There are many perks to starting a business. You’ll be able to work at your own time, do what you love, and most importantly, your earnings will not be limited by an employer. A successful business can truly give you the life of your dreams.
This article will go over 23 small business ideas you can start today that can make £500 fast in The United Kingdom. These businesses can be started quickly, with little technical knowledge, and don’t require a large financial investment.
How to make £500 Fast in The UK
1. Start a commercial cleaning business
If you are willing to do the dirty work that others can’t, consider starting your own cleaning business. You can reap a tremendous financial reward. There are several cleaning businesses that you can get into easily:
- Commercial cleaning services
- Vehicle cleaning
- Carpet cleaning
- Graffiti removal
2. Freelance writing
Freelance writing is one of the most popular online businesses right now. You don’t need a degree in English, journalism, or literature to get started. You just need to be fluent in English. It’s such an easy business to get into with plenty of work opportunities on sites like Upwork.
3. Amazon Kindle publishing
Kindle Publishing is a fantastic way to make passive income. It works as follows: Write a book on any topic you’re knowledgeable on, then upload it to Amazon Kindle Publishing. The book will get reviewed by Amazon’s reviewers.
After approval, it will then get published on the platform and readers can purchase it. Amazon takes a small percentage of every book that is sold and gives the rest to you. Ebooks are great because they have such a low cost of production. You won’t need to spend money printing hard copies of the book.
4. Graphic design
If you’re great with tools such as Photoshop and Canva, then you could become a graphic designer. In this digital age, the demand for design work is perennial.
Companies need graphics for their social media pages, websites, email campaigns, newsletters, etc. It’s one of the easiest ways to make £500 online in The UK. You could get started on freelancing sites like Upwork and Fiverr. Check out our guide on how to find graphic design clients.
5. Offer business plan services
Many newbie entrepreneurs have a hard time putting together a business plan. Through your service, you can help them create a complete business plan that includes market research and financial statements. You can easily make £500 in a week with just one client.
6. Aerial photography
In the last decade, aerial photography has seen unprecedented growth all around the world. A business in aerial photography is a good idea if you’re proficient at flying a drone or can learn quickly.
And who will your ideal clients be? Real estate developers, couples planning a wedding, film and music producers, and many more. You can make more than £500 in a day with this business.
7. Build and sell website themes
A lot of people rely on themes, particularly on WordPress, to get their websites up and running. If you have some web development and design experience then you can create themes for various industries and then sell them on platforms such as Themeforest.
8. Start blogging
Blogging is a fantastic way to make money online if you love writing and are familiar with search engine optimization.
You must first find a niche that is not too competitive and then do some research to find keywords that people are searching for on Google. Once you have your list of keywords, you can then write your articles covering them comprehensively.
Blogs can be monetized in various ways, including by running ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.
9. Start a food delivery business
It can be difficult and costly to open a restaurant. A cheaper alternative would be starting a food delivery business.
All you would need to do is prepare delicious meals at home, then deliver them to customers at work or at their homes. You might need a permit or courier insurance depending on where you live.
As with any other business in this list, the key to success in the food delivery industry is marketing. You need to first establish who your target customers are and then go after them with ads.
10. Property management
There are many property owners who simply don’t have time to manage all their properties. They need someone to trust with collecting rents, fixing broken things, and kicking out bad tenants.
You might be a successful property manager if you have experience in real estate or are good at managing people.
11. Virtual assistance
Many small businesses hire virtual assistants to help with their day-to-day operations. Virtual assistants usually focus on administrative tasks such as responding to emails and data entry.
If this is a line of work that interests you then you can go on freelancing platforms to find clients. Check out our comprehensive guide on how to find virtual assistance clients.
12. Social media management
A solid online presence is essential for surviving and remaining relevant in this digital age. It’s no surprise that many companies are outsourcing social media management to freelancers.
If you’re one of those people who spends hours every day browsing through Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, then you’re probably qualified to run other people’s accounts and get paid for it. It’s another great way to make £500 fast in The UK.
13. Web design
To build a website in the early days of the internet, you had to be able to code. Thankfully, platforms such as WordPress and Wix are no-code solutions that have changed all of this.
You can start a web design company if you enjoy designing and are willing to spend time learning WordPress.
14. Sell online courses
Almost everyone has a skill that others would be willing to pay for, whether that’s painting, cooking, or dancing.
To get started selling your courses, you don’t have to buy expensive equipment; all you need is your smartphone camera and an inexpensive microphone. Udemy, Skillshare and other courses building platforms are great places to start.
15. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is perfect for anyone looking to make passive income. Start by finding a few companies that you like and then signing up for their affiliate program.
Every time somebody buys their products through your link, you earn a commission. Clickbank and Commission Junction are two of the best platforms to find high-paying affiliate products.
16. Tutoring
Another small business idea worth considering is tutoring. This service can be provided online or in person. You can teach academic and vocational subjects such as accounting, Mathematics, sewing and knitting, etc. It all depends on what you’re actually good at.
17. Video editing
Video editing is a service that can easily make you £500 in a day in The United Kingdom. A lot of content creators are looking for people to help edit their videos. Companies are also getting into video marketing, and need some assistance putting together their videos.
18. eCommerce
Selling is easier than ever thanks to the internet. You can set up your online store on platforms like Shopify and sell to people all over the world without worrying about it.
An eCommerce business can be very profitable if it is done correctly. Start by doing some research to establish products that have demand in your target location, and then find a cheap overseas supplier.
If you can afford to order your inventory in bulk then go for it, as it will help bring down the cost. Once you have your eCommerce store and inventory in place, the next step will be marketing. Given how expensive marketing can be, you can focus all your efforts on a single channel, such as Instagram or TikTok.
19. Amazon FBA
This is another idea that falls under the eCommerce category. You can find products that you are interested in selling, then purchase and ship them to Amazon’s warehouses. Your products will be uploaded to Amazon if they pass the quality check.
Any time somebody places an order, Amazon takes care of the packaging and delivery. Amazon FBA is easier to manage than running your own eCommerce store.
20. Tax preparer
Tax preparation is a nightmare for a lot of people. If it happens to something you’re good at then you can start offering your services to individuals and even small businesses.
21. Interior design
Many people buying new homes get overwhelmed by the number of options when it comes to decoration. If you’re great at interior design then you can come in and help them put their homes in order.
The great thing about this business is that you don’t need to have any formal education to get started, just an eye for design.
22. Teach English online
There is a growing demand for English teachers all over the globe. If you are a native speaker then you are in luck! You don’t even need to have any formal qualifications to get started.
The only requirement is that you’re good at both spoken and written English. Platforms like VIPKID are great for connecting with potential clients.
23. Podcasting
If you’ve got an interesting take on things and you genuinely enjoy talking then you should consider starting a Podcast. You can do so right from your own home. And you don’t need much equipment to get started, perhaps just a decent microphone and a smartphone/laptop. Podcasts can be monetized in many ways, including running ads and affiliate marketing.
