First thing to remember is that scams are often far easier to find than legitimate ways to earn money from home. Too many sources make challenging and risky ideas seem safe, or just flat out lie about the opportunity. Fortunately, there are also a number of places you can find out real opinions on them, not just opinions of people who have a financial interest in recruiting you into the program. RipoffReport is a good place to start if the program has been around a while.

The challenge, of course, is with newer opportunities. A good skill for anyone wanting to work at home to develop is the ability to recognize the common elements of a scam or risky opportunity. Listen to your gut and also research what exactly is involved, where the money will come from, the actual costs, and so forth.

Of course, not every work from home opportunity is a home business, even if you do it on the computer. A lot of people look for data entry opportunities, wanting a job instead. There are a few legitimate companies that offer such work, but far, far more scams. If the opportunity talks about filling out forms and getting high pay for each, while charging a fee for the information, you're looking at someone trying to hide a home business under the name "work at home job", and a rather risky business at that.

Transcription is another good choice. Medical transcription is perhaps the best known option, but legal and general transcription opportunities are also out there. Most want training and/or experience, but a few general transcription companies, such as Tigerfish have been known to hire based on your tested ability, rather than experience.

It can take a long time to find an opportunity that will let you in quickly. Sometimes it's pure luck that you apply just as they need someone. Many people search for months or years before landing a work at home job.

This is why so many people take the home business route. You can do the same kind of work as a home business as you can as a work at home job. The difference can be in whether you find clients or your employer does. Many smaller companies will need enough work to be willing to work with an independent contractor rather than going through the formality of hiring an employee.

There are also all the online business opportunities. Blogging, affiliate marketing, even some direct sales opportunities can be done purely online. Each takes a somewhat different skill set, although all require an interest in learning how to market online and to run a good website. They can be a delight, however, since you have much more freedom to stick to your interests and even pick your work hours.

However you choose to earn money from home on your computer, be prepared for it to take time. Few people get instantaneous results, whether they hunt for a job or start a business. But the payoff in being able to work from home is amazing.