So, you want to start a business, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your business idea? Don’t worry. You can start a highly profitable business with almost no money down in 2022.
We created this actionable article to help you find inspiration for your next business. We compiled 19 highly profitable low-cost business ideas you can start within a week. We divided the ideas into online business ideas and offline business ideas.
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You can start the businesses we’re about to share for less than $100. That’s dirt cheap for something that can potentially turn you into a millionaire if you manage to build a successful business.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into our list of business ideas.
Online Business Ideas
The internet is a great place. You can connect with people all over the world, watch movies, play games, and start a business. Let’s look at some of the best highly profitable online business ideas you can start with little-to-no money.
Blogging
All you need to start a blog is a website. You can purchase web hosting and use our blog name generator to create your name. Or you can use one of the simple web builders we recommend if you don’t want to mess around with hosting and domains.
Blogging is one of the easiest ways to start a business. Keep in mind that blogging is a long-term investment. You shouldn’t expect quick results. But, as your blog starts getting traction and you begin attracting visitors, you’ll have different monetization options.
Most bloggers earn money with sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and online courses. It’s not uncommon for successful bloggers to clear seven figures in profit per year. (That’s over a million dollars)
Dropshipping
Do you want to sell products online but don’t want to invest in stock? If that’s the case, dropshipping might be the perfect solution for you. Dropshipping is a business model where you promote products on your website and sell them as your own, but someone else takes care of the inventory and shipping.
You will generally get lower margins for products you dropship compared to products you buy, store, and ship yourself. The main appeal of dropshipping is you can start without investing in inventory.
We suggest you search for dropshipping partners on popular platforms like Doba, Oberlo, and SaleHoo. You will also need a domain, web hosting, and a website to start selling.
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Online Courses
You have a skill you want to teach and get paid for teaching. In the old days, you had to organize conferences or work with people one-on-one. But today, you can create your own online course and charge people who want to access your knowledge.
The best thing about online courses is that you only have to create them once. You can sell the same course to an unlimited number of people. This is one of the businesses that’s the easiest to scale.
You can focus your attention on marketing your course once you create the content. Make sure you find a hungry audience and give them what they want.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketers earn money by promoting other peoples’ products in return for a commission. You insert an affiliate link on your website or social media, and every time someone makes a purchase from the link you shared, you get a commission.
The number one thing you need to have if you want to be a successful affiliate marketer is an audience. You can use affiliate marketing on your blog or your social media channels.
The commissions you can earn start at 1% and can go as high as 50% for certain products. This is a relatively simple business model you can easily scale. The profit potential is amazing.
Amazon FBA
The FBA stands for “Fulfilled by Amazon”. Amazon FBA is a great business model for everyone that wants to start an e-Commerce business but doesn’t want to deal with shipping, returns, and customer support.
How Amazon FBA works is this – you send your products to Amazon, create your listing, and start getting sales. Amazon will make sure to ship your products to the buyers, and they will take care of all the returns and customer service issues.
This model enables e-Commerce businesses to focus on developing high-quality products and marketing their inventory. If that’s what you prefer over shipping logistics, then Amazon FBA might be a great option for you.
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Podcasting
This is another simple business idea you can start with almost no money. There are free podcasting tools you can use when you start. One we can recommend is Buzzsprout.
Podcasting is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your niche. The formula for success is similar to blogging. You have to create amazing content that appeals to your target audience.
You can monetize podcasts with sponsored content, affiliate marketing, sell your own products, or charge for premium content access. The great thing about podcasting is that it’s easy to scale.
Freelance Writing
This is one of the original online business ideas. Website managers are always in need of fresh content. It’s how they rank their websites in search engine results and how they attract potential clients.
The earning potential for freelance writers is great. Some report earnings well into six figures. Add to this flexible work hours and the ability to pick your own clients, and you have a very appealing business idea.
The entry point to freelance writing is very low. It helps if you have a website to showcase your portfolio, but you can even start without it. Make sure you know how to write and have a solid grasp of grammar if you want to succeed.
Selling On eBay
Reselling items is one of the oldest business ideas. The basic idea is simple – you buy something low and sell it high. The bigger the price difference, the more you can pocket. You can start with absolutely no money if you want. But you need to have something you can sell.
The trick to building a successful eBay business is to master the art of creating amazing listings. You need great pictures and appealing descriptions. It also helps if you search for relevant keywords people use when searching for products.
You can find different success stories online about eBay sellers leaving their 9 to 5 jobs and building a fortune reselling on eBay.
Social Media Management
We live in an era where it’s hard to find a business that doesn’t have a social media presence. It’s a must to be present online. But most small (and large) businesses lack the time to continuously post on their profile. This is where social media management comes in.
Social media management is on the rise. Businesses need help and are willing to pay good money to have their social media channels active and engaging.
You can scale your business if you develop systems to streamline your work process. Start with one client and scale as you master the skill.
Print-On-Demand T-Shirts
This is the perfect opportunity for artists and creatives who don’t want to deal with printing, inventory, shipping, and customer relations. All you have to do is create amazing designs and sell them on one of the print-on-demand platforms. We recommend Redbubble, Printful, and Printify.
You can start this business with zero money down. However, we recommend having at least basic design skills to attract the right people.
Print-on-demand is another business that is easy to scale since you’re outsourcing printing and shipping. All you have to deal with is the design part.
Become An Influencer
Influencers are everywhere, and it seems that every young person wants to become one. They often show their luxurious lifestyle, and it’s normal that people want to be just like them. But, you don’t have to ride a Lamborghini to be an influencer.
You can build a thriving business if you find the right niche and people attracted to what you have to share. It helps if the thing you’re talking about is actually your passion.
Influencers make money with sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and their own merchandise. Some influencers built multi-million businesses with their online profiles. It’s a lucrative business if you can find your niche.
Sell Your Digital Photos
Photographers used to make money by taking wedding pictures and corporate ads. Not anymore. You can easily make money online by selling your digital photos.
Stock photo sites pay solid money to the best photographers who upload their photos. You can even sell prints or turn your photos into NFTs if you understand the technology.
You don’t even need expensive equipment. While it’s true that professional cameras cost a fortune, you probably have a very capable lens in your smartphone. That’s more than enough for you to start.
Offline Business Ideas
Don’t neglect old-school offline business ideas just because the internet allows you to start a business from home. You can still find many low-cost business opportunities in the real world. Let’s look at some of them.
House Sitting
The basic idea of house sitting is simple – you take care of other people’s homes while they are away. The tasks you have to do include watering the plants, taking care of the pets, mowing the lawn, and making sure their property stays in perfect condition.
You can find wealthy people who own more than one property and are willing to pay solid money for house sitting services.
You can find clients with a website and social media profiles. You can advertise your service in the local newspaper or ask your friends and family for referrals.
Consulting Business
You can start a successful consulting business if you have specific skills people are willing to pay money for. The important thing is that you can provide value to your clients. The more value you deliver, the more you’ll get paid.
You can market your consulting business through a website. You can cold-call potential clients or advertise online. A great way to get new clients is through referrals from past clients. Make sure you always deliver outstanding results to improve your chances of getting referrals.
Airbnb Management
There are a lot of Airbnb providers that simply don’t have the time to take care of their properties. This is where you come in. You provide your clients with complete management of their Airbnb properties.
Airbnb managers typically take care of bookings, order cleaning services, and make sure that property owners can collect their paychecks without worrying about daily operations.
With the rise of short-term rentals, starting an Airbnb business can be very lucrative. All you have to do is convince homeowners to give you a chance and find guests.
Home Bakery
The first thing you need to start a home bakery is baking skills. And you’ll probably need some basic equipment to actually bake the goods. But, if you know how to bake, there’s a good chance you have the tools you need already in your kitchen.
A great thing about home baking is that you can start small. You can start with a couple of cakes over the weekend and scale when the demand increases.
We recommend you build a website where you promote your home bakery. You can also use local newspapers, social media, or ask your friends and family for referrals.
Bike Shop
The bike industry is booming, and bike brands are hitting record years. The more bikes there are, the bigger the need for bike shops. After all, bikes do get broken, and it’s usually cheaper to get them fixed than to buy new ones.
You will need bike repair skills to open a bike shop. And you’ll also need basic tools to start operating. You can start small and only offer basic repairs when you start. You don’t need many tools if all you’re doing is fixing tires and adjusting brakes.
We recommend you build a website and create social media accounts to let people know about your new business.
Personal Styling Business
This is a great service business that requires no special equipment to operate. What you need are great styling skills and a keen sense of fashion. You will also have to keep up with the latest fashion trends, but that’s probably what you do already if you’re thinking about starting a personal styling business.
You can find clients by promoting your outfits on social media accounts. Fashion profiles and amazing pictures usually attract the attention of fashion aficionados. These are the people you want to target.
You can also get a lot of referrals from past clients. Make sure you always deliver amazing work.
Pet Sitting
Pet sitting is similar to house sitting. Your job is to take care of other people’s pets when they don’t have the time or when they are away.
You can start this job with no money. You do have to love animals, and you need some basic pet handling skills to ensure pets are taken care of.
You can advertise your skills in local newspapers or ask your friends and family for referrals. You can even get your first clients by knocking on people’s doors and asking if they need a pet sitter.
Conclusion
It’s never been easier to start a business than it is today. You can build a highly profitable business with almost no money. All you need is the right idea and the drive to work hard. You can check some of our other articles if you’re determined to start your business on the right track.
We shared some of the most profitable low-cost business ideas that we know of. All you have to do is pick the one that’s best for you and start working on it. Make sure you try the tools we recommend to business owners. Having the right tools can help you build a thriving business.