Becoming an Entrepreneur After 70: How I Launched an Online Store with Almost No Money

Becoming an Entrepreneur After 70: How I Launched an Online Store with Almost No Money

At 74, I could have taken retirement as a chance to wind down — but I chose to start something new instead.

I launched an e-commerce store, Price-Squeeze.store, to stay mentally active, use my time constructively, and explore the powerful opportunities the internet now offers — many of which didn’t exist for my generation.

Here’s how I did it, what I used, and why you can, too.

Why Start a Business After Retirement?

• Mental Stimulation: Running a store gives me daily puzzles to solve — from new product ideas to online marketing.

• A Sense of Purpose: It feels good to be building something again.

• Accessible Tools: The resources available online today are powerful, low-cost, and easy to learn — and that levels the playing field for all of us.

How I Started Price-Squeeze.store on a Shoestring

1. Kept Costs Near Zero with Print-on-Demand

One of the smartest tools I used was print-on-demand. It lets me design and sell mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, and more — without buying stock upfront.

When a customer places an order, the item is printed and shipped directly to them. No inventory. No overhead.

And best of all, the designs are my own ideas — many sparked by what I see going on in the world, especially in UK politics. You’d be amazed how often a headline inspires a t-shirt.

But your designs could come from any interest or hobby — gardening, fishing, sports, classic cars — whatever you love.

2. Used Free or Low-Cost Tools

I built the store using:

• https://freewebstore.co.uk/ UK  based offering low cost startup e commerce.

• Canva and Paint 3d (my laptop is old) for graphics and designs

• Print-on-demand platforms like PrintIfy or Gelato

• AI tools like ChatGPT for writing product descriptions

• YouTube tutorials to learn everything from scratch

This approach kept my startup costs under £100.

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3. Learned by Doing

There was no big business plan — just curiosity, consistency, and patience.

Each day, I learned something new. Each week, the store grew.

No one is too old to learn — and thanks to the internet, the classroom is everywhere.

I made a habit of watching one tutorial per day and applying what I learned. Slowly but surely, I built my site, step-by-step.

4. Kept My Costs Low

I didn’t rent an office or hire staff. I worked from home. Used free tools. Focused on simplicity.

It’s amazing what you can do these days with less than £100 to get started.

The main cost is your time, It does however become a hard habit to break, the time flys by!!

What You’ll Find on Price-Squeeze.store

• Print-on-demand items with original designs — some political, some practical, all affordable

• Useful everyday products, handpicked for value and quality

• A commitment to keeping prices squeezed down — hence the name

👉 Visit: www.price-squeeze.store

What I’ve Learned (And Why You Should Try It Too)

• You don’t need to be a tech expert

• Starting is more important than getting it perfect

• Small daily progress adds up

• The internet is a powerful equalizer — anyone, at any age, can start something

• You’re not too old to start something new

• You don’t need a big budget — just ideas and internet access

• The tools out there today make it easy, even for beginners

• Running a store is both challenging and deeply rewarding

Final Word

You don’t need to become a millionaire — sometimes, the win is just in starting something.

If you’re retired and thinking about your next chapter, I highly recommend giving entrepreneurship a go. Whether you build around politics like I have, or your own passions, you’ll be surprised what you can create.

It’s never too late to start.

Thinking of having a go? I am happy to give advice from what I have learnt over the last 12 months.  Contact me 

One of many T Shirts in the store