It is exciting and satisfying to start your own business. Being your own boss can be very satisfying, whether you want to get away from the 9 to 5 grind or have a strong desire to start your own business. But do you have enough money to start a new business? Some businesses cost a lot of money to start up, and not everyone can do that.
It is easier than ever to start your own business without going bankrupt because many great small business ideas do not cost much or anything at all.
If you want to start your own business, it is important to find an idea that fits your hobbies, skills, and goals. It is also important that the idea fits your budget.
You can test the waters and build a successful business without taking on too much financial risk if you choose a business that does not need much or any money upfront.
Review our list of great small business ideas that do not cost much to start up, and begin creating your own successful small business right away.
23 Best Business To Start With Little Money
1. Blogging
Most people who want to start a business with little money do so by making a blog.
Blogs are a great way to share your ideas and knowledge with the world while getting paid. You can write about personal finance, travel, food, or any other topic you want.
You can make money from your blog through advertising, sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and other ways as it grows and gets more viewers.
Writing a blog is not only a good way to make money, but it can also help you quit your day job if you do it well enough.
This is a blog that you can write from anywhere: your home, a coffee shop nearby, or even on the road.
2. Proofreading
Proofreading is a low-cost business idea that can work well for people who are good at language and paying attention to details.
It means going over written work to find and fix mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and writing before it is sent out into the world.
Get paid to read. It might not sound like the most exciting small business idea, but it can be very satisfying.
Proofreading does not cost much, so it is a great choice for people who want to start a business but do not have a lot of money.
People often go to classes to learn how to be a proofreader and get a feel for it before putting their services online. We know of a great way to start.
3. Facebook Ads Managing
One of the best ideas for a small business is to run ads for money. You can do this whole thing online.
That is where you come in. A lot of businesses are looking for people to set up and run their Facebook pages and ad programs for them.
Starting a business on social media might seem hard, but it is easy to learn and can make you a lot of money every month.
Ad management is more than just posting content; you need to know how Facebook works and look at analytics to make sure that ads get the best results.
The laptop Empire Facebook Side Hustle free class is a great place to learn more about how to post ads on social media.
With the tips and tricks they have learned, these guys run Facebook ads for a few hours a week and make more than $2,000 a month. They are happy to teach you how to do it too.
4. Bookkeeping
You can start this business from home for very little money and make more than $30 an hour.
One of the best ways to make money is to offer online bookkeeping services.
A lot of business owners are busy growing their companies and do not have time to keep their books. Here is where you come in.
You only need a computer with internet access, some basic accounting software, and an understanding of how to keep books to start working as a bookkeeper.
Bookkeepers help businesses with their money by sending invoices, keeping track of when they get paid, figuring out costs, and a lot more.
Bookkeeper Launch has free lessons on the basics of bookkeeping and how to start your own bookkeeping business. These lessons can help you become a bookkeeper.
5. Shopify Store
Have you ever wanted to start your own online business but were scared off by the costs of designing and running your website?
You could sell things on Shopify, right? It might seem hard to start an online store, but Shopify makes it very easy.
You do not have to worry about any of those things when you use this platform to make an online store. Plus, tools like inventory control make it easier to run your business.
This is a great small business idea for people who want to open their own online store. Its platform is easy to use, so you can quickly make an online store that looks professional.
There is also a simple way to handle your goods, customers, and orders in Shopify.
Now is the time to start your Shopify store. You can try it out for free and then pay $1 for 3 months to keep it going. It does not cost much to make your own website and start selling things online.
After putting up ads on social media, we started selling things on Shopify with one of their simple themes, and we had sales in the first week.
6. Dropshipping Business
One great way to start a small business with little money is to drop ship. The business is low-risk and low-cost, and it has a lot of room to grow.
You can reach customers all over the world and sell your goods without having to keep them in stock or in your home if you have your own website.
A big online store like Alibaba makes it easy to choose the items you want to sell and then put them on your website. You do not have to worry about storage, packing, or shipping.
When a customer places an order on your website, the seller sends the item right to that customer door.
Dropship Lifestyle is a great place to learn more about drop shipping. You can learn everything you need to know about starting a dropshipping business for free, from picking out the right goods to setting up your online store.
7. Flea Market Flipping
One of the best small business ideas that does not require much money up front is flipping things at flea markets.
To flip something, you have to look through yard sales and flea markets for things you can sell online for a profit. When you sell, you make up the difference between what you paid and what it is worth.
To begin, all you have to do is spend money on things at thrift stores or online and then put them up for sale on well-known online stores like eBay.
When you are selling things at a flea market, old clothes, unique home decor, and old furniture are some of the best things to look for.
Most of the time, these things are worth more than what you paid for them when you decide to sell them. If you know how to look for deals and negotiate, you can find secret gems that are cheap and can make you money right away.
The free class at Flea Market Flipper is a great place to learn more about flipping things at flea markets. It teaches you how to find the right items and sell them at a fair price.
8. Freelance Writing
One of the best online business ideas that does not cost much to start up and has a lot of promise for success is freelance writing.
If you become an independent writer, you can pick the kinds of writing jobs you like best and work from anywhere.
You can take a few different routes when finding potential clients for your freelance writing business:
- Cold-pitch your services directly to businesses and individuals who need content created.
- Create a portfolio website and use social media to attract clients.
- Sign up for freelance marketplaces like FlexJobs to find clients.
Another way to improve the efficiency of your professional writing business is to use an AI writing tool like Jasper.ai.
The writing helper Jasper.ai uses AI to suggest changes and enhancements that could be made to your work.
It can help you get better work done faster, which is especially helpful when you have to meet short deadlines for clients.
9. Virtual Assistant
That person should start a virtual helper business if they want to work from home and offer their services online.
You can help businesses with different office jobs as a virtual assistant, but you do not have to be there in person. You can do everything online.
Data entry, translation services, making meetings, and managing social media are just a few examples.
Becoming a virtual helper is a good business idea for anyone because you do not need any special skills or qualifications. All you need is to want to learn and help other people.
Sign up for sites like FlexJobs to find clients and make your own website to start your virtual assistant business.
Also, if you already have a full-time job, you can start your virtual assistant business on the side and work your way up to being your own boss full-time.
10. Graphic Design
Do you have a good sense of style and enjoy making art that is fun or interesting?
It might be best to start your own logo design business if you want to make money from home as well.
To become a freelance graphic artist, all you need is a computer, software like Canva Pro, and the ability to think outside the box.
You can start giving graphic design services and making beautiful logos, websites, flyers, brochures, and more with these tools.
If you start your own graphic design business, you can choose the projects you work on and set your own hours.
11. Tutoring
As online learning has become more popular, the need for virtual teachers has gone through the roof.
You can work with students one-on-one or in small groups as an online tutor and help them with areas they are having trouble with.
This could be anything from reading and writing to math and science.
You can choose your own hours and work from home, which makes it a great choice for people who want a flexible work plan.
You can find a lot of jobs as an online tutor on BookNook, which is one of the best sites for finding tutors and schools and groups that need help with schoolwork.
12. Dog Walking Business
Want a cheap business that lets you chill out in nature and spend time with fuzzy friends? You might want to start a business where you walk dogs.
Since you will need to make time to walk the dogs, the real cost of this kind of job is your time. Do not forget the trash bags and good shoes for walking.
To get started, you can get the word out about your services through social media, word of mouth, or online services like Rover.
By making a profile on Rover, you can quickly keep track of your schedule and payments and attract potential customers in your area.
13. Social Media Community Manager
You would make and run social media accounts for businesses or groups as a social media community manager.
You would have to interact with followers, keep an eye on posts and comments, and write material.
Need help making material that people will want to read and that search engines will love? Surfer SEO can help you get in touch with more people.
Surfer SEO can help you make optimized posts for social media that engage your audience and boost your online exposure by showing you what works best based on data.
14. Delivery Driver
Want to start a small business but do not have a lot of money to put down? Think about becoming a delivery person.
As the need for delivery services grows, there are many chances to bring people food, gifts, and other things.
Plus, since you will be using your own car, it is a flexible choice for people who are looking for work.
There are many ways to become a delivery driver, but I found that starting a messenger business was the simplest.
Not the next day, but the hour after that, some businesses need to get things to friends or clients. They will hire couriers to get their papers or packages across town fast.
15. Food Delivery Driver
Food delivery is a great way to make money. You can do it on your own or sign up for one of the best delivery apps to get paid.
One great business you can start with little money is a food delivery service. As long as you have a clean driving record and a smartphone, all you need is a car.
You can pick your own hours when you work for a food delivery service like DoorDash or Postmates. You can also listen to music while you work.
This is a great way to make extra money or even a full-time job with your car.
16. Grocery Shopper
Do you have some free time? Start a food shopping business with it to put it to good use.
People and families who are busy can hire you to do their shopping and even bring them food right to their door. This will earn you money.
To get rewards and savings on groceries, all you need is a reliable way to get around and the will to shop smart.
Instacart is a well-known site for grocery shopping and delivery services. It gets customers for you.
You can set your own hours as an Instacart shopper and make money by picking up and bringing groceries to people in your area.
17. Personal Training Business
People who want to start a small business with low start-up costs should think about starting a personal training business.
People can hire you as a personal trainer and have you come to their homes to help them reach their exercise goals.
Personally training people is great because you can help them in their own homes with their own gear, which keeps costs down.
Or, if you want to provide more services, you can rent a small space, get cheap exercise gear, and charge your clients more for lessons.
Going through classes on Skillshare is one way to get started as a personal trainer.
You can take many exercise, nutrition, and wellness classes on Skillshare to get the skills and information you need to be a good personal trainer.
18. House Cleaning Business
Starting a house cleaning business is another great business idea for people who like to take risks.
People who need help cleaning their homes all the time, like busy families and people who work outside the home, always need house cleaning services.
This is a great job that will not go away during the slump and will keep you busy for years to come.
To start, you will need basic cleaning tools (or your clients can give them to you) and a good car that you can use to get from one job to the next.
You can also get the word out about your business by making a simple website or account on social media.
You could also join sites like Handy, which make it easy for people to find your services.
19. Babysitting
Anyone who wants to start a business with little or no money should think about babysitting.
As a babysitter, you visit people homes and watch their kids. You feed them, play with them, and sometimes even put them to bed.
You do not have to pay for anything because your clients take care of everything you and the kids need while you are there. Just wear comfortable clothes.
Talk to family, friends, and coworkers who might need a babysitter. You can also find buyers on the web, with sites like Care.com.
20. Property Manager
When people buy property, they often do not want to keep an eye on it themselves. Instead, they hire people like you to do it for them and make sure it stays clean and safe for the people who live there.
If you are a property manager, you might have to find renters, collect rent, schedule repairs and upkeep, and deal with complaints from renters.
Property management is a great way to make money for people who are good at staying organized and talking to people.
You can build a steady source of income and a successful business by getting to know property owners and renters.
21. Event Planning
People always have things going on, and it is hard to plan parties. Event planning is one of the best business ideas on our list.
A person who plans an event takes care of everything, from finding a place to hold the event to arranging for food, entertainment, and even people and flowers.
Building connections with caterers, florists, DJs, photographers, and any other service provider involved in planning an event is key to making it happen.
If you have a good relationship with them, you can get better rates that keep costs low while still giving your clients good results.
To keep track of all the details of planning an event, from making a budget and booking vendors to choosing decorations, you need to be very organized.
22. Landscaping Business
If you like taking care of plants and want to make extra money, starting your own gardening business is a great idea. This is especially true if you live in a place where the summers last a long time.
As a beginner, you can do small jobs for your neighbors like cutting lawns, pulling weeds, putting down mulch, or other odd jobs. Word of mouth will help your business grow.
You need to buy a lawn mower and some tools for trimming your grass, which you may already have for your own yard.
You can charge for gas and your time once you set your rate. This way you can get paid well and start getting new tools to offer more services.
Put up flyers around your neighborhood and make a social media page for your business so that people can review you and share your work with other people in the area.
23. Handy Work
Like putting things back together around the house? Then becoming a handyman could be the best low-cost business for you.
You can offer any job you want, such as moving furniture, fixing small things, and more. The only things that cost you money are your car and the tools you need for the job.
You can start by posting ads for your services on Craigslist or other websites. Word of mouth will help your business grow.
People in your area often use the app TaskRabbit to find helpers, and it is not expensive to list your services and get customers.
You can buy tools and equipment like ladders, power tools, and more as your business grows to help you offer more services.
