NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Ever fantasize about telling your boss goodbye? One way to do so -- and still keep the money rolling in -- is to start your own business.

But how do you get it up and running without working 24 hours a day? Here are today's five tips for lazy entrepreneur wannabes.

Looking to get started with the least amount of headaches?

If your dream is to own a shop (or, ultimately, a retail empire), you could go around to all the neighborhood malls and strip malls, talk to their general managers and try to determine who'll give you the best deal to rent a space. Or you could skip that stage altogether and just launch online.

But why go through the trouble (and expense) of launching your own Web site? According to Michael Miller, author of "The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Launching an eBay Business," "Most people start making money on eBay by selling things from around the house, then they run out of stuff. Then, they look to do more."

eBay is most appropriate for entrepreneurs with dreams of having their own shop (or retail empire). Miller says once you decide what you want to sell -- old junk from estate sales, liquidated merchandise or even handmade goods -- you can set up shop quickly and easily.

But, he says, there are a few fees that budding eBay entrepreneurs should understand. eBay charges a listing fee based on the initial price of the item, whether you sell the item or not. (For example, for items priced in the $10.00 to $24.99 range, the listing fee is $0.60)

Then, if you do sell the item, they take a percentage called a final value fee, of about 5 percent of the actual sale price. If the person who buys your item purchases it via credit card, there's a fee per transaction of about 3 percent on top of the final sale price (which includes shipping & sales tax).

So, figure to pay roughly 10 percent of an item's value in various fees. Some people craft elaborate online "storefronts" on eBay. According to the company, storefront costs start at $9.95 a month. There are currently 181,000 stores operating on their platform.

For more information on eBay's fees and on storefront costs, go to www.ebay.com.

Entire books have been written about getting how to get the single, creative idea to launch a business. Sometimes, however, it pays not to work so hard.

"Some people think they've got to have a brilliant business idea, but they don't. There are new tax preparers and dry cleaners going into business all the time," says Eric Tyson, author of "Small Business for Dummies." The trick, Tyson says is to, "Start small then work your way up the economic food chain. Many successful restaurants began out of people's kitchens. They didn't start out where they are now."

No matter what kind of business you start, you'll need to run it from somewhere. And instead of getting into the car and commuting somewhere, why not run your operation from your house, especially when you're just getting started?

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What's more, you can get a great tax break by doing so, if you set your business up the right way. Make sure the area you've devoted to the business is used regularly and exclusively for business. In theory, the space cannot be used for any personal use.

That means no guest rooms doubling as offices; or corners of the kitchen turned over to bookkeeping. Your home office is deductible if it is your principal place of business.

For example, a freelance writer who earns their salary from their home office desk qualifies for the tax break. Taking work home occasionally from the office won't cut it. But someone who may do their work in the field, but takes care of the paperwork for the job at home, does qualify. You may also qualify if you regularly use your home to meet with clients.

Once you figure out whether you qualify for a deduction, you'll want to get a hold of form 8829, the form for claiming the deduction.

To compute your deduction, first determine the proportion of your home's square footage that is dedicated to the office. You'll be allowed to deduct that same proportion of your mortgage interest, depreciation, utilities and repairs from you income. And renters get to deduct their business from their rental expenses.

Also, it can't hurt to take photographs of your home office space. These can be used to back up your case if you are audited.

Don't have time or the inclination to go back for a business degree? A good place to begin instead is SCORE, a nonprofit association that provides would-be entrepreneurs with free, face-to-face and e-mail business counseling.

Counseling and workshops are offered at 389 chapter offices nationwide. Services are provided by volunteers who are experienced entrepreneurs or corporate managers. For more information, check out www.score.org.

Also, be sure to check out the government's "Business Center" at www.careeronestop.org. The site has links aimed at helping blossoming entrepreneurs start, manage and grow their businesses.

Another way to educate yourself without leaving the house is by logging on to the Small Business Administration's Web site (www.sba.gov). On the site, you'll find their Small Business Training Program, an online "campus" where you'll find classes like Building a Business, Analyzing Profitability and Identifying Your Target Market.

It's no secret that it takes money to start a business. If you're under-funded and need cash in a flash, there's help out there.

The Small Business Administration is one place where would-be entrepreneurs can turn for money. The SBA's primary business loan program is the Basic 7(a). The average loan through this program totals $166,000, however businesses can borrow much more.

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These loans are aimed at helping qualified small businesses get financing when they might not be eligible for financing through normal channels.

According to the SBA, it's the agency's most flexible business loan program, since financing under this program can be guaranteed for a variety of general business purposes. Loan proceeds can be used for working capital, machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, land and building.

Here's how it works: Businesses apply to a lender for financing. The commercial lender decides whether they'll make the loan, which the SBA stands behind with a guaranty.

There's also the SBA Microloan Program. It provides short-term loans of up to $35,000 to small businesses for working capital, the purchase of inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery and/or equipment. For more information on SBA loans, go to www.sba.gov.

Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News. Willis also hosts CNNfn's Open House, weekdays from Noon to 12:30 p.m. (ET). E-mail comments to 5tips@cnn.com.