Hi Guys,

I was laid off about a year ago, and recently started working with my uncle to build a real estate brokerage. Long story short, I need to do something else to bring in money for the short term while I get this company running, and maybe even as a long-term business if things don't work out (which is very possible).

I think I have a good mind for business, and the first thing I do when I take on something new is try to familiarize myself with it and find out just how little I know. I've gone through this forum and done a fair amount of research online, so understand that while I definitely consider myself pretty uninformed about how to make this business work, I'm not just writing a post expecting some easy answers without being willing to do (or having already done) some investigation on my own.

I've got a very open mind, and I would be very grateful for any advice you guys could give me from your own experience.


I started by posting an ad on craigslist advertising a free vending machine for a person's place of work. I didn't want to buy a machine without a place to put it, so I made that post and waited for replies. So far I've gotten a few.

One reply came from a Best Western requesting a combo machine, so I purchased one from a guy on craigslist for $200. He had a few of them, so I tested one he already had assembled, bu the one I bought had never even been opened. It's a cheap Antares combo machine with a coin changer, and it's very simple to operate which suggests (to me at least), that it should be fairly reliable. I've already installed it, and will check on it after a week to see what kind of revenue I can expect.

I've got two other places that have contacted me as well, and I would love some feedback from you guys. One is a two-story office building that has one floor devoted to a student cultural center, with about 40-50 students there per day year round. They want both a snack and drink machine, and have a nice prominent spot right by the entrance to put it.

The other is a dance studio that wants a drink machine to sell Gatorade, water, and soda. Here is the schedule of students:

Monday - no class
Tuesday - 15
Wednesday - 40
Thursday - 10
Friday - 20
Saturday - 30
Sundays - 30


I'm fairly cash poor at the moment, so buying a top-quality machine isn't an option for me. I've been able to find soda machines on craigslist for around $300, and snack machines for about $400.

Do you guys have any advice for me? Should I be looking for anything in particular when shopping for machines? Also, do you think these locations will be worth it, or would I be wise to look elsewhere for locations?

Anything you guys could tell me would be very much appreciated.

-Tom