12 businesses you can start for under $100

The Aussie jobs market has had a reasonably subdued first half of the year so far, hampered by high house prices and weaker economic growth, so it’s no wonder that tens of thousands of individuals are considering starting a home-based business.

Whether its to boost a primary income, exit the traditional nine-to-five workforce or setting a goal during retirement, the good news is that starting a new business is more affordable that Aussies may have originally thought.

Here are 12 businesses within the reach of almost anyone who is willing to take a risk, work hard and has $100 to spare.

Dog walking

Dog walkers charge anywhere from around $30 per hour and costs next to nothing to set up.

To grow this into a larger business you’ll eventually need to hire employees or sub-contractors.

Taxi service

Ride-sharing platforms like Uber let you turn your own car into a business without spending a dollar.

If all goes well, you might parlay the money you make into a regular taxi or chauffeur service.

Window cleaning

While it might cost more than $100 to get the tools needed to efficiently clean large private and retail properties, it’s pretty simple, and cheap, to start off small and quickly ramp up your revenue.

Cleaning service

Again, think of the low-cost entry point to keep your startup costs under $100.

You can clean houses with all of the supplies and equipment you already use for cleaning your own home, and then invest profits into specialized equipment for other clients.

Many times with cleaning services you don't have to spend lots of money on advertising or marketing because your customers will come by word of mouth.

Ebay sales

Anyone can start on eBay for significantly less than $100.

Start by selling things around the house that you no longer need, then with the money you raise, you can look for a niche.

For example, some vendors hit rummage sales and thrift stores for cheap goods they can resell.

Event planning

Event planners don’t need much equipment other than a detailed database of local information to start doing business.

Work with venues to understand exactly what each one offers and includes then when you’re planning an event with a client, you can a clear guide or matrix to help whittle down the choices available.

Property management

Your job, in the case of rental units, will be to make sure the property is running smoothly and doesn’t require much upfront payment.

For seasonal properties, you will most likely spend your management time making sure the property is ready for seasonal visits and well-maintained when no one is around.

You will be the contact number if the security system operator needs to contact someone about a breach in security.

Boat cleaning

Boats that are hauled out of the water for the winter or even just for mid-season repairs will need the hull cleaned.

And depending on the type of boat, it is a good time to give a major cleaning everything else too--the decks, the sleeping quarters, the head, and the holds.

Start with small boats which don’t require much special equipment to clean before marketing your services to larger boats in mainstream areas such as the marina to contract you to do the boat cleaning it offers to customers.

Fitness coach or trainer

While this may require previous training and experience, those with adequate qualifications and/or experience can easily begin letting the public know about your new training business – whether its personal training or golf or tennis coaching.

Excluding training or experience, initial overheads are minimal other than access to equipment.

Personal concierge

This business is for someone who is supremely efficient and has the ability to make things happen.

People who hire you will expect things when they want them and you need to be able to come through with not only what they want, but with a personal touch and a smile on your face.

The most likely clients for a personal concierge service are top executives who find themselves at the office by 7 a.m. and are there most nights until 9 p.m., leaving them very little time to do all those things that often need to be done during those very hours.

Used book sales

When you see a textbook at a rummage sale find out what buyers are paying then offer half, or even less before selling it on yourself.

The big margins are in textbooks, but online buyers accept many types of used books, and often pay for shipping with a printable label.

Tutoring

Tutoring is also one of the businesses you can start for less than $100.

It used to be more difficult to market your tutoring services, but online platforms make it easier than ever.

Tutors commonly charge up to $50 per hour, and although these websites take a healthy cut of that, they provide a no-cost way to start.

From there you can build a local clientele and start hiring others to work for your business.