How much does it cost to start final expense telesales from home? A real first-90-days budget

The question gets asked every week and the answer from people selling programs is always lower than the truth. Here's the budget agents who've done it put together. Substitute your own numbers; the categories are what matter.

Before the first dial.

• License, fingerprints, exam prep and the state fees.
• E&O coverage for the year.
• Non-resident licenses for the states you'll dial. Each one has a fee.
• A wired headset, a second monitor, a quiet room.

Monthly, from day one.

• The CRM and dialer, with texting registered under your business.
• Leads. This is the line that decides everything. Enough leads for six hours of dialing a day, five days a week, for ninety days, funded before the first commission arrives.
• Carrier appointments are usually free; some charge for background checks.

The number nobody budgets. Living expenses for ninety days, because as-earned commissions take time and advanced commissions are a loan you'll want to be careful with.

The honest total. Most agents who did it say the leads for the first ninety days were the largest line, larger than everything else combined, and that underfunding them was the mistake that ended other agents they started with.

The programs that sell you a start. Some are legitimate training with a lead pipeline attached. Ask what the contract level is, who owns the leads, and what the release looks like. The contracting room has the questions.

If you started from home, post your real first-90-days spend by category. Round numbers are fine. Specific numbers are better.