53 Businesses You Can Start With $10,000 Or Less [Updated for 2024]

Updated: February 22nd, 2024

If you're looking to start a business on a budget, you'll be pleased to know that there are plenty of options out there. You can start many businesses for under $10,000.

So if you're ready to take the plunge, here are some great ideas to get you started.

1. Start a sewing and alteration business ($1K/month)

Do you have sewing skills and looking for an entrepreneurship opportunity? You can start your sewing and alteration business.

A sewing and alteration business offers customers clothing repair, custom tailoring, button replacement, and other alterations. You can start a sewing and alteration business at home or set up a retail location.

To start a sewing and alteration business, you will need a commercial-grade sewing machine and a marketing strategy, so target customers learn about your business.

How much you can make: $1,000/month

2. Start a children's party service business

A children’s party service takes care of organizing, managing, and servicing children’s parties.

Children's parties are a $9B industry, and it's expected to be worth more than $15B by 2026.

By being a children's party planner, you will be there every step of the way for planning, ordering materials, and making sure your customers are satisfied.

How much you can make: $400/month

How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

3. Become a personal chef

If you’re looking for a career that allows you to work within your own schedule, look no further. Becoming a personal chef means setting your own hours, planning your own schedule, and taking on as much or as little work as you want.

Not everyone has the time to prepare meals for themselves. If you love cooking, you can start a personal chef business in your area and earn a good income from the side gig. The side hustle can fit into your schedule easily, and you can offer delivery and pick-up or curbside options to ensure more people are buying your services.

Personal chefs can work at various locations, including their client’s homes or restaurant kitchens. They may have regular clients who call on them to prepare meals for them weekly, or they may get called in to prepare meals for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

How much you can make: $5,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $50 (?)

How long does it take to build: 360 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 15 hours/week

4. Start a music lessons business ($45K/month)

How much you can make: $45,000 — $70,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 105 days (?)

5. Start a herb gardening business

Growing and selling herbs can be a profitable business venture. You do not need a large space to start a herb garden. In fact, you can use vertical farming technique to grow herbs in your backyard, and earn profits from your business.

6. Start a Backyard Plant Nursery ($5K/month)

Do you have a gardening hobby and want to turn your passion into a profitable business with a minimum entry barrier?

Starting a backyard plant nursery is relatively easy, and the financial benefits can be rewarding. The secret to maximizing your profitability is specializing in plants that are in high demand, like vegetables and flowers.

To start, you can visit the nearby retail nurseries for seedlings and see what they stock and retail. To keep the startup cost low, consider using locally available materials.

How much you can make: $5,000/month

7. Start a business plan writing business

A business plan writing business is a service that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners create well-structured and comprehensive business plans.

These plans serve as roadmaps for their businesses, outlining goals, strategies, and financial projections. Starting a business plan writing business involves skills in research, analysis, and writing.

You’ll work closely with clients to understand their vision and then translate it into a professional document that can be used to attract investors, secure loans, or guide their business growth.

This low-cost business idea requires minimal initial investment, mainly for marketing materials and a basic online presence, making it an accessible option for aspiring entrepreneurs.

How much you can make: $42,857/month

How much does it cost to start: $35 (?)

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

8. Start a copywriting business ($12K/month)

A copywriter creates clear, compelling copy to sell products and/or educate and engage consumers.

To become a copywriter, focus on covering the basics, plan your copywriting business and choose the services you intend to offer.

To develop your brand, establish a marketing strategy, and offer quality services to your audience. Email marketing, newsletters, and other digital marketing tools can help you create a successful copywriting business.

How much you can make: $700 — $160,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 41 days (?)

9. Become a social media consultant ($13.4K/month)

Social media has become popular due to its ability to link businesses to their target customers. Social media consultants are professionals who help their clients improve, optimize and grow their social media presence.
Becoming a social media consultant comes with work flexibility and higher earning potential, but it also takes time and work commitment to grow the business.

To become a social media consultant, you must first become adept at using social media platforms and industry tools. Take online or offline courses like content marketing, public relations, and communication skills. Social media experts can choose a general practice or opt to focus on a niche.

How much you can make: $100 — $990,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

10. Start a fashion accessories business ($31.6K/month)

If you love fashion and clothing design, you may want to start a fashion accessories business. As a fashion accessories consultant, you help clients develop and adapt personal and professional styles.

Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement one’s outfit. They include jewelry, gloves, belts, scarves, watches, sunglasses, bow ties, leggings, suspenders, and tights. To work as a professional stylist, collaborate with clients to understand their needs, and tailor styles and aesthetics to each individual’s preferences.

How much you can make: $1,985 — $40,480,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $550 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

11. Become a toy maker ($200K/month)

The toys market is growing at a CAGR of 2.5% and will reach a market size of $103 Billion in the next few years. Toys play a critical role in a child’s growth and development. They help in brain development, enabling the kids to acquire logical and reasoning skills.

Besides, toys help kids develop spatial reasoning and social and communication skills. Therefore, starting a toy-making business today could be the best decision you are about to make.

To start your toy-making business, identify a potential niche, and focus on delivering suitable toys.

How much you can make: $9,999 — $200,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 95 days (?)

12. Start a soap making business

Are you looking for an easy business you can start from home? Soap making is a relatively easy cottage business you can start today.

Soap is one of the products you will find in every household. Therefore, soap is a product that will remain in demand, making soap making business a lucrative idea.

To start a soap-making business from home, research the competition and choose the niche your business will focus on. You can make scented soaps mixed with essential oils or non-scented soaps for washing utensils.

Choose a business name and create a business plan indicating your entity type, mission statement, and soap marketing strategy.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $600,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,400 (?)

How long does it take to build: 400 days (?)

13. Start a home care business

How much you can make: $250,000/month

14. Start a makeup artistry kiosk

A makeup artistry kiosk offers general makeup services, including facial aesthetics, thorough makeup, and creating custom looks for their customers.

If you are a makeup artist, you start a makeup artistry kiosk and serve clients from the kiosk, their homes, or offices. Starting a makeup artistry kiosk is a low-cost business with a high potential to earn good profits.

To stand out as a professional makeup artist, keep up with the developments in the cosmetology industry, and focus on providing personalized customer service.

15. Become a personal fitness trainer

A personal trainer demonstrates exercises and routines to clients. A professional trainer takes a holistic approach to fitness and helps the clients attain a healthy lifestyle and attitude.

Personal trainers enjoy unlimited earning potential because they can work for several clients. Besides, they enjoy flexible working hours, become their own boss, and enjoy maximum job satisfaction.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $2,650,000/month

16. Start a furniture polishing business

Are you looking for an easy-to-start business idea within the home improvement niche? How about starting a furniture polishing business? Professional wood polishing restores the furniture’s shiny and appealing look.

To start a furniture polishing business, you need antique restoring skills. Then, you need to research the target market to understand the estimated demand for your services. Research the competition, and decide how much to charge to attract your first customer. Once you have started getting customers to your business, focus on delivering quality results, so they recommend your service to friends, family, and colleagues.

How much you can make: $166,000/month

17. Start a holiday decorating service

Holiday decorators make the interior and exterior of businesses and homes festive. While the holiday decoration business is seasonal, it is also highly profitable and requires minimal startup investments. You do not need any special training to start the holiday decorating business. However, being creative and having experience in decorating is crucial to running a successful business.

How much you can make: $20,000/month

18. Start a chimney cleaning service

How much you can make: $21,000/month

19. Start a bicycle repair service

Heightened interest in environmental conservation and the surge in exercise have contributed to increasing cycling. More people prefer cycling to work over using public and private vehicles.

As the use of bikes becomes more popular, the demand for bike repair is getting higher. People will take their bikes to a repair service for a regular tune-up and keep the bicycles safe and steady throughout.

Thus, if you are mechanically inclined and are interested in cycling, you can earn good profits from a bicycle repair service. To start, you can open a workshop in your home or serve people door-to-door.

How much you can make: $300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

20. Become an event planner

Event planners arrange the details of various events, including weddings, anniversaries, reunions, and large social gatherings.

As an event planner, you get to explore your creative vision and see an idea turn into reality from the conception stage to the execution stage.

How much you can make: $108,000 — $2,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 730 days (?)

21. Start a child care business

Starting a childcare business is a great way to build a steady income. You will have the opportunity to be your boss and set your hours even from home. You will have the satisfaction of building one-on-one relationships with children and watching them grow over the years.

A childcare business is an excellent idea. It is both a personal and economical investment for its owners. This is especially true if you are considering starting your non-profit organization or becoming licensed to provide child care. Running a childcare business allows you to help children develop while also making money. As with any business endeavor, running a childcare business has its ups and downs, but it can be very rewarding.

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

22. Start a pet photography business

Cat photography is a growing industry, with more and more people wanting their pet cats to be photographed professionally. A cat professional will know how to take the best photos of your cat and how to make sure that they are happy during the shoot.

Professional pet photography is a growing industry. Pet owners are willing to pay top dollar for beautiful, high-quality photos of their furry companions. The most common type of cat professional photographer is the traditional pet photographer, who focuses on taking pictures of pets in natural settings.

There are three main categories:

  • Portrait photography: This is when you take pictures of cats in their natural habitat, such as on the couch or in bed.
  • Action shots: These are photos where the cat is doing something interesting, like eating food or playing with toys. These are great for social media posts.
  • Event photography: This involves taking pictures at events like weddings or parties. You need to be able to work quickly so you don't miss any important moments!

How much you can make: $105,000/month

23. Start a green business ($15K/month)

How much you can make: $15,000/month

24. Start a landscaping business

A landscaping business is engaged in maintaining lawns and gardens, trimming trees and shrubs, and providing landscape maintenance and beautification services. Landscaping costs vary depending on the size and location.

For small jobs such as taking care of the lawn and trees, the cost can vary from $50 to $100 per hour. The average wage of a landscape designer is $70,000 to $90,000, and a landscape architect makes around $50,000 to $100,000 per year. For basic maintenance and mowing services, a single person who runs a landscaping business can get started with as little as $5,000 or less. However, a proper landscaping business will require a large investment. The average start-up cost is between $15,000 to $20,000.

Once the type of service is decided, the list of tools and equipment can be purchased. The best way to succeed in a landscaping business is to provide quality service. This will not only retain existing clients but also promote and attract new customers.

How much you can make: $375,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $8,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

25. Start a self publishing consultant business

How much you can make: $2,000/month

26. Become a travel photographer

Are you a talented creative with an ever-enduring sense of wanderlust and looking for a business to support your travel expenses? Becoming a travel photographer can be a great business opportunity!

Travel photographers focus on documenting places, animals, and sceneries on their photojournalist websites or library and selling to different clients.

For instance, you could get your photo on a national geographic cover or sell it as print art at local museums or galleries.

How much you can make: $2,300 — $233,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

27. Start a freelance video production business

More people prefer watching videos over reading text. This trend has led to the widespread adoption of video across multiple platforms, including mobile devices, social media platforms, and video hosting platforms.

With the increasing demand for video services, there is an excellent opportunity for Freelance videographers. If you are a videographer looking to start your new business, consider becoming a freelance video production expert.

To become a freelance videographer, you need a professional camera and video editing software. Remember that you do not need to have every piece of equipment immediately. Learn video editing and videography skills to handle the customer's requirements confidently.

28. Start a pet products brand

How much you can make: $4,000 — $83,000/month

29. Become a music app developer ($85K/month)

The music app developer is a programmer who creates apps for mobiles for both Android and iOS devices. The music app development business targets creating various apps that give musicians and their fans a user-friendly experience.

To become a music app developer, first, touch up on your skills. There are several courses available online. Once you obtain the certification, choose your niche and focus on your skill set.

Then the best way to showcase your work is to build a portfolio website where you will display your skills, projects, and testimonials. Another way to promote yourself is to create your brand and start a blog. This will, in turn, build a network, and you will be able to connect with people and attract more clients.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $100,000/month

How long does it take to build: 272 days (?)

30. Start a marketing consulting business

Marketing consulting is a business that helps other businesses and organizations improve their marketing strategies and tactics. The improvement involves conducting market research, analyzing data, developing marketing plans, and offering guidance on effectively reaching target audiences.

To start a marketing consulting business, you will need a strong understanding of marketing principles and how to apply them in a business context. Marketing consultancy requires formal education or training in marketing or a related field and experience working in the industry. You will also need strong communication and problem-solving skills to consult with clients effectively.

To operate a successful marketing consulting business, you will need to be able to effectively assess a client’s marketing needs and develop a plan to address those needs. Managing clients’ needs involve market research, analyzing data, and creating marketing materials such as brochures, websites, and social media campaigns. You will also need to be able to communicate your recommendations to clients and work with them to implement the marketing plan.

In addition to these technical skills, you will also need to be able to manage your business effectively. Managing a business involves setting fees, marketing your services to potential clients, and managing your finances.

Overall, a marketing consulting business can be a rewarding and challenging career for those passionate about helping businesses succeed through effective marketing strategies.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $3,100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

More business ideas

  • 31. Start a video resume service
  • 32. Start a valet parking service business
  • 33. Start a wedding cake bakery
  • 34. Start an arts and crafts instruction business
  • 35. Start a freelance researcher
  • 36. Start a social media and search engine evaluator
  • 37. Start a vintage clothing business
  • 38. Start a vehicle cleaning service
  • 39. Start a rubbish removal business
  • 40. Start a miniblind cleaning service business

41. Start a bounce house business

The bounce house business provides inflatable structures for parties and events. These structures, also known as bounce houses, are designed to provide a fun and safe space for children to play and have a good time.

To start this business, you must invest in a few bounce houses, a reliable transportation method to transport them to events, and insurance to cover any accidents or injuries. You must also market your business and reach out to potential clients to book events.

To operate this business successfully, you must ensure that your bounce houses are well-maintained, clean, and safe. You should also be reliable and provide excellent customer service to build a good reputation in the community.

More business ideas

  • 42. Start a cloth diaper business
  • 43. Become an expense reduction analyst
  • 44. Start a medical billing service business
  • 45. Start an import/export specialist business
  • 46. Start a customer service training business
  • 47. Start a pharmacists business coaching business
  • 48. Start a golf course drone video and photography business
  • 49. Start a vacation property rental agent business
  • 50. Start an apartment prep service business
  • 51. Start an inventory liquidation business

52. Start a wine vending business

The wine industry is very profitable. As the industry grows, new business opportunities are opening up. An excellent example of a good wine business is a vending machine. You can set up a wine vending business at different locations so long as the sale of alcohol in such sites is not prohibited. Before starting a wine vending business, ensure you have met all licensing and permit requirements.

More business ideas

  • 53. Start a virtual assistant business
meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.