There are long list of home based business opportunities on the Internet. Many of them look very promising with colorful promises all over their screens. It is very easy to get carried away. By asking the right questions, you will be able to save your time and money and avoid yourself from getting scammed.

Any home based business opportunity worth considering will either have a track record that you can investigate and evaluate or it will have a clear statement of the plan, the potential, and the up-front costs.

These are questions you need to consider asking before surrounding your hard earn money to invest:

• How long has the business opportunity been in business?

Before investing time and money in marketing a home based business opportunity, it is important to determine how long it has been operating. If it is a new concept that has not been proven in the marketplace, you have no assurance that it will even work.

• Does the company have a fixed address and phone number?

Make sure the online home business you intend to involve with has a permanent address, physical location, and established phone number. This may seem obvious to you, but the fact is, thousands of companies operate with nothing more than a website and an email address. Many of them are just fly by night companies, they here today and gone tomorrow.

• Does the business opportunity have some successful members you can talk to?

Most business opportunities will have list of testimonials from their customers. However, they often are not trustworthy, they could even be completely fabricated. Ask the owner of the business for names of real people that you can talk to. Make a call to them and require them to share their experiences with the program. This will not only provide you with valuable first-hand information about the program, but it will give you a list of advisor who might be willing to help you along the way.

• How much initial investment is required?

You should not assume that a business opportunity that is free to join is a better investment. In many cases a free-to-join business will involve other costs such as marketing and advertising fees. Keep in mind that nobody gives away "opportunities" for free. In many cases a proven online business opportunity with a successful track record will involve some kind of initial investment.

You have to determine whether a specific business opportunity has a successful track record. Whether it is managed by honest people and offers you a realistic chance of actually making some money. These are the things you must weigh against the entry costs.

• Is there other fees besides the initial joint fee?

Make sure to get a detailed list of all the fees involved in operating the new business. These things may not seem significant now, but they can easily eat into your profits later.

• What is the realistic income potential of the business?

You should take a careful look at the numbers and projections provided by the business opportunity. Then talk with actual members who are using the program to determine if they have been able to turn those numbers into reality.

• Do you have any control over your business, and how much?

Make sure you understand on who owns the business and who controls the way it is developed and marketed. Avoid being totally controlled by the company you signed up with by diversifying the products that you are offering.

The online home based business opportunity that you consider should require low initial investment and have high profit potential both in the short term and in the long term. It should allow you to build a profitable business of your own that will be a source of income for many years to come.