business at Fifty-Plus makes sense.

The third reason was "Unexpected Problems Have Sidetracked Our Plans." My father worked for one company for 35+ years, then they laid him off.

The sixth reason was "Ageism is a reality." A number of friends of mine have somehow found themselves out of jobs at fifty-plus and no one is interested in them. A few have gotten jobs of the Walmart greeter or McDonalds varieties. The happiest ones are running a small business at home.

My own observations are that you won't need as much money as you did while working. The second reason stated in the book was "We're Concerned We Will Need to Work." It reports that most experts say we need to replace 75%-80% of our income to live comfortably when we leave the workforce. That's probably true if you maintain the same kind of expenses. But after the house is paid for, the car is paid for, and the kid is out of college, your need for income can really go down. But I'm just quibbling over details. I would certainly agree that it would be difficult to live on Social Security alone.

The authors then discuss some seventy small businesses that they have found fifty-plus people operating successfully. Of coure all 70 won't appeal to you, but you only want one. Above all else, these seventy businesses may serve as a starting point for you to decide on just that business that fits you. Good Book.

The authors are long-standing, genuine experts on self-employment, and this is one of the best of their many books. It's well-researched, thorough, specific and an excellent place to start your research into what you really want to do -- and might realistically be able to do -- in your later-life career. I've been pretty good at reinventing myself several times, careerwise, but this book had info on occupations and solo or small businesses that I didn't even know existed. As a reality check, the info was accurate and adequate for the 3 that I already knew quite a bit about, from experience. Highly recommended.

If you're over 50, or even just approaching that age, you'll want to read this book. Unfortunately, ageism is a very real issue, but the Edwards' explain how to turn a perceived drawback into a very strong asset. They identify jobs that are well suited to those 50+, including some you probably didn't think of (e.g., Wedding Planner, Daily Money Manager, etc.). Aside from the job descriptions, I really like the resources sections, which point you to places for more details. Highly recommended.

After surviving a bout with cancer in the Spring of '06 and a heart attack in the Fall, my church(I'm a minister) decided they could no longer afford to keep me. The problem was that I was 2 years short of being old enough to collect Medicare and no way was I going to be able to live on my paltry SSA. THIS BOOK LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE. It showed me that there is life after the fall, and it helped me to get back on my feet. I don't earn a LOT of money, but I'm doing better than the near-minimum wage I would have gotten flipping hamburgers at a fast food joint or working at Wal-Mart. In my opinion, there's something for just about everyone in this book--providing, of course, you really WANT to work.

This a very interesting book and worth a second look. I like the author's style and lots of info here.

I also suggest that you read Untapped Wealth Discovered by Jeff Marquis and Kerry Harrison. This book appeals more to me because it goes much deeper into strategies for the over 50 crowd.

I have registered in our community college to study accounting because of this book. It details careers that you can pursue from home before or after retirement. Some of the other reviews were not as positive, saying that you can google the information. I disagree -- there is no way you would have time to google all the information that is contained in this book. It is a wonderful resource. If you are afraid that social security just won't be enough, buy this book and get to work on building a second career. This time, it will be from home and you will be your own boss. You won't regret buying this book!

This book gives hope to those over 50 and in so many cases people tend to forget that the over 50 age group is already looking for opportunities.

It's a book that can be used to plan a career after your done working for someone else.

Very informative and gives lots of ideas

I run a very successful homebased business,and am always reading on the subject.This is a good book, but more designed for someone without a corporate or serious business background. It consists of 70 ideas that a person might consider in forming their own business,and there are some details given on each.I guess it was just more appropriate for someone not in his own business than for someone who is.

As an aside, for someone who does have a business/corporate background,my suggestion is to strongly consider the executive search/recruiting field.(Don't worry; your niche market will not be the same as mine.) The best most comprehensive foundational work on it is the CD series Successful Search and Placement! by Larry Nobles or his book on the same subject.

Highly worthwhile as a homebased business for someone with the right qualities of personality and background.

This book is a great book for ideas. It also is well organized. It doesn't really meet all the needs of someone who may be handicapped. At least it didn't meet mine.

Excellent book! A must read if you are going to survive in this economy!!!!!!