If you are thinking about starting your own home-based business, the available options can be overwhelming. Here’s a look at some tried-and-true home-based business ideas that have growth potential, now and in the future.

1. Personal trainer: If you are fitness-minded, you can start your own business as a personal trainer, visiting clients in their homes. Check out the National Federation of Professional Trainers

The majority of the investing world, like countless times throughout history, has once again found itself spellbound by gold’s luster and I’m here to tell you why I think gold is a bad investment.

Truth is, gold has had a heck of a run. Over the last 5 years, gold has outperformed the S&P index by ~140%. It has successfully breached the $1000 psychological resistance level, and gold bulls are prognosticating that gold can go as high as $2000, maybe even $3000, if inflation slams the U.S. Dollar.

Investing directly in commodities, such as gold or oil, tends to be more difficult for investors than investing in stocks and bonds. A major reason for this is that stocks and bonds are readily transferable and easily accessible to the average investor. Traditionally, commodities have been more difficult to invest in due to the complex way in which they trade through the futures and options markets. In other words, an investor can't just buy a barrel of oil.

People have been trading stocks for hundreds of years. It is one of the best ways to ensure a financially sound future for you and your loved ones. With a good broker and some knowledge you can go a long way toward success in stock trading. However, you do need to be wary of making some of the common mistakes that can cost you money. Let's review some of these mistakes in order to help you avoid them.

Part of a successful investment strategy is knowing how to minimize costly mistakes. The following are ten of the most common investment pitfalls for first-time investors. Those who work to avoid these mistakes will watch their investment portfolios grow.

Insufficient Income to Invest