Simple Money Making Ideas With Little Capital

If you are jobless, you have been tarmacking or you are struggling to make ends meet, this article is for you.

You may not have millions of shillings in the bank to start a business, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have any options.

Let me surprise you. There are so many ideas you can explore with next to nothing and make serious returns out of them.

All that is required of you is to provide the skills, work ethic and a bit of marketing.

In short, that is what is called “sweat capital”.

In the world of start-ups, “sweat capital” is worth more than monetary capital.

Enough of vague statement. Let’s get practical. Here are 2 business ideas that require very little monetary capital to set-up but can make you good money.

*1. Distributing Black Coffee*

If you live in towns like Nairobi, I am sure you have come across some guys who distribute black coffee in matatu termini.

Have you ever stopped to inquire how much they make per day?

Well, at it turns out, this venture is one of those “opportunities that come dressed in rags” kind of things.

For starters you will require a 10 litre capacity flask, some disposable plastic cups and well… a bit of hard work.

Budget Breakdown

Thermos Flask – Ksh.5,000 for 10 litre thermos

Disposable plastic cups – Ksh.1,000

Sugar – Ksh.400

Coffee – Ksh.200

TOTAL – Ksh.6,600

As long as you are willing to give it your best, there is no reason why you should walk away with less than Ksh.1,000 per day in profits.

How?

You might want to ask.

Well, a 10 litre coffee thermos contains 65 x 150ml cups of coffee. Sell each cup at Ksh.10 and you will make Ksh.650 per flask.

If you can make three trips per day – once in the morning and twice in the evening – then we can talk about Ksh.650×3 = Ksh.1,950.

Subtract cost of water, sugar and coffee and you realize you can make a cool Ksh.1,500 per day.

*2. Smokies and Eggs Business*

This small business can earn you Ksh.48,000 per month.

Self-employment is good. It is the only thing you can do day and night and feel contented, that you have done something meaningful.

You cannot compare employment and business. This is because with a business you are your own boss, but with employment, your boss is always on your neck regardless of the effort you put in.

Business is however not for everyone, especially not for the faint-hearted.

Small-scale businesses have been on the rise in our country, especially due to the high cases of unemployment. If you are thinking of starting something, then the smokies and eggs business is a choice you might want to consider.

First and foremost, you need capital, less than Ksh.10,000. For starters, you need a smokie grill or trolley that goes for around Ksh.6,000, a supply of smokies and eggs and of course a source of the fire.

For smokes, you can get them at the nearest Farmer’s choice Shop, where a packet of smokies, containing 22 pieces goes for Ksh.330.

As for the eggs, you can get supplies from your nearest shop or source from friends, where normally a tray goes for Ksh.300 or Ksh.280, depending on your supplier.

A strategic location to locate your business is also necessary. You need to place your business where people can easily access it. For instance; near bus stops and stages, around learning institutions, around bars and clubs, around places hosting social events, or generally any other place you think people can easily access.

The profit margins in this type of business are huge. Allow me to take you through.

When you buy a packet of smokies at Ksh.330, with 22 pieces, which means each piece goes for Ksh.15.

So how about you sell a piece at Ksh.25?

You automatically get a profit of Ksh.10. And if you are in a highly-populated area where you can sell like five or more packets, you get very high returns.

If you manage to sell five packets a day, with each packet containing 22 pieces, you will have sold 110 pieces. If you sell each at Ksh.25, you make Ksh.2,750. The expenses you will have used that day are averagely 330 X 5 = Ksh.1,650.

Plus kachumbari cost which is averagely Ksh.100 for tomatoes, onions and dhania. That adds up to Ksh.1,750. Total profits from that sale will add up to Ksh.2,750 – 1,750 = Ksh.1,000. Simply put, you will make a profit of Ksh.1,000 in a day.

If you decide to sell eggs as well, your profit will be elevated. Take for instance you sell averagely 2 trays of eggs per day. That is 60 eggs, with every egg costing Ksh.20, thus making Ksh.1,200 a day.

The expenses involved for eggs per day are Ksh.600 for two trays of eggs. That means, the profit you will make in a day for eggs is Ksh.600

The best part is here… If you decide to do both eggs and smokies, your monthly profits/income estimates will be Ksh.48,000 in a month.

How awesome!

And just in case you do not have time to run the business due to other engagements, you can hire someone for the day at Ksh.200 per day. You can also invest in more than one smokie and eggs business and employ people to work for you.

*Finally*

Most people do not want to venture into this 2 kinds of businesses I have explained above because they feel it is of those who are not educated.

How about you give that a second thought now?

You can actually do this as a side hustle.

For instance, if you are a regular student in college, you might need an extra penny at the end of the day and this might be a good idea for you.

After classes, you can do this in the evening till late in the night.

Even if you are already employed you can do this alongside your full-time job.

This 2 businesses are also stress-free. They only require basic culinary skills, and of course marketing and communication skills to keep your customers and get new ones.

You can do it on a part-time basis or even consider full time.

There’s an old saying that goes, “opportunities are missed because they come dressed in overalls or rags.”

Don’t let your ego prevent you from venturing into this profitable opportunities.

Timothy Angwenyi
Business Consultant

Justine Nyachieo
Business Man & Mentor