9 Best Part Time Business Ideas to Start with Low Investment

Do you want to generate extra income while working full-time? If yes, this blog will help you find part time business ideas.  

Fortunately, earning a decent amount of money in your free time is possible. Studies suggest that 65.3% of small or part time businesses are running profitably in the current year. You don’t need to leave your full-time job instead. You have a great opportunity to start a part time business, and you will be glad to know the exciting part time business ideas that can be turned into a profitable business in India. 

Starting a part time business alongside your full-time job can be possible. You can still make it even if you are a student, homemaker, or retired person. Besides, part time businesses can be done at flexible times.  

In addition, a little effort and an effective business plan can develop your side business into a flourishing venture and earn you well. This article will cover the top 9 part time business ideas requiring minimal investment.   

Advantages of Part Time Business

• Other commitments can be accommodated: Part time business offer schedule flexibility, making them ideal for people with full-time work or education. Entrepreneurs can adjust their work hours to promote a healthier work-life balance.
• Work-life balance: Part-time businesses help people maintain a healthy work-life balance by giving them control over their working hours, which is critical in today’s fast-paced environment.
• Reduced initial investment: Part-time firms have reduced launch expenses, which eases the financial load on entrepreneurs. This flexibility enables for the safe testing of concepts.
• Opportunity to test the market: Part time business provide an opportunity to test the market before committing to a full-scale operation, allowing entrepreneurs to evaluate viability and make educated decisions.
• Learning on the job: Part-time business acquires hands-on experience, honing practical skills like problem-solving and adaptability.
• Enhancing entrepreneurial skills: Running a part-time firm develops a wide range of entrepreneurial skills, from marketing to strategic planning, that can be applied across multiple disciplines.

9 Best Part Time Business Ideas in 2024

Here are the best part time business ideas that require minimal or no investments. 

1. Home Bakery
2. Web Designing
3. Trainer / Tutor
4. Resume Writing
5. Counselling
6. Affiliate Marketing
7. Freelance Writing
8. Products Selling
9. Virtual Assistant

1. Home Bakery

Is there anyone who wouldn’t say yes to cakes and cookies? Cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc, are forever in demand. People love to have these often, which creates a constant demand for these products. 

Starting a bakery at home is a trending and profitable part time business. If you have a good grip on baking and have a creative mind to give rise to different styles of cakes and cookies, the part time business idea of a home bakery is the best for you.  

This business will not only bring you exciting earnings but also help expand your network. It can also result in the development and growth of your side business into a flourishing venture. You don’t need to invest much time in this business; you can easily carry it out during your free time. 

The ingredients required for baking are generally available at home. Hence, there is no hassle for inputs in this part time business idea. A very reasonable amount of investment is required to start a bakery business at home.  

Benefits

• Bakery items are one of the most demanding products 
• This business exposes you to several customers and expands your networks 
• Starting a home bakery requires very little investment 
• There is no need to purchase or rent a store for your business, as you can carry this at home.

2. Web Designing

Do you have intriguing design skills and are familiar with website design and development? If yes, you can go for the part-time website designing business.  

Due to the improvements in technology and work methods, almost all business enterprises or companies establish an online presence. They look for individuals who can design attractive websites for their business that can fetch more traffic.  

You can start rendering your services as a website designer. You can develop websites for your clients and earn much money in return. All you need is good knowledge of web designing software and creativity. 

As more viewers visit the websites, you can attract more clients for your business. You can also set up a website for your business, advertise your services, and take orders.  

Benefits

• A huge number of clients or customers are available 
• It also promotes your business through the client’s works 
• Web designing is one of the profitable side business ideas 
• You can easily carry out this business in your spare time 

3. Trainer / Tutor

Everyone is skilled in some niche, like singing, painting, dancing, yoga, fitness, etc. Are you proficient in any of these fields or have a good knowledge and understanding of specific subjects? You can begin a training or coaching center to teach your proficiencies. If you have great skills in singing, fitness, painting, etc you can train others in these fields. Many people show interest in involving themselves in various extra-curricular activities, hence you can get a wide customer base for this side business idea.  

Also, if you have impeccable knowledge of any subject, you can become a teacher or a home tutor.. Teaching is one of the most popular professions and can bring you some good earnings. You can set up a training institute for your business or begin it from home. No investments are required in this part time business, all you have to do is train your students. 

Benefits

• Almost no monetary investments are required in this side business idea 
• You can obtain great earnings as the fee for your services 
• Numerous customers are available in this business 
• A small amount of time is required to carry this business 

You can also become a subject matter expert at Chegg. This is a part-time work that pays you like full-time without any investments. Sign up now and earn well as an expert. 

4. Resume Writing

Do you know that a resume is very important in a person’s career? It is the key to a job; everyone wants a quality and effective resume. 

If you have good writing and organizing skills, you can consider writing resumes for individuals. Many people look for individuals who can develop their resumes. You can start this part time business and charge fees for your services. All you need is good knowledge of resume formatting and skills in writing.  

This part time business idea doesn’t require much time. Even if you are a student, you can easily carry it in your spare time after your studies. Or if you are a professional indulged in a regular job, you can also write resumes for your clients in your free time. One major benefit is that this side business requires almost negligible monetary investments.  

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Benefits

• No additional monetary investments are required 
• From students to professionals, anyone can carry this business in their free time 
• This business doesn’t require much effort 
• You can get many clients for this business 

5. Counselling

Everyone gets perplexed regarding any choice or decision they have to make at some point. People seek guidance or advice which can ease their confusion. Here comes the role of counsellors. 

If you have an enthusiastic attitude and can understand others, you can become a counsellor and start a part time counselling business. You can help people deal with stress or problems and find solutions. Even if you are a professional with intricate knowledge of career options, you can assist others in framing their career path through career counselling. No investments are required for starting a side business of counseling; all you need is an enthusiastic perception of your clients. 

You can set up your counselling office or visit your clients for the service. You can also conduct virtual meetings with clients. This side business idea is highly flexible and less time-consuming.  

Benefits

• You get to interact with diverse mindsets that can enhance your personality 
• This is one of the most flexible part time business ideas 
• You can obtain great earnings through your counselling sessions 
• Negligible investments are required for this business 

6. Affiliate Marketing

Marketing has become one of India’s most popular part-time businesses through affiliate channels. Affiliate marketing means promoting or publicizing a company and its products and services through social media, email, etc.  

Many companies seek individuals who can advertise their products and services to attract more consumers and maximise sales. You get to earn a good commission or remuneration for the task. You can register on multiple affiliate platforms to get clients. 

This part time business idea requires no investments from your side. Also, the work is completely flexible; anyone can take up the side business idea of affiliate marketing, from students to professionals to housewives. Basic knowledge of marketing management can help you understand the business better. 

Benefits

• A large number of companies look for affiliates; hence, you can get many clients 
• The work is highly flexible; you can easily do it in your free time 
• The earnings from affiliate marketing are quite exciting 
• No investments are required in this side business idea 

7. Freelance Writing

A very popular and convenient part time business is freelance writing. Freelance writing involves writing blogs, articles, marketing, & sales copy. Email copy, for various companies. Numerous companies look for writing service providers who can assist them in their writing operations. 

You can start freelancing writing services if you have a good command of English grammar and impeccable writing skills. This part-time business idea is highly flexible in terms of time. You can easily run this business in your free time. You can take orders from multiple companies and charge a good amount for your service.  

To kickstart this business, you can set up your profile on various freelancing sites, from where you can get clients. This is one of the well-paying part-time businesses that require minimal investment. 

Benefits

• Many clients are available for this side business idea 
• It is less time-consuming 
• The investment is almost nothing in this part-time business idea 
• It is highly flexible, you can work as per your needs 

8. Products Selling

This is one of the best businesses to start. You can start selling your products as a part-time business. From selling old books to selling new products, you can efficiently manage this business of product selling.  

If you have an artistic mind, you can create paintings and craft works or create hand-painted garments or customized gifts and offer them for sale. Even you can sell your old books on various platforms and earn a reasonable amount. This is one of the easy part-time earning ideas.  

You can start selling products online as well as offline. To sell them online, you can create a website for accepting orders or register on various online selling platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. Setting up your business online will expose you to a wide customer base.  

This business requires a small investment but offers great profit margins on each sale. Also, you don’t have to spend much time running this business. 

Benefits

• It is one of the easy business ideas 
• A small amount of investment is required 
• You can gain decent earnings as profit margins 
• This business is time-friendly

9. Virtual Assistant

We all know about an assistant, an individual who assists or helps manage our work. But who is a virtual assistant? 

A virtual assistant is an online assistant who assists and manages the work of a professional or company and submits the tasks online. They render their services to clients from outside the office. 

You can start your part-time business as a virtual assistant. It is one of the interesting part-time earning ideas. You will be required to regulate and manage the day-to-day job of a company or professional. You can earn well from this form of side business. The work is completely remote and flexible and requires minimal investments.  

All you need are basic computer skills and a good internet connection. Even a student can run a small business as a virtual assistant. This is one of the most profitable online business ideas. 

Benefits

• The work is completely remote and flexible 
• Little investment is required 
• Virtual assistants are in high demand  
• The earnings from this business are attractive 

Things to Consider Before Kickstarting Your Part-time Business

Every business starts with an idea! Part-time business is a great way to make more money. They can help you reach a savings goal, pay more toward your loans, or just add some breathing room to your budget. Knowing how to start a business is a great way to achieve your financial goals.

To help you find the best part-time business for your needs, consider the following criteria:

1. Passion and interests

Start a business that aligns with your skills, interests, or hobbies. Choose a niche or business idea that aligns with your passion and interests. So focus on what genuinely excites you.

2. Profitability

Estimate the potential earnings within an industry before committing. Consider startup costs, ongoing expenses, and potential revenue streams. This will help you manage your finances effectively.

3. Viability

Your business idea should not clash with your full-time job. It must work around your current schedule. Maintain a healthy work-life balance. Ensure that your side business enhances your life rather than causing burnout or stress. Find that sweet spot between work and play.

4. Growth prospect

Consider the business’s long-term potential and whether it provides room for growth, both economically and professionally.

Taking the time and effort to consider these factors before launching your side business will set a strong foundation for success and sustainability.

Tips for Managing Part Time Business

Importance of Business Plan

• Outlines business goals, target audience, marketing strategy, and financial projections.
• Serves as a roadmap for business.

Understanding Customer Service in Online Businesses

• Importance of fast, efficient, and friendly service in digital age.
• Leads to repeat business, positive reviews, and referrals.

Role of Consistency in Business Success

• Delivers high-quality products or services consistently.
• Builds customer trust and sets business apart from competitors.

Part Time Business Ideas – Summing Up

The part time business ideas mentioned here can be started at any time. Besides, these businesses are hassle-free. If you possess appropriate skills, then you should pick this up. Also, most part time businesses can run well if you operate them wisely. 

Doing these businesses part-time can also give you a good amount of money. Another thing, it’s totally up to the efforts you put into it—your skills, interests, and hard work matter a lot here. 

There are numerous other business ideas too. You can put in your creativity and start any new business.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some related resources:

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• Top 10 Side Hustle Ideas You Can Start In 2023
• Small Capital, Big Opportunities: 30 Low Investment Business Ideas
• Home-based business ideas: Smart ways to earn from home
• 20 Unique Business Ideas to Stand Out in 2023