Many people ask me how I make my living, and how they could make a few extra dollars without killing themselves. Some people think there is no alternative to the daily misery of going to work, and that you have to ?have money to make money?, this is wrong and all you really need is a little time and a bit of lateral thinking.

I don't watch TV, I don't hate it and I don't love it, but it costs me money.

Several years ago I purchased my first Internet ready PC and one night, some months later, I had a ?Eureka? moment. For the last 6 months I have spent hours every evening looking at, and purchasing masses of information.

My wife used the PC in the daytime to run an Ebay business selling ex-chainstore clothing, and was always being asked where she obtained her stock. That evening I visited all of her website suppliers and compiled a word document reviewing those suppliers, and within a week had more orders on Ebay for the information than my wife had for the clothing.

This article is not about Ebay but about RESEARCH and how to PROFIT from it.

Over the course of the next few weeks I had many brainstorming moments and researched information on many subjects and, more importantly, where to sell this newfound information.

I found out several facts that I have to this day used to build an interesting and profitable business from scratch.

You don't have to be a gifted writer?The Washington Post or NY Times would not be interested in my research.

? People want information.

? People will pay for information.

? Some people would love to provide the information but don't know how.

? Many people are happy to just buy the information

In the early days my main concern was how to get my information to market, and I am happy to tell you that there is a whole industry, in fact several, who are hungry to snap up your information and sell it for you.

Once I had the above facts in order I started a strong business that just keeps growing.

I have sold my research all over the world, to places I previously did not know existed.

When you don't know that a market exists it is virtually impossible to motivate yourself to exploit it.

Back to the TV?

Several years ago I would religiously watch the doom and gloom on the news and then watch an over hyped celebrity or current affairs show, and whilst watching this ?entertainment? my mind would wander over the days events and how there had to be a ?better way?, all the time in a state of self-imposed inertia.

I now spend two hours every evening on my business, one hour on research and one hour putting the information together to pass on to interested parties.

When you gather research on, or write about issues that you are interested in and make a difference to other peoples lives, it is hard not to feel energized and enthusiastic about it.

Since I wrote that word file to sell on Ebay, my research business has expanded into several areas such as:

? Getting paid to write short articles (like this one)

? Getting paid to gather information for product reviews

? Getting paid to review products and services

? Getting paid to gather information on worldwide locations

? Getting paid to gather information on current affairs

? Getting paid to gather information on little known subjects as research for other people

? Posting on forums and messageboards?.and getting paid for it!

I am amazed daily at the scope of my business, there are many barely touched opportunities for ambitious information junkies to distribute their online gatherings and offerings worldwide?..earn an easy $100 a day and escape the dreaded TV.