History has proven again and again that the prediction of the economist were right, economic recession happens every 10-12 years or so. This is part of the economic cycle where the economy increases, matures and declines in repeated cycle every 12 years. Onlt the fitest will go through unscathed. As much as 20% businesses, work forces and capitals are buncrupt or lost through recessions. The coming recession is no better. It is estimated that the world economy is going to the next big depression affected by the US financial crisis.  Network marketing, affiliate marketing, multi level marketing, direct marketing: whatever you call it, is the name of the marketing techniques using consumer or non businesses entity to market products or services. It is unique in that it is indepedent of the economic environment. YES, it is INDEPENDENT of the economic environmentS. This sagment of the economy have their own cycle independent of the rest of the economic environment (raughly around 4 years). It is during these recession times that affiliate marketing mature and coming to the peak, where people are joining the boat and made significant gains from the trends. 

But beware. There are many people trying to rob you of your hard earned money especially in this hard times. Pyramid schemes, unfair netrork marketing structure, MLM selling rubbish products, and many more are trying their best to 'made' you 'join' them especially in these times where you will be more likely to jump at something that looks like opportunities. There are certain criterias that you need to make sure before making the decision to jump into the boat:

• MLM or Affiliate marketing that require a big amount of investment are most probobly haox. MLM don't require big amount of invesment to start up with (that's the specialty of MLM) 
• Anything that require referral/recruitment with a rigid/ unchangable/  not a free structure are most probobly pyramid schemes. MLM concentrates on selling and building groups instead of 'fill in the blanks with people' 
• Anything with the word ponzer and scheme should never be considered at all
• If your main income (to be) comes from recruting instead of selling products or services, it is pyramid scheme. MLM is business, not brokerage
• Any invesment scheme (the word scheme is bad enaugh) that the investment plans are shady and can't be verified are pyramid scheme, althaugh you don't actually need to refer someone. Remember that it is impossible to give fix profit in the capital market (eg. 3% everyday. The amount itself is already impossible enaugh). If there are any invesment scheme that gives a fix profit over short time claimed to be from the capital market/ share etc, avoid it at all cost (eg. 150% in 3 months). Make sure that any invesment firm you are going to invest in are real invesment licensed by your country Securities Commisions and you met the broker at the company instead of online, phone, or at home
• Any affilliate marketing that sells rubbish product or services. if you are not impressed with the product, forget it...
• The company is not shady, have a strong background, and easy to centact or find. Customer support is also of importance to you to check it out
• As i said before, MLM cycles takes raughly 4 years. Choose the company that is older than that. They are more reliable on tough times
• Last but not least, check the company information on news, internet and the public opinion. You should also ask opinions from your colagues and families. You are making the "big step" after all. They are the ones that will suppot you on when push meet shove

So, after all that, what is it that i recommends, you ask? Well, the decision is yours to make. After all, there are people who made MONEY with pyramid scheme, and there are others who struggle to make ends meet in legal MLM business. One thing that i can say in my rational opinion is that to make stable and continious earnings, it is important that any program you chose concentrates on selling products and services instead of sucking money from referrals. Internet Affiliate Marketing surely is a wise choice if you ask me, since it is relatively cheap compared to network marketing or pyramid schemes (it should be), and the internet is borderless and never sleeps after all, working for you 24/7. Internet marketing is hard to start, but with the right tools, products, and accumulation of skills, knowledge and web maturity, internet marketing can be a really big gold mine.