25 Ways To Start A Business Without Investment

The number of times I have seen people ask about starting an online business for free.

Let me tell you; any business is an investment. You must be able to put money into a business and yourself in order to see results.

If you cannot accept that concept then you need to ask yourself whether an online business is for you.

If however you are like me, business-minded and you have an idea that you envision will bring great results, then finding the start up cost is much easier than you think.

All it requires is thinking outside of the box and I share with you some ideas that you can act on to get the capital to invest in your very first online venture.

Now most businesses have no-start up costs, allowing you to earn an income then reinvest that income into your business to grow it.

There are other businesses that have start-up costs as low as $1 and can reach as high as $3000.

Whatever the starting point, I share with you the ways in which you can start your online business at no cost to you by getting the money from other sources.

1. Online Surveys

Do you have time to spare? People value your opinion and want to pay you for a review. Websites like SurveySavvy and Opinion Outpost will pay as little as $1 and as much as $15 for your opinion. You can quickly complete enough surveys in a short space of time to get the start up cash that you need to start your online business.

2. Sell Used Electronic Items

Electronic items are highly valued, especially if it is in a good condition and usable. Gazelle.com is a neat website that gives the potential value for your item. They also pay you for your used or broken devices, taking the selling out of the equation for you.

3. Trade In Your Un-Used Gift Cards

Maybe you won a gift card at work or someone gifted you it but you do not use it. You can sell your unwanted gift cards on Cardpool. You will not get the full monetary value but at least it is worth something instead of having them sit there unused.

4. Pawn Your Goods

Do you own any jewellery that you no longer use. You can have it pawned and get some quick cash. You will not get the retail price but something better than nothing to go towards your business investment.

5. Sell Your Junk

The number of times I have had a clear out and have sold unwanted items on Ebay or Craigslist. You may think that the item is absolute trash but give it a try. List it on either one of those sites and see what value you can eek out of it from people who actually want your junk. People buy all sorts on Ebay and Craigslist. This is the perfect opportunity to make some extra cash to invest in your business.

6. Sell Other People’s Items

How this works is that you buy low priced items and mark up the value of it and resell it. This is how one woman was able to buy a vintage vanity item worth $5, repair it and resale it for $125. Instant money in your pocket which you can now use to invest in your business.

7. Sell Your Hobby Ideas

Are you crafty? Etsy is the place to sell your craft ideas and turn them into cash. If making crafts is an ongoing hobby then this can be your cash source for anything business related.

8. Return Unnecessary Purchases

If you are on a tight budget and do not have that extra cash after you have spent a ton on those killer jeans you liked, then it is ok to return them. Ask for a refund. If you are serious about starting a business then sacrifices like this one will be worth it.

9. Volunteer For Overtime

Extra cash on the job is one of the best and most convenient places to earn your start up cost. Many people hate having to go to a job in the first place, but if starting a business is going to help you get out of that job, make the best of it now. Tell your supervisor that you are available for extra work and get paid. Let quitting your job be your motivation.

10. Employee Referral Programs

An ideal way to squeeze money out of your own employer is to take advantage of their employee referral program. Do they pay for your referrals? If yes, start referring your friends or family for job vacancies.

11. Babysitting

It is an easy job to do if you have a relative who needs an extra pair of hands at home after work. Babysitters earn on average $10 an hour. If you do 5 hours over 2 weekends you will have $100 in no time to invest in your online start-up.

12. Sell Your Photos On Shuttershock

With digital cameras easily accessible and pretty much everyone having access to a smartphone camera, you can take amazing shots and sell them to Shuttershock for a fee.

13. Part Time Jobs

Your local newspaper may have part-time jobs that require no particular skill. You can get paid to easily hand out flyers at a sports event or bar tend at an event. Always be on the look out for temporary jobs where you can make quick cash without needing prior experience. This will be a handy way to get your start up cost fairly quickly.

14. Turn Your Car Into A Billboard

If you do not mind using your car as advertising space, you can earn up to $400 per month to advertise commercial activity with Myfreecar.com.

15. Cleaning Houses

Some people leave house cleaning for so long that when it comes to it they just resent the idea and are willing to pay cash to clean their house. Put up your ad on a local bulletin board. You should be able to scrape together $100 to clean a couple houses.

16. Washing Cars

Car washes are big business. If you are looking for easy money for your next online venture, then offer to valet or simply wash a car at your local parking lot.

17. Pet Sitting

The best part about this type of job is that you do not actually need to stay with the pet for all hours. You can keep an eye on it ever so often and go about other tasks. You can also watch other pets at the same time and so get more jobs, thereby creating a bit extra income in a short space of time.

18. Proofreading And Editing

Websites like Upwork allow you to pitch your services for these simple jobs to professionals or business owners who do not want to do the work themselves. You can offer your service for as low as $5 an hour. Pick up many jobs on this job website and you will have your start up business cost in no time.

19. Write A Blog Post

Are there blogs that you have an interest in and have knowledge of the subject matter? Blog owners will actually pay you to write an article for them. You can earn up to $20 per blog post. Write five and you will have that $100 to invest in your online business.

20. Website Design

Is website designs your forte? Charge to design a website for the next person who knows little about the subject. If you offer a competitive rate you will see how many small business owners will use you as opposed to investing thousands in a top design company.

21. Cut Out The Luxury

Do you really need to watch cable TV? Is that Spotify membership absolutely necessary. Review some of your monthly expenses and see where you can cut to redirect that cash to your online business venture.

22. No More Branded Food Products

Instead of thinking brands, go for store brands which are a lot less cheaper. Can you cut your grocery bill in half? Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to fund our dreams and this is a surefire way where you have complete control to saving an extra $100 a month to fund your online business start up cost.

23. Create A Logo

With so many people starting their own online business, there is a high demand for creative logos. Learn Photoshop and advertise your skill on Fivrr.com. There are many businesses who will ask you to do a simple logo for them and they will be happy to pay you $5. Do as many logos to earn enough to pay towards your own business startup.

24. Participate In Medical Studies

Local hospitals offer money to people to volunteer their body for medical tests. If you are prepared to endure the possible symptoms of  medication and remain under a restrained environment for days or sometimes weeks, then this is a perfect way to earn some money for your startup. A local hospital offered $500 for persons with acne to participate medical trials.

25. Create Or Edit Videos

Are you skilled in video technology? Offer your services to businesses who are turning to video media, more than ever to market their business.

Thanks for reading,

P.S Have you tried any of these? Do you have any other suggestions which I may have missed?

Share them with me in the comments section below.

How did you start your online business when you did not have the money upfront?