Working from home is not as easy as you think if you are considering doing it while kids are actually in the house with you. I work from home, but my kids are all in school when I'm working. You have to watch for scams, like you said. Any company that wants you to put any money up front is either a complete scam (they will take your money and run) or a legitimate company that doesn't tell you the statistics of how few people actually make any money with their business (like Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc) You have to think outside the box to find a work at home job. For example my background is in teaching and I was able to get a job as a part time virtual teacher.My suggestion is to figure out what kind of job you would have if you worked outside the home, then figure out a way to do it from home, if possible. And whether you work in or out of the home, seriously consider putting your kids in some sort of day care environment while you work, which means you have to make enough money to make a profit after you have paid for child care.