Home based businesses account for billions of dollars being earned every year. It is one of the fastest growing industries, even before the current economic crisis and subsequent massive unemployment.You may arrive at the decision to create some home based businesses out of the need to have a second income, pay off debt, or in order to survive if you become displaced and can’t find a new job.Although they have again extended the period for which you can receive unemployment insurance benefits, they won’t last forever. The best time to get started finding out about home based businesses is while you still have a means of survival to tide you over until you see some income coming in as a result of your efforts.You have to treat a job search like a job, but with some flexibility, which will allow you time to pursue other avenues. The best way is to ‘hedge your bets’ while you are at the mercy of someone else’s decisions about your life. It will give you new confidence and assurance when you take control of your own destiny.Home based businesses may involve your home computer and the Internet to various degrees. The Internet certainly does radically expand your world of possibilities. However people have been earning money from home by various means long before the Internet was introduced to the public.Desperate times may require doing things you never did before, learning new skills, and regretfully even sometimes can mean going backwards on your career path and/or income level. Remember don’t be too proud. Making less money or doing less of a job than you had before is still way preferable to having no income and becoming homeless as a result.If you are in a desperate situation by this time, you may even need to consider doing housework, laundry or gardening to earn some money until you find a job to increase your income and make your benefits last longer.Even creating an income using your hobbies and crafts is a possibility. For example if you can sew, bake, make candles or soap, or make anything that can be sold in a gift shop, this might be the way you could start home based businesses.Home based businesses can also involve distributorships selling various products, or providing services to other private and business customers using your business skills. These can be done both on and offline.