It really sounds like you've got the ideal situation already - minus a lift to make it sweeter. Calling your own hours and choosing your own jobs, plus no commute, and all your own tools right there at your disposal without worry of others digging into them or them disappearing down to the local pawn shops for drug money. The convenience of popping into your own home for a break, lunch, snack, or whatever.
Do you have a space at your current rental to plunk a 4 post lift down?
The portable lifts are "OK"; my buddy had one of the SnapOn hydraulic ones that was reasonably useful. It has arms that extend out with lift pads so that the suspension can hang free like a 2 post lift, making it useful for that type of work where a 4 post obviously limits you in that application - tire rotation, brakes, suspension, etc.
Richard