Best mower on a tight budget is the one you already have — sharpen the blade and you're in business. That's literally how I started.
I don't mow much anymore — I kept one client this year — but I'm running a mower someone gave away for free because it wasn't working. Before starting my lawn care company I had a hobby fixing small engines, picking up dead mowers for free or cheap and learning how to clean carburetors and get them running again. Some I resold for profit.
If you're tight on cash, you don't need new with a warranty. Learning basic maintenance — carb cleaning, blade sharpening, oil changes — will save you more money than any used mower deal ever will, and it means breakdowns don't shut your business down for a week waiting on a shop.
Thank you all for yhe advice. I had an epiphany. I had a 4 wheeler sitting around collecting dust. I pit a new battery and fresh gas in it, traded it for a **bleep** Turf Tiger with the 61 in Advantage deck. It needed some work which me and my 13 year old son were able to perform, and this evening I cut my first customers lawn. Well, my mother's lawn as a test yard. But still, I mowed my first lawn with my new to me mower!! Now to fix my truck so I can pull my mower to the next job!
