Cheap small business ideas - Page 2

Radar · 02-17-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

Radar, what happened with your home-schooling supplies business?

California made it all but illegal by creating a law that says you must be a certified teacher to teach at home. The state doesn't want to lose the money it gets for sending kids to their failed schools.

Also, I realized that about 90% of the homeschool market are religious nutjobs and I wouldn't want to carry religious items.

Radar · 02-17-2009, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

My sis in law once had an idea to snag one of those tiny old photo-mat booths and make it a reallllly quick morning drive-thru coffee station.

Probably can't find any of those around anymore and that was before there was a Tim Horton Hears a Who on every block.

Never heard of Tim Horton Hears a Who. In L.A. pretty much all of the old photomat booths are cigarette booths/mini smoke shops now.

Shawnee123 · 02-17-2009, 12:42 PM

Heh, It's Tim Horton's...supposedly a better class of coffee than, say, a MickeyD's.

All our fotomat booths were paved for parking lots. So goes paradise...

wolf · 02-17-2009, 12:58 PM

I think all of our Fotomat booths got lifted onto the backs of flatbeds with cranes one day ... suddenly, long before the rise of digital photography, the most convenient form of photo developing disappeared from the face of the earth. Much like the dinosaurs.

One briefly did receive new life as a coffee, newspapers, and cigarettes drive thru (ultra convenience store), wish it was still around, but I guess it was well before it's time (must have been more than 15 years ago).

Sundae · 02-17-2009, 01:13 PM

I always wanted to open up a walkthrough Toast Shop in a narrow unit next to a busy train station. It could be a Toast Cart easily. People love toast for breakfast - from harried businessmen to figure-conscious shopgirls. It's nutritional, fills a gap, cheap and you can eat it on the go, fast, smells great, simple.

That's all I would sell - toast. And maybe tea/ coffee (but British style, where your choices are black or white, sugar or none).

Toast. Two slice minimum.
- White, brown or malted?
- Butter or spread?
- Any topping?
- Take a number and move down to the till please.

Kerching!
50p without topping, £1 with.
50p for tea of coffee. Using volume of sales to drive profits.
Move along please, I have millions to make.

I think it would be too simple (in terms of choice) for Americans though.

Radar · 02-17-2009, 01:22 PM

Not really. The single best American hamburger chain has a very simple menu (though there are a few things not on the menu)

You guys must have strange cash registers. American cash registers don't go "Kerching". Ours go Cha-Ching! :p

Sheldonrs · 02-17-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar

Not really. The single best American hamburger chain has a very simple menu (though there are a few things not on the menu)

You guys must have strange cash registers. American cash registers don't go "Kerching". Ours go Cha-Ching! :p

Love me some jungle style burgers. :-)

Radar · 02-17-2009, 02:56 PM

You mean animal style? (burger cooked in mustard on the grill with grilled onions and extra sauce and cheese) They also have protein style (wrapped in lettuce with no bun) and animal fries (they'll kill you, but you'll go out with a smile on your face)

Shawnee123 · 02-17-2009, 02:57 PM

They don't have those in our area, that I've ever seen.

Radar · 02-17-2009, 03:45 PM

You are missing out Shawnee

Sundae · 02-17-2009, 04:05 PM

Hmmm, double burger meal works out at £3.78.
1p cheaper than a Big Mac meal here.
People always say food is so much cheaper in America - is this an expensive chain?

I ate out in America and found it was cheaper, but more than that, the portion sizes were larger, so you could order less. I don't remember having a burger though (shocking!) Then again, both times I went I actually had plenty of money, so it might just be that I wasn't paying any attention to how much things cost.

Perry Winkle · 02-17-2009, 04:18 PM

All I know is that the Dairy Queen has some good specials here. 2 double cheese burgers for $3.33 and 2 single cheese burgers for $2.22. There's also a deal for some chili cheese burger meal thing.

I don't eat fast food, so I couldn't compare it to In 'n Out. But it's all fast food so it's probably all the same sort of suck.

Perry Winkle · 02-17-2009, 04:20 PM

Radar, how about solving some pain point for computer network professionals? If you come up with some product that network pros can't do without that's a good source of income. Services might also be something you could get into... Play to your strengths, don't sell dog shit.

Shawnee123 · 02-17-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar

You are missing out Shawnee

I just looked at locations online; doubt I'll be near one anytime soon.

classicman · 03-15-2009, 05:02 PM

Whats the update radar?

02-17-2009, 12:42 PM	#18
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Heh, It's Tim Horton's...supposedly a better class of coffee than, say, a MickeyD's. All our fotomat booths were paved for parking lots. So goes paradise... __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

02-17-2009, 12:58 PM	#19
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I think all of our Fotomat booths got lifted onto the backs of flatbeds with cranes one day ... suddenly, long before the rise of digital photography, the most convenient form of photo developing disappeared from the face of the earth. Much like the dinosaurs. One briefly did receive new life as a coffee, newspapers, and cigarettes drive thru (ultra convenience store), wish it was still around, but I guess it was well before it's time (must have been more than 15 years ago). __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

02-17-2009, 01:13 PM	#20
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I always wanted to open up a walkthrough Toast Shop in a narrow unit next to a busy train station. It could be a Toast Cart easily. People love toast for breakfast - from harried businessmen to figure-conscious shopgirls. It's nutritional, fills a gap, cheap and you can eat it on the go, fast, smells great, simple. That's all I would sell - toast. And maybe tea/ coffee (but British style, where your choices are black or white, sugar or none). Toast. Two slice minimum. - White, brown or malted? - Butter or spread? - Any topping? - Take a number and move down to the till please. Kerching! 50p without topping, £1 with. 50p for tea of coffee. Using volume of sales to drive profits. Move along please, I have millions to make. I think it would be too simple (in terms of choice) for Americans though. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

02-17-2009, 01:22 PM	#21
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	Not really. The single best American hamburger chain has a very simple menu (though there are a few things not on the menu) You guys must have strange cash registers. American cash registers don't go "Kerching". Ours go Cha-Ching! :p __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin Last edited by Radar; 02-17-2009 at 01:27 PM.

02-17-2009, 02:56 PM	#23
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	You mean animal style? (burger cooked in mustard on the grill with grilled onions and extra sauce and cheese) They also have protein style (wrapped in lettuce with no bun) and animal fries (they'll kill you, but you'll go out with a smile on your face) __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

02-17-2009, 02:57 PM	#24
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	They don't have those in our area, that I've ever seen. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

02-17-2009, 03:45 PM	#25
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	You are missing out Shawnee __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

02-17-2009, 04:05 PM	#26
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Hmmm, double burger meal works out at £3.78. 1p cheaper than a Big Mac meal here. People always say food is so much cheaper in America - is this an expensive chain? I ate out in America and found it was cheaper, but more than that, the portion sizes were larger, so you could order less. I don't remember having a burger though (shocking!) Then again, both times I went I actually had plenty of money, so it might just be that I wasn't paying any attention to how much things cost. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

02-17-2009, 04:18 PM	#27
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	All I know is that the Dairy Queen has some good specials here. 2 double cheese burgers for $3.33 and 2 single cheese burgers for $2.22. There's also a deal for some chili cheese burger meal thing. I don't eat fast food, so I couldn't compare it to In 'n Out. But it's all fast food so it's probably all the same sort of suck.

02-17-2009, 04:20 PM	#28
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	Radar, how about solving some pain point for computer network professionals? If you come up with some product that network pros can't do without that's a good source of income. Services might also be something you could get into... Play to your strengths, don't sell dog shit.

03-15-2009, 05:02 PM	#30
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Whats the update radar? __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

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