More Businesses You Can Start for Little or No Money

The question of how to start a business with little or no money is a very common search. It is not surprising that people are looking to become self-employed or otherwise start businesses for little or no money; after all, it has been a pretty weak economy for a while now and a lot of people are still hurting. This is especially true of the millions of unemployed and underemployed folks who see little prospect of getting gainful employment.

So, what do they do? They start their own small business. And many do so with little or no money up front.

Supplementing your income

This is certainly true of my pal Eric (name changed.) When times were good, Eric made good money, but when the economy fell off the cliff, Eric was laid off. He was on unemployment for almost a year, and then got a job that offered no benefits and paid him 1/3 of what he made previously. To supplement his income, Eric started a mobile notary business. In the evenings and on weekends, Eric stamps official documents. No, it doesn’t pay great, but as he says, “at least it is something.”

Freelancing

At the other end of the spectrum are folks like my former assistant, Vivian. Smart, capable, and in her 20s, she freelances for a number of different clients – building websites, being a virtual assistant, and managing projects. She knows that the days of great jobs with big benefits are ending, as more and more companies outsource and hire part-time workers in order to save money. But she doesn’t mind, as she says, “Hey, it pays the bills, and I’ve got my freedom.”

If you would like to start your own business for little or no money then, and therefore with little risk (love that!) here are some of my top options.

6 businesses you can start for little or no money

Check out a few businesses that you can start without breaking your bank account. Be sure and do some research before diving in to make sure you’re capable of pulling it off.

Mobile Notary

Like my pal above, this is an easy business to start and there is always a need for notaries to officiate the signing of important documents. Getting your notary license and getting started only takes a few weeks and a class. Put some ads on Craigslist and a sign on your car, and away you go.

Auto-Related

It would cost almost nothing but your sweat equity to start an auto detailing business. You could work at the home of your customers, or even in your own garage. Similarly, a delivery or hauling service costs nothing to start.

The key to either of these sorts of businesses – in fact in all of these businesses – is in the marketing. You have to Get The Word Out. Make fliers and pass them out. Create a magnetic sign for your car. Advertise your services on Craigslist – it’s free. Share your new venture on Facebook. Create a website.

Market your new business, and then market it some more.

Blogging

Blogging? Yes, blogging. If you have something interesting to say and can say interestingly, then blogging is for you. Once you build a following, then you can get advertisers and then you make money. For example, Robb Sutton loves biking, and makes a living blogging about it at Bike198.com.

Taking care of other’s things

What about creating a dog-walking or pet-sitting business catering to busy professionals? What about starting a housesitting business? What about a business that cleans and services tropical aquariums? What about becoming a gardener, or a housecleaner? There is no shortage of possible businesses you can start helping today’s super-busy professionals stay on task. Speaking of . . .

Assistant or Virtual Assistant

More and more people are using the services of virtual assistants these days. You could help people with email overload, running errands, setting appointments, returning calls – the needs are many.

Childcare

You do not need a special degree, but you do need a good home and a warm heart. If you have those, you can also have a nice little business.

As you may have gathered, the key to starting any kind of business for almost no money is to start a service business, from home. By doing that you are spending your efforts instead of spending dollars. With other types of businesses, you need to buy inventory, pay rent, etc. Avoid that, and good luck.