And with practically nothing, how do cover your living costs, whilst the business actually brings in an income, which not only provides a profit but covers the simple basic business operating costs such as transportation, communications, banking costs etc. Most businesses will have credit and payment terms for their customers. There are issues called cash flow, break even analysis and taxation. The only businesses which cost practically nothing to startup generally are on the wrong side of the law or will very soon be. Do you go for a Limited Liability Company (greater taxation benefits and loop holes) or just a self employed trader (pays a higher rate of personal taxation, with less opportunity to grow). Even preparing a business plan successfully takes time, research and expertise (all of which have a real cost even if it is your own time). There is also always the risk of failure (cash flow, failure to pay tax etc), which would have many more times the consequences of NOT escaping the poverty trap. There are many hard working individuals running small businesses out there right now, wishing that the Government was partly paying the mortgage or the rent, many of them living in real poverty.

If you think that all it takes is a ladder, a wash bucket and some cloths to even start a simple window cleaning business then you had better invest in a baseball bat as well.