Newbie with $500 to spend on getting started. Need Help.

You have the basics covered just some good on the job training and soak in as much knowledge as you can like a sponge.

The more you learn the more you earn is very true

As above you have the right things in place. Now just take some time to find an area to work in. Hopefully something that already interests you.

There are a lot of strategies and tactics that you can learn about but I think the most important thing is to try and pick a niche that you have an interest in.

There are thousands of niches, some more profitable than others, but if there are affiliate products to sell then there are most likely buyers in that market. If you just focus on one market and work with it until you understand which strategies work it will make it a lot easier (and a lot more fun if it is at least something that you enjoy selling).

I have tried tons of different markets over the last 7 years but the ones that I did the best in were the niches where I could easily write articles on the topic and understood who the customer were and what they liked to buy.

Angie,

You remind me of an old routine that Bill Cosby did. He had just graduated from judo school and couldn't wait to get in a brawl so he could try out his newly learned fighting skills.

Anyway, he decided to speed up his chance at a fight so he walked down a dimly lit alley late at night in the seedy part of town with hundred dollar bills hanging out of his pockets in plain sight.

The point is, with your publicly announced willingness to spend money and your lack of experience in the field, you will no doubt have salesman after salesman coming out of the woodwork to suggest ways to part with your cash.

I would suggest a different approach. Spend time on this forum, watch, listen, observe, get a good idea of the niche you want to enter and the way you are going to monetize your business. Affiliate marketing is a huge field with lots of different approaches and tactics.

Once you have done your market research and are pretty confident about what you are going to do and how you will execute your plan . . . then is the time to spend a little money on getting exactly what you need to make the plan happen.

I always advise new business operators to conserve their cash as much as is humanly possible in the beginning.

I wish you the very best,

Steve

Do as much reading and learning as you can. There is a TON of good information on this forum and elsewhere, available for free. There are also some well regarded coaching services that are worth the investment.

Then, develop a specific plan. Doing things "scattershot," or trying every shiny new WSO may earn you a little, but it not a smart or sustainable way to go. Develop a well thought out plan that you can follow, and then... here's the most important part... stick to it! A lack of follow through is probably the #1 reason for failure.

Now, when I say "stick to it," I should clarify. You definitely do want to tweak and adjust your plan and methods based on your results. Tracking, testing, and tweaking is the best (only?) way to know what works and to improve your results. Sticking to your plan does NOT mean blindly pushing forward. However, you don't want to get distracted by every new WSO. Stick to your plan, but certainly adjust it based on your results, and based on all you will inevitably learn while implementing it.

Lastly, I would say make sure you've got a good grasp of time management. It is far too easy to waste time in IM. Your time is valuable, so you definitely want to make the most of it.

Make a simple Business Plan.
In it you should outline your target audience, and how you plan to get them in front of your offer and convert sales. There are sites out there that will teach how to write a decent one. Simplify your plan into a check list and aim to complete it. Without a plan you'll waste time and money.

Research
Get the information you need to create your plan, and the knowledge to carry it out.

Review
Review the result of taking action on your plan, and make improvements.