Start A Business For Nothing

We all know that start up costs for a business can be pretty costly. However, thanks to an article from Entrepreneur Magazine (May 2010, pp 30), your start up costs can be minus a few deductions.

Basecamp (www.basecamphq.com) offers the ability to run your business from anywhere that has wi-fi access. You can assign tasks, send instant messages, edit documents, create presentations , plus more. All for just $24/month

Square (www.squareup.com) offers the ability to swipe credit card with your Iphone or Ipod. With an easy attach system consisting of a plug in to the earpiece, your customers to make purchases form anywhere. This product is a steal, costing only $1 for the app and 2.9% of each transaction, the hardware is free.

Google Voice (www.google.com/voice) provides the ability to have a local number but redirected to any land line and/or cell phone you choose. Voice mails can be accessed through text message and incoming calls can be recorded and played back online. Local calls free and long distance just 2 cents per minute

Efax (www.efax.com) provides the capability of sending and receiving faxes online. Costing $16.95/month you receive 130 incoming pages plus outgoing faxes send as email attachments.

Drop Box (www.dropbox.com) is a free download-able software that allows you to drag and drop files onto your desktop and then sync them to a PDA

Freshbooks (www.freshbooks.com) automates the accounting department. It has easy web interface that send documents to clients with logo. You receive 3 clients for free and only $19/month to upgrade gaining 25 free clients.

Get Satisfaction (www.getsatisfaction.com) allows you to receive complaints, questions, and feedback through the social media outlet and organizes it into a customer service platform that can be used on your website. The plans start at $19/month

Legal Zoom (www.legalzoom.com) is a company that allows you to legalize your company for little to nothing. LLC packages start at $149

**This articles is complements to Entrepreneur Magazine, May 2010 Issue, Page 30

Though these opportunites are available, there are still other options. The arefunding opportunites for minority owned business, and google has numerous new programs available, check out Google For Your Business.