Starting a business can cost money. But you do not need thousands of dollars to start one. What you DO need is passion, drive, determination, and a little be of sassy savviness.
When you start up a business, let's face it, there are a few costs such as registering your business domain name, hosting a website and a phone/computer, and good internet (but chances are you will have a good mobile already) and for the most part, you cannot get around these essential needs.
No one wants to spend money where they don't have to and it doesn't matter if you have been in business for 5 months or 5 years, one dollar, is.... well one hard earnt dollar! And no one likes giving money away for free (especially when there is not much of it). There are plenty of options out there for business owners to be savvy, especially when starting up.
ONE: Manage your money wisely.
And by this, I mean know where your money is going. Use free apps or programs that do the job. We are talking apps like social media scheduling Preview, document sharing like Google Drive, or graphic creating apps like Canva.
TWO: Use affiliate codes or promo/discounts codes where you can.
THREE: Buy used or second-hand items that tick the boxes you need to be ticked.
This could be office furniture, equipment like a camera or ring light (hello Trade Me!).
FOUR: Invest in insurance.
I mean what more can I say here? Talk to a broker to make sure you have the correct coverage that you and your business needs.
FIVE: Create genuine and transparent partnerships that work both ways.
For example, you may be a photographer that needs help with a particular area of your business - let's say graphic design. Consider a barter or swap service with a designer for some content images. Please be aware that you need to be super clear and transparent about this and it needs to be fair and in writing what the 'swap will be'.
SIX: Manage your time.
Your time is worth something and the faster you recognize this, the better. Make sure your time is being spent on the things that are going to benefit you the most and have the best results. Let me ask you if scrolling the Instagram feed for 4 hours in your workday is effective?
Lizzy Waterson
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