15 Easy + Low-Cost Business Ideas to Launch While Working Your Day Job

Summary: These low-cost business ideas are an easy way to start your side business. You don’t need a lot of time or money to get started. Let’s see which one is right for you.

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Low-Cost Business Ideas

You don’t need to quit your 9-5 to start your own business. Whether you’re looking to earn extra cash, build a passion project, or test a business idea, these 15 easy-to-start, low-cost business ideas can be launched during your free time before and after work.

Selling Handmade Products

Selling handmade products is one of the most fun and creative, low-cost business ideas. You don’t have to have endless ideas to create and sell handmade products. All you need is a few signature items you can repeatedly sell. The best handmade products are popular because of the creator’s unique style. 

You can create many handmade products, including skincare, jewelry, crafts, candles, and artwork.  You can then sell them at local markets or online. When I launched my skincare line, I started selling at a local farmer’s market on Saturdays. I grew that business to have repeat customers and then sold the business for a nice profit.

Getting Started Selling Handmade Products

To start selling your handmade products, you’ll want to do a bit of market research. This is as simple as looking at other creators who make handmade products similar to yours. You can start with Etsy, Made Market, My Community Made, and also social media. 

View a few social profiles of handmade product creators. Look at their online stores. Take notes on their product images, how they write descriptions, and the types of social media posts they make about their products. This becomes your inspiration for creating and selling your handmade products. Remember, do not copy what they’re doing. Just let their work inspire you.

Pros of selling handmade products:

• Turn a creative hobby into income
• Your unique, personal touch will make your products stand out
• Opportunities for local exposure and raving customers
• Can create products in batches

Cons of selling handmade products:

• Time-consuming to produce items
• Overhead costs required to begin production
• No opportunity to create passive income
• Inventory management required

Photography Services

One of my first coaching clients was an aspiring photographer. She worked a Federal government job and wanted to do more creative work in her side business. I helped her to make the leap and start taking weekend photography gigs. She went on to be the photographer for my wedding.

Photography services are one of the best low-cost business ideas. While there will be some initial costs (camera and editing software), you can start with low initial funding. Today, most clients don’t even want their photos to be printed, so you can offer event, portrait, or product digital photography. Then upsell the prints.

Getting Started Selling Photography Services

Photography is a great industry for low-cost business ideas with high profit. To get started, you’ll need at least a mid-range camera for taking photos. Then you’ll want to purchase an inexpensive lighting kit and editing software. 

Once you’ve secured your equipment and software, you can get clients by word of mouth or an online freelance website like Thumbtack. Most potential clients will want to work with someone they know. As you begin securing clients, ask them for referrals to keep your business profitable.

Pros of selling photography services:

• Creative and artistic outlet
• High earning potential for events
• Expandable into videography or editing

Cons of selling photography services:

• Equipment can be expensive upfront
• Event scheduling requires flexibility
• Need to specialize to stand out from competitors

Voiceover Services

More than ever, consumers are listening to audiobooks, podcasts, and video recordings. Not to mention the endless ads, and blog content creators are choosing to post. 

Voiceover services are one of the perfect low-cost business ideas because of the sheer number of opportunities. All you need is a microphone and inexpensive (or free) editing software. In no time, you can start recording voiceovers for videos, podcasts, and commercials for clients.

Getting Started Selling Voiceover Services  

The fastest way to start selling voiceover services as your low-cost business idea is to register on a freelancer website such as Upwork or Fiverr. Once you’ve registered, create a profile that lists the types of voiceover services you want to offer.

Make your profile stand out from the others and record yourself reading a few scripts. Then you’ll have an audio portfolio to share with potential clients.

Pros of selling voiceover services:

• High demand for short projects
• Can work from home
• Scalable with your own studio

Cons of selling voiceover services:

• Requires clear diction and voice training
• Investment in decent audio equipment
• Artificial intelligence (Ai) is becoming better and more accessible

Notary Public Services

A notary public is an individual authorized by the state to witness the signing of documents to prevent fraud. Becoming a notary public is a valuable side business, offering flexibility and steady income opportunities. I had a client who was a traveling Notary Public. She would go to different locations in our Metropolitan area based on booked appointments and provide her services.  

One of the main benefits of choosing to be a notary public as your low-cost business idea is that it usually costs just a few hundred dollars to get started. The return on investment can be substantial in high-demand industries like legal or real estate. 

Getting Started Selling Notary Public Services

To become a notary public, you just need to complete the required training and exam in your jurisdiction. You can begin the process via the National Notary Association. Once you’ve completed your training and passed your exam, you can then apply for and purchase your license, surety bond, and take your oath of office. 

As a commissioned notary public, you can be listed in local business directories, which bring clients to you. Additionally, you can market your services directly to realtors and small law offices. 

Pros of selling notary public services:

• Legal support services are always in demand
• Low startup cost after certification
• Great for weekend or mobile gigs
• Can work online from home

Cons of selling notary public services:

• Must meet state requirements and licensing
• Some local jurisdictions may require in-person service
• The initial cost to purchase materials and take the licensing course

Tech Support or IT Help Desk

New tech products are launched each day. With busy schedules, most people don’t have the time or energy to learn how to use new software optimally, especially in the small business sector. This makes starting tech support or IT helpdesk businesses ideal low-cost business ideas.

An excellent low-cost business idea is to provide remote support for software, hardware, or home networks. And no, I’m not just talking about seniors; even younger people don’t always know how to use new technology. If you’re great at figuring out new technologies, consider providing virtual or on-site tech support.

Getting Started Selling Tech Support or IT Help Desk Services 

The fastest way to start selling tech services is to connect with your local chamber of commerce. You can offer your services to their members. Then, determine which software and hardware you want to support. Business-to-business (B2B) services are great, low-cost business ideas to launch due to their high profit potential.

Once you know what products you support, you can bill hourly or by assignment. Initially, you can offer discounts for first-time customers. There are many options to get started, and the costs are low.

Pros of selling tech support or IT help desk services:

• Ideal for tech-savvy individuals
• Can serve clients globally
• Recurring service potential
• Flexible working hours

Cons of selling tech support or IT help desk services:

• May involve odd hours or urgent requests
• Can be complex depending on client needs
• Need to keep learning new and emerging technologies

Local Tour Guide or Experience Host

This is one of the most exciting low-cost business ideas! If you live in an area with moderate to high tourism, you can create experiences for travelers. You can host city tours, hikes, or cultural experiences in your area.

Tourists love to have personalized experiences. It’s exciting to go to a new place and visit locations off the beaten path. You can create these experiences based on your client’s specific tastes, interests, and even accessibility needs.

Getting Started Selling Local Guide or Experience Host Services 

You can create services for new transplants and tourists. This will involve creating a few different tours. You can select a series of locations by event, starting, or ending point. 

An easy way to market your services is by connecting with local hotels, Airbnb owners, restaurants, and attractions. Create flyers to distribute and a visual social media presence. As you begin obtaining clients, request that they tag you on social media to refer their friends. 

Pros of selling local guide or experience host services:

• Great for outgoing personalities
• Showcase your city or interests
• Can charge a premium for unique experiences
• Get free meals, tickets, etc. from venue owners

Cons of selling local guide or experience host services:

• Dependent on location and tourism traffic
• The weather or season may affect bookings
• Continually update and change offerings if venues close or open

Product Flipping or Reselling

I helped a client launch and scale a product reselling business. She started purchasing small items to use at niche weddings for decor. She then went on to purchase even larger items for wedding venues. 

If you love to DIY and have an eye for bargain hunting, product flipping, or reselling, these would be great low-cost business ideas. This involves buying discounted or used items locally and selling them for profit online. You can sell furniture, jewelry, collectibles, and vintage clothing.

What’s great about product flipping or reselling is that you can bring pieces back to life. Older furniture ages well due to the high-quality materials that were used. So your customers get excellent quality pieces. 

Getting Started With Product Flipping or Reselling  

Product flipping or reselling are great low-cost business ideas. To start your product flipping or reselling business, you need a few local places to purchase your products. Next, you can purchase supplies to bring these items back to life.

Once you’ve created a few pieces, you can sell them in person at local markets, craft fairs (especially during the holidays), and online. Places like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, and even your local Nextdoor app will allow you to sell your products.

Pros of product flipping or reselling:

• Great for bargain hunters
• Quick turnover for fast cash
• Scalable with volume

Cons of product flipping or reselling:

• Time-consuming to source items
• Requires a good eye for pricing and demand
• Storage for items that don’t sell quickly 

Niche Freelance Writing

Many small business owners think Artificial Intelligence is their writing savior. However, even the best prompts don’t guarantee the output is any good. As more companies opt to use Ai, they risk that Google and other search engines will stop recommending their websites.

What makes this one of the best low-cost business ideas is that small and large businesses will continue to hire niche freelance writing services. If you’re a good writer with expertise in a specific industry, you can write industry articles, website copy, or technical content for clients. The more niche, the better.

One of my freelance writing clients only wrote content for women website designers with a background in coding. It was a small niche because her clients were all women who built websites completely from scratch using a specific niche software. She built a thriving business by writing only for clients who valued sharing specific technical details with their clients.  

Getting Started Selling Niche Freelance Writing Services 

Selling niche freelance writing services is an excellent, low-cost business idea. You can start by drafting a few sample documents to show your writing skills to potential clients. Then you can advertise online and locally.

To advertise locally, you can create flyers using Canva and print them out. To advertise online, the easiest way is to register for a few freelance websites like Fiverr, Upwork, or Guru. LinkedIn is another great way to promote your writing services because it can connect you with potential clients with whom you already have a connection.

Pros of selling niche freelance writing services:

• High demand in many technical industries
• Flexible schedule
• No formal education needed
• Obtain small and large business clients

Cons of selling niche freelance writing services:

• Takes time to build a portfolio and client base
• Inconsistent income starting out
• Harder to scale because you have to find others with your niche expertise 

House Cleaning & Organizing Services

If you love cleaning and organizing, I’ve got a suggestion for you! More people find themselves sandwiched between caring for their aging parents and children. Being pulled in so many different directions leaves little time to keep a clean and organized home. 

By starting a house cleaning and organizing service, you’re tapping into one of the best low-cost business ideas in demand right now! You can help time-strapped families and individuals tidy or declutter their spaces. The reason I love this low-cost business idea is that there is very little initial startup cost, but the profits can be high quickly.

Getting Started Selling House Cleaning & Organizing Services 

This is one of the best low-cost business ideas with high profit. All you have to do is tell your friends and family about your new business. You can do this by creating social media posts, making flyers, or going old school and calling people you know. To make your business stand out from the crowd, you can specialize by only using organic or natural cleaning products.

If you’re cleaning homes, you can use products you already have at home. If you are cleaning businesses, you’ll need to grab commercial-grade products from a local big box store. Once you’re ready to expand your client base, you can register on a site like Angi’s List or Thumbtack. 

Pros of selling house cleaning & organizing services:

• Consistent, repeatable business
• Immediate cash flow
• Easy and low-risk to begin
• Flexible hours 

Cons of selling house cleaning & organizing services:

• Physically demanding work
• Limited scalability without a team
• Difficult client preferences 

Virtual Assistant Services

I’ve hired Virtual Assistants (VAs) while owning multiple businesses. I literally could not run my businesses and scale without help. My VAs were my right hand and kept my businesses running when I needed to take breaks or manage my large client base. After hiring multiple VAs, I know the value of Virtual Assistant Services as one of the best low-cost business ideas.

As a Virtual Assistant, you support business owners remotely with tasks like email management, calendar scheduling, bookkeeping, and research. However, a VA is one of the best low-cost business ideas because you can use much of your career expertise. There are VAs who do all types of administrative and financial work.

Getting Started Selling Virtual Assistant Services 

To start your Virtual Assistant business, you’ll need to determine the services you want to offer. Most VAs offer several administrative or financial management services. VAs charge their clients by the hour with a set number of hours per month.

Websites like Upwork and Fiverr make it easy for potential clients to find and hire you. You will create a profile and list your services. As you gain repeat clients, you can offer more services to even more clients. 

Pros of selling virtual assistant services:

• Low startup cost (just a laptop and internet)
• A wide variety of tasks for multiple niches
• Growing demand among entrepreneurs
• Work from anywhere at any time

Cons of selling virtual assistant services:

• Requires excellent time management
• May involve juggling multiple clients

Social Media Management

Almost every business has some sort of social media presence. As a Social Media Manager, you can directly help small and large businesses grow. Your role as the owner of a Social Media Management firm is to manage social media accounts for small and large businesses, influencers, or nonprofits.

Owning a Social Media Managment firm is an excellent, low-cost business idea because it is a high-demand service. Also, with new social media platforms being launched, you get to be an early adopter. This will attract potential clients because they don’t have the time to figure out new platforms themselves.

Getting Started Selling Social Media Management Services 

Business owners look for help with social media marketing in numerous ways. Small businesses generally hire Social Media Managers on sites like Upwork, Fiverr, and freelance sites. Larger businesses hire Social Media Managers directly through those firms’ websites.

The fastest way to promote your business is to use Upwork or Fiverr. However, you can also promote your business on the social media platforms where you’re an expert. You’ll need to identify the platforms you want to specialize in with examples of your work (i.e., social media posts, videos, etc.). 

Pros of selling social media management services:

• Creative and strategic work
• Can grow into a full agency
• Easy to start with free tools
• Consistent and flexible work

Cons of selling social media management services:

• Must stay on top of algorithm and trend changes
• Can be time-consuming if managing multiple accounts

Online Tutoring or Teaching

Online learning is growing rapidly, which makes it one of the best low-cost business ideas. More than ever, people can learn from home or work. If you enjoy teaching others, consider launching an online tutoring or teaching business. 

You can teach almost any subject, including music, languages, and test prep. There isn’t a lot of setup required. You can teach from anywhere to students living anywhere in the world. 

Getting Started Selling Online Tutoring or Teaching Services 

Selling online tutoring or teaching services as your low-cost business idea. To start your online tutoring or teaching service, you’ll need a laptop or smartphone with video or streaming capabilities. You can register on websites like Wyzant and Hey Tutor. 

You’ll need to determine the subjects you want to teach or tutor. Then make sure your subject matter expertise is up-to-date. Soon, you can build repeat clientele.  

Pros of selling online tutoring or teaching services:

• High hourly pay potential
• Meaningful, impact-driven work
• Flexible working hours
• Location independent for you and your clients

Cons of selling online tutoring or teaching services:

• May require credentials depending on the subject
• It can be draining after a long workday

Resume & Cover Letter Services

I ran a small resume and cover letter firm for a few years. In addition to helping job seekers stand out with polished, compelling applications, you can help your clients determine which companies will offer them the best culture fit.

Choosing resume and cover letter services as your low-cost business idea provides you with the option to make great money with little to no initial cost. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people search and apply for jobs. There will always be a market for your services because most people wing it when it comes to job searching. People need your job search strategies and excellent writing skills. 

Getting Started Selling Resume & Cover Letter Services 

One of the fastest ways to start selling resume and cover letter services is to reach out to potential customers online. There are countless online groups, job boards, etc., where job seekers connect for resume help. You can register with the National Resume Writers Association.

Sites like LinkedIn also have communities and profiles of resume service professionals. Create a profile for yourself and highlight your resume writing services to get the word out about what you offer. You can also choose to specialize in a specific type of resume, such as: Federal, non-profit, and/ or executive. 

Pros of selling resume & cover letter services:

• Highly in demand, especially during job market shifts
• Quick turnaround and fast payment
• Scalable to career coaching
• Repeat clients each time they want to change jobs

Cons of selling resume & cover letter services:

• Requires strong writing and formatting skills
• Client satisfaction can be subjective
• Highly possible that people will copy your work

Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

I love love love dogs. Our last dog was a very high-energy, smart Boxer. He needed a midday walk or he would get himself in trouble. There wasn’t a crate that could keep him contained. And yes, we tried many!

Needless to say, pet sitting and dog walking are vital services for both the pet and the pet owner. Providing pet care services during evenings, weekends, or holidays is a very lucrative side business. Best of all, pet sitting and dog walking are low-cost business ideas you can start immediately.

Getting Started Selling Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Services

The easiest way to get started selling pet services is to create flyers and post them around your community. You can visit dog parks and other places where pet owners hang out and spark up a few conversations. To branch into online marketing, you can join Rover or Care to promote your services.

Selling pet services is a great way to try entrepreneurship before having to commit completely. And best of all, pet ownership is on the rise, so you will always have a large potential client pool to work with. 

Pros of selling pet sitting & dog walking services:

• Great for animal lovers
• Low overhead costs
• Can grow through referrals
• Increasing market since more people are owning pets

Cons of selling pet sitting & dog walking services:

• Requires physical presence
• May have inconsistent scheduling
• Work on holidays and weekends

Blogging or Niche Websites

If you love writing, creating a blog or niche website is the perfect low-cost business idea. You can create content on a passion or expertise area, and monetize with ads or affiliate links. You can choose to create your own products and courses to grow your income. 

And before you think blogging and niche websites are no longer profitable, consider this… right now you are here reading my blog on my niche website. I LOVE running my website and blog. I get thrilled when I get to create new products and services that help the women in my community launch and grow their businesses. 

Getting Started With A Blog or Niche Website   

Starting a blog or niche website is as simple as purchasing a domain name and hosting for your blog. No special equipment or materials are needed. You can start in as little as 10 minutes. 

You can choose to write about any topic that interests you. I recommend trying a few topics at first to see which feels most interesting to you. Once you have your focus narrowed down, continue producing content on a regular basis. 

Pros of launching a blog or niche website:

• Long-term passive income potential
• Build authority in a niche
• Low startup cost (domain + hosting)
• Flexibility to work anywhere at any time
• Easy to scale into products and services

Cons of launching a blog or niche website:

• Slow to monetize, especially in popular niches
• Requires regular content and SEO effort
• Keep up-to-date knowledge of ever-changing algorithms 

Conclusion

Starting a business while working full-time is not only doable, it’s smart. These 15 easy-to-start, low-cost business ideas will allow you to test the waters of entrepreneurship and earn extra income without leaving the safety of your day job. 

Choose one that aligns with your strengths and take the first step today. Don’t forget to grab your free Daily Focus Framework to help you find the time and energy to work on your business each day.