Seriously, the money you need to begin your home based business is probably right in front of you, but you just need someone to point it out to you.

When you were a child, did you ever participate in a penny scramble at a picnic. This is where the adults amass a pile of sand and sprinkle pennies in it and use a rake to bury them.

With a stop watch in hand, somebody calls out to the children that there are pennies buried in the pile of sand and the youngster that can find and collect the most number of pennies in the alloted time, will win a bigger prize.

Can you guess what the lesson a keen-eyed spectator will learn?

Since the children vary in ages, their perception of money differs. There's usually at least one child who doesn't really understand the concept of money and flops around in the pile of sand without really knowing what he or she is looking for.

All the people watching know that the money (pennies) are right under their noses. One of the older children of the bunch usually comes up the winner for three reasons.

They know what pennies are, they are driven to win, and they are focused on what they are looking for.

Zooming forward to the adult world, you'll find that some adults have carried that lack of understanding of money with them. Except now, it's not pennies that they are scrambling for, but dollars... and lots of them.

Are you scrambling for dollars?

Scrambling for dollars sounds like a TV show on cable. There's an idea you can run with.

Is this about second mortgages? NO! Pulling equity out of your home to start a business should only be considered after your business is up and running and has been doing well for an extended period of time, otherwise, it's a roll of the dice with a lot to lose.

Would you like to learn some of the methods I have considered and in many cases used to raise some cash for an entrepreneurial venture? First off, anyone who says that you have to have money to make money, really doesn't understand how money works and uses this old phrase as an excuse as to why they are not doing well.

I could and will, devote an entire article to this useless and overused phrase.

We're on a different path; a path that anyone can follow right now. In the many seminars that I have given, I always mention that if something is a good idea today it will be a good idea tomorrow.

If the idea is feared useless in a few days, weeks, or months, it probably isn't that good of an idea... and even if it is a good idea... the risk factor is probably too high.

A car company doesn't come up with a great idea for a new vehicle and manufacture it the next day, they do market research and spend months and sometimes years developing the vehicle they envision.

If someone has a great idea for a movie, it will probably take a couple of years before it hits the big screen.

There are exceptions in the movie business, but most films take a long time to get made. Look up your favorite actor on the internet and you will see that some of the projects that they are involved in are a couple of years from release.

So, let's pull all this together for your home business. You need money to get started, I think we can agree on that.

However, you probably don't need as much money as you think. A lot of big companies came from very humble beginnings (kitchen tables). What made them grow? Focused attention on what it would really take to get a business off the ground was the key.

How serious are you about the home based business you want to start?

Do you have a clear plan of action?

Have you really figured out how much money it would take?

Let's get into raising some cash... from under your nose. I will say, some of the things I mention, you may not be comfortable doing.

Again, how serious are you about making your home based business idea a reality?

The most obvious place to look for money is in your savings or checking account, but since those are already strained and drained, we'll go elsewhere.

I know I am repeating myself, but I want you to understand, this isn't about "taking a shot" or "giving something a try."

This is all about transforming a solid idea into a tangible money making home business.

Raising money from under your nose may also take a little time, but if it's a great idea and you're hot for it, sometimes taking a little time can convince you that you're on to something or warn you that it isn't the way to go.

So, time has its place in your overall plan.

How much money do you have in your pocket, right now? More importantly, what is it that you are spending that pocket money on?

Let's just see how much money you can raise, gather, collect, save, or create in just 30 days. Would an extra $1,000. or $2,000. get you set up and ready to roll?

Some of you may be able to do all the things that I mention, but most of you will clearly get the drift of what I'm showing you. Here we go...

Insurance policies; the insurance world is more competitive than ever and the consumer has many more choices with agents and companies almost begging you to let them give you a free quote.

Get the free quotes for life insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance, and all the other policies.

Hey, it's your policy and your money and you should be in charge of how much you are willing to pay.

If you have credit cards, shop the rate; there are issuers willing to give you a handsome interest rate reduction for transferring balances.

Membership subscriptions; do you want a gym membership or a business?

Get serious about where you want to go on the economic ladder.

Newspaper subscriptions; waste of time, especially with the internet. You don't have the time anymore to read the paper, you're building a home based business.

Let other people read about what you're doing.

Do you have a Christmas club; cash it out. I thought you said you were serious and determined to make money. This isn't a vacation you're going on, it's a money making mission.

Remember, you're going into business to make money, not throw it away.

Check the car; the floor, glove box, ashtray, trunk, and under the seats, especially the back one.

Loose change adds up. Get into the frame of mind that you are on a mission to begin a new business, not buy videos.

You have to put your mindset in a very special mode. What if you needed money for a life saving surgery? How much could you come up with then?

I'm always amazed when I put on a suit or sport coat and pull money out of one of the pockets. Check those pockets. Check under the mattress too.

Now we're going to get a little more serious. What can you sell?

Remember, we're on a quest to raise money to change your life, to let you become the captain of your own ship, to take control of your life, and produce a second income or a whole new way of life.

Reducing monthly expenses is obvious, but often over-looked.

Just think about what you are spending on house keeping (products and services), lawn care (cutting), car washes, pool maintenance, your electric bill, gas bill, gasoline bill, water bill, cable (do you really need 6 movie channels?... you're building a business, you don't have time to watch TV... so sell your TV).

Go over your monthly expenses and see what you can reduce, eliminate, or share with someone else.

Look around the house; what can you sell for cash? What can you sell to a friend, neighbor or relative? Internet auctions are great.

I have sold hundreds of items on line that were just cluttering my life. Have a garage sale or yard sale.

Garages are great sources, along with basements and sheds, for easy cash. People always seem to wait until they move to sell all the things that they don't want, because they see no use in taking things with them.

Don't wait to move to get rid of (raise cash) stuff.

One year I was putting together my tax information for my accountant and discovered that I had spent nearly $3,000. in one year on self-storage units.

I had three of them. I just couldn't believe it.

What did I do? A friend was moving and having a yard sale and I asked if I could set up along side him. I did.

I rented a 16 foot moving van and filled it to the brim with the contents of my storage units. I sold everything with the exception of two books.

I dropped those off at the Salvation Army on my way home.

I much preferred the cash than the monthly storage bills. Look around at the furniture.

There are a lot of consignment stores that will come and pick up pieces of furniture and when they sell, give you the money. Perhaps hurtful, but; would you rather play golf or build a business? Sell the clubs.

Don't worry about items being used. I'm a true believer in internet auctions and amazed at what people will bid on. What ever you're collecting, sell it.

When your business is up and going and you're making money, you can buy a bigger collection from someone who has read this article.

Jewelry is always a quick cash generator. Sell, sell, sell. I hear you saying, "Hey Lazz, I can't sell everything." Why not?

If you're not able to sell all your useless (as in, useless in relation to your business) than how serious are you about creating a serious income generating home based business?

I've sold used shoes, broken watches, old magazines, kitchen pots and pans, bedspreads, pillows, rugs, t-shirts, and even rusty tools through internet auctions.

I'm still happier with the cash.

Now we have to go the other way. One of the best sayings my father use to preach to me when I was young was; "Why buy new, when used will do?"

Need a file cabinet for your new business? Use a cardboard box. Need printer paper? Buy only recycled.

Need a lamp? Grab the one from the living room, you're not going to be sitting in there anyway. How about a desk?

Of course, the kitchen table, or, one of my favorites; a piece of plywood with some vinyl stapled on top of it.

Use your common sense. You want to sell everything you can that will raise cash and not affect your ability to function. Refinance the car, loans, and credit cards to reduce your monthly expenses.

Eat at home, rather than going out to a restaurant. Combine trips to the store, school, and the market to save gasoline. Lower your monthly overhead by examining what it is you are spending money on.

Quit spending four dollars every morning on a coffee and doughnut at the local coffee emporium.

Before you spend, ask yourself, "Do I need this or do I just want it?" Every dollar saved is a dollar you can put toward your business.

With all these tips, you should be able to raise the seed money you need in 30 to 90 days to get your home based business started.

Since you plan on being successful, you can buy back all the frills later.

People will take your business seriously, when you show that you are serious about being in business.

My final tip; if you can borrow "it" from a friend, neighbor, or relative; Why buy "it"?

One more final tip; You can make money with a second job such as a tutor, doing odd jobs, or selling stuff for a friend, neighbor, or relative and taking a cut of the selling price.

I've done it. Now it's your turn.

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