Start a business from home

If you are looking for some extra funds to start up a home-based business, there are various options to consider.

For more information, see: 

• business financing options - an overview
• choose the right finance when starting up 
• use your business plan to get funding

Initial costs for a home business

You will need to buy, lease or rent the equipment for your home office and any materials you need for the service you are supplying - see decide whether to lease or buy assets.

Finding and keeping in touch with customers is a major issue, so investing in a good computer with relevant software and a broadband connection will be a priority in most cases.

The most common costs to consider when starting out are:

• a computer or laptop
• broadband access
• mobile phone
• office desk or chair
• business cards
• stock - if you're supplying products

When you are factoring software packages into your start-up costs, take a look at the much cheaper or even free options - open-source software such as OpenOffice and Google Docs.

For more information, see computer software for business and IT for home-based businesses.

Read further information on managing business finance during the start-up phase.