Low Start Up Cost Business Ideas

by Maggie McCormick
Choose a business idea that has few start-up costs.

Choose a business idea that has few start-up costs.

business image by peter Hires Images from Fotolia.com

Starting your own business can give you the freedom that you seek, but you may not have the hundreds of thousands of dollars it takes to start a traditional business, such as a restaurant or a brick and mortar shop. This doesn't mean you have to give up your dream. Look for businesses that don't require a special location or a lot of equipment to get started in reducing costs.


If you are a CPA, you can start a business working from a home office doing people's taxes and finances. You might target small business owners to provide you with year-round work, because many individuals need a CPA only during tax time. Some of the services you can provide are tax preparation, bookkeeping, financial planning and debt management.

Child Care

Anyone who enjoys working with children might open a successful child care business. Research the laws in your area about running a day care from your home. Some regions require you to be licensed and to follow strict laws, such as keeping only a certain number of children in your home at any one time. If you want to watch younger children, you can offer full-day services, but if you prefer older students, you can start a part-time business, offering child care only after school.


Tutoring doesn't have to only be about teaching kids how to read or helping out with math homework--though those are both legitimate business models. You can take any special skill that you have and tutor people in it, either on a one-on-one basis or as a group. For example, you could teach computer skills to adults or piano lessons to children.

Homeowner Services

With a full-time work schedule, it can be a challenge to stay on top of all of the responsibilities of home ownership. With very little start-up cash, you can open a business that targets homeowners. Think about things that the people in your area may not have the time to do because of work. You could do lawn care and pool maintenance, walk dogs, clean houses or offer personalized shopping services.


Take your professional area of expertise and turn it into a business by offering consulting services. For instance, if you want to leave your job as the VP of Marketing, offer marketing advice to small business owners in your area. If you have a knack for organizing and planning, you could offer services as a life coach or wedding planner.

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