Work at Home 101

With the economy in serious trouble and so many people losing their jobs and getting laid off now is a great time to look into making money by working at home. There are so many opportunities, from small work at home jobs that generate a little extra income to help make ends meet to creating long-term home businesses.

One of the most important things to watch out for in the online world are work at home scams. There are so many on the Internet that for beginners looking to earn money it is easy to get caught up in big promises and big money lies. As a rule of thumb if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In reality with any work at home business there are no shortcuts and no getting rich quick, those that make those promises are just liars with ulterior motives.

There are actually several work at home opportunities, the ones you choose may depend on:

1. How much time you have to invest, and how other obligations and responsibilities may interfere with working at home.

2. If you are looking to make a full time big money income or just earn some extra cash to make ends meet.

Regardless, of the opportunities that you take advantage of, make sure to explore all the work at home possibilities and make an informed choice.

Another point to consider, is that working at home can be a rewarding and freeing experience, but it is not for everyone, especially for those seeking to work at home full time. It takes a lot of discipline and dedication, since you are your own boss, and you have to make sure to not get distracted or lazy or complacent. You have to stay organized and self driven and not let things like the television or family deter you from completing daily tasks.

Legitimate and Real Work At Home Opportunities:

Direct Sales/Mail Order - There are thousands of good companies out there that will let you be an independent contractor and you can work at home by selling their products.

Multi-level marketing (MLM) - Also known as Network Marketing, is a business-distribution model that allows a parent company to market its products directly to consumers by means of relationship referrals and direct sales. This should not be confused with pyramid schemes, which are illegal and a waste of time.

Direct Sales - These include, Avon, Tupperware, Lingerie, Health products, Weight Loss and more.

Affiliate Marketing - Building niche websites and being the middleman between online shoppers and merchants and earning commissions for requisite sales and actions. Learn more about Internet Marketing and Building an Affiliate Marketing Website - Step-by-Step.

Online Paid Surveys - There are legitimate online/email paid survey opportunities with market research companies who pay consumers for their opinions, and those opinions shape the market on a variety of topics from groceries to automobiles, medical research, testing new advertising and lots more. These survey opportunities are the easiest, and quickest ways to work at home and earn some extra cash.

Consider carefully before spending any money on any business model, as there is plenty of free information out there and doing some deep research into work at home opportunities can help you make an informed choice and not waste time on the many scams that are out there.