Business Ideas Under $5,000
Starting a profitable business takes more than having the right amount of capital or a solid business plan. To find true success in your new venture you will need a business idea that you feel passionate about that does not require large sums of money to get off the ground. You can keep start-up costs low by initially working from your home.
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Coupon Marketing
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Help businesses in your local market reach their full potential by printing and promoting a coupon booklet. Landscapers, carpet cleaners and local pizzerias will pay to have their coupon included in your coupon booklet for distribution. Entrepreneur.com says this business can be started for as little as $2,000. If you sell 100 ads at an average of $200 each in a book, you can gross $20,000 for one series. If done quarterly, your coupon book business could generate $80,000. While coupon books can be mailed, a cost-free method of distribution requires the coupon advertisers to distribute the coupon books to their customers.
Virtual Assistant
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A virtual assistant business allows you to leverage your professional skills to help small businesses. Virtual assistants provide many services from clerical duties such as answering telephones and scheduling appointments to copy-writing and human resource administration. Using the Internet to communicate with your clients, you allow your clients to outsource tasks which they do not have a full-time employee to handle. This business is easy to start as a home office business that can expand to include a full-time staff.
Assuming you already have a computer and an Internet connection, your initial investment is already covered. Additional office supplies and marketing materials can be had for less than $1,000. According to MommysPlace.net, virtual assistants charge between $20 to $60 per hour. Based on 40 billable hours in a week, you can generate between $800 and $2,400 of gross income per week.
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Candy Wrapper Maker
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Wrapping candy bars in customized, novelty wrappers makes party favors easy for your clients. Any occasion, including graduation, baptism and birthday parties, is ideal reason to hand out candy bars wrapped in commemorative coverings. To get this business going, you will need a computer with a comprehensive graphic program and a high quality printer. Building a website allows you to showcase your designs to prospective customers, as well as give them a place to upload custom art work, such as pictures to be included on the wrappers.
Start-up costs stay well below $5,000, even if you need to purchase a new computer system. InternetBasedMoms.com says you can charge $1 to $5 each for wrapped candy bars, plus set-up cost which you can set at $10 to $20 per order, depending on how much time it takes you to lay out the design. With only two clients per week, spending an average of $100 each on candy wrapped favors, you can generate over $10,000 of annual business.
Event / Party Planner
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As a party planner, your main job is to take the stress away from your clients so they can enjoy their celebration. From birthdays to weddings to retirement surprise parties, there is no shortage of occasions that customers will need help planning. Clients will look to you for the right caterer, venue, entertainment and decoration choices. Strong organization and communication skills, as well as an eye for detail are needed to make this business a success. A party planner business can be started on a true, shoe-string budget as basic office supplies and marketing materials are all that you will need to get started. According to Forbes, party planners can bring in upwards of $80,000 per year.
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References
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