The Internet is a wonderful place to make money. Unlike any other commercial vehicle, it quickly and easily spans continents, time zones, language barriers and cultural idiosyncrasies to connect likeminded individuals to band together in business or for a commercial transaction. Perhaps this explains the propensity for many a would be home base business entrepreneur to look online for small business opportunities.

From there it is only a hop, skip and a jump until eventually you will find that Internet network marketing business opportunity that promises a lot but asks for a modest investment in return. Yet before you go ahead and offer up your credit card number and of course after you do your homework and are assured that the business is a real opportunity and not a scam, there are five questions to ask yourself before investing in an Internet network marketing business.

1. How much time can you realistically commit to this venture? This is not the time to offer up the idealized version of your time commitment but instead it should be an honest assessment of your availability. Instead of a best case scenario, use an everyday model to figure out where your available time lies and just how much of it there is to go around.

2. Is this business opportunity really something that interests you? Sure, you want to make money and stay home while you are doing it but do you really feel that selling wellness products is something you will enjoy doing and are cut out for? Conversely, are you and the telecommunications field really a good mix? Do not sign up for a business opportunity that deals with a field or industry that neither interests you nor particularly would inspire you to become informed about.

3. How much money do you need to make in order for this venture to be worth your while? In other words, if a realistic income is $500 per month, will that be worth it to you in the beginning?

4. Are you able to commit to this business in the long run? Internet network marketing business opportunities will not make you rich while you sleep, no matter what anyone tells you and even the folks who are trying to sell you on their residual income idea are working like gangbusters to keep their site in the top search engine rankings. So commitment and hard work are mandatory if you want to make it. Are you able to make that commitment?

5. Do you have realistic expectations of the business? If you are looking to join a venture that will allow you to rake in a six figure income in a couple of months, the odds are good that your expectations are skewed and you are setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Never enter an Internet network marketing business unless you are certain you understand what to expect. If you find that your unrealistic expectations are driven by your desire to get rich quick, you need to change your goal setting to come up with some healthier and smaller goals that will more adequately reflect the reality of the business.