One of most common obstacles many home-based working moms face is trying to start or run a new business on a limited budget. The first few years of a business are usually hardest financially. Some moms leave full-time careers and substantial salaries to start a new business. Others start a home business as stay-at-home moms wanting additional income to support their family as well as a professional outlet to balance their diaper-changing days.

In either case, starting and running a home-based business takes money. How much money, will depend partly on you and type of business you choose to run.

Below are our top 10 tips to save you and your home business money:

1. Do your own market research by talking to potential clients or customers. Many new home business owners skip this step only to come back to it later (or wish they had). Those who start businesses without doing any type of research risk possibility that their target market doesn't need or want their particular product or service. The competition may be too fierce. There may not be enough potential customers to support business. Or product isn't priced correctly. It is just as important not to price your product too low as it is not to price it too high. Talk to others in similar businesses as yours to see how much they charge and what they offer for that price. 2. Team up with other non-competitive businesses that target same market to do some co-marketing. For example, desktop publishers and print shops can do a direct mail campaign together advertising both of their services or buy an ad in a local publication and split costs. Neither is in competition with other. They also can hand out business cards or flyers for one another as well as give word-of-mouth referrals. It's a great way to double one's marketing efforts while splitting any advertising costs.

3. When you have a satisfied customer, don't be afraid to ask for referrals. People like to help others especially new businesses trying to succeed. Show pride in your work and people are sure to notice. And when they do, ask if they know any others you can send a brochure or sample to. Another great way to encourage referrals is to offer a discount or special offer for any customers who are referred to you.

The relaxed pace of summer is peeking just around corner. And it is definitely welcome to many of us, but challenge and sometime stressful moments of balancing motherhood and work is not always so welcome.

Like much of motherhood, being flexible is key and planning in advance is a necessity. To help you make this summer best it can be with as little stress as possible, here are some tips for balancing your many roles during summer: -- If you don't have a laptop, now is a great time to consider getting one especially with wireless Internet connection. You can work just about anywhere with your laptop and wireless connection. That means portability to work in any room in your home as well as work at locations in public with wireless connection - coffee shops, public parks, airports, shopping areas, skating rinks and more.

-- Take convenience a step higher and make your laptop your desktop computer by using a docking station. A docking station allows you to still use your monitor and keyboard like a desktop without hassle of using two computer and transferring files and emails back and forth. Laptop prices have dropped dramatically and some laptops are as low as $500 while docking stations start around $60. Now may be time to make your business work around your busy life more than ever.