Making money can be difficult, especially if you have no capital to start with. You might not be able to find the right job or you may not have the necessary qualifications for a good paying position.
Regardless of your situation, there are plenty of ways you can make money with zero capital. Here are 10 ideas you can take advantage of that will help you get started today!
Table of Contents
Take Surveys

There are lots of sites that pay people to take surveys. The way it works is you take a survey and you earn points, which you can then redeem for money or gift cards. The first thing you need to do is sign up with an account so you can access the surveys available on their site.
Typically you’ll be prompted to fill out your profile with information about your age and gender as well as what kinds of products you like, but you also might want to consider giving them access to your social media accounts if you’re more comfortable sharing that kind of information.
Once you’ve set up an account you can check back daily for new surveys that pop up on their site. Make sure you only take the ones you feel comfortable answering because sellers will not hire someone who doesn’t meet their requirements, even if they are paying for the survey.
Sell Your Old Stuff
You can make money by selling your items you no longer want or need around the house. One of the best things you can do is to take pictures of each item you are selling and list them individually on eBay or sell them all at once in a bulk lot.
Selling your stuff online is especially helpful because you don’t have to part with it, you can just send it to whoever buys it. This also makes shipping easier since you only have one package to deal with, rather than several small packages that cover different people.
Rent Out Your Car

Selling your car is not always the best solution if you really need to get rid of it. Instead, you can rent it out and you’ll still get money for letting someone else use it. There are a few ways you can do this: you can list your vehicle on Carvertise , you can list your vehicle with Turo or you could try Uber.
All three sites will allow you to make checking accounts for your renters and give them access to the app where they can pay their bills.
The great thing about these websites is that all you have to do is sign up and then you don’t have to worry about anything until someone books your car; then you just need to verify who they are before they come pick up the keys.
Polish Your Photography Skills
Do you have a good eye for photography? Do you enjoy taking pictures? There are lots of websites you can join to sell your photos, but you’ll need to test the waters before you try anything.
You should start small by signing up for free or joining one website at a time, then you’ll know which ones you’d prefer to use long term. Sites like iStock and Shutterstock will let you upload your images and then you can wait for people to buy them; if it’s something they like then you get paid, but if not then you’re out of luck.
This not only works for photography. You can also make money selling stock video footage.
Sell Stuff on Amazon

If you’re looking for more ways to make money without capital sign up with Amazon . You can sell your old items you don’t want anymore and you can also make money by signing up with FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon) and selling new products you’ve created.
It used to be you needed a lot of money to start an online business like this, but you don’t necessarily need to have your own store front or website because you can just use the resources you get from being part of their program.
Become a Freelancer or Consultant
If you have a skill you can sell that you’ve learned, you might be able to find work as a consultant. What this means is you’re not necessarily tied down to one company, instead you sign contracts with multiple clients who all need your help in the same area because no one person would hire you for everything you know.
This allows you to make money without having any capital of your own because you’ll only get paid when you actually perform the service they are paying for.
For example, if you used to be an accountant but now you’ve gone back to school and gotten your degree in engineering, then why not use that experience to tutor people? Or maybe even work part time at night until you find something full time?
There are lots of ways you can make money as a consultant without having to have your own office or employees you need to pay.
Start Blogging
If you have a blog then you already know that you don’t have to start making money right away, but you should be aware that there are opportunity for you to do so. One of the easiest way is through affiliate links , which means you put links on your blog directing people back to another website where they can purchase the thing you’re writing about.
This works especially well if you have your own site and/or if you write about things people may want more information on before they actually buy them. The first step in the process is to get a domain name and web hosting. Luckily, Siteground makes the process super easy.
Sell Your Artwork

Do you paint? Draw? Create sculptures out of clay? If yes, you should consider selling your artwork on sites like Etsy and Artfire .
These websites allow you to set up your own stores and you can choose how you want to display your items; you don’t have to sell them for a low price, you can mark them as name brand if you’d like or even just include the actual price. It’s all up to you!
The best part is that these websites do all of the shipping for you, so you don’t have to worry about packaging and mailing your pieces.
Share Your Skills as a Tutor
If you enjoy teaching others you can always sign up as a tutor with sites like Tutor.com . You’ll need to have your own transportation and you should know you won’t be able to make money all the time, but you can work around your schedule by setting your own hours.
This is a great way to make some extra income without having any capital yourself and it also works if you’d rather make money by teaching online.
Become a Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistants are hired to make other people’s lives easier by acting as their hands and feet. You can sell your services on sites like Fiverr, Upwork, oDesk, Toptal and Craigslist.
Some start up costs you might need include a domain name (if you want your own website), web hosting (to house your virtual business) and graphic design software (Adobe Creative Suite is the standard).
As you set out to become a Virtual Assistant you will want to understand what you’re doing before you do it. This way you can truly understand if this career path is right for you.
Become a Mystery Shopper

Mystery shopping is a great way to make extra money. It doesn’t require you to invest any capital, you just have to be willing to put in some work.
There are multiple ways you can become a mystery shopper, you just need to submit your information online and you should be contacted soon about whether or not you qualify for the program.
It’s important that you sign up with multiple companies so you always have something lined up when one company isn’t available for you at the moment.
I was a online mystery shopper for a company that paid me to buy things online and then rate my experience. The great thing was that not only did they reimburse me for the things I bought, but the company also paid me for my time doing the actual online shopping.
Wrap Up
You may not be able to make hundreds of dollars instantly with these methods but you should be able to put at least some money in your bank account over time if you really try to make money with zero capital.
Try one or two ideas that seem like they could work for you, dedicate yourself fully to each one until you see results (no matter how long that takes!) and you’ll be well on your way to saving money without relying on capital. Use the tips you get from this article to help you start making some cash ASAP!
FAQ – Make Money With Zero Capital
Can you really make money without starting out with any?
Yes you can! You just need to be willing to put in the work and do whatever you can to get your foot in the door.
What are some tips you have for getting started?
If you’re not sure where you can get started, consider trying affiliate links , becoming a mystery shopper or sharing your skills as an online tutor! All these methods are great options you can take advantage of so you don’t have to rely entirely on capital.
What are some ways you can move up in one of these fields?
You must keep working even if you’re not seeing results, you’ll need to stay dedicated and you should be willing to learn every day. The more you learn, the more you’ll be able to move up in your field.
What do you need in order to get started?
A computer, a reliable internet connection and a desire to make money. Get your ideas on paper and you’ll be well on your way quickly!