Bootstrapping on a Budget: 21 Frugal Hacks That Kept My Startup Afloat

From moving countries to selling kitchen tables, these are the 21 frugal hacks that have kept my bootstrapped startup alive

Photo by Florian Schmetz on Unsplash

Celi’s burn rate is $5,318 a month.

The monthly salaries of the developer and designer building Celi represent 94% of that spend.

Subscriptions the rest.

Celi has raised $0, meaning this build is being financed by capital contributions.

Aka, I’m depleting my savings.

Kind of.

I have one freelance contract that pays $3,768 per month and my current cost of living is $2,330 per month.

Which means my overall burn is actually only $3,880 per month.

• Monthly Inflow: $3,768
• Monthly Outflow:($5,318 + $2,330)
• Monthly Burn:-$3,880

To keep this low, I’ve had to live simply.

The intent of In Public is to document my first experiment, Celi, in its entirety, and while this piece may be filed under TMI (too much information), I’m not publishing it seeking sympathy.