You want to start a business, but you don’t have the money to invest? And you would prefer not taking out a loan or dipping into your savings account for capital? If so, you are not alone. Many small business owners started their companies with no money and have since made it big. There are countless ways to make money with your home office work from home business without needing any funds up front.

Read below for ten creative ideas that will show you how to finance your business on nothing but ingenuity, elbow grease, and hard work!

1) Offshore Outsourcing –

Have employees in India do all of the heavy lifting for your company while you sip pina coladas by the pool Okay fine…maybe this isn’t the most realistic suggestion on how to get your business up and running. However, there is a bit of truth in that old saying, “It takes money to make money.” In this case what it really takes is some initial investment in order to get going. But before you write off this idea entirely let’s take a look at the possibilities outsourcing overseas might present for your new business:

You’ve probably read a lot about how companies are outsourcing their customer service departments by hiring employees in foreign countries who can answer calls much more cheaply (per minute) than US workers. You may even know someone who has done this for their home-based business. And while many entrepreneurs still seem reluctant to outsource labor abroad to language barriers, cultural differences etc, the numbers speak for themselves.

William D King observed that companies doing business with employees in India can save up to 30% on salary and benefit costs as well as communication expenses, according to a recent study by KPMG. In fact, it’s been reported that 78% of US companies now outsource information technology work to countries like Thailand, China, and India – where per capita income is about 1/10th that of America’s – simply because it will save them money! This means that if you were to hire a programmer or customer service rep from one these foreign lands your initial investment required would be much lower. Because they deserve at least minimum wage (if not more), you’ll still have plenty of cash left over to cover office rent, supplies etc and hopefully turn a substantial profit!

Here’s how it works: Let’s say your business provides online technical support for PC users. If you were to hire a worker from India – who makes about $2,500 per year – to be your representative and chat with customers over the phone/internet you could save as much as 75% on their salary compared to hiring an American employee whose salary would range between $40k – $75k. The only downside is that you would have to provide housing/healthcare etc – which still reduces your overhead significantly. Not bad huh? Go here for more information.

2) Get a Loan or Line of Credit –

As mentioned earlier many small businesses are without money because those who don’t have it don’t want to risk losing it. And because of this many entrepreneurs are starting their businesses without the help of banks or financial institutions. They are doing this by getting a loan or line of credit from family members, friends, or even themselves if they have enough equity in their own homes.

The idea for your business may come at any time so creating an emergency fund is essential for these types of small business owners. If you have the ability to secure funding from someone else be sure to work out all details beforehand including interest rates and repayment terms so no one gets hurt feelings or angry down the road.

Also see: How To Fund A Startup Company

3) Put Something Up For Sale on eBay –

Want to quickly raise the money you need to get going with your new business? Put something up for sale on eBay! Whether you have a bunch of old video games gathering dust or a used lawnmower taking up space in your garage, you can easily put it up online and make a few bucks. Or if you recently inherited an heirloom from a relative, find out just how much that item is worth at sites like this and then list it on eBay to turn that into cash as well.

In fact many small businesses are being launched today simply by listing items for sale online until there’s enough funds to open up a storefront. If this sounds like something that could work for you, read more here.

Conclusion by William D King: –

If you’re one of the many people needing money – and fast – to start a small business, look no further than these 3 easy and simple ways to raise startup capital. And if after that you still need some extra cash, be sure to check out this post to learn how you can make $15 an hour. It’s not much, but it will get you by until your business finally takes off!