Business ideas to start with R100

Starting a business can be very pricey. However, there are businesses you can start with just R100. These businesses usually require little stock, no infrastructure and no extra staff, just you. These R100 business ideas are ideal for anyone wanting to get into business and those who need extra cash.

These business ideas can help you earn extra income which you can use for personal tasks, or it can propel you into your business journey. Either way, the extra income will help cover some of the areas in your life that are suffering due to lack of income.

In this guide, we look at some business ideas you can start with just R100.

You can start your sneaker-washing business with just R100. All you need is a brush, cleaning products and a place to wash the sneakers. To market your business, you can use an app like WhatsApp. Using WhatsApp is great because it costs nothing to have a business account, and you can just market to your contacts.

Also, you can open a WhatsApp group where you will send updates on any specials or promotions you may have.

Additionally, you will need to pick a great location. You can either conduct your business from home and customers can bring their sneakers to you. If you have a mode of transport, then you can also conduct a collection and delivery service for your customers.

Malls are a popular location for sneaker wash businesses. Malls are full of people and it’s easier to showcase your products and services to them. Also, they are at the mall so it’s easy to make them spend money.

Becoming a reseller is not an expensive type of business. You can start this business with R100 by choosing to resell a product which is not expensive to purchase. Much like the sneaker-washing business, reselling does not need any infrastructure or additional staff.

Using your social media pages, you can advertise your products and build a strong client base.

A new entrepreneur can benefit from being a reseller because there is little to no risk. You can use existing brands and products without worrying about the financial challenges which come with manufacturing your own products.

Also, you can join platforms such as eBay where you can resell your products.

Personal shoppers are a growing business idea in South Africa. A personal shopper is someone who goes to shop for items on behalf of someone else. The personal shopper is paid for the service and the customer pays for the products.

You can start a personal shopper business with just R100 or even less. All you need is to advertise your business, work out your rates, find the right location and wait for customers to send in their orders.

You can also join an existing personal shopper programme. Takealot has a personal shopper programme which gives personal shoppers an opportunity to earn a profit by helping people make purchases on Takealot.

Street vendors are very popular in South Africa. Most street vendors can be found in townships but some are also in the suburbs. You can start this business with just R100. All you will need to do is buy your products from affordable wholesalers, pick a good location and begin selling.

Also, some street vendors offer services right on the street. These include shoe repairs, haircuts and women’s hair and nail services.

Some of the products that you can buy with R100 include:

• Fruits and vegetables.
• Snacks and sweets.
• Boiled eggs.
• Peanuts and raisins.
• Homemade products such as clothing or food.
• Small electronics like earphones and charges.
• Shoe repairs.
• Haircuts and other hair services.
• Phone repairs and phone accessories.

This business is quite low-risk but comes with huge success. Many people rely on street vendors for products or services that are more affordable than at big retailers and stores.

This business can make you a lot of profit because the target market is anyone. You can sell by bus stops, at the taxi rank, by schools or on any busy street. You just have to be customer-friendly and have the snacks people love.

A mobile car wash simply means you wash the cars at the customer’s residence. This helps eliminate any costs such as infrastructure, heavy equipment and additional staff.

To start a mobile car wash with R100, you will simply need cleaning materials and the will to work hard.

You can advertise your service on your social media pages and around your neighbourhood. This is great because people will trust you and your business because they know you. Word of mouth is still a very powerful marketing tool, so you can also ask your existing customers to pass on the message about your business to those they know.

Additionally, you can partner with an existing car wash (not buy a franchise) and offer additional services. For example, if the car wash does not offer tyre polishing you can offer those services to the customers.

You can start a garden services business with just R100. By making it mobile, you won’t need equipment because you will use the equipment of the customer. Or you can ask someone with equipment to lend it to you in exchange for free services until you can afford your own.

This is another business that needs a little extra marketing resources. Using your existing social media platforms and word of mouth, you can advertise to your network and also gain potential customers.

Another way to maximise this business idea is to offer services like window cleaning, landscaping and offer to plant flowers or pot plants for your customers.

This not only gives your customers additional services but also brings in extra profit for your business.

This is one of the cheapest businesses to start in South Africa. You will need R100 or else to start your tutoring business. If you have any higher education qualification, you can also join platforms such as Tutor Doctor to be part of their existing network.

If you want to do your own thing, you can advertise your services to parents and schools. This will ensure you have a consistent business, and you don’t have to work hard on marketing your business.

These are a few business ideas you can start with just R100. Remember, whether you start your business with R100 or R1 million, you will need to work hard to see progress and make a profit.

This is actually a very popular side hustle for many people. All you need is the skill to be able to revamp anyone’s resume. You can start by compiling the resumes of friends and family and then move to other potential customers.

Much like some of the businesses mentioned above, you will need just your social media pages to advertise your product. Also, you can use your R100 to print posters and place them around your neighbourhood.

This business can be very successful and can even turn into a full-time job. You can also make extra cash by offering to write a cover letter for job applicants.

This is a great business idea. People love to travel but always fear leaving their homes empty. You can enter this market by joining platforms such as TrustedHousesitters.

This job is low-cost because you don’t need a website, marketing or a hotel to sleep in. Also, the price of the service increases when the customer also has pets they need you to take care of.

Alternatively, if you want to make extra cash you can also add in dog-walking services. This will assure customers that their pets are being cared for – plus you can make extra profit.

This might seem like a saturated business but there is still demand. People rely on delivery apps and services for this, but the costs are not always ‘pocket friendly’.

You can make a killing from this by offering these services at a much lower fee. And the best thing is that you can use public transport to get around, especially if you offer your services around a certain area or neighbourhood.

Alternatively, if you have resources like a car or scooter you can join platforms like Uber Eats, Mr D or Spaza Eats.

Much like the CV writing and tutoring business ideas, this one is basically free to start. All you need to be good at the job is to have the right (write) skills. In South Africa, freelance writers earn over R 10 000 per month.

This can be a great side hustle or main source of income for you. You can find freelance writing jobs on platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can advertise your services on social media or approach companies/brands directly.

This business like the other can make a lot of money for you because you set the pricing for your services. All you need to is work hard, submit high quality work and meet your deadlines.