What would happen if you lost your job or interest rates suddenly shot up? Or what if your retirement was looming and your pension didn't look too healthy-these are situations that happen every day to people all around you. Suddenly you find yourself in desperate need of money. The Internet can provide the solution to your worries, although it won't happen overnight.

More people are taking the decision to become an affiliate marketer either with or without their own website. Affiliate marketing is an easy way to start your own business online and make money without having to have your own product to promote.

All you have to do is sign up with an affiliate network which is usually free to join and choose the products you want to promote. For each sale you make you receive a commission, usually between 25% and 75%. If you are new to Internet marketing the decision to become an affiliate marketer is one of the best you will make. You can work with or without a website, it's your choice.

If you choose not to build a website you can promote your products by writing articles and submitting to lots of article directories. The promotion is done in the resource box where you can have a link to whatever you are promoting. Hosting a blog is also a good way of promoting goods. You can write a review of your product pointing out the good and bad points. If you have some spare cash you can use paid advertising but this is usually done when you have made a profit and want to reinvest in your business.

If you decide to build a website you will have a better chance at making more money when you become an affiliate marketer. It will be easier to promote several products and streams of income all at the same time. The merchant will have banners that you can place on your site to promote his products. The promotion methods are still the same, such as article writing, hosting a blog or paid advertising but by having your own website you can build trust with visitors to your site and brand yourself. The costs can still be kept to a minimum and would include website hosting and an auto responder to build a list of visitors details.

By deciding to become an affiliate marketer you will earn a good income but you will have to put in some hard work in order to market your products and make sales. However, you have to remember that almost all the money you earn will be profit for you.