• There are many business ideas to choose from.business image by nutech21 from Fotolia.com
  
  Opening a home-based business can provide many perks including saving money on commuting, not having a lot of overhead, and being available to your family when needed. There are many businesses that can be run from the home.Choosing one that dovetails with your previous experience and future interests can help make it fun and profitable for you.
  
  

Medical Transcriptionist

• A medical transcriptionist transcribes doctor's verbal reports to typed copy. Becoming a medical transcriptionist can be time consuming, however, once you have taken classes and learned how to do it correctly, you can open a successful home business. Courses can be taken in a classroom, online or through the mail.
  Start-up costs are relatively small and involve a computer, a transcriber machine, a printer and some medical reference books. In addition, you need to have business cards and some brochures or a website that advertises your service.
  You will need to have above average skills in grammar, computers, listening and researching. Most transcriptionists charge for each typed line. As of 2010, the median annual salary for medical transcribing was $32,000.
  
  

Photography

• If you love taking photographs, think about opening a photography business from home. Some of the ways a professional photographer makes money is by taking photographs of weddings, events, families, pets and at corporate functions. Powerbiz.com reports that business skills are important if you are to succeed as a professional photographer.
  
  Professional photographers have a wide range of money making opportunities, from snapping a shot for your local newspaper to covering a major event. Salaries range from $10 for a snapshot to $10,000 for weddings and corporate events.
  Equipment can be costly, but once obtained it can be used for many years if properly taken care of.
  
  

Personal Chef

• If you love to cook, you might like opening a personal chef business. Personal chefs are hired by people to provide meals for the client or client's family to eat. A personal chef gets to know the family's tastes, likes, dislikes, allergies and favorite foods and designs a weekly menu, cooks it and stores it for the client. Many personal chefs work in the client's home one day a week, preparing and storing the week's menu. Personal chefs often have more than one client, and prepare food for several families each week. You will need a large database of recipes, a full collection of cooking utensils and the ability to cook in many different kitchen settings. As of 2010, personal chefs had the potential to bring in $50,000 a year.