The first thing to consider is whether you want a job or a business. If you want a job, expect that you will not have to pay any money, except, perhaps for a background check, which some legitimate companies do charge. Do some research first to ensure that the particular company is reputable.

On the other hand, you should expect to invest some money in a home business. Even if there's no cost to join, you'll pay to advertise, to print business cards, flyers and so forth. You might pay for products. It just depends on the particular business.

Now, I'm not going to recommend a particular business here. That's not what I'm writing about. The right business for you is the one that interests you most and you will feel motivated to work on.

For some people, that means joining a direct sales company. For others it means going into affiliate marketing. And for still others it means starting something entirely their own.

One thing I've noticed is that some people will fail to do well at a business opportunity and immediately label it a scam. That may not be the case. Just because something doesn't work out for you doesn't mean that it's a scam. It means it wasn't right for you.

One skill you need to develop when you're reviewing your options is the ability to spot the scams before joining them and losing money. Let's take a look at some of the common symptoms of scams.

1. Too much return on investment promised: You'll see businesses promise insane returns on your investment. While people do occasionally get such returns, they don't tend to happen that often.

2. No effort required: Come on! If no effort were required, the entire world would be rich. It takes effort to get a genuine business off the ground.

3. Too heavy a focus on recruiting: If almost the entire effort is focused on recruiting new members than on selling actual products, you are probably looking at a Ponzi scheme of one sort or another.

4. You don't understand where the money comes from: Sometimes you'll be promised income, but when you look at things, the numbers just don't add up. Never join an opportunity you don't understand.

5. Hype, hype, hype: I don't trust companies that try too hard to get me excited about the opportunity. I'd rather have facts than hype.

Starting a home business is hard work and don't let anyone tell you differently. The pleasure comes from finding an opportunity that you really enjoy working on, but effort is still required. Don't just jump into the first opportunity you see. Take some time, investigate your options and choose with caution. You'll improve your odds of avoiding the scams, as well as making your business more likely to succeed.