Earning money online can be fraught with perils.  Programs like Plug-In Profit are overwhelmed with multi-level (MLM) programs and scams, which make it difficult for a beginner.  However, this does not mean that establishing an internet business is too difficult for the average person. 

Affiliate marketing in particular can be quite lucrative as well as accessible for individuals without technical knowledge.  You choose a product that interests you through a website like Clickbank, then sign up through the internet to market that product.  While this is easy to set up, it does require some work, for example to promote your site and attract buyers.  

Signing up as an affiliate is typically free and would have no cost if you implemented it using a free website hosting service.  Network marketing existed before the Internet, but has come into its own through online marketing.  Because of the Internet, you can market to a much larger pool of people than your immediate friends and family, and you can still do so while working exclusively from home.

If you do not have prior experience building websites, don't despair!  There are free online tools to help walk you through creating a website in just a few minutes.  Two popular, free services for creating and hosting your website are Homestead.com and Weebly.com.  If you have the technical skill to create a Word document or surf the Internet, you can create simple webpages which you can use to market your product.  Remember, you can't just use a website as an advertisement; you need to post useful or entertaining content on your website to attract visitors.

There are also other options available as well.  Other examples range from item reselling or drop-shipping to filling out internet surveys. Alternately, one of the most popular ways of earning money internet today is through internet data entry jobs. Businesses who do not wish to hire a full time employee hire out data entry, or other items such as proofreading, in order to keep their staff count low and employment-related costs down. 

One other possibility is content generation.  Many sites are looking to add content as it is necessary to continue adding and improving content in order to attract repeat visitors.  You can earn money writing on nearly any topic, including items of general interest that require no special prior knowledge.  There is also a substantial market available for photo and video content for use on sites, and many sites offer portals to writers, photographers, and other content contributors to market their existing to sellers or to solicit bids for new content.

If you are looking for more resources for finding money-making tips online, Stone Evan's program, called Plug-in Profit, gives a great deal of information about starting your online business using a website.