Finding an affordable home based business opportunity can be a daunting task when you are looking for a business that is either free to start or has minimal start-up costs. Each home business owner you talk to is obviously passionate about their business but for some reason, you can’t be excited about learning all the new marketing technologies and product lines you see. You keep asking yourself “do I have the time” or ” am I cut out for an online business?All of your friends have their own home business ideas and are just as passionate about starting a business as you…but whom do you listen to? Who is going to steer you in the right direction?Finding and starting your business doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your research and due diligence – it just means that smarter questions have to be asked before stepping out into a new venture. Below are 5 easy steps to follow when looking at a new online venture. By using these steps, you will be able to make a preliminary assessment in a few key areas of a business that is being presented to you.1. Before you even get started at looking for an opportunity, what is your current financial situation? How much money will you be able to put out in the beginning to get your business going? Be realistic. Very few things in this life are for free.2. If you need an income right away, go find a find a job, period. Most online business require dedicated and persistent work up front..and most do not see some level of income for at least 30-90 days. Be realistic with your skills and desires.3. Are you looking for home based jobs or a home based business opportunity? There are very clear distinctions and only you can decide if you are cut out for starting your own enterprise.4. How many hours a week are you able to dedicate to starting a home based business? By assessing your time, you will be able understand if the business building process is more time intensive than you want.5. How many years has the person who is presenting the information and opportunity to you been in the business? More often then not, the most experienced and dedicated business owners in your industry may not have a lot of time to spend with you however, someone who just started in the business 2 weeks ago may not have enough information to support your efforts. Find someone who is past that one year mark and under 3 years.6. Ask what the absolute start-up fees are for the business. You can make a judgment about joining a business based on what you have to pay and what is in your budget.7. How long has the business been in business? What are the affiliations? Are they a member of the US Chamber of Commerce for example? Sure, there are some new business’ out there that have the backing of some very successful business people but, you have to decide how well you trust a person in the industry to take the right direction for all it’s business partners.Noted author and motivational speaker Anthony Robbins once said, “People who are successful in anything generally know how to ask the right questions.” So, if you just take the time to ask the right questions, you too can be on your road to finding a business that will meet all your expectations and needs.