One day or another, everyone with some business drive will wonder how he could take advantage of the huge market the Internet is. The truth is, the Internet really is an incredible opportunity, but you need to know how to use it. There are numerous sharks out there that will try to get you to signup into various get-rich-quick programs, bogus investment plans (often referred to as HYIP, or High-Yield-Investment-Plans), or other scams. If you are looking to leverage the Internet and make money, There are legitimate ways to do it. Here are a few:

1) Auctions/Classified. There are several sites (eBay being the largest) that allow you to buy and/or sell just about anything. Almost any item you have at home has some kind of market value you can leverage on these sites. So many people visit them, chances are someone will want what you have to offer. If you want to take this a step further, try finding some good suppliers for products you can sell at a profit. Visit local markets, antique shops, learn to spot the good deals, buy low and sell high.

2) Websites. Nowadays, it has become so easy to setup a website, anyone can have their own page in a matter of minutes. Why not make money with it? The key on the Internet is fresh, original content. Try putting material on your website nobody else has. Update it regularly. Search engines will love it and rank you high, sending you some free traffic. Then, place a few ads on your site and voila, you will turn your visitors into commissions. You won't be rich overnight, but your ad revenue will end up paying for your hosting, and eventually generate extra profits. Google Adsense is a good place to start if you want to learn about website advertisement.

3) eCommerce. If you are already in business and are looking to expand globally, the Internet offers great possibilities. During the last few years it has become more and more accessible to go online with very little expertise and a small budget. Yahoo!, Google and many others offer ready-to-launch eCommerce solutions, allowing you to configure your store front, prices, shipping policies, etc. Make sure you check the customs requirements of the type of product you sell before offering international shipping though, some products aren't simple to get past the border.

None of this will make you rich overnight, but all of them have worked (and still do) for millions of of Internet entrepreneurs. The key is to do something you enjoy, and have contacts you can trust.