by: Debra Hamer

Have you always wanted to work at home? Have your own business? Didn’t think it was possible? No more commuting in traffic (plus gasoline prices right now are ridiculous). No more "business attire" (work in your jammies) and no more Corporate America breathing down your neck. I didn’t think it was possible. I had always been a pessimist. Didn’t think I could do it. Didn’t have the knowledge or skills required.

I had worked in the travel/customer service industry for 25 years. I was laid off over two years ago after 9/11. I submitted my resume to countless job postings with no response. Obviously after awhile I was feeling unwanted, useless, and depressed. No job prospects, no money, no direction. I not only needed an income, I needed a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning other than the cats and bird needed to be fed.

What was I going to do?

The light bulb finally came on in my head and I realized that I had some resources right at home. A computer and internet access. I normally surfed the net to shop

(shopping mind you, couldn’t afford to buy) and playing computer games to pass the time.

I happened upon an opportunity to take surveys online. Sounded easy enough and for a $35.00 investment to access a database of survey sites I could start making some money. I registered with every survey site listed in that database. A tedious task! In two months time a made $102.50 and a $10.00 gift card. I wasn’t going to pay the bills with that kind of money. Back to the same dilemma!

What was I going to do?

I started searching the web for information about working from home. To my amazement there are countless opportunities. Now the question was not if I could have my own business but what kind of business did I want? I’m not a salesman! I didn’t want to have to worry about inventory, packaging, shipping, merchant accounts, etc. I had very little money to invest, so my out-of-pocket expenses would have to be low, really low.

I found a website which offered me the chance to start my own business with incredibly little cost. The following lists what was provided:

1. A domain name registered for $30.00.

2. Hosting of my website at a low monthly fee of $24.95.

3. My website was created free of charge which included a free auto responder.

4. I had to join five affiliate programs (signup was free) which their links would be placed on my website. These were some of the top affiliate programs (paying good commissions with multiple income streams). I found many favorable recommendations for them at several different websites.

5. They immediately got me started on how to build a mailing list fast and how to generate traffic to my website.

6. I was provided a home business tips newsletter that goes out to my email list on a daily basis. I don’t have to do a thing, it’s automatic.

7. Plus, I am provided with more tools, tips, ideas and marketing strategies (from well known "Internet Marketing Gurus") than I thought possible. All free of charge!

They’ve done the research and testing to know what works and what doesn’t. Just have to follow their lead. These people give you step by step instructions. Go to any internet marketing website and see how much information is given freely. I think you will be as amazed as I was and still am.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some costs involved. But I’m talking a couple of hundred dollars not thousands! I have been overwhelmed with information, ideas, tools and resources!

No one is going to do it all for you. You will have to spend time learning and working to promote your business. Point is YOU too have the opportunity to have the best boss in the world, YOURSELF!

Take action now, don’t wait, and grab a piece of the internet boom for yourself. As I said before I was always the pessimist, but now I see a half full cup instead of a half empty one.