This forum exists because I want to prevent you from going through the same experience. You can achieve success without the financial hell often associated with work from home opportunities.

I took personal inventory after near financial and [almost] emotional devastation. After that diligent analysis--I wiped the slate and started over.

There's a lot of money to be made on the internet and there is plenty of room for everyone. Because I ran out of money, I had to learn how to operate my businesses for FREE every single month because I wanted to stay in the game.

I canceled everything that cost money every month: buying leads, advertising, telephone, autoresponders, merchant accounts, shopping carts, hosting fees, etc.

"ZERO BURN" was born! Can you imagine how freeing it is not to have overhead to pay for every single month?

Of course we're here to make money but if ZERO was made in any given month, there is no financial stress associated with meeting an expensive obligation!

ZERO BURN means ALL PROFIT and no financial risk. It's a lot easier to make money when you aren't stressed out--and it's a hell of a lot more fun!

The point of this forum is to learn, create, build and maintain successful internet businesses [and relationships] by leveraging the expertise, knowledge and resources from people all over the world.

Everyone can feel absolutely safe in this community...from beginner to seasoned vet. Your questions, ideas and suggestions are welcomed, valued and appreciated because it's all about helping each other be successful.

No one becomes successful entirely on their own.
   

2) No slamming people's questions, ideas or suggestions [constructive criticism only]

3) Everybody is valued so treat people like you want to be treated...with respect.

4) If presenting potential scam or rip-off information, please provide only the facts. Some companies are good but invariably--there will be people who suffer a poor experience, while others may do extremely well with the same company.

5) If you're here to bitch and judge, then please find a different forum.
   

I use Godaddy free website hosting.

I use a free autoresponder.

I use Paypal which is free, to collect my income.

DOMAINS.

http://www.GoDaddy.com.

Not always necessary, but ALWAYS a good idea. Some internet businesses [affiliate programs] provide you with your own link. It's usually a series of letters/numbers that identify who you are so you can get paid, like this: http://kelebiz1m.autopilotp.hop.clickbank.net/.

Buy a domain name for your online internet business and then FORWARD the website link so it looks like this: www.SickOfTheStick.net. Godaddy instructions explain how to do this task.

The cost for a domain name to advertise your website [i.e. www.SickOfTheStick.net] varies with providers [i.e. Godady]. It's roughly $10/year.

Choose a domain name that describes the online internet product, service or opportunity you plan to promote.

AUTORESPONDER.

http://freeautobot.com/

Not always necessary, but ALWAYS a good idea. Building a customer list is critical to your business and autoresponders allow you to communicate easily and automatically. You can write a series of emails, newsletters, updates or provide product information offers and schedule the communication to be delivered at specific times without further intervention from you!

GET PAID.

https://www.paypal.com/. http://www.alertpay.com.

You need an account where your earnings can be deposited if you are not receiving checks by mail. Paypal is just one of them.

If you are using Paypal, AlertPay or any other merchant type account to sell online, the merchant will take a percentage of your earnings, that's how they stay in business. Not all merchant accounts are free to join, but Paypal and AlertPay are!

WEBSITE BUILDERS

http://www.killersites.com/. This is a great website resource especially for beginners learning how to build websites. It's packed with how-to and what-to-do educational information.

Many affiliate internet businesses will give you a website for free so you don't have to develop your own site. But you can't build a customer list without some type of squeeze page [entry page that collects customer information before someone goes to the affiliate website]. Having your own list means A LOT more money in your pocket.

A squeeze page can be a simple 1 page site that entices people to want more information, and in order to get the information, they complete a simple form. After completing the form, then they are redirected to additional information [a thank you page, a download, or whatever].

If you have Microsoft Office suite, then you probably have Front Page, a great website creation and editor program! Adobe Dreamweaver is also a great website tool...if you already have it.

Godaddy has an amazing website development tool and it costs about $8/mo. which includes hosting [so you can get your website on the internet]. Very user friendly and extremely intuitive, especially for beginners.

Homestead is another bodacious tool! 1000's of templates, super user friendly and it costs about $20/mo.

If you create a squeeze page for your online affiliate program or other internet business [strongly recommended], you'll need a domain name. You can purchase a domain name from Godaddy for about $10/year. If you aren't going to create a squeeze page, at least get a domain name so you can FORWARD your affiliate link to your domain name.

If you don't, your affiliate link will be displayed in the URL bar. So...

CAUTION: Some people are unethical and have discovered a way for you to do all the work, and then profit from your affiliate link! Protect it by using a domain name and then forwarding and/or masking!
   

Getting massive exposure and great website ranking is a critical key to making money in your work from home business. To gain massive exposure and achieve top ranking, many people pay $1000's/mo. using a variety of advertising venues. We used to, but not anymore!

You can gain unbelievable exposure [traffic] and top, or near-top ranking by consistently writing articles, press releases, blogs and engaging in social marketing.

Most social marketing sites are free to join like Myspace, Facebook, Direct Matches, Yuwie, Tagged, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craigslist, Squidoo, and Technorati [there are so many others!]

The more you write, the more friends you make, the more visibility you'll get. The higher the ranking, the more $$$ you'll earn.

PRESS RELEASES

888 Press Release. 24-7 Press Release. Free Press Release. PR Log Free Press Release Submissions.

SOCIAL MARKETING

Twitter. Linked In. Myspace. Direct Matches. Facebook. Yuwie. Digg!. Zenzuu. Squidoo. Other Social Marketing Sites can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

BLOGS

Blog. Blogger. Wordpress.

INTERNET SEARCH ENGINE

Technorati. Google. Yahoo. Dogpile. More Search Engines can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_search_engines

MULTIMEDIA

You Tube.

FREE ADVERTISING

Free Ads. Traffic Swarm. Craigslist. Adleaf.

ARTICLES

Amazine Articles. 1888 Articles. Article 99. Other Article Submission Sites can be found at http://www.americawebworks.com/free_article_submission_sites.htm
   

$150/month internet business back office fees [Yes, some companies force you to pay for access to business information: training, conference call information, website, knowledge base, etc.]

A Direct Sales Call Center that promises to make your sales for you [if you want to be a successful entrepreneur in Direct Sales, you gotta connect with the customers YOURSELF! If you don't want to talk to people, then your best bet is to Become An Affiliate Marketer!]

Working 4 hours a week is all you have to do with this internet business opportunity [Building a successful business takes time and it can't be done on 4 hrs./week. If it can, then post the proof.]

Its easy [No, it isn't easy but it is simple, and there IS a big difference].

No hidden fees with this internet business opportunity [There are fees with many opportunities. When there are fees, dig deeper to uncover the rest of them.]

Free enterprise [Capitalism. You can get into business for FREE and you can use specific tools to operate FREE every month. Many new entrepreneurs want to believe what they are told so badly by XYZ Company that they go out and blow tons of money on whatever someone else is doing to create success but lack the expertise and knowledge.]

No experience necessary [Educate yourself or be prepared to fund ignorance. Experience is not something you can get for nothing.]

Time is money [time is infinitely more valuable than money. You can always make more money, you can't get back time].

"Secret" [great buzz word that generates a lot of cash--for a lot of people, but often over-used.]

This is the only business you will ever need [Don't STICK all your eggs in one basket--ever!]

If you have limiting beliefs, you must learn to eliminate them and create a new "lens" in which to view your life through.

It's a process, learning takes time --Kip Herriage

You are what you think --Jim Rohn

Massive action = massive results --Mike Dillard

Whatever you're thinking in your mind, is what you're attracting to your life --Jim Rohn

Get comfortable being uncomfortable --Jay Kubassek

Whatever you spend most of your time on, that's what you'll get more of --Jim Rohn

Change your behavior, and your results will change --Jim Rohn

We won't change what we continue to tolerate --Pat Mesiti

Mystery is but another name for ignorance-- Tryon Edwards

"You can plan for tomorrow today...but you can't plan for today--tomorrow." -Ed Mercer [Mr. Costa Rica]

What ever you are thinking, what ever you are doing, where ever you are working, where ever you are living, who ever you are with; you are creating your own reality. -Kelly DiOrio

The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind." - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. - Jim Rohn

Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true. - Napoleon Hill

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." - Mark Twain

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?" - Robert Schuller

"It's NOW:00! [now o'clock]!" "It is my firm conviction that talent is one of the most over-rated attributes in determining what is required to be successful. Heart is what separates the average from the exceptional and I have learned in life that heart beats talent every time. Many People stay in their talent, afraid to take a risk. Any kind of success is going to involve risks and average people resist taking risks because they believe they have to stay comfortable. To become the person you deserve to be, you have to get uncomfortable, you have to get out of the box, you have to be moving in the now; the present. This is where you're going to have to take some risks in order to change. Changing isn't nearly as difficult as we perceive. You already are a brilliant person, you're a masterpiece in progress, and you have the ability to design your life rather than make living." Jeffrey Combs

Building a successful home based business comes from sustained performance over time: plannning, changing, dogged determination, consistent daily effort, good work habits, willingness to learn, and applied knowledge. It doesn't take a lot a money, it takes a lot of courage.