Businesses You Can Start for Less Than $100 in 2023

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By Jacob Maslow

Starting a business is a great way to make more money. But unfortunately, it takes money to make money. You can’t start a business without investing some of your funds into its success. Naturally, the less you invest, the more profit you’ll make in the long run. Many people wish they could start businesses for as little as $100.

Unfortunately, there is a limit to what $100 can do. If you have specific business ventures in mind, that amount of money just isn’t cut it. That being the case, it’s less about how you can start a business for under $100 and more about what kinds of businesses you can start for less than $100. Some are just much more feasible than others.

In this article, we’ll discuss the most feasible types of businesses that you can potentially start for $100 or less.

Reselling Used Goods

The best thing about this business idea is that it doesn’t cost much money at all to start it. So long as you have some used goods around your house that you don’t care to keep, you can make every attempt to sell them if you wish. This can include books, furniture, clothes, electronics, kitchenware, and more.

Of course, what do you do when you run out of things to sell? Well, you’ve hopefully made some degree of profit by that point. Using that profit, you can buy used items from other people, then resell them at a higher price. This simple tactic can make a business out of buying and selling goods in no time, and it doesn’t require much money to start.

 

Pet Sitting, Walking, Training, Etc.

It’s very easy and cheap to start a pet-centric business. For instance, dog-sitting or boarding can be as cheap as buying a few necessities for pets, but even that isn’t always the case, as owners will often supply some of those things themselves. You might have to buy food to keep pets fed while their owners are away.

Many people are willing to pay good money for seemingly basic and straightforward services like watching their pets, taking care of them during vacations, training them, etc. It’s a cheap business to start and can quickly make a profit if you prove reliable at your job.

That said, some cities may require you to be officially licensed to take care of other peoples’ animals, but even considering that it’s unlikely that you will have to spend more than $100 for licensing fees. If you specifically want to train animals, you may want to consider liability insurance.

Home Cleaning

Cleaning a house is something almost everyone is capable of, yet no one wants to do it. It’s one of the things many people are willing to pay others to do, simply out of convenience for themselves. It’s a cheap business to start for several reasons.

First of all, you don’t need any particular special training or skills. Cleaning is relatively straightforward as long as you are thorough and have an eye for detail. Secondly, even though you will need to buy your cleaning products, most of that is very cheap and affordable, even when you pick the high-quality stuff.

Home cleaning is also one of those jobs you can charge pretty good money for: many people charge upwards of $20 an hour. Many customers are willing to pay that because they don’t want to do it themselves.

Driving Services

With the existence of Lyft, Uber, and their contemporaries, it is easy for anyone to start a driving business for less than $100. Technically, if you have gas in your car ready to go, you might not have to pay anything. The only exception is if your car insurance doesn’t cover liability for this kind of thing.

But even if it doesn’t, getting that kind of insurance usually costs less than $100 a month, which still falls under “businesses you can start for less than $100.” This job is easy (it’s just ferrying people around and following GPS guidance), but if you live in a tourist-type city, this job also has a very high demand.

Of course, you’ll have to worry about gas and car maintenance over time, but with a business like this, you should be able to cover those expenses and still make a profit with no issue.

Online Freelance

Do you have a particular skill that doesn’t translate well to a typical 9-to-5- job? Are you a good writer, artist, or editor? Believe it or not, there are many opportunities online where you can put those skills to work. Online freelance is a much bigger field of work than it used to be. There are many platforms online that can help you find clients.

The vast majority of those platforms are free to use (though they will often take a small fee out of your earnings to help you find clients). This means you can start a career as a freelancer online for less than $100. Usually, such businesses are a slow start, but work becomes quite readily available once you prove capable.

Handicraft Services

In an age where you can find almost anything at the store, many people would still like to have things made by hand. Soap, dolls, decorations, baskets, sweaters, you name it. If you are the creative type who is good at making things from scratch, you can quickly start this kind of business at a low cost.

The most significant cost will be getting the raw materials you need to work your magic, but that will rarely be over $100. Then, you can sell your creations online via the multiple platforms that allow such transactions. It’s easy money!

FAQs

How much does it cost to start a business?

It depends on the business. Some businesses can be started for less than $100, while others may require thousands of dollars in initial investment.

What is the cheapest business to start?

Many businesses can be started for less than $100. Examples include online freelance work, handicraft services, and driving services.

How do I start a business with no money?

There are many ways to start a business with no money. One way is to create an online business; another is to find a partner willing to invest money into the venture. Additionally, some people use personal savings or take out loans to finance their businesses.

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