The economy has affected the job market, and the work at home industry isn't excluded. If you need to find a work from home job now, you might as well get in line. You can only do so much. There are no secrets to getting jobs, and no surefire ways to get hired. You simply have to send in your resume to the jobs you're interested in, and wait for a response, just like everyone else. I can help you find jobs, but I can't help you land them. It took me more than a year to actually get my work at home career off the ground, and I rock at what I do. That's not being egotistical, either, just what I've been told by the people I have worked for.
When they say good things come to those who wait, they're not kidding. Sure, I had a couple people who gave me a chance right from the start, but seriously I was making no more than $500 a month until recently. And no one can live on $500. Not with rent, a car payment, credit card bills, and utilities. So if you need to find a work from home job now, all I can say is good luck.
You might be the most qualified person for the job. You might have EVERYTHING that the company wants. But because of the nature of the internet, 5,000 other people applied for the same job. Some might be less qualified, but some might be just as good as you, if not better. And if nothing else, it may take them months to actually sift through all of the applications they recieved, so it's a big waiting game. A listing in a local paper will generally generate an average of maybe 100 responses at most, in a decent size city. A listing on Craig's List can be read by billions of people around the world, and can easily get thousands of responses from interested parties.
Still need to find a work from home job now? Well, all I can tell you is to put your game face on when it comes to application time. Read up on how to catch the attention of an employer through e-mail cover letters and online portfolios. Believe in yourself, and make the company believe in you too. As long as you're doing your best and properly applying for positions, there is nothing more you can do except to wait. Good luck, and happy job hunting!