Stay on a friends couch when it is use and give it a trial run with your furniture in there it is really no risk.

Clothes, bed, couches, chairs.

Well, I am sitting on my couch and my Bob Hogue textbook is in my office across town, sitting dusty on a shelf, so we will just have to agree to disagree, but if you think it would be useful in your business, you can look it up there.  

If your W2 does not pay enough, start a side hustle, flip couches, learn how to run Google Ads for small businesses or paint rooms for old ladies...Once you have your second duplex that should get easier, because now you are definitely living rent free. 

@Greg Pasquale if you are single rent out the extra unit AND all the bedrooms in the unit you live in and sleep on the couch!

I’m sitting on the couch recovering from knee surgery.  

Usury on the West coast triggers at 20 to 50k  so that won't be an issue with you as I doubt you will do many loans that small.Just couching yourself as a private lender is a misnomer your either lending and regulated or your not...

There are very nice washable couch covers that can be put on the furniture cushions.

Total Expenses: $30,495Rental Fee Income: $31,186I was certain with the new water heater and pull out couch this yr it would eat our profits, but we did raise our rates $10/nt so maybe that help counteract those two large purchases some.  

We have however had issues with tenants messing with electric baseboard heaters, funiture/drapes too close or disabling them and bringing in their own portable heater because they wanted to put their couch where the heater was.