14 Best Low Investment Business Ideas

July 15, 2022
Contents

Entrepreneurs face many hurdles when starting their own business from scratch. Any entrepreneur needs capital to succeed, but it's not always easy to get it. But not every business needs to be capital intensive.

Do you want to start a business? Are you afraid you don’t have enough money to get started? Don’t worry! We have some low investment business ideas that you can start with little to no money. 

Custom T-Shirt Business

Creating a Custom T-shirt business can be very lucrative.

If you want to start a low-budget business, a print-on-demand t-shirt business can be profitable. You only need to design the t-shirts and collaborate with a supplier to print your designs. If you are not adept at graphic designing, you can hire a freelancer from Upwork or Fiverr, who can do the job for you. Here is how it works

  1. Find a supplier who can print t-shirts on demand. 
  2. Find a graphic designer Or design your t-shirts. 
  3. Create an e-commerce website. 
  4. Let the supplier know when a customer places an order for a specific design. 
  5. The supplier will print your design on the product 
  6. They’ll even package and ship the product to your customers, so you don’t have to worry about logistics. 

Learn more: How to Start A Profitable Online T-Shirt Business in 2022 

How is it a low-budget business idea? You only pay the supplier when you have sold the products. It is a win-win! Print on Demand offers you the scope to not just sell t-shirts but a variety of printed products like phone cases, mugs, etc.

Home Bakery 

Do you love cakes? Can you bake? This business idea is for you if you know how to make the batter. Every locality has a go-to bakery, and you can be set up your shop in your area if you know how to bake. 

It doesn’t require much as you can start baking at home. Take orders from friends and family who have an event. Slowly, through word of mouth and social media, people will come to know about your bakery. 

Once you start getting enough orders, you can rent a place around the corner and create a full-time profitable business out of it. 

Coffee Shop

Coffee shops are a great place to hang out, regardless of whether you’re young or old. If there are little-to-no coffee shops in your area, this is your sign to open one. There are three main things you need to consider and try to achieve when opening a coffee shop:

  • Renting a place in a prime location.
  • Procure the best coffee beans with the best value for money.
  • Buy a coffee maker that suits your needs and budget.

Furthermore, you do not need to spend much on decorations. If you are creative, you can find many interior decoration DIY ideas on the internet and beautify your coffee shop. Finally, once your business starts rolling and becomes highly profitable, you can re-invest the money to scale your coffee shop even further..

E-commerce Store

E-commerce has become an inevitable part of life! Not every e-commerce store can be Amazon, but it is one of the most profitable business ideas. You can follow many e-commerce business models- B2C, C2C, B2B, etc. You can also follow the dropshipping model. 

Dropshipping model is a low-cost business idea that will give you huge profits. All you need is a website and choose the dropshipping products you want to sell. They can be anything from jewelry to everyday household items. More on this later on in the article.

Other than dropshipping, you can also sell your products in the store. Whether you sell t-shirts or jewelry, you can sell in on your website. 

Food Catering Business

One business idea that never gets old is the food business. People always have to eat — making the demand for food ever-present. There’s always food on occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, etc. This constant demand for food means the food catering business can be highly lucrative.

If you are a good cook or are a professional chef, you should open a catering business. If you’re worried about the mounting costs and on a tight budget, you can always start your business from your kitchen and take small orders. 

Later, when you start getting more orders, you can expand, build your kitchen and hire employees.  If you have always wanted to own a dream restaurant, this can be an excellent business idea you can try out. 

Learn more: 17 Most Profitable Food Business Ideas for 2022

Clothing Line


Did you know Ralph Lauren started his clothing line by selling a few neckties? Anyone with a touch of fashion can open a clothing line. It is one of the business ideas with low investment. You do not need to spend a fortune to start a clothing brand. 

Starting a clothing brand is easier than you think. You can get production done for a low price, then sell through online platforms like Amazon and eBay or via your website. It’s also possible to sell to traditional retailers. 

Dropshipping Business

        Source

So what is dropshipping? When you dropship, you sell a product, typically online, but you don’t need to stock or fulfill the order. 

Instead, you only need to contact a wholesale supplier who will provide you with the items. When customers place an order in your online store, the supplier will take care of packaging, shipping, and customer service as well. 

Can you make a fortune in dropshipping? Yes, it is quite possible. Like in any business, you will increase your chances of success with hard work and planning. There are several reasons many entrepreneurs are starting a dropshipping business:

  • Requires low investment
  • Do not have to manage inventory. (saves the inventory space)
  • No shipping and delivery responsibilities. 

All in all, if you want to build a successful business but don’t want to suffer the headache of managing inventory, shipping, and delivery, then starting a dropshipping business is one of the best ways to do it. 

Handcrafted and Homemade Goods


There are talented people with a unique bent of mind. If you are also artsy and loves making DIY things, you should sell homemade goods. Whether candles or bath bombs, you can easily make them at home and sell them at a high margin. Here is how you can start a small business at home by making your products:

  • Learn how to make the product. There are online courses and Youtube videos to learn it. 
  • Decide on product packaging. It should be appealing to the buyers, 
  • Build your own website or sell on websites like Etsy.

While it may not be as simple as selling your products in a brick-and-mortar store, you’re already doing something unique with your product. Think about how you could make it easier to get your products online and make money from them.

Whether you make soap, candles, or pottery, you can start an e-commerce business independently. Because you make the products yourself, you have to consider shipping and inventory management, but it’s simple as a side project or with a small batch.

Jewelry Making


Similar to the food business, jewelry making is also a profitable business idea that always works because it’s always in demand. Besides the ever-present need for jewelry, the various types of jewelry people sell result in this kind of business never going out of style. 

Starting a jewelry business can be an excellent idea if you are interested in jewelry making. Here are some steps that can help you out:

  • Choose a niche, whether you want to sell fashion or fine jewelry. 
  • Take online jewelry making course on Skillshare or Udemy
  • Start practicing your art. 
  • Select a platform to sell your products. 
  • Choose a company name and design a brand logo. 
  • Register your business and start selling. 

People are making a living selling it online and at craft fairs. Today, there are plenty of ways to sell your jewelry. You can start by selling it at places like Etsy and eBay

Or you can sell it at craft fairs and flea markets. It doesn’t matter how you do it. The point is that you can make money selling handmade jewelry.

Sell a Service

A business does not always sell physical products, you can start a business by selling services. And thanks to technology, selling your skills online has never been easier — enabling you to build a successful business by offering your services. 

For example, you could provide writing services or be an online business consultant. There are plenty of great business ideas that don’t take much investment. 

Content Writing

Are you good with words, fast-thinking, and types at breakneck speeds? Then you can be a content writer. What do you need to start a business as a content writer? Not much, all you need is a laptop and WiFi. You are all set. 

There's a massive demand for copywriters and content writers. If you want to start your own business, you should consider a content writing company. 

Remote.co, Problogger Jobs, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, and BloggingPro are good places to look for new clients. You can also join a Facebook group of content writers to get more business.

How to start a content writing business?

  1. Build a resume. 
  2. Start working as an intern. Look for influential companies.
  3. Build your portfolio. You can use Journoportfolio or any other online tool to create your portfolio. 
  4. Join Fiverr, Upwork, and Facebook content writing groups to find new clients. 

Once you have built an impressive clientele, you can expand your business by taking on more team members. If you want to fly solo, it's completely alright, but if you wish to scale in the future, you should start an online publishing house.

Cooking Classes

Are you a cooking fanatic? If so, you could quickly start a cooking class in your own home. This new business idea requires very little investment, but it can generate lots of income. 

Whether you are a busy homemaker or a professional chef, you can easily teach your favorite recipes to eager students. All you have to do is buy groceries and advertise your cooking class to get started.

Professional Photography

Do you like capturing moments? Are you talented enough to see the world through your lenses? If you are a shutterbug, then this business idea is for you. 

Thanks to technology, you can make a business out of your intense passion for photography and your considerable skills with a camera. But how to start?

  • You can start by registering your business as a sole proprietorship.
  • You can sell your photos to websites like Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. 
  • Once you’ve listed a few of your photos on these sites, you can begin receiving payments for them.

You can also become a professional photographer and videographer in your locality. For this, you have to build a portfolio, create a social media account, spread the word. Once you start getting gigs, you are on your way to building a successful business. 

Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube is a massive platform and if you want to start a YouTube channel, it’s excellent for building a loyal audience. Furthermore, starting a YouTube channel can be highly profitable because you can monetize your channel.

All you need to do is start a YouTube channel, create your videos, edit and optimize them with the best tools, and publish them. However, most tools will you require you to have some basic video-editing skills to edit your YouTube videos.

If you have next-to-no editing skills, you should try out Offeo, as our 3000+ templates and intuitive interface can help jumpstart your videomaking process. You can create all sorts of content, from product reviews to make-up videos. If you need a guide on making a YouTube video, you can check out our article below.

Learn more: A Guide For Making Your First YouTube Video

To get maximum views on your videos, ensure to upload great content consistently, add a scroll-stopping thumbnail, and finetune your YouTube SEO to make your videos rank higher on YouTube’s search results.

Create Digital Products or Online Courses

What are digital products? According to Roman Pichler, “A product is an entity that creates specific value for a group of people, the customers, and users, and for the organization that develops and provides it.”

Digital products can be podcasts, resumes, video templates, online courses, or e-books. Digital products are also a solid business idea. Unlike others on this list, they aren’t tangible. It means you don’t have to worry about manufacturing and shipping costs. So, your profit margins can remain high. 

How do you know what to create in digital? You need to focus on what people need and is willing enough to pay for it.

FAQs: Low Investment Business Ideas

What are the most successful small businesses?

The most successful small businesses in 2022 are Auto repair service, Amazon seller, Business consultant, Blogging, and Accounting services. 

What business should I start with low investment?

Low-cost business ideas include Dropshipping, Cooking classes, Bakery, Physical trainer, Tutoring, Freelance Content Writing, and Ecommerce business. You can start any of the business ideas we’ve mentioned above with little to no investment. 

You can also start a Youtube channel or become an Influencer. However, you need to be patient enough to reap the benefits of your business. 

What businesses are in demand?

E-commerce websites and dropshipping are the businesses in demand. Anyone with a laptop and internet can start this business. Besides e-commerce, Business consultancy is also in demand. Companies, small businesses especially, are looking for freelance business consultants who can guide them. 

What business can I start with $5000?

If you are looking for low investment business ideas, freelance writing, auto-repair service, catering business, bakery, and jewelry making are worth a shot. 

The trick is to choose a business idea that doesn’t require much raw materials and space to work in. For example, you can work in your room to make pieces of jewelry and, start creating bread or cake for your bakery from your kitchen, and so on. 

What business makes the most money?

Business consultancies, marketing copywriting, social media management, and personal wellness are some of  the most profitable small businesses.

Conclusion

If you've ever wanted to start a business but couldn't find the time or money for inventory, there's good news. You can begin with an inventory-free business model or choose a low investment business idea. 

We hope the low investment business ideas we’ve mentioned in this article can help you build your business. With technology, starting a business is easier than ever. You don’t even have to leave your home to do so!

Written By
Ankita

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