As the saying goes, you need to spend money to make money. But how do you do that, when you have absolutely no money to start-up a home business?!
Any business you start, no matter how small, will have fees and costs. For example…
If you start a blog, you’ll have to come up with a couple hundred dollars for hosting and themes, which are low start up costs compared to an offline business.
If you start an independent consultant business, you need to buy a kit to join. The kits range anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars.
If you start a business where you sell products, you have to invest into the products to sell.
It doesn’t really matter what kind of business you start-up, there are going to be costs associated with it.
Related: 20 Companies That Offer Legitimate Work at Home Opportunities
How to Start a Home Business When You Have No Money
If you’re like me when I first started, I had nothing to invest. My husband abandoned us and I had been a homemaker for many years prior to that. I didn’t have any money and what little I did at that point, was not something I’d chance investing in a business. What I had in checking wouldn’t even pay one month rent, and I was scared.
Scared because I wanted so desperately to continue being a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). That is the most important thing to me.
Scared because I knew I didn’t have enough money to cover rent.
Scared I’d have to get a job and where I’d have to work in order to survive.
Scared I’d be a single mom now with 2 kids and a husband 16 hours away. It’s not like he could take the kids for me to get a little tiny breather. It’s not like he’d actually pay child support or help in any way at all.
Scared that if I DID invest in a company, I’d fail. I’d lose all the money I invested and end up homeless…again.
Scared that I was putting too much on the line and chancing my children and my future. And people told me about it too. How I was a selfish mom for investing in a business when I should be just paying rent and getting a “real” job.
But I put all those fears aside, by the grace of God, and I invested $2,000 (!!!!) into an essential oil company. It was, to this day, one of the best decisions I ever made. It taught me so much about myself. My upline kept trying to put me in a box. The company kept trying to tell me HOW to sell. I’d try it their way and I didn’t feel comfortable. I didn’t like it. It wasn’t “me” and so I did fail.
The times when I was truly just being myself, selling MY own way on MY own terms, I did well, and it served for good income for a long time. But now, I’m at the point where I could care less if I don’t make that residual income. Because my main business, blogging, is doing so well that my network marketing essential oil company is a penny compared to what I make blogging. And in all honesty, I don’t even focus on selling oils anymore, and haven’t for a really long time.
But it was a great stepping stone to where I am now, and for many people, it’s a great income in many ways.
So, how did I possibly save up $2,000 cash (not debt my friends, cash!) in order to purchase the kit I needed to join the company?
1- I had ruthless determination
I was committed whole-heartedly to making the money necessary in order to go after my dream. I knew that it was a wise business decision. I knew I could make a lot of money in the company and so, I put on a Rambo-type attitude that I was going to do it, no matter what, as long as it didn’t devalue my morals and standing before Christ.
The girl who taught me about essential oils didn’t believe me. She thought it was impossible for me to come up with that kind of cash in my situation. She didn’t believe in me…no one did. Not my friends, not my family, no one.
I chuckle to myself knowing how far I’ve come since then. Making $10,000/month on my good months. Looking back, it was a drop in the bucket to where I am now, just 4 years later. But it was also a strong test of my character, patience, and most importantly, my perseverance.
Listen, you can’t get to where you want to be hiding in the corner afraid. Yes, you MAY fall down, but it will only serve as a lesson and a stumbling block to get you to where you want to go. Can you do it yourself, apart from God’s will? No. But, there is a LOT that depends on you, and He cares about us. I still remember praying in the shower one day.
“Lord,” I said, “I’ll never ask you for another thing again, just PLEASE let me stay home with my kids.” That’s all I cared about. I didn’t care if I had to live in low-income housing or if I didn’t have a fancy car. I didn’t care if I had to eat Top Ramen and Peanut Butter sandwiches all the time. I just wanted to be with my kids.
No risk, no reward right?!
It paid off for me. I went after my dreams with ruthless determination Rambo-style.
2- I sold everything I possibly could
If I had to sleep on a mattress on the floor and sell my beautiful bedroom set, I would have done it. Thankfully, I didn’t have to, but I would have done it! I was that determined.
It is AMAZING what you can find around your home to sell when you really need the cash!
I sold everything possible…
- I sold toys, games, puzzles, my stockpile of soaps, shampoos, and conditioners that I had bought when they were on sale.
- I sold furniture I didn’t need.
- I collected change from around the house.
- I sold old clothes the kids had outgrown….clothes that could still fit but knew they didn’t need.
- I went around collecting free stuff and even paying for a few things that were super-duper cheap that I knew could make me a huge profit. Things like jeans at a yard sale that I got for, get this, 50¢-$1 each pair and resold them on eBay for $175!
- I collected everything possible and sold it all. I would not take under a certain amount for the items that I knew were worth it and by doing so, I ended up making more. I was fair, but firm on Craigslist pricing.
- I sold services at craft and holiday bazaar’s.
- I sold rugs I didn’t absolutely need; home decorations I no longer needed in a lot for $20 each lot.
- The iron I never used (yeah; I’m not an ironer).
- I downgraded furniture to save money.
- I did all this and more!
Related: Top 5 Secrets to Sell Anything You Want
3- I saved money to make money
Why would I pay $20 for an item I know I can get for $12? I started shopping around and becoming very good at saving money. Every single penny was something I wanted to hold on to. Yes, I was still a generous person; I still gave to my church and when there was a need, but I saved my pennies. I worked really hard saving everything I possibly could. I canceled my Costco membership that I didn’t need, that was $50/year, and went with a friend once to get the supplies I needed at a reasonable price.
I cut all my bills, trying to get them as low as I could.
Things like leaving on the lights became a problem I suddenly became aware of. Running the warm water when peeling potatoes. Every cent I was spending meant that I couldn’t put that cent into the business I wanted to own.
Little by little as God was gracious, I was able to pay bills and I put every penny that I didn’t use on bills and absolutely-necessary-living-expenses into savings, of which…
4- I opened up a separate savings account
It had to be separate. My goal was $2,000 for the kit and I had to see great strides in that savings account and in order to not get it mixed up with my checking account or other money. I needed it to be by itself, somewhere else, in a “no-touch” account.
After I had the separate account, I would know that whatever I had in checking was what I had to live on. I had to make it work. Even if it was tight, it had to work.
Related: Top 12 Banking Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know
I can’t tell you that it was an easy road or that it won’t be hard for you, but that if I can save $2,000 as a single mom with very little income at the time, then you can save a couple hundred for the business that you want to start. It is not impossible. It’s more possible than you think.
You may be thinking, “But I don’t have anything left to sell. I’ve already sold everything.” Maybe you have, but I can honestly tell you that where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you have that ruthless determination, listen, nothing outside of God’s will is going to stop you! You’ll find a way to make it happen. You must start thinking outside-of-the-box. How can you earn money in non-typical ways.
Maybe that’s selling your skills on Fiverr or mowing lawns, helping someone move, and so on. For more ideas of things you can do, here are some popular posts that will help:
- 40 Things to Sell Right Now To Make Money
- 10 Easiest Ways to Earn Income From Home
- Top 25 Best Survey Companies
- How to Get Free Stuff to Sell
- 5 Real Ways to Add $500/month Steady Income
…and don’t worry, there’s a lot more making money from home articles coming your way. I’ve been making money from home for the past 17 years!!!! I can teach you everything you need to know to be successful, one post at a time! It is my #1 goal to help every woman who wants to stay home with her kids, to do just that on ANY income. I’ve done it on as low as $700/month income. Surely, you can do it too! 🙂
