7 Best Business Ideas to Start with No Money You Should Know

There is an old-school thought that states that to start a business, you need high investment. Times have changed and the truth is completely different. Now you don't need heavy investments and can easily start a business with zero investment. There are many businesses you can start with no money, and this has happened primarily due to the introduction of the internet for commerce and business activities. Zero investment business, as the name suggests, needs zero or minimal investment, and in return, provides high returns. But have you ever wondered how to start a business without money?

This article will provide you with the best businesses to start with zero investment and a guide on how to start an online business with no money.

Best businesses to start with no money

1. Paintings and arts

If you are a painter or an artist, this could be the perfect zero investment business for you. There is a high demand for art pieces and paintings all over the world. This business completely depends on the talent of the artist and requires zero or minimal investment. You can sell your art pieces and paintings on various social media and online platforms.

Tips:

Try making unique paintings.
If you have some of your old paintings, you can first sell them to collect money for raw materials for upcoming projects.
If you do not have any old paintings left, this business needs very minimal investment in paints and canvases.

2. Coaching classes

If you have vacant space, starting a coaching class requires zero investment. You can start teaching junior classes to build confidence before targeting advanced classes. This business is directly related to the country’s future, so you must provide the best quality education and coach to students.

Tips:

It is important to decide the classes you will be targeting in your coaching centre.
If you do not have any space to spare, then you can rent a small space at a minimal cost.

3. Customised gift baskets

This is a high-demand business idea with zero investment as payments are mostly made in advance. People need gift baskets for all occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, etc. You can let your customers choose the boxes and add customised wishes for the receivers. This is a high-profit zero business idea to start your entrepreneurial journey.

Tips:

Find a wholesaler who can provide you with baskets and other products at discounted rates.
You can use your house storeroom as storage space to keep all the products.
This is a highly competitive business, so make sure you have a unique selling proposition and presentable baskets. You can even offer bulk discounts to customers.

4. Customised printing on merchandise

This zero investment business involves printing customised merchandise like t-shirts and caps. These designs can be customised according to the demands of customers and new fashion ideas. This small business idea is relatively easy to handle because payments are mostly made in advance.

Tips:

Find a wholesaler who can provide you with plain t-shirts, caps, and other merchandise at discounted rates.
Try connecting with other local businesses like gyms to print customized merchandise for them.
This is a highly competitive business, so try offering discounts for bulk purchases.
Keep yourself updated with the latest fashion trends as this business is completely dependent on the latest market trends.

5. Sell a service online

Many websites allow you to list yourself as a service provider like photographer, content writer, fitness trainer, dietician, etc. Customers who need such services can contact you online and hire you for the services. This business idea needs zero investment as registration is completely free; you just have to pay the site a percentage of your earnings. The biggest advantage of selling such services is that you can usually work from your home.

Tips:

List yourself on multiple freelancer platforms to increase the chances of being hired.
Provide high-quality work to clients as this will help you retain customers for a longer period and build good connections with them.
Reviews count a lot on such websites, so ask your clients to give positive ratings and reviews about you.

6. Career guidance and counselling

A lot of students get confused about their future careers and need expert career counselling. Career guidance and consulting business can easily be started online, and you can work from home. This business needs zero investment but requires good knowledge of various career options and good speaking skills. You can list yourself on any online platform and provide students with online counselling.

Tips:

Update yourself with various career options and the career path to achieve that goal.
Buy a good internet connection to avoid network issues during online counselling.
Collaborate with different schools and colleges to provide students with the best career guidance.

7. Dropshipping and resale store

Dropshipping is a completely zero investment business where you act as a middleman between manufacturers and customers. You can start an online dropshipping store to list various manufactured products and earn commission on their sale.

Unlike dropshipping stores, resale business needs minimal investment but provides comparatively higher returns. In the resale business, you first purchase products at discounted prices and then sell the same to other customers at higher prices.

Tips:

You can easily start a dropshipping store online by registering on any dropshipping website.
Connect with various manufacturers to list their products at discounted rates and higher commission on sales.
Buy trending products as the resale of such products is relatively easy.

How to start a business with no money?

The following are the ways to start a business with zero investment:

The internet is a completely free platform, so if you are a service provider or a business owner, then register yourself on various online portals and platforms for free to get more customers.
It isn’t easy to start a completely zero investment business as you have to pay for raw materials. However, you can save on additional costs like rent, electricity, storage, etc., by using your house.
If you want to start a completely zero investment business, try starting a business where you can get payments in advance to purchase raw materials like customised merchandise printing and customised gift baskets business.

There are various business ideas to start with no money, and these are some of the best ones to consider. Always start a business that matches your skills and passion so that you can always provide customers with high-quality products and services. You can always start your business on a small scale before expanding it.

Also read:

1) What Are the Business Ideas I Can Look at If I Am an MBA Graduate?
2) 20 Business Ideas for Stay-At-Home Parents
3) 21 Successful Small Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs in India
4) What are Some of the Best Online Businesses?
5) OkCredit: All you need to know about OkCredit & how it works.

FAQs

Q. Do I need to have a physical store to start a business?

Ans. The internet has changed the business scenario completely; nowadays, there is no need for a physical store. You can quickly start an online business or list yourself on any online business platform before investing in a physical store.

Q. Which is the best zero investment business?

Ans. Any online business related to personal skills like counselling, freelancer projects, etc., is a good zero investment business to start with no money as the amount of profit depends upon your skills.

Q. How to manage staff attendance and salary payments for my business?

Ans. You can use a staff management system like Okstaff, which is free and lets you manage your staff’s daily attendance and keep a proper record of salaries and bonuses. Its various features like reports, attendance tracking, computation of salary, and others are also available at no extra cost. The application features are suited for online businesses, grocery & vegetable stores, garment and pharmacy shops, banks, restaurants, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, coaching centres, schools, etc.