Thursday, April 12, 2012

Seven Affordable Start Up Business Ideas

Many people dream of starting a business but don't know where to begin. It could be to supplement their current income or to have a goal of quitting their existing job and working for themselves. Maybe you have considered this yourself. Here are seven inexpensive start up business ideas to help you jump-start your entrepreneurial efforts.

1) Dog walking

Many people do not have time to walk their dogs. This is a very valuable and easy service business that you can start with little to no money. The most important thing that you will need is a comfortable pair of shoes. To get started, spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors that you are starting a dog walking service. Once you get a few customers you can also ask them for referrals.

2) Lawn and gardening

Lawn and gardening services are also in high demand. If you don't own a good mower or other gardening equipment, you can get started with offering to do simple chores such as raking leaves, shoveling snow, weeding and other basic tasks that do not need a lot of tools or equipment. This is another service that you can start with very little money. Simply knocking on your neighbors' doors and offering your services is a great way to get your business started.

3) Cleaning

If there is one thing small business owners and homeowners hate to do, it is cleaning. This is another high demand service that you can easily start in your spare time. All you need is some word-of-mouth and simple advertising methods such as flyers and small ads to acquire your first customers.

4) Childcare

Working parents need reliable, trustworthy care providers to look after their children. If you have children of your own, this type of business will allow you to stay home with your kids and still earn money.

5) Pet and house sitting

People who are going on vacation or who travel for business often need someone to look after their house and pets. You can use word-of-mouth to spread the word and place inexpensive or free ads in your local newspaper or online at places such as Craigslist to acquire customers.

6) Tutoring

Parents are often looking for someone to help tutor their children. If you have an area of expertise such as a foreign language or have good math or English skills, it will be easy for you to find students who need your help.

7) Elder care

Many elderly people need help with services other than nursing, such as housekeeping, personal care, running errands and being driven to their doctor appointments. You shouldn't have any trouble finding customers who need your help.

These seven start up business ideas are all services that are in high demand and need very little money or experience to get going. Before you start offering your service, check with your city or county offices to find out if you need to apply for a business license or comply with any other local requirements. To jump-start your business and start acquiring customers, be sure to spread the word to friends, family and neighbors, go door to door, put up flyers, and finally consider placing a small ad in your local paper or online at classified sites such as Craigslist. These simple marketing ideas should easily help you to acquire your first customers and start earning you some extra money.


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Michelle Reynolds has helped hundreds of business owners understand how to improve their company finances - using her 20 years experience working as a corporate Finance Director and years mentoring start up businesses she created http://www.thefinancementor.com - an online training & mentoring course for startups.


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