Watch Out!
by Melissa Olivero
http://www.melsatticimages.com/

It needs to be stated from the very beginning that all of my articles are biased to my point of view. No where is it more true than this piece. To me, it is all about unnecessary risk. It is true that you have to spend money to make money. You just need to make sure that your money is spent as an investment in your future rather than just lining the pockets of someone else.

Here are some tips on what to look out for when considering work from home opportunities.

1. Love the idea of working for a home party company? Figure out if the company you are considering offers a normal sales downline or a pyramid. What's the difference? If your income is dependent upon you getting people to come in underneath you versus selling a product or service -- then that is a bad pyramid and you should stay clear of it. While you should receive a bonus if you recruit someone to work for the company, your main focus should always be a product or service.

2. Repeating -- if the company's sale focus is on how many people you can get to sign up - WALK AWAY.

3. If you choose to go with a direct sales company, your "Start Up Kit" is going to cost you money. This is not a bad thing. The company not only supplied the idea, creates the products and handles national advertising, but they will also be sending you materials that cost them money to produce. You should receive training books and/or CD-ROMs or DVDs. You should receive advertising literature and at least a few samples. Please note that the more supplies that they give you in a kit, that the more it is going to cost you. If you are being charged money and there is no real kit to be received -- skip it and move on to the next company.

4. You are never going to make hundreds of dollars a week for stuffing envelopes or the like. If they are really going to pay you a lot of money to do it, then what you are stuffing is probably just shy of the line of legal. When I have worked sales and needed help stuffing envelopes with sale fliers - first -- I only hired local and I only paid minimum wage to a high school kid.

5. There is a new "scam" to look out for. One targets wealthier woman. You can be contacted via email, phone or postal mail and they will be promising a 100% turn-around on a $10,000 or more investment. Please, if you want to gamble your money then please learn how to read the investment section of your newspaper or even how to play Texas Hold 'Em. Your odds will be much better.

6. The country of Nigeria has gotten a bad rap because of emails that arrive pleading for help. If a stranger contacts you via email asking for money no matter what country they come from - Just Say No. I don't care how sincere it sounds or how badly you feel for them. Do not respond at all because you will only verify that you have a valid email address. Just hit the delete key.

Clichés become what they are because they are usually true. One that proves that point is the one that goes -- If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Please keep that in mind and research thoroughly any opportunity you are interested in.