subject: 5 Business you can start for under £200 [print this page] 5 business ideas for 200 or less 5 business ideas for 200 or less
With a recovering economy and increased Media coverage of new business, the number of people starting up in business is at its highest ever level.
Spurred on by television programmes like Dragons Den and the Apprentice more and more people are taking the lifestyle and financial choice of running their own business.
As good as these shows are for promoting new business, unfortunately they seem to encourage the myth that all new businesses need to be something new and innovative and have thousands spent on start up.
I will demonstrate that it is possible to start your own business on a budget, Although you may not need a great supply of money you will need to work hard and put effort in to your business. Anyone who thinks otherwise is, i'm afraid, greatly mistaken.
So lets get on with it......
Leaflet Distributor
My first business is a leaflet distribution business. Although seen as pretty mundane, leaflet distribution offers a great way of starting a business with little (or no) outlay.
Providing you are fit and healthy and committed to working hard you can make a success of this type of business. Leaflet delivery prices are usually calculated on a per 1000 delivery. Different rates apply to whether a leaflet is delivered on its own (solus) or with other leaflets (mixed)Typical rates for mixed are 35-45 per 1000 and 90-120 per 1000 for solus.
With mixed delivery most distributors do 4 leaflets at the same time so it works out at 140-180 per 1000.
To begin with you will need to be contactable, you can either use your own phone number or a cheap pay as you go phone, these can be picked up for about 30, (some providers even offer free sims)
Next, you need to get some leaflets printed to advertise your services, as you will be targeting businesses I would suggest getting no more than 1000 leaflets printed as any more is just wasted money. 1000 A5 leaflets can printed professionally with 3 colours for about 65inc.
Deliver these leaflets to all the business in your area that you think will require a leaflet distribution service, don't just stick to the obvious ones though (local takeaways!!) try your local council or college, furniture shops, independent shops, estate agents or even police stations - you never know , one leaflet could bring in 500 worth of business.
Once your calls start coming in you are ready to go, you can use google maps to plot an efficient route around your delivery area and for larger orders you could even employ some help.
Remember though, there will always be competition, which is not necessarily a bad thing, also observe peoples wishes and take note of any signs on doorways.
This industry is primarily based on trust and goodwill, repeat business is the cheapest and most reliable source of business.
Ebay Reseller
Selling your bits and bobs on ebay is now massively popular and it is quite possible to make a living by selling items on ebay.
There are two ways to start a business on ebay with a small budget, One is to sell items on behalf of other people and take commission the other is to source items yourself and then sell these on. I will concentrate on the second option as the business for sales agents appears to be shrinking.
Opening an eBay account is free and easy and the instructions can be found at www.ebay.co.uk, there are also plenty of books around that will go through the finer details of opening an ebay account these can be purchased from most book stores in the business section.
Once your account is open you will need to decide on what to sell, your stock' can vary greatly depending on your circumstances and skills. It also depends on where you can source your products to sell.
Sourcing is the main part to being an ebay seller, basically you can sell anything you want to make a profit on ebay. You can look for things in charity shops, car boot sales, auctions, antiques fairs, garage sales, local classifieds, freegale or ebay itself!
For new products you could register with a wholesaler, look in discount shops, pound stores, TK Maxx, T J Hughes or catalogue shops. Remember lots of people who buy on ebay live in rural places and may not have access to some of the shops you may have.
Once you have your products to sell it is just a matter of listing them for sale. There are lots of different tips on listing stuff for sale on ebay andI I could write a whole article on it alone but I will just suggest a few.
Always have your auction finish at about 7.30pm on a Sunday night as this is when ebay is at it busiest, Always use good spelling in your advert - ebay has a spell checker .Use it!, Put plenty of good quality photos of your item for sale and always invite any questions about your item for sale as this implies trustworthiness.
Plenty of businesses make good profits from ebay if you can find your stock so could you.
Cycle Courier
Get yourself fit whilst making some money, what a great business.
In a time where everything is needed here and now courier businesses seem to be bucking the trend and booming. Cycle courier can be a very profitable business particularly in a large city or town were there is restricted vehicle access.
First things first, you will need to be fit and proficient at riding a bike! Cycling proficiency courses are run by local council's and are often quite cost effective.
The next thing you will need is a bike, as we are looking at a business for less than 200 it is quite easy to source a decent second hand bike for around 50 (ebay or gumtree). Be sure the bike is in good condition and rideable before you set off. Bike maintenance guides can be easily downloaded from the internet or get a knowledgeable friend to look over it for you.
To market your business the most efficient way is a leaflet drop to local businesses (even do it on your bike) remember to include your mobile contact details on your leaflet You may also want to include a web address (free website from www.gbbo.co.uk).
You are also your greatest marketing tool, have a colour co-ordinated t shirt printed with your company on it and put a few placards on your bike When you are riding about people will notice! Having a colour co-ordinated satchel for document holding as well will also help to advertise your business. This can all be done for less than 100 and is well worth it.
Make sure you take a supply of business cards with you, as businesses often deliver to other businesses it is a good idea to drop your card off with your consignment.
Timely document delivery is essential in this industry Take time to learn your area well and make use of any shortcuts, avoid breaking any road rules on your bike as this does not give a professional image.
A good promotion is to offer your first delivery for free, this is a way to introduce yourself to a business - just make sure you get their documents delivered on time!!
Once your business grows you will able to take on further riders on a self employed basis that can handle your deliveries If you establish yourself with a good reputation then there is great scope for the business to grow.
T Shirt Printing
If you have flair for design then a bespoke T shirt printing business could be for you
With minimal start up costs and lots of sales channels it is the perfect business to start part time whilst at work, university or college.
If you are already looking in to a T shirt business then you will most likely have some design flair so I will not go in to that too much - just keep it different and unique!
The cheapest way to start off is by screen printing your T shirts, Screen printing is using a fine mesh screen that has a negative of your design blocking out the holes on the mesh. Ink is then forced thorough using a squeegie and the design will adhere to the T shirt it often dries after a few hours.
Screen printing kits can often be bought on the Internet quite cheaply or even made yourself using products from any DIY store, Lots of different designs for screen printers can be found on www.instructables.com. Bulk T-shirts can be sourced from wholesalers for as little as 25p per shirt (depending on order size)
The good thing about screen printing is that once you have your screen' set up you can use it lots of different times before it needs to be replaced.
Information on which inks to use can be found on the internet with any basic google search, most inks are available from a local craft shop or hobby centre.
When you have your wonderful T-shirts printed it is time to sell them, Depending on your location there are a variety of different places to sell them
If you have local independent clothes shops in your town take a few to them and ask if they would mind putting them in their shop with a nice commission (or even wholesale to them directly). You can put them on ebay, sell at car boots, markets, flea markets or even try wholesaling to market traders.
To make for your business to grow it is a good idea to keep your ideas fresh and inspiring as fashion often changes. You may need to invest in more professional equipment once your designs start to really get noticed
So if you have flair why not make some profit from it!
Making Concrete Statuettes
I thought i would write about something a bit different to the usual business ideas, in fact often overlooked but proved to be very profitable.
People spend thousands on their homes and gardens and are often willing to make an investment in garden ornaments that will last a lifetime. Making concrete ornaments could not be simpler (called re-constituted stone!)
The process involves filling a latex mould with cement and a mixture of sand and stone, removing the air bubbles and after drying turning out a beautiful garden ornament that can be sold on for profit.
Initially it is necessary to obtain a selection of moulds, It is often best to start small and work up to bigger ornaments. The moulds are made of latex with a fibreglass stand and each one can make thousands of ornaments if treated carefully. Moulds can be bought from lots of different places and are widely available on the internet, it is wise to go to your local garden centre and check out what sort of ornaments they are selling to give you a good idea ( they spend thousands on research!!)
Moulds range from about 10-30 for small moulds, When starting go for simpler designs as they are quicker and easier to get out
Once you have a good selection of moulds it is time to start filling them. Sometimes moulds come with instructions on necessary ingredients'. The standard is one part cement to four parts sand and concrete. Mix your mixture with plenty of water until it is slightly runny but not too sloppy!
Mixing can be done by hand or a second hand electric cement mixer can be bought for 50-100
As these ornaments usually go outside it is necessary to remove the air bubbles from them. To do this once the mould is filled you hold it by the top and shake it from side to side until you see air bubbles start to rise to the top. This will stop them from freezing in the winter.
Once they have set after 24hrs or so, turn them out to reveal your perfect ornaments.
These ornaments are often good sellers at car boot sales or at antique fairs, Small ornaments can be sold for 5-10 each and only cost pence to make. There are lots of independent garden centres and shops so take a few different ones to them and try to get some wholesale orders.
One you have worked out an efficient production routine your cost of making ornaments will fall and profits will rise, you can also go on to larger ornaments or making your own moulds (covered in another article)
Probably one of the only businesses where your profits are literally set in stone!!!
5 Business you can start for under 200
By: Adam Davies
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