For lots of people with dreams of starting their own business, money is the biggest obstacle. They think they need a huge upfront investment to begin.
Fortunately, there are a lot of profitable businesses you can start with little money. Some can be run from home with just your phone and laptop.
Some of these businesses are service based, need little training and covers different industries.
Skip to business idea
How to determine the right business idea for you
- Demand: Find out if there’s demand in your city. Without it, you’ll struggle to find clients.
- Your skill level: Can you start with little training, or do you already have the skills? High-skill businesses need extra time and money for training unless you already have that expertise.
- Your business goal: Do you want a side hustle you can run alongside your job? Or do you want a full-time business you can eventually quit your job for? If it’s the latter, how much income would you need to generate each month (or year) to make the switch?
- Online or In-person: Do you prefer running a business online, or do you enjoy face-to-face interaction? This will determine the type of business you can run
All of these factors deserve serious thought before you start. They’ll affect both your startup costs and your profits. They’ll also influence how much you enjoy running your business.
Business is a long-term effort. So choose something you’ll look forward to doing every day.
Low cost businesses you can start today
Landscaping and lawn care.
People with spacious yards and driveways often want their property looking neat and well cared for. The problem is, they don’t always have the time. That’s where you come in.
This is perfect if you love working outdoors, have a green thumb, and can invest a little in basic tools. In some cases, you might even be able to start without your own equipment since many homeowners already have lawnmowers and garden tools.
Landscaping covers all aspects of outdoor spaces. That might mean mowing lawns, trimming shrubs and trees, or raking leaves.
It can also include designing and shaping the yard, or maintaining patios, stone walls, fencing, and even artificial turf.
You don’t need to be an expert at everything from the start. As your business grows, you can learn new skills or bring in extra hands. This gives you the chance to expand your services and grow steadily.
Pet sitting/walking
Most pets are left alone when their owners go to work, travel, or head out for social events. These pet owners are willing to spend handsomely to make sure their furry friends are cared for.
That’s why offering pet sitting or dog walking can be a profitable and rewarding business.
This is great if you love animals and have some experience; either through owning pets yourself or helping with a pet-sitting service in the past. And the best part is the startup cost is almost zero.
Word of mouth is powerful in this business. Start with friends, neighbors, or colleagues.
Do a great job and those first clients will recommend you to others. Referrals can quickly help you grow your client base.
Content creation and social media management
Businesses that want to grow online are always looking for help with content creation and social media management.
Services can include copywriting, SEO and editorial writing, photography, videography, and editing.
To get started, you’ll need a portfolio of your work. If you don’t have one yet, start with your own personal brand.
Build a social media presence and practice the same skills you want to offer to clients.
This does two things: it helps you improve your skills, and it gives you proof of what you can do. If your profiles show strong growth, potential clients may reach out to request your services organically.
The good thing is, social platforms are free to join. You can start learning, creating, and experimenting in your spare time until your business takes off.
Freelancing
Freelancing lets you use your existing skills to earn money on a project-by-project or hourly basis.
Dedicated platforms now connect freelancers with clients from around the world.
If you’ve worked in digital marketing, software development, writing, or as an administrative or executive assistant, you already have marketable skills.
Freelancing gives you flexibility to choose your projects, set your schedule, and avoid long-term employment contracts.
Most freelance platforms are free to join. They only charge a commission fee when you get paid, which makes it easy to start without upfront costs.
Tutoring
If you have a passion for teaching and sharing knowledge, tutoring is a pretty simple business you can start with no upfront investment.
Begin with subjects you’re already strong in. Offering your services in higher-income areas can also increase your earning potential. Tutoring works well as a side hustle and can be both profitable and personally rewarding.
Seeing your students grow, achieve better grades, and reach their goals can be just as fulfilling as the money you earn.
Bookkeeping
Many business owners struggle to keep track of their finances or manage and file their taxes. That’s where bookkeeping services come in.
If you already have the right training and a professional license, you’re ready to start.
If not, plenty of online courses can help you learn the skills needed to launch your own bookkeeping business.
Once you have the knowledge, there’s steady demand for this service. Almost every business needs it, and clients often prefer hiring someone reliable over doing it themselves.
Carsharing
If you have a car that spends most of the week parked while you’re at your day job, you can turn it into a money-maker.
Carsharing lets you rent your car to travelers who need it for a few days or weeks.
Platforms like Tarlen make it easy to get started. There’s no upfront investment required, and the platform only charges a commission when you earn.
Tarlen also lets you keep control of the vehicle availability, pricing and hosting rule but helps you market to travellers and potential customers, vet them and process payment safely.
You’ll still need to keep your car insured, but in most cases the money you make from rentals will cover that expense.
Ridesharing
If you’d rather drive your car yourself, ridesharing is a solid option. With a few extra hours before or after work, you can earn extra income by signing up with an e-hailing platform.
In South Africa, e-hailing is now recognized as a legal mode of transport.
That means it has become heavily regulated: drivers must have an operating license, install panic buttons, and display the required e-hailing signage.
These requirements would require significant upfront costs and would also require you driving for over 12 hours a day to earn enough.
If you can meet these requirements and you’re ready to make this your full time job, the demand for ridesharing is high making it a reliable business you can start.
Airbnb
Do you have a spare room, or even a full apartment or house near tourist spots or the airport? Listing it on Airbnb can be a great way to earn extra income.
There’s little to no upfront cost, but you’ll need to invest some time into creating a good experience for guests.
That includes keeping the place clean, welcoming guests, and staying available to assist and answer their questions.
Happy guests leave glowing reviews, and those reviews can make or break your Airbnb business.
Virtual assistance services
If you’re organized and creative, you can work as a virtual assistant (VA) for busy entrepreneurs or executives.
Tasks can include managing their schedules, handling emails, writing content, data entry, or even graphic design.
Because the work is remote, you can do it from anywhere. With free tools like Zoom, Slack, and Google Drive, it’s possible to get started with no upfront investment, just your time and effort.
Remote work has grown in popularity, which means you can find international clients as well.
Serving overseas clients often lets you earn in stronger currencies, boosting your income potential.
Affiliate marketing
Do you already have a blog, YouTube channel, or a growing social media audience? If so, affiliate marketing is a smart way to earn.
You get paid a commission whenever someone buys a product or service through your referral link.
Platforms like Impact, CJ Affiliate, and ShareASale are free to join and connect you with thousands of brands.
If you’re starting from scratch, be ready to put in the time. Building an audience takes consistent effort: creating quality content, engaging with followers, and learning what works.
You may also need to spend a little on a domain and hosting for a blog.
But once your audience grows, affiliate marketing can become a reliable stream of income.
Delivery services
The rise of e-commerce and food delivery has created a big demand for drivers.
With a scooter, bicycle, or car, you can sign up for platforms like Uber Eats, Bolt Food, or Checkers Sixty60 and start earning.
Registration is free, and you only pay the usual running costs of your vehicle.
To boost your business, you can also promote your services on social media, forums, or local Facebook groups.
With more people ordering groceries and meals online, this market is only getting bigger.
Tips for starting a profitable business while keeping your costs low
Starting is one part of the equation. Growing your business is another.
Here are some practical tips to start your business with little money and build momentum from there:
- Start with people you know: Selling to strangers can be expensive and tough. Instead, reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances.
They already trust you and may even refer others. As your confidence grows in the business, you can then explore marketing to a bigger crowd.
- Use the skills and resources you already have: Don’t rush invest your savings into expensive skills, products or equipment at the beginning.
Start with services you have prior experience in or stuff you already own. For example, you can start earning with your car on a carsharing platform or your spare room on Airbnb.
- Leverage free tools: WhatsApp Business, social media, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Canva can handle most of your early needs at no cost.
- Build your customer service skills: How well you handle clients before, during, and after a job can make or break your business. Good communication brings repeat business and referrals.
- Stay consistent: Sales will be slow some days, might even dry up for some reason. Show up with the same energy whether it’s busy or quiet. This consistency builds trust.
- Reinvest your profits: It’s tempting to pocket everything once you start earning, but reinvesting helps you grow. Spend on training, better tools, marketing, or hiring extra help when needed.
Platforms like Tarlen can help you start a carsharing business with just your car.
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