Start your own business.

But isn't it nuts to start a business when times are tight? Not at all. Many of today's huge corporations started out in someone's basement during height of Great Depression when one in three people were destitute. Now those were tough times, yet great new businesses were born and thrived.

And don't you need a big bankroll or at least a line of credit at your bank? Nope. Half companies on Fortune 500 started with just a few thousand dollars. Many began with only a few HUNDRED dollars. I know plenty of thriving small businesses that started with nothing more than an order pad and $20 worth of fliers announcing a new service.

Here's big secret to success. YOU suddenly become a NEW person when you start your own business. For most of us, getting out from under demands of a boss changes something in us. When YOU are demanding things from YOURSELF, you suddenly become ten times more motivated than when someone else is telling you what to do.

When I started my business from a corner of my kitchen, I found hours flew by. I went from working 40 hours a week doing bookkeeping at an asphalt company to putting in 100 hours a week on my business. And you know what? It didn't feel like work. I was tired at end of those 14 hour days, but I felt like I had just come back from vacation.

This is one of those human things that people knew well back in 1800s, but nobody seems to remember today. You're smarter, more clever, and harder working when you work for yourself.

Here's how to get started.

It's a great time to start a home business.

If job worries are getting you down, a business on side can serve as insurance against a bumpy economic ride. And low overhead of launching your business from home means that you can do it even if you're short on cash.

If you're also short on ideas, here are a few:

Direct Sales

We're not talking about pyramid schemes where all you sell is an opportunity. You can find dozens of reputable companies with quality product lines which follow a multi-level compensation model. These are especially appealing to home-based entrepreneurs because (a) they require very little upfront investment, (b) their offerings are known and trusted and (c) placing an order will not break bank... so it's possible to find eager customers, even if you are new to sales.

Of course, making big money in MLM comes from commissions you make off sales of your 'downline' - people you recruit and people they recruit. Again, your timing for trying this out could not be better: The same job and money insecurities that are inspiring you to look for a little income insurance are driving others to do same. This is a good economy for building a downline.

You do need to investigate any opportunity before you sign. Start your research at NOBOSS < http://www.noboss.com > which offers extremely detailed descriptions of over 100 different low-cost businesses you can start at home.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

(1) Is this a product you would use yourself and recommend to others? If you're not familiar with their offerings, buy some for yourself and use them. If you're not wild about product, you won't have an easy time selling it. Keep on looking.

(2) Large commissions are great, but big ticket items don't sell well in this kind of nervous economy. You may do better to choose a low-cost line that will appeal to a wider audience and plan to earn your commissions on volume.