Shoestring Startups 24 businesses you can start for $3,000 or less.

Ready to be your own boss? There are hundreds of businesses you can start in your spare time with an initial investment of less than $3,000. Once your business gets going, you can keep it small and part time, or you can expand and go full time. Here are some of today's hottest low-cost opportunities.

Because so many people have computers at home, our estimated start-up costs do not include the cost of a computer. If you need to purchase one, your initial costs will be higher. (Check out last month's "Wise Buys" column for six computers you can buy for less than $1,000.)

Marcire Geffner is a freelance writer in Los Angeles who reports on real estate and small-business issues.

Personal Computer Consultant

Despite the pervasiveness of computers, there are stillthousands of people who are intimidated by computer technology. Ifyou're computer savvy and a patient teacher, you can sellindividual computer training and consulting services to seniors,students and others who need personal computing power.

Start-Up Cost: $2,000

Business Computer Consultant

Businesses of all sizes rely on outside computer experts foradvice about hardware purchases and upgrades, computer networkingand Internet access. To sell your services to corporations,you'll need a professional image, including good-qualitybusiness cards, a separate phone line and a fax machine.

Start-Up Cost: $3,000

Web-Site Designer

When the Internet was in its infancy, no one paid much attentionto how attractively information was presented online. Today, a coolWeb site is the hottest way for a company to market its productsand services. That's why companies hire professionals toconceptualize their sites' messages; design the backgrounds,buttons and graphics; and publish the sites on the Web. With somuch off-the-shelf Web-site design software available, yourcreativity and graphic skills are more important than technicalability.

Start-Up Cost: $2,000

Web-Site Marketing Consultant

Many companies create fancy Internet sites, then fail to promotethem to potential customers. As a promotional consultant, youregister the company's site with multiple search engines toincrease traffic, arrange reciprocal links with related sites andhelp the company make purchasing decisions about banneradvertising.

Start-Up Cost: $2,000

Personal Massage

Massage used to be restricted to professional athletes, buttoday health magazines are touting the lifelong benefits of massagefor just about everyone. To give body massages in homes or offices,you'll need to take some training courses, buy a portablemassage table and obtain a license, in some states. One profitableniche: Target corporate clients by offering to give their employees10-minute massages for, say, $10.

Start-Up Cost: $2,600

Image Consultant

In today's society, looks matter. Image consultants helppeople make good first impressions by advising them how to improvetheir images. This includes everything from clothing and hairstylesto speaking voices, posture and manners. Whether you targetindividual customers with color-consulting services or aim atexecutives trying to climb the corporate ladder, your image is keyin this business. Invest in professional-looking marketingmaterials, and remember, you're your own bestadvertisement.

Start-Up Cost: $700

Nutritional Supplement Distributor

Health-conscious consumers are creating a demand for nutritionalsupplements, diet aids and the like. You can get into the businessas a distributor with almost no money if you choose a reputablemultilevel marketing company. With marketing savvy and anunderstanding of health and fitness, you'll soon see healthyprofits.

Start-Up Cost: $100

Gift Baskets

Each month offers occasions tailor-made for giving gift baskets,and designing and delivering them is a year-round businessopportunity. If you've got an eye for the gifts people love toget, this could be the business for you. (For more on gift baskets,see "Perfect Presents" on page 60.)

Start-Up Cost: $3,000

Tax Preparer

The demand for professional help completing income tax forms isas strong as ever. An increasingly complex tax code and the growthof small and homebased businesses are contributing to the demand.With a head for numbers and specialized computer software, you canhelp people file tax forms as a tax preparer.

Start-Up Cost: $3,000

Judgment Recovery Service

Often, winning a case in small claims court is much easier thancollecting on the judgment. Much like collections agents, judgmentrecovery specialists go after unpaid claims, charging a percentageof the claim as a fee. Judgments for property damage and uninsuredauto accidents make up most of the business for Christina Smiley, aformer collections agent who started Sierra Judgment Recovery inSouth Lake Tahoe, California, three years ago. Smiley earns 40percent to 50 percent of each judgment she recovers, which added upto $80,000 last year.

Start-Up Cost: $200

Paralegal Service

Getting help from an attorney can be expensive, even for aroutine will, bankruptcy or divorce. As an independent paralegal,you can't offer legal advice, but you can use special softwareto help people complete simple legal forms, then take the hasslesoff their hands by filing forms for them. Laws regulatingparalegals vary from state to state; a paralegal certificate orliability insurance may be required. Check your local businesslicensing agency or department of corporations to find out.

Start-Up Cost: $2,000

Office Plant Service

Most businesses have plants in their reception areas, executiveoffices and employee lunch rooms. As a plant service owner, yourecommend sturdy species, properly water and fertilize the plants,and otherwise keep the greenery healthy.

Start-Up Cost: $150

Apartment Prepper

Moving is a fact of life-and every time a tenant vacates anapartment, someone needs to clean, repair and paint it before itcan be shown to prospective new tenants. That's where you comein. You'll need a heavy-duty vacuum, industrial-strengthcleaning supplies, a well-stocked toolbox, and a professional paintsprayer and compressor to get started. A carpet cleaning machinecan be rented as necessary.

Start-Up Cost: $1,500

In-Store Demonstrator

Grocery shoppers are more likely to purchase the newest juicedrink, hot salsa or other item if they try a free sample at thesupermarket. In-store demonstration services provide supermarketswith trained demonstrators who set up tables and hand out samplesor coupons. Start-ups market their services to the grocery storesand recruit independent contractors to do the demonstrations.

Start-Up Cost: $150

Utility Service Marketer

The deregulation of phone companies created big opportunitiesfor independent telemarketers and multilevel marketing companies tosell long-distance service to consumers. Now utility services arebeing deregulated, and utility companies are turning to independentcontractors to market electricity to consumers. If you affiliatewith a legitimate multilevel marketing company, you can typicallyget started for very little money.

Start-Up Cost: $100

Freelance photographer

Opportunities for freelance photographers are everywhere.Weddings, sports teams and special events are key sources ofbusiness; magazines, newspapers, advertising agencies and corporatemarketing departments also rely on independent photographers forstock art, specialty photographs, brochures and Web-site images. Ifyou have a good camera and an artistic eye, you can turn amateurpicture-taking into a professional photography business.

Start-Up Cost: $1,000

Newsletter Publisher

Thanks to desktop publishing software, you don't need to owna print shop to publish your own newsletter. Specialty newsletterswork best when they target a narrow field of interest. Edibleinsects, cookie-cutter collecting and stay-at-home fatherhood arethemes of successful newsletters. Pick a topic you enjoy, researchthe trends and ask fellow enthusiasts to contribute articles. Sendpress releases and sample copies to the media to build yoursubscriber base. Distributing the newsletter by e-mail can loweryour production costs.

Start-Up Cost: $1,000

Pet-Sitter

When pet owners take vacations or business trips, pet-sittersstep in to ease their worries. Love of animals is essential;you'll do everything from walking dogs and stroking cats toadministering medicine, when necessary. Advertise with businesscards or fliers at veterinary offices or pet stores.

Start-Up Cost: $1,000

Inventory Counting Service

Taking inventory can be a painful undertaking for pharmacies,grocery stores and other businesses. Professional inventorycounters, who usually have retail experience, can make the processsmoother and the results more accurate. You'll need a handheldcounting device, plus knowledge of the basics of inventorycontrol.

Start-Up Cost: $2,000

Children's Party Planner

Two-income parents rarely have the time or energy to planmemorable birthday parties for their children. That's why theyhire you, the party planner, to bring decorations, cake and icecream, clowns, games and entertainment. The key to party planningis knowing where to get everything at a discount.

Start-Up Cost: $400

Executive/Personal Organizer

Some people are just naturally organized. If you're one ofthem, help those who aren't by starting your own organizingservice. You can help busy executives get their workspaces andschedules in order. Or cater to individuals by organizing closetsand garages. Whichever market you choose, you'll need brochuresand business cards to tout the benefits of your services. Joiningorganizer associations is a good way to get referred to your firstclients.

Start-Up Cost: $1,000

Tutor

If you have a knack for numbers, a way with words or just aboutany other type of talent, you can turn it into a thriving businessas a tutor. Visit students in their homes or at school-or have themcome to you. Advertise on school bulletin boards or send directmailings to local parents. All you need to get started are somebusiness cards and basic instruction manuals.

Start-Up Cost: $300

Baby-Proofing Service

For a toddler, home can be a dangerous place. That's whymany new parents hire baby-proofing services to locate and correctpotential hazards. You'll need some basic tools, includingscrewdrivers, wrenches and a small drill, plus a good selection oflatches and safety devices. Personal networking, referrals,advertising and letters to pediatricians can alert parents to yourservices.

Start-Up Cost: $1,500

Selling Collectibles

Interest in antiques and collectibles is soaring. Whetheryou're selling '70s action figures or country-style

kitchen accessories, there's someone out there who wants it.Renting space in an antique mall or co-op can cost as little as $50a month, and some malls even provide staff to work your booth soyou don't have to. Visit garage sales and swap meets to stockup on inventory; then invest in some price guides to becomefamiliar with values. Soon you'll look at everything old in awhole new way.

Start-Up Cost: $1,100

Succces Stories

Lynn Kerrigan

Newsletter Know-How/

The Culinary Sleuth

Annual sales: $25,000

Start-up cost: $1,000

Year started: 1995

Number of subscribers: 1,500

Success secrets: "Running a successful newsletter businesstakes patience (it usually takes two years to show a profit),constant creative marketing and, most of all, a darn goodproduct."

Greg Eberly

Designer Greens

Annual sales: $200,000

Start-up cost: $100

Year started: 1980

Number of clients: 75

Success secrets: "To run an office plant service, you needa solid background in indoor horticulture; knowledge of productsources and your target market; an aggressive yet pleasantdemeanor; a commitment to excellence; and business savvy."

Medical Transcriptionist

If you have a bit more start-up cash, here's anotherbusiness you can launch.

Managed-care health plans have forced doctors, dentists,chiropractors and other medical service providers to outsourcetasks once performed by office personnel. Transcription of medicalrecords and reports is one such task. In addition to being a quickand accurate typist, an independent medical transcriptionist shouldhave a few years' experience working in the field and must befamiliar with medical terminology.

Start-Up Cost: $5,000

Steve Epner

BSW Consulting

Annual sales: $750,000

Start-up cost: $5,000

Number of clients: Several hundred

Year started: 1976

Success secrets: Says computer consultant Epner, "You needto have faith in yourself and what you're doing; a strongself-image; and, if you have a family, make sure they're behindyou."

Contact Sources

BSW Consulting Inc., 1050 N.Lindenberg Blvd., St. Louis,MO 63132, (314)991-8505.

Designer Greens, P.O. Box 11949, Palm Desert, CA 92255,plantguy@designergreens.com

Sierra Judgement Recovery, (530)577-0926, http://pages.prodigy.net/sjrecovery/bmisc/