FINANCE

11 Ways to Fix Debit or Credit Card Declined Issues

Published

11 months ago

November 13, 2021

Post Views: 3,833

11 Ways to Fix Debit or Credit Card Declined Issues

Have you ever had your debit card declined? What came to your mind at that moment? Did you find the reasons why it was declined? Here we explained in detail 11 possible reasons why your card could be declined and how you can resolve the problems.

Table of Contents

11 Reasons Your Debit Card Declined

Debit and credit cards no doubt provide convenient ways of making purchases at any point of sale.

However, just like when using credit cards, sometimes the merchant can decline your transaction when you insert your card. Why was my debit card declined? I know that having your credit or debit card declined can be very frustrating.

Someone will ask, “why is my credit or debit card been declined when I have money in my account?” Well, let’s find the answers to these questions together.

Reasons Why Your Card Declined

Insufficient funds

The most common reason why your debit card can be declined is not having enough funds in the account from which you want to make withdrawals. This is often the case with people who do not keep consistent track of their spending. People someone times a result of a lack of consistent transaction tracking run out of funds without knowing. This usually happens to people who always send someone to carry out financial transactions for them, either depositing or withdrawing for them. This makes it difficult sometimes for these transactions to be tracked. Especially in a society where mobile network failure could prevent transaction alert delivery.

If you have overdraft protection, you can still go ahead with cash transactions when you run out of money. In other words, if you have overdraft protection, your debit card will not be declined because of a shortage of funds. Overdraft protection ensures your transactions are processed even when you have less amount of money in your account.

Your debit card in some cases can be declined but charged. This is in most cases is a result of pending authorization. It could mean that there you have an unprocessed payment. However, the pending charge disappears after payment is processed.

There are a lot of budget management apps, such as Trim that you can conveniently use to Trim expenses such as your cable TV subscription bill and lots more. Trim is free.

How to prevent card decline as a result of insufficient fund:

For you to effectively prevent your debit card been declined at any point as a result of insufficient balance, you need to keep track of your bank transactions and balance. If you are not using mobile banking or online banking channels, it is time you get started. You need to subscribe to email and mobile transaction alert. These will surely help you keep track of inflow and outflow from your bank accounts.

You can also download the mobile app from your bank. Almost all banks now have mobile apps. This will help you to quickly check your balance at every point in time before initiating any financial transactions. Having at heart your financial strength will save you a lot of embarrassment.

You can also manage your personal finance using certain other apps such as the Personal Capital app. These apps when properly used will ensure you don’t run out of funds.

Multiple Incorrect PIN entries

This is another major reason for a declined debit card. Some people at the point of debit card activation generate complex debit card PIN which afterward they find very difficult to remember. Having your debit card PIN at heart is very much important to forestall your debit card been declined. When you enter your debit card incorrectly several times, the ATM may decline and block your debit card.

This usually happens to people who are careless with details such as their debit card PIN. The essence of a PIN for your debit card is to ensure that only you can access the funds in your account using your debit card.

The same way ATM will respond and treat a scammer or someone who wants to make transactions with your card without your authorization is the way it will treat you, the real card owner if you wrongly enter your PIN repeatedly.

Multiple incorrect PIN entries send fraud alerts to the card issuer which makes them decline a transaction and also block the card.

Card issuers, whenever they suspect that a card is stolen or been used with the authorization of the owner, not only decline processing transactions, they also blog such debit cards.

How to prevent card decline as a result of incorrect PIN:

The sure way to avoid your debit card been declined and possibly blocked during a transaction is to memorize the PIN of your card. If you have multiple cards and cannot write the separate PINs in a secure place that online you can access, it is advised that you use a uniform or single PIN for all your debit and credit cards.

If you must write the PIN of your card, let it be in a secure place where you alone can access it. Been careless with card detail has caused a lot of people serious losses.

Bad people can take advantage of your carelessness to empty your bank account.

You’ve Reached Your Daily Withdrawal Limit

Often, this happens to people who lost track of their daily transactions or who may not know the daily transaction limit set by their bank.

All regulated financial institutions have a daily financial limit that customers cannot exceed. This limit was given by the Central Bank to the volume of cash in circulation in society. This also was introduced to protect peoples’ accounts against fraudulent transactions. At least when bad people succeed in gaining unauthorized access into the customer’s account, they will not be able to empty such accounts. At least, when they make transactions up to the daily stipulated limit, they will be forced to stop.

Ensure you keep track of your daily transactions to know when you reach the daily transaction limit of your bank.

How to prevent decline as a result of daily limit:

You need to know the daily card transaction limit set by your bank.

Also, just as we pointed out above, you need to keep track of your daily banking transactions. This will enable you to know when you approach your daily transaction limit.

On the other hand, if you plan to carry out a huge withdrawal in a day, you can inform your bank in good time, maybe, they can adjust for your card, the daily transaction limit for that particular day or period.

Alternatively, you can also operate more than a single card so that when you reach the daily transaction limit of one, you switch over to another card.

Card Expiration

Banks do inform their customers in good time before the expiration of their card. However some customers, either intentionally or unintentionally do not renew their cards. This for the people who did not know that their card has expired results in their card been declined when they want to carry our transaction.

Debit and credit cards have expiration dates. Trying to perform a transaction with them when expired will not work, will only decline or ceased by the ATM.

Most of the time, when cards are declined for transactions, the last thing that could come to the mind of the customer is the card expiration date.

How to prevent card decline due to expiration:

To prevent your card from being declined for transactions, try as much as you can keep in mind the expiration date of your card. Most banks will notify you at a good time when your card is to expire. If you perform a transaction using the ATM, the will also prompt you with the message that your card will soon expire. If you subscribed to online banking services too, an email will be sent to you. All these are so that you can take decisive steps and actions to get your card renewed at the point of expiration.

If your card cannot be renewed auto-renewed for any reason, maybe because of insufficient funds, you can approach your bank to manually renew your card. Ensure that you destroy every replaced card so as not to give room for a security breach. Your old cards still contain some vital data that can be exploited by bad people.

Wrong personal data entry

Incorrect entry of your personal information when performing a transaction with your card could result in your card been declined. This usually happens when carrying out online transactions. Merchants usually request the details on the card such as the name of the card and the card number, if you enter any incorrect detail, your transaction, and your card will be declined

Sometimes, when shopping online, you may be required to enter your zip code, ensure you enter the correct Zip code.

How to prevent card been declined as a result of wrong personal data entry:

Whenever you are performing online transactions, do ensure that you enter information as it appears on the card. For instance, if you don’t enter the card holder’s name the way it appears on the card, maybe you rearrange the names, your card will be declined.

Always update your record with your bank to prevent loss of information as a result of a change of environment.

11 Ways to Fix Debit or Credit Card Declined Issues

Suspicious Transaction

Most banks have a clause in the customer’s account opening form and card issuance form which gave them the right to decline transactions they see as being suspicious. Suspicious activities may include excessive transactions with a short period. This feature is to protect cardholders from people who may want to steal from them.

How to avoid card decline as a result of suspicious transactions:

Inform your bank in good time before commencing heavy transactions online. Alternatively, split your transactions into smaller amounts spread over a space of time.

You’ve made an International Purchase

Banking services are becoming global. You can perform a banking transaction with your credit card from anywhere in the world. This gives room for fraud stars to have access to people to accounts from across the world. These days, you can use your debit card, such as a Visa or MasterCard, anywhere in the world.

When your bank suspects unusual transactions or unauthorized access to your card, they can flag it as unsafe. This is to protect you from online fraud starts.

How to prevent card decline as a result of international transactions:

You don’t necessarily have to let your bank know before you travel. But do ensure that you moderate your transactions. Give time between transactions, this way you would have your card flagged.

Also ensure before you use an ATM outside the country of issuance that you check if the machine will accept your card, this way your card wouldn’t be declined.

Technical Issues

Sometimes, your card may be declined due to no fault of yours. Your card can be declined due to technical issues from your bank or the other end of your transaction. Merchants systems may be having network or technical issues processing your transaction.

A merchant may experience for instance:

Slow internet connection,
Power failure or
Transactions overload.

Since the fault is not yours, probably with your bank or merchant, you may not have control over whether or not your card will be declined. If your experience card decline as a result of technical issues from your bank or merchant, you can always:

Try again after some time,
Use a different terminal, or
Wait until the systems are up and running.

Your Joint Holder Deactivated Your Card

If you run a joint account with someone, maybe your spouse, business partner, or your family member, if the other person deactivates the card of your joint account, you lose the authority to perform transactions using the said card. Most banks allow a partner to deactivate a card with the consent of the other partner. This is to prevent fraud.

Once a partner deactivates a card, financial transactions can no longer be performed using the said card. This is good especially in the case of theft or misplacement of the card.

How to prevent card decline as a result of deactivation:

If you plan to deactivate a card of a joint account, do ensure that your partner is aware. You can also create a clause at the point of account opening where it will be stated that both partners will sign for any major changes to your account, which of course include card activation or deactivation.

You Haven’t Activated the Card Yet

Often time people collect the card from the customer card and head home with activating the card. For security reasons, banks require that cards be activated before they can be used. Good thing this day, bank try as much as possible to assist a customer with card activation at the point of issuance.

To avoid having your debit card declined due to activation, make sure that you follow every instruction given by your bank for activation.

Card Type not Acceptable

Transactions can be declined if a merchant does not accept payment from your card type. Some checkouts and merchants are selective when it comes to the type they accept for transactions. If you try to use your card on a merchant or ATM that does not accept it, it will surely be declined.

Debit cards declined at any point of sale or ATM could also be a result of not using the payment method that the ATM or POS accept.

Before you insert your card, be sure that the merchant accepts the card type you have.

Related Topics:11 Ways to Fix Debit or Credit Card Declined Issues

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Nigeria’s fuel subsidies surpassed $1 billion in August as it supplied more petrol

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The cost of Nigeria’s fuel subsidies rose to 525.714 billion naira ($1.22 billion) in August, bringing the total spent this year to 2.568 trillion naira, according to figures submitted to the government by state oil company NNPC.

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In April, Nigeria’s parliament approved a 4-trillion-naira petrol subsidy for this year after the government in January reversed a pledge to end its subsidies to avert protests in the run-up to presidential elections in February 2023.

NNPC has not submitted any money to the federal government this year due largely to subsidy costs. August’s bill compared with 448.782 billion naira in July, according to a document NNPC submitted on Friday to the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

Part of the increased cost was down to a bigger daily supply of petrol, which rose to 71.8 million litres, up nearly 10% from July, according to information submitted at the same meeting by regulator Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

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AFRICA

Payments platform Fuse integrates ChromePay to bring DID services to Africa

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The African continent has emerged as a hotbed for crypto and blockchain activity, with countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia leading the way.

Web3 payments platform Fuse has partnered with ChromePay, an identity-based payment solution, to launch a new suite of payment products in Africa — a move designed to boost financial inclusion on the continent.

The partnership centers around ChromePay’s decentralized identity service, also known as a DID, which the companies claim will enable millions of Africans to participate in the Web3 economy. By utilizing the Fuse blockchain, ChromePay will offer users a variety of Web3 payment services powered by its DID solution. As part of the partnership, Fuse has also awarded ChromePay a grant for an undisclosed amount to build out its decentralized finance (DeFi) and DID services directly on the blockchain.

By integrating with the Fuse blockchain, ChromePay will reportedly enable users to access both traditional and blockchain-based payments directly from their mobile devices.

Founded in 2019, ChromePay launched its payment solutions app in Nigeria in 2021 following a successful pilot. The company’s next milestone is the launch of its Fuse-powered DID in Ethiopia, a country that has made notable strides in its crypto adoption.

As Cointelegraph explains, decentralized identity is an emerging concept within Web3 that enables trusted data exchange. In practice, DIDs allow users to manage and administer their digital identity without reliance on a centralized third party.

Africa has become a hotbed for crypto and blockchain activity, with significant populations in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa turning to digital assets for access to financial services. This trend was identified by the United Nations in a June 2022 policy brief, which described the “unprecedented pace” of crypto adoption during the pandemic.

BUSINESS

20 Things You Can Export From Nigeria and Make Dollars

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3 months ago

July 12, 2022

Antvt Media

Post Views: 458

Finding the right type of business to start up is one of the most difficult things many people have to face. As a result, 9 out of 10 businesses fail in 10 years, and most of the last ones standing do not survive the next 10 years that follow.

The same applies to finding the right type of commodity to export.

The export business in its own right is a highly lucrative business to venture into, but determining the right type of commodity to export depending on the profit margins you’re targeting can sometimes be a problem.

While some exporters are okay with netting profit margins of between 10-30% per non-oil transactions, many others are uncomfortable with that, especially as an export cycle in a country like Nigeria is about 45 days, and so, would want to make the most of the time and possibly make up to or more than 100% profit on the commodity exported.

If you’re looking for high-margin commodities that can take your export business from 0 to 100 in 45 days, here are 2 hot-selling commodities that you can export to make up to or more than 100% profits on every sale:

1. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most traded spices in the world which Nigeria happens to be among the largest producers. Why we are not exporting ginger in large quantity is beyond me. You can start a Trans-Sahara or Trans-Atlantic trade with this goods and be making dollars on regular basis. Garlic is also on top of the list of items you can export from Nigeria.

2. Palm Kernel Oil

Palm Kernel oil is the oil extracted from the pulp of palm fruit which is different from palm oil. Palm Kernel Oil is used for the manufacturing of various cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and confectioneries. The uses of this oil is broad and the mineral contents are said to be rich in protein for various uses. Nigeria has it quantum and makes dollars exporting it to other countries of the world.

3. Textiles and Garments

This industry alone generates close to $32bn as revenue from export from Nigeria. It is also a fact that unlike other products that battles with high strict rules of tests, Nigeria’s textiles enjoy duty free passage into United States where it has the largest market in the world because of its unique designs, ethnic African designs and quality.

4. Cocoa Butter

This is the real sources of chocolates of all types. The fruits of Cocoa is used for the production of various skin care products, health products, and pharmaceutical products. The demand for Cocoa is very high in both America and UK and that is why cocoa farming is very essential in Nigeria.

5. Gallstone

This is a clay-like solid substance gotten from the gallbladder of matured cow and oxen. The size could be as big as chicken egg. Gallstone is a hotcake for foreign pharmaceuticals because they use it for medical purposes. If you could lay your hand a good quantity of well dried gallstone about 100g that is well packaged, ready buyers are waiting for it in either Asia or America.

6. Rubber

Nigeria has put in place proper Central Testing Laboratories to ensure that only certified products leave the country to Europe and America. Nigeria happens to be a significant producer of Rubber in Africa. A cubit meter of fine quality rubber goes for between $400 and $600 presently because of the instability of dollar rate in the market.

7. Sesame Seed

This may sound a bit strange if you are not from the area where it is produced in the country. Sesame seed can be found in quantity in places like Benue and Jigawa states in Nigeria. This product ranks second to cocoa in terms of export volume and foreign exchange earnings. Nigeria is the 5th largest producer of this commodity and shipping it into foreign countries brings dollars exchange.

8. Honey

Pure honey is another export commodity from Nigeria to other countries. Presently, a kilogram of honey costs above $150 in the international markets. Pure natural honey contains trace enzymes as sugar, mineral, vitamins and amino acids. A litre of honey can fetch good dollars in the foreign market.

9. Shrimps

The Niger Delta region in Nigeria is blessed with rich organic deposits of Shrimps. The demands for Shrimps is high in countries like Portugal, France, Belgium, Spain, and USA.

10. Garlic

Garlic is a cash crop which is grown under irrigation by farmers in the Savanna areas in Nigeria. With internationally certified good quantities of garlic, you are sure of foreign hard currencies.

11. Yam Tubers

Nigeria is presently the highest producers of yam. In 2009 alone, yam export accounted for about US$450 million exchange. But due to low quality, it is saddening to know that the country is not maximizing its export potentials of this products. So there is need for prospective exporters of yam to foreign countries to adhere to quality regulations that is guarding the process. Yam farmers must take this into consideration and tap from this opportunity.

12. Charcoal

This is at the fore front in the international market. This product which is produced in good quantity in Nigeria with now perfected technology, has about 50% ROI.Even an individual can own a charcoal production outfit and have exporters shipping it for him. A large market for charcoal exists in ASIA, EU, and USA. A tonne of this product goes for about $1000.

13. Cotton

This sector recently received a boost from the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) of N33 million to rehabilitate it. Cotton is the most natural sources of fiber and it is in demand internationally.

14. Cassava Flour

We already know that Cassava is food for all in Nigeria because of various methods of preparing it. There is need for this in the foreign markets as well. The demand for well processed cassava flour is increasing both in Europe, Middle East and in America.

15. Cashew Nuts

Almost every part of the country has the potential to produce this international commodity. Great quantity of unprocessed raw cashew nuts are exported to India, Brazil and Vietnam where they are processed into kernels and moved to the Northern America and Europe where they are sold for about $2 per pound. The demand is on the increase from these consuming countries.

16. Snail

If you can produce snails in good quantity, there is a ready market for you. Snails are hotcake in European and America. The good thing about this is that it is very easy to rear as it produces rapidly with close to nothing in expenditure for feeding.

17. Chili Pepper

Nigeria is blessed with good weather which supports the proper growths and production of the internationally accepted pepper. If you can grow and source for the export opportunity, you are sure to get it.

18. Fruit Juice

It may sound somewhat strange to many that Nigeria provide export opportunity for fruit juice concentrates. Yes, we have it because Nigeria can boast of so many naturally grown fruits all over the country which provides the best of fruit juice products of great quality. The opportunity for Nigerian fruits concentrate export is huge in USA.

19. Poultry

Forget about the facts that some greedy Nigerians go about smuggling chicken into the country. When we talk about poultry, it involves all domestic birds, egg or meat.

Nigeria poultry farm products are still highly needed both within Africa and Western countries because Nigerian weather conditions for poultry farming still remains the best. Poultry products export from Nigeria is an avenue that is still highly untapped.

20. Cosmetics and Soap

Nigeria has grown in this very important area but the only challenge that is holding us back is procurement of good technology to produce cosmetics in great quantity to compete favorably with other developed countries.

Soap making, which extends to other toiletries, laundries and so on are already export opportunity waiting to be invested in. Nigerian cosmetics products can be exported to other African countries where they are badly needed.

Nigeria has big market in soap industry already which other neighboring countries travels thousands of kilometers to get in big quantities to sell in their countries for good profits. If that area is properly looked into, the investment opportunity there are still virgin. If well harnessed, could mean a huge opportunity for foreign exchange. This exchange will further improve the underused avenues of cosmetics and soap industry in the country.

If the exporters from Nigeria could strictly follow the rules guiding export, more avenues can be opened up for others who are aspiring to join in making export from Nigeria available to other countries around the world.

BUSINESS

100 investment ideas in 2022 you should not miss. Start with Less than $100

Published

3 months ago

July 4, 2022

Antvt Media

Post Views: 2,479

100 investment ideas you can begin with less than $100. Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business? What’s holding you back?

If the answer is not having enough money to get started, then here’s some excellent news: You can start countless businesses with less than $100.

People do many odd jobs to pay the bills, and no matter what your skills are, there are ways to put them to work. It doesn’t matter if you’re a handyman or an online marketing expert — you can still make extra money on the side.

Here are 100 business ideas to get you started.

100 investment ideas in 2022 you should not miss. Start with Less than 0

Table of Contents

Direct sales representative

Being a local sales representative for companies like Avon, Mary Kay, and Pampered Chef requires you to spread the word about their products by hosting a party or selling them online. Most starter kits cost around $100 and provide you with everything you need to become a sales rep.

Consulting

If you already have the knowledge or experience in a specific area, such as providing legal advice or showing business how to become more eco-friendly, then you can easily start your own consulting agency. The main costs involved are marketing your business and networking, so invest in a website and business cards. Here is an example consulting guide.

Senior home companion

In 2016, there were more than 49 million people in the U.S. alone aged 65 years or older. That figure is expected to grow to around 98 million in 2060. That means that there are lot of seniors who looking for someone to keep them company or families looking for advice on how to care for their loved ones.

Tutor

There are a lot of students who need assistance in every subject, ranging from elementary school to college. If you have this knowledge, then starting your own tutoring service can be an appealing business idea that requires almost no capital. After all, the students already have the learning materials with them.

Freelancing

Whether you’re a writer or web developer, freelancing can be a lucrative business idea that pretty much requires nothing more than your talent, laptop and internet connection. Thanks to the numerous websites that post freelance gigs, you should have no problem starting out. Here is a freelancer guide that will help you every step of the way.

Vlog with YouTube

Since every laptop, tablet, and smartphone comes equipped with a built-in camera, anyone can start creating videos and posting them to YouTube. If you have knowledge you want to share, or are just incredibly charismatic, then you can start profiting from your vlog through ads.

Auto repair/detailing

If you have a garage, tools and knowledge, then why not start your own auto repair shop? Even if you don’t have a garage, you could start a mobile auto repair business where you go to the broken-down vehicle.

If you like the idea of working with vehicles but you aren’t a mechanic, then consider washing and detailing cars. (I had a former colleague who did this on the side, and eventually, he was able to make this into a full-time gig through word-of-mouth recommendations at work.)

Sharing economy rentals

Thanks to the “sharing economy,” more and more people are opting to rent items instead of purchasing them. You can rent out things ranging from your parking space to your furniture. Try starting with a niche and slowly working your way up. For example, you could start renting out yard equipment like rakes, shovels or leaf blowers. If you don’t already own them, you can purchase them for less than $100.

Managing web design

There are countless sites out there that teach you basic web design. Learn a new skill today. Even if you aren’t a web designer, you could find a designer affordably and still charge less than professional web design firms. They key here is managing the process — most businesses don’t want to do this and are willing to pay.

Handyman

If you’re able to make minor household repairs, like switching out a broken electrical outlet or sealing a pipe under the kitchen sink, then this is another in-demand business that doesn’t cost much to launch. You could even consider starting out on TaskRabbit, a marketplace platform for small jobs.

Menu planning

Plenty of people are indecisive when it comes to their food. That’s why they’re willing to hire someone to help them plan out their meals. This is a low-cost idea for anyone who enjoys working with food but doesn’t have the resources to prepare and serve it.

House-sitter/pet-sitter

This idea essentially requires no initial investment. You can start asking your family, friends and neighbors if they need someone to watch their home or pet when they go out of town.

Lawn care

If you have a green thumb, enjoy being outside and have the tools to get started — like a lawnmower, weed-whacker or chainsaw — then this is a no-brainer of a business idea. The only main cost is advertising and marketing your business.

Homemade gourmet foods

Whether if it’s soup mixes, jellies or chocolates, people love gourmet food products. And since you probably already have a kitchen, you just need cooking supplies, packaging and basic marketing materials to get started.

Professional organizer

We live in a materialistic world, and it’s easy to start getting overwhelmed by all the stuff that’s consuming our homes. Just look at the rising popularity of Marie Kondo. Professional organizers can help people get their homes back in order for no more than $20 or so on classified ads.

Green cleaning service

Cleaning services are a dime a dozen. You can stand out from the competition by offering a green cleaning service that uses eco-friendly and natural products. You may even be able to make some of them yourself and sell them for extra cash.

Grocery delivery

Some major grocery stores offer delivery services, but not all of them do. There’s a chance your local supermarket doesn’t, either. That’s when you can charge customers to have you go to the store for them and then deliver groceries to their homes.

Personal concierge

A personal concierge takes care of everything from taking clients to the airport, bringing the dog to the vet or managing schedules. It’s essentially being someone’s personal assistant.

Creating information products

If you have experience with a specific niche, then you can start selling your knowledge by creating products like eBooks or instructional videos. The cost is usually no more than your time, domain name and web hosting.

Blogging

If you’re familiar with a specific topic, then you can launch a blog where you share your knowledge. You can earn money by selling ad space, becoming an affiliate or starting a subscription service. Here’s a resource to getting started with blogging. (I followed its tips and was able to personally create a solid four-figure income within around 12 months.)

Window-cleaning

Window-cleaning is many people’s least favorite household chore, and a window-cleaning service doesn’t require much capital to become profitable.

Interior designer

Both homeowners and business owners are looking for people to design comfortable, organized and productive spaces.

Flier distribution

Local businesses still hire people companies to hand out fliers or place them under windshield wipers. You essentially just need to make a lot of copies, and that’s not a major investment.

Programming

Learning how to program or code, such as with the object-oriented dynamic programming language known as Ruby, is one of the most lucrative business out there. Here’s a guide to starting a developer business to help get you started.

Virtual assistant

This job is similar to being a personal assistant — answering phone calls, responding to emails and keeping your client’s schedule. The difference? You do this remotely.

Social-media consultant

Businesses and individuals are always on the lookout for people to manage and maintain their social channels for them, and many businesses will pay $500 or more a month for these services.

Project management

Believe it or not, not all businesses have in-house project managers, which means that projects can quickly get off-track. Companies are often willing to hire outside project managers to keep their teams focused.

Secretarial services

There are a lot of small businesses and individuals who need services like typing, transcribing and proofreading. As long as you’ve got a computer, a printer and the necessary skills, your business should be good to go.

Catering

If you’re an outstanding cook but don’t want to invest in a restaurant, then you can start your own catering business directly from your own kitchen.

Mobile repair

Want to put your own spin on a repair service? Start one that involves you going to the client. Whether if it’s fixing a mobile phone, a computer or a piece of furniture, this idea doesn’t require more than a vehicle, marketing and your own expertise.

Resume-writing service

A lot of people have difficulty writing amazing resumes, and that may cause them to lose out on a job they’ve been eyeing. If you have knack for composing resumes, it can become a profitable business. (I personally have paid $100 several times for people to get my resume in shape.)

Holiday decorator

Everyone wants their home or office to look festive for an upcoming holiday, but not everyone can make that happen. If you can pull off that holiday cheer, then this is another business that doesn’t require much capital.

Domain name-buying

You can buy a domain on the cheap — sometimes for less than $1. If a business comes along and needs that domain, sometimes they’ll be willing to pay top-dollar for it.

Flipping websites

Using a site like Flippa, you can purchase a website, build it up and sell it. You can turn this into a lucrative business. (I personally have been able to make around $25,000 to $30,000 flipping websites each year.)

Cleaning dryer ducts

Dryers get jammed with lint, and if too much builds up, you could have a house fire on your hands. Since this is an area that’s often overlooked, you can start a dryer duct-cleaning business with just a vacuum and some basic marketing.

Tour guide

If you know your area like the back of your hand, then you can start charging tourists for a personalized tour of your hometown.

Affiliate marketing

If you have a blog with a significant amount of followers, then you can become an affiliate. Essentially, this means that whenever you recommend ther people’s products or services, you can use your own special affiliate link that you’ve requested from the company (or a marketplace like Amazon). Whenever a visitor clicks on that link and makes a purchase, you’ll receive a commission.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is selling products for companies on sites like eBay. Whenever the product is sold, the company handles everything else, such as shipping.

Snow removal

If you have snow shovels and maybe even a plow, then this business idea can make you serious cash. However, it’s completely dependent on the weather. (When I lived in Utah, I paid a neighbor $25 every time it snowed to shovel my driveway and walkway, and it only took him half an hour.)

Pet grooming

If you enjoy being around pets and can bathe them, cut their nails and give them a decent haircut, then this can be a serious money-maker without much of an investment.

Pooper scooper

It’s definitely not the most glamorous job, but you’d be doing something that most people dread so much that they’d pay someone else to do it for them.

Event or party planner

If you’re organized and a planner, then taking care of the arrangements for birthdays, retirements or weddings can be a profitable business.

Computer repair and maintenance provider

Think of all the computers out there that crash or need updates. Do you think that each owner has the technical knowledge to handle any troubleshooting problems? Consider starting your own service.

Life coach or mentor

Many people hire coaches or mentors to help them with things like losing weight or finding happiness. (I’ve found that most life coaches charge $50 to $250 an hour.)

Bookkeeper

It’s important for both businesses and individuals to keep their files neat and tidy, but not all of them have the time to do so. That’s when they hire someone to keep their books in order for them. (I pay my bookkeeper $30 an hour, and I found her on a local website with a classified listing that she paid $50 per month for.)

Tax preparation

Preparing taxes is another necessity, but most of us don’t have the time or knowledge to take care of this task. If you’re up-to-date on the latest tax regulations and enjoy crunching numbers, this can be a lucrative business during tax season.

Book-writing

Did you know that both Amazon and Apple have book-publishing arms? Whether you write an instructional book, cookbook or sci-fi adventure, you can now publish it at almost no cost.

Flooring business

Installing your own flooring may sound easy, but it can get tricky. That’s when you can save the day by installing floors for others. Best of all, you don’t need to worry about inventory — you’d only be focused on installation.

Painting addresses on curbs

Many office and residential customers would gladly pay you to spray-paint their address on the curb. You’d just need some spray paint and an address kit to get started.

Parking lot striping

There are plenty of parking lots that need new stripes. You can start off with a straightedge tool and spray paint. As you earn more money, you can purchase professional equipment.

Business planning

If you’ve already created a successful business, then you can actually turn that knowledge and experience into a new business. New business owners will pay for someone to help guide them in developing their own successful business plan.

Homemade natural soaps and beauty products

Selling natural products is a thriving business. Even if you don’t feel comfortable making your own natural soaps and beauty products, you can dropship for companies that do.

Logo design

If you’re a creative individual, then designing logos is a relatively easy business to start. You can do anything from designing unique logos to customizing ideas from templates. Here’s a guide to starting a design business that should help you every step of the way.

Translator

Businesses are desperately in need of individuals who can speak the language of whatever market they’re entering.

Restore/upcycle furniture

If you’re handy and spot a used piece of furniture that needs some TLC, you could make the repairs and resell. That’s pretty much all profit.

eBay seller

People have been making a living for years off of eBay by selling their old junk, reselling items and dropshipping.

App developer

With the mobile revolution in full swing, the demand for apps has never been higher. Even if you don’t have programming skills, you can still hire someone to make your app a reality.

Personal chef

Unlike catering, which may only keep you busy a couple of days per week, personal chefs are responsible for cooking breakfast, lunch and/or dinner for clients. However, you can spend most of your time preparing meals that just need to be reheated. That allows you to take on more clients.

Personal trainer

Even though health is a priority for most of us, it can be challenge to not only stay on track but also make sure that you exercise correctly without injuring yourself. By becoming a personal trainer, you can motivate and monitor people while they exercise.

Beautify products

If you don’t have the tools or skills to build something from scratch, you can always modify or beautify an existing product. Take mosquito nets, for example — they’re bland, but you could decorate them with ribbon or beads to create a unique product.

Photographer

There’s always a demand for photographers at special events like weddings. Here’s a guide to starting a photography business to get you started.

Framing

After procuring tools like a sander, a matte-cutter, a glass-cutter, tape, clamps, saws, miter boxes, picture-hangers, a stapler and glue, all you need for this business is marketing.

Flea market-vending

Flea markets are still thriving, and you can usually rent out a spot for the day for just $20. You can sell anything from the junk laying around your house to the produce you grew in your backyard to handmade crafts. In many areas, there are multiple flea markets taking place throughout any given week, so this can easily become a frequent gig.

Online content producer

Businesses need lots of content today. If they don’t have an in-house team to create and produce content, they often hire talented outside individuals to do it for them. (There are businesses that pay $50 per blog post, such as mine — here’s my own content marketing guide to help you in your journey.)

Website developer

Everyone should have a website these days, and for the people who don’t have the time or knowledge, you can develop their website for them.

Selling plants online

If you have a green thumb and the space, then you can sell plants online. It’s actually a growing niche since people are becoming more concerned about where their plants originated from, and you can probably charge less the big box stores.

Calligrapher

If you’ve got above-average penmanship, then you can charge people to create handwritten invitations.

Selling crafts

If you can make handmade crafts, like jewelry and furniture, then you can sell those products on sites like Etsy.

Home daycare

You’ll definitely need to get the proper licenses and permits, but this is a business that you can start at home. In some areas, daycare costs around $15 an hour, so this can be a very lucrative business.

Cleaning out foreclosed homes

Whenever a bank forecloses on a home, they have to hire someone to clean the place out. If you don’t mind getting a little dirty, you don’t need much to start this kind of business.

Recycling scrap metal

Some people drive around and take junk, such as broken dryers, off of people’s hands full-time. Why? Because they can scrap that metal. Just keep in mind that the more valuable metals are aluminum and copper.

Internet security consultant

Security is a major concern for businesses and individuals. Besides expertise and some marketing, it doesn’t cost much to start a business protecting others’ hardware and software.

Freelance bartender

If you can make a mean Manhattan, Cosmopolitan and other oft-ordered drinks, try marketing yourself as a freelance bartender for private parties and events.

Training dogs

Consider yourself to be the next Cesar Millan? This is another low-cost business idea with the potential for high profits.

Referral service

Whether a new business or family just moved into town, you can can refer them to the right vendors, babysitters or restaurants. Your only cost would be networking and marketing yourself to the community.

Packing service

No one likes the hassle of packing up for a move. That’s why they’ll hire other people to pack and load their belongings up. You really don’t need to purchase anything without reimbursement, since boxes and tape will be included in your final price. You’ll probably still be a cheaper option than professional movers.

Writing and/or recording a song

If you have the musical chops, you can make a career out of writing your own music. And it doesn’t have to be the latest Taylor Swift single — you could write jingles for podcasts or local businesses.

Concert and show promotion

If you have some experience in marketing and are passionate about spreading the word about upcoming events, then you can start working with artists, venues and labels to generate buzz with essentially no investment on your part.

Tester or reviewer

Companies are often looking for individuals to test and review their products. You can also start your own blog where you review products in a certain niche.

Fashion design

Sites like Etsy now make it accessible for you to sell your unique fashion designs. Even if you’re not into high fashion, you can start creating your own T-shirts and produce through sites like CafePress.

Importing products

You can purchase products from overseas in bulk and start selling them at a markup. That’s how Pura Vida started.

Makeup artist

Whether if it’s for a special occasion like a wedding or for Halloween, people often pay a significant amount for someone to do their makeup.

Hairstylist

If you’re up-to-date on the current styles and can cut hair, then you can start your own salon from your home.

Selling snacks and drinks

Have you ever left a sporting event or concert thirsty and starving? We’ve all been there. That’s why you see people selling bottles of water and hot dogs after an event. Unlike investing in a food truck or cart, you can start off with just a cooler.

Voice-over artist

Now that businesses are creating their own content, such as videos and podcasts, they’re looking for golden voices. If that’s something that you possess, then you could turn it into a lucrative career.

Brewer

You can buy a beer kit for less than $100 and start tinkering around with brewing your own beer. (I have a family friend who did this with friends and now has his own microbrewery.)

Winemaking

You don’t need a vineyard to start making wine. You can start by growing some of your own grapes or purchasing juice. If your small batch of wine turns out well and you start making some cash, you could eventually start your own vineyard or winery.

Storyblocks

Selling eggs

Farm-fresh eggs are a big business right now. You can get in on the action by purchasing a couple of hens and building your own chicken coop.

Baking bread

The size of the market for home-baked bread might surprise you. (I know woman who makes her own bread by working just a couple of days a week, and people line up to purchase it.)

Creating customized care packages

Many people enjoy customized care packages that they can give out as gifts. To begin, you need to find a niche, like holiday packages, and start filling baskets with goodies.

Instructor

You can sell lessons teaching people to play an instrument, cook a meal or even work out. You essentially just need your own knowledge and marketing to get started.

Airbnb host

If you have an extra room or home, consider renting it out on Airbnb instead of letting it sit there vacant. (I personally was able to make around $3,000 a month last year renting out a section of my home.)

Property management

Landlords can’t always check in on their properties or maintain them via cleaning and mowing. A property management company takes care of these tasks for busy landlords.

Laundry/ironing service

Almost everyone has clothes that need to be cleaned or ironed, and oftentimes they don’t have the patience or time to handle these chores on our own. That’s why many people pay others to do it for them.

Clothing alteration service

If you know how to sew or replace buttons or zippers, then you’ve got a new business idea for people who can’t part with their favorite pieces of clothing. It’s also inexpensive to launch this type of business.

Online dating consultant

More and more people are turning to online dating to find a match, but it can be overwhelming when just starting out. If you have experience in the area, then some people are willing to pay for advice.

Sourcing service

You can find products or services for local businesses and resell them at a markup.

Travel agency

Even though there are hundreds of travel websites out there, most people don’t have the time or patience to compare the prices on flights and hotel rates. That’s why there’s still a need for people to do the legwork for them.

Toy-making

Whether it’s carving a doll out of wood or making use of a 3D printer, making toys can be a lucrative business idea.

Food-delivery service

Some people feel they can’t leave the office to pick up food, and others would rather not leave their homes. That’s when they’ll contact you to pick up and deliver food to their doors.