Today, we are all looking for the next BIG thing or how we can make more money, how we can get rich! More and more people are leaving the daily grind of the 9 to 5 to explore their passion. People, myself included, can’t imagine working at sixty years old doing the same thing over and over, day in and day out, that we were doing when we were thirty. The world is changing. More and more of our favorite retail stores including J.Crew, Bed Bath and Beyond, JC Penney, and even local movie theaters are closing many of their doors. Larger companies more in tune with the digital space are taking over. Uber not only gives us door-to-door car service quicker than we can apply touch-ups to our makeup, but now also offers Uber Eats, through which we can have our favorite fast-food delivered to our door in under thirty minutes. Amazon has completely taken over the shopping experience, allowing us to receive products as quickly as the same day that you order them. The app Switch is Tinder for you to find your dream job.
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Times have changed. No longer do you need a million dollars, a business
plan, and four degrees to start a business. Hell, you don’t even need a retail
space. Of course, there are still some businesses that require specific skill
sets and a large nest egg to start, but there are some simple ideas that
require nothing more than a computer and Wi-Fi connection.
Need a business idea? Well here is a list of ideas that all cost under $5,000.
25 Business Ideas Under $100
eBay
Spring clean your home. Sell anything you are not using and don’t need anymore on eBay. Once you have decluttered your home send a blast email/text to family and friends asking for their items. Next, move on to thrift stores, vintage shops, etc., looking for the best deal. Another great source for finding diamonds in the rough is Craigslist.
Etsy
Are you creative at making things like jewelry, hand soap, clothing, etc.? Sell it on Etsy and get paid tons of cash. Etsy is an awesome platform to sell your homemade creations.
Matchmakers (dating and job hunting)
Dating and job hunting can be exhausting, and everyone could use a friend of a friend. If you have lots of experience dating or job hunting, or simply know the rules of the game, people are willing to pay for your advice and guidance.
Home Hair Stylist
Start you own hair salon at home. Simplify it to styles that don’t require you to wash until you’re able to get your own sink—braids, weave, cuts, etc.
Makeup Artist
Makeup never goes out of style. It can be used for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, or even a simple date night. Women love to get their makeup done.
Dog Walker
Have a reliable cell phone? Great! You’re already in business. Starting a dog-walking service is as easy as just that. Pet owners can have the option to drop their dogs off to you at a specified meeting point or you can meet at their home. To build your business offer referral discounts, as one pet owner usually knows two or three more. Advertise at your nearby Petco and vet offices.
Tutor
Tutoring is a simple, low-cost business that requires very little marketing. Online platforms such as Preply make it extremely easy to market your tutoring services. Pick an academic area you have strong knowledge in, or you can even branch out into other areas such as chess, cooking, creative writing, photography, etc. If you want to test the waters before you fully drive you can also start small by hanging flyers in your community at your local library, coffee shops, YMCAs, etc.
Notary
Confirm your local state requirements, study, and take the exam. Then you can begin working as an independent notary.
Social Media Consultant
You can easily start your own consulting agency if you are an experienced social media user. Being a social media consultant you would typically charge by the hour ($50–75/per hour) to audit social media profiles, brainstorm on a social media strategy to help growth and engagement, and develop a content plan.
Marketing Consultant & PR
Build your portfolio, get a few client testimonials, and start marketing your agency online and through word-of-mouth. Tons of businesses and startups are looking for creative ways to market their company and build their brand presence.
Life Coach
Life is beyond stressful nowadays. With anxiety and mental health issues finally being spoken about, people are paying to get their mental health on track. Many people are hiring coaches to help with reducing stress, finding happiness, or creating a life plan.
Related Article: 10 Best Cities for Starting a Life-Coaching Practice
Personal Trainer
Our physical health is important to us; however, sometimes it’s hard to find time to make it to the gym and you may not feel quite motivated. Personal trainers add the motivation to get you results. If you have the knowledge, inspiration, and drive to push people, this is a great business for you. It can be very rewarding!
Editorial Services
Content is everywhere today from the court room to online. Writers need editors.
Content Creator
Creative entrepreneurs and businesses (especially small businesses) need tons of content today. Starting out you can charge $25 per article and quickly rise to $50 and more.
Freelance Writer
Have a gift for words? Then get paid for it.
Blogger
Have a computer? Then you are ready to create content for the world to read. Find a specific niche you are knowledgeable in, such as fashion, lifestyle, business tips, etc., and create a consistent posting schedule. WordPress and Wix are great platforms to start on.
Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants are becoming a popular startup business in 2019. More and more companies and even startup entrepreneurs are hiring virtual assistants, so help out on an as-needed basis. Goodbye to the times when assistants needed to be in the office forty hours a week. If you have access to a phone, computer, Wi-Fi, scanner, and printer you’re all set.
Résumé Service:
Wake up! It’s 2019 and résumés have a whole new look. Start a professional résumé writing service. Professional résumé writers are charging upward of $150 to $400 per résumé. To charge this kind of mullah you must be able to communicate your clients’ skills on paper.
Personal shopper
Get paid to shop, literally. Thousands of people dread going to the grocery store or even Target. Yes, our beloved Target, but there are people who actually dislike going shopping. Find them and extend your service for a flat fee.
Personal Stylist
Plenty of people are indecisive when it comes to their personal style or look. They will hire you to help them create their individual style. This is a great low-cost idea for anyone who enjoys fashion and working with different personalities.
Project Manager
Companies are willing to pay top bucks for project managers to come in and get their team focused. Small businesses and startups are also willing to pay to help with guidance and deadlines to get the business going and growing.
Social Media Manager
Bloggers, creative entrepreneurs, small business owners, and even big companies are using social media daily. While social media is a must for businesses and entrepreneurs to survive, having a budget for a full-time social media manager isn’t always there. Become a social media manager and you can work one of two ways: 1) you can create a monthly social media plan for your clients and let them schedule it themselves or 2) you can create the plan and do the scheduling. This allows you to offer a variety of services to your client at different price points.
Run Errands
Simple, simple, simple. You probably can’t even imagine how easy this is to start up. I’ll be honest, trying to launch this business in a small town in Virginia may not be all that profitable; however, if you live in a busy city such as New York, LA, Chicago, or even Atlanta, there is a huge market for errand runners. Promote yourself as a personal assistant available to run errands such as coffee runs, picking up dry cleaning, grocery shopping, going to the post office, etc.
Property Manager
A property manager can handle the day-to-day operations of managing properties for landlords. Earn anywhere from $200/up per property.
Translator
Put your fluency in multiple languages to good use. Businesses, courts, police stations, hospitals, and more all require translation services.
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