Nearly nine percent of job seekers who gained employment in the second quarter of 2009 did so by starting a business, according to a survey done by Challenger, Gray & Christmas.  Instead of waiting to be hired, they hired themselves. You can do the same in 2010. Here five great areas to start your home business.

Green Businesses: You can help create a cleaner, greener world and make money as well. Business ideas include green auditing (helping families or businesses assess their impact and recommend green changes), creating green products, and selling green products and services.

Servicing the over 50 crowd: There are over 76 million Americans over the age of 50 with a spending power of over $2 trillion, making them a good market for products and services. Business ideas include health and wellness, retirement planning, travel, and in-home care.

Budget Shopping: More and more families are looking for a good deal on everything they buy. Business ideas include the sale of discounted items, as well as information on buying discounted items, rebates, and coupons.

Health and Wellness: Growing concerns about obesity and heart disease have led to new business growth in helping people live healthier. Opportunities exist in fitness, diet and nutrition. Other areas of business include organic products, vitamins and supplements, and health and wellness coaching.

Products for pets:  Americans spend over $30 million a year on their pets. Business ideas include pet sitting services, pet accessories (clothes, collars, etc), dog walking services, fish tank cleaning services, pet photography, and kennel and breeding services.