Opportunities to work from home are increasing as employees look for creative ways to earn a living.

Suzanne and Phil Slipher enjoy spending time with their miniature horses. Soon, when two new foals are born, Suzanne won't have to take time off work because, like a growing number of Americans, she works from home.

Slipher spends 30 to 35 hours a week taking calls for a virtual call center all from the comfort of her Bastrop ranch.

"It's rather nice being casual in your home, relaxing running down to your kitchen getting whatever you need like a cup of coffee," said Slipher.

Nationwide, work at home opportunities are expanding as more companies look to cut the costs of operating a call center staffed by full time workers. Slipher's company, LiveOps, has more than 20,000 home agents nationwide.

In addition to LiveOps, other companies now recruiting for work at home positions are West, Convergys, Alpine Access, Arise, VIP Desk and Working Solutions.

Some list specific qualifications, including foreign language skills or expertise in certain areas such as sales, real estate or home health care.

Slipher says she enjoys the scheduling flexibility.

"I can log off from LiveOps and I know that I'm away from my office. I close my doors and I can pretty much have my free time," she said.

Slipher is required to provide her own computer and high speed Internet hook-up, a business-only phone line and a quiet work environment. In exchange, she gets to dress casually and avoids the cost of gas and the hassles of commuting.

In fact, the only honking is not from other drivers in rush hour traffic, it's from the poultry pen in the Slipher's back yard.