What type of business can be started with little or no start-up money?

I consider "low" start-up cost to be under $5000.00. Also, if there are any businesses that could probably get a grant to get started. I contacted the SBA (Small Business Admin.) and was told that the government is not giving out any grants to start a business. I am fiddling around with vending machinces, snack and soda. Should I just stick with that field? Can vending bring in enough extra $$$ to live comfortably off?

Entrepreneur Magazine has made a list of Low Cost Startup Businesses that you may want to consider:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/lowcostbusinesses/0,6617,,00.html

Some other home business ideas:

Top 10 Home Businesses with Rapid Break-Even Time http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol33/breakeven.htm
10 Profitable â€œGo-Out" Home Businesses http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol31/goout.htm

The best home business that you can be sure is not a scam is one that you start yourself. It will depend on what you want, how you define to be interesting. A person may consider a pet sitting business to be the most exciting work in the world, while another person would rather watch TV than take care of dogs.

The key is to determine what your interests are, what you want to do, what is suitable for your lifestyle and your overall goals, and what can fit with your resources.

Dan Ramsey in his book "101 Best Home Businesses" has a chapter on how to find YOUR best home business. He suggests these 10 steps:

1. List 5 things you do best
2. List how others would benefit from what you do best
3. Find out how to give people what they want
4. Learn the value of your services to others
5. Find out who else offers similar services
6. Learn from the successes of others
7. Learn from the failures of others
8. Plan your own success
9. Make low cost mistakes
10. Enjoy what you do and how you do it

He then made suggestions on the best home businesses according to type. Here are a few of them:

Best Businesses Using Craft or Physical Skills
- antique restoration
- auto detail service
- carpet cleaning business
- errand/delivery service
- housecleaning business

Best Service Businesses
- bed and breakfast operator
- caregiver
- catering service
- senior day care center
- tutoring service

Best Professional Businesses
- desktop publisher
- magazine writer
- import/export service
- income tax preparation service
- event planner

You can also check out the following books:

Turn Your Talents into Profits: 100+ Terrific Ideas for Starting Your Own Home-Based Microbusiness
The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century
121 Internet Businesses You Can Start from Home
The Best Internet Businesses You Can Start
101 Ways to Make Money at Home

And SBA is right - there are no grants for starting a business. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

"The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments."

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

http://www.cfda.gov
http://www.grants.gov
http://gtionline.fdncenter.org
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm
http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

A business in which you sell service, not goods.
That way, you don't have to lay out for inventory, storage, shipping, etc...

Try to look for something in which the "product" is your own skill, sweat or experience, that way, your ownly costs are perhaps the tools of your trade, getting yourself to the job, and your marketing and insurance costs.

It's a good idea to "employ yourself", too... i.e., pay yourself a regular wage, don't try to live out of the "register" as and when you need cash. The business needs a cash-flow, and reserves to pay you in the weeks when you don't get work.

Good luck, and have fun

u can try for brockage it will help u and it does not need any start up money

start a web based search engine. you can make billions

I would have to say no vending machines is not the way to go. If I was you I would start taking pictures if you have a camera use it take pictures of sites local gardens and stuff like that it would bring you lots of money. you can go around like at grocery stores and supermarkets and stuff like that you can make either postcards with them and inside the postcards write a little something about the pictures itself I'm sure that will help you if you need anymore information please email me at goodlookingbabe_91@yahoo.com yours respectfully Vanna

I understand you have computer at home a cell phone, now need to know what is your location. You can start as sourcing agent for any commodities on global scale, what you should have is some good reputable supplier for your choosen commodities, where you can sell it ? by using B2B plate form, where you can find buyer. you can start as Commission agent, I can tip you various reliable B2B sites where you can be a free member and you can offer commodities on the behalf of your supplier, and then it is a game of hocking buyer, I am in it since 4 years and doing well enough. any thing else you want to know contact me at bbj_thailand@yahoo.com, this will be my pleasure to guide you. Regards Malak

go join triads and sell pirated VCD!!!

Most of the answers here are good, but not GREAT.

If you want to start a business just to "do something" with your time, then yeah, do the eBay thing or clean carpets...they make you money.

If you really want to make a consistent residual income, get yourself in front of growing trend(s).

The Wellness Industry is exploding right now because of the Baby-Boomers.

For FAR LESS than the $5000 you have, you can get into this market with a 23 year young corporation that is leading the charge.

Contact me to get the "Rest of the story".
BeDifferent2@USA.Com

Or got the link below...

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