As the recession bites and many people are losing their jobs, the idea of working for yourself becomes more and more attractive. Starting a business in the real world can be an expensive venture, but the internet offers ways to make a good income for very little start-up cost. Here are five ideas to get you started.

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1. Sell your own product.

It has been said that everyone is an expert on something. Think about the things you know well, and ask yourself whether someone would be interested in learning that. Alternatively, if you feel you are not an expert in anything that people would pay to learn about, then spend some time doing research. Once you have the information on hand, put it into an e-book, or better still put it on audio or video files. Create a sales page for it, and a page from which people can download the product, then promote it and wait for the sales.

Pros: You have complete control over everything – product, price, sales pitch, the lot. You also have a unique product that is being sold by you alone (and your affiliates, should you choose to develop an affiliate program.)

Cons: There can be a great deal of work involved, not only creating the product but in testing the sales copy and promoting the site.

Tip: You don’t have to do everything yourself. Outsource wherever possible.