With the economy in a slump and employment rates looking grim, you might want to look at unexpected job loss as an opportunity to start the career you've always dreamed of.
True, some business do require money and special licenses to get going, but there are many that don't. If you don't have enough money to start the business you really want to have, you could always earn money with some no/low-start-up-costs businesses while you work toward starting the business of your dreams. (And maybe you'll discover some unexpected opportunities along the way.)
To help you get started, I've updated my list of home-based business ideas (lot of them) at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Business/business_ideas.asp
