I’ve explored countless ways to make money, testing various side hustles and money-making sites with mixed results. One big issue is that most small business ideas require some initial investment. So, what do you do if you have no money to start with? In this post, we’ll discuss five online businesses you can start for free. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection. These ideas could turn into a part-time side hustle or even a full-time income. Let’s dive in!
**Design T-Shirts**
If you have a knack for design or catchy phrases and love the idea of creating a physical product, consider becoming an online T-shirt designer. Many people are making significant money by designing T-shirts and similar products to sell on Print On Demand (POD) sites. With POD, you upload your design file and create an online listing, but the product is only manufactured after it’s ordered. The POD site handles production, shipping, payment, customer service, and returns. You just upload the design and get paid for any products sold, with no upfront costs.
**Print On Demand Sites to Try**
Some popular POD sites include Merch By Amazon, Redbubble, Teespring, and Zazzle. These sites don’t charge upfront or monthly seller fees; they take a commission from any products sold. Merch By Amazon is a great starting point due to its high traffic, though it has an application process and sometimes a wait. If you don’t get in immediately, start on any of the other sites and upload your designs to multiple platforms.
**Printables Store**
Printables are very popular and easy to produce. A printable store on an online marketplace like Etsy can be a fantastic online business idea with no upfront cost. Printables are digital files that people buy, download, and print themselves. Popular products include printable calendars, journal pages, baby shower games, coloring pages, worksheets, craft patterns, invitations, recipe cards, meal planning templates, chore charts, planners, art prints, budget trackers, checklists, and to-do list templates.
**How to Create and Sell Printables**
You can create printables using programs like Word or Canva, saving them as PDFs, and uploading them to Etsy or another online store. Websites like Pixabay offer free clipart and design elements for your products (check the licensing info). Selling on Etsy is recommended due to its low listing fees and no monthly seller fees.
**Blogging**
I started blogging as a hobby and eventually turned it into a full-time income. Blogging requires a lot of upfront work, but it can be very rewarding. Bloggers make money through display advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, selling their own products, freelance writing, and offering services like VA or social media management. You can start a blog for free, although a self-hosted blog with a custom domain looks more professional. There are free blogging platforms that offer training and support to get you started.
**Sell Services on Fiverr**
Fiverr is an online marketplace where you can sell services starting at $5. It’s a popular hub for freelance services like design, writing, translation, and programming, but you can sell almost anything. The site takes a cut from any sales you make, but there are no upfront seller fees. Get creative with the services you offer and see what unique gigs you can come up with.
**Content Writing**
Freelance writing is a great way to make money online with no investment other than your laptop and internet connection. There’s a growing demand for written content, especially with the rise of blogging and SEO. Starting out can be tough, but sites like Textbroker make it easy to sign up and get assignments. The pay increases as your quality rating goes up. As you gain experience, you can look for higher-paying clients and specialize in niches like finance or technical writing.
Have you tried any of these business ideas? What other free business ideas do you have?