Most people think they need a lot of money to start their own business. Fortunately, this isn’t always the case. You can offer certain services, and start them from the comfort of your own home, without having too many expenses. Here are seven businesses you can start with almost no money:

1) Virtual Assistant

Companies are increasingly hiring more remote workers to help with daily tasks like email management, content creation, data entry, and bookkeeping. You can sell your services to multiple companies or focus on only one. To find new clients, you can either contact them directly or look for positions on certain freelance websites, like https://remote.co/ or upwork.com.

2) Graphic Design

Have you ever studied or have a natural talent for graphic design? Or maybe you are passionate about it but don’t have the skills yet? You can learn graphic design for free on YouTube and other websites for very little money. This field is in high demand online and offline due to advertisement needs. To start in this business, you must have a portfolio with art like logos, flyers, webpages, etc, and have a good social media presence.

3) Translation

If you speak two or more languages fluently, you can start a translation agency online. Among your main expenses will be an internet connection, office supplies, advertising, and payment for the other translators and employees. In order to find clients, you can contact companies directly or pay for ads on social media and search engines.

4) Transcription

Transcription is converting recorded audio into a written format. Almost anyone can do transcription jobs, as long as they have good knowledge of the language, an Internet connection, and preferably a transcription foot pedal. You can find new clients using social media, or pay for ads on search engines like Google.

5) Social Media Management 

Do you love spending time on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Snapchat? You might want to consider starting a social media management business. Among the responsibilities of a social media manager are posting graphics and text on behalf of clients, customer service for the client, account setup, among other things. You can contact other businesses directly and pitch your services, or even create a profile on Freelance websites like Upwork.com.

6) Personal Chef

This type of business is best for someone who loves to cook, and wants to earn money with it. There is a vast field for this type of business, such as meal prep for individuals or families who want to eat healthily but don’t have the time to cook, catering for small occasions like birthdays or other special events, etc. You might want to start asking your friends and family if you could cater for them, have a social media presence, take photos of your food, and offer your services. 

7) Voice Artist

Have you ever been told that you have a beautiful voice? You could start a voice acting career, and potentially transform it into a business. For this career, you’ll need a good microphone, a quiet room, and potentially editing software. You can start with acx.com recording audiobooks, or even contact businesses directly and pitch your services.