Kind of An Unusual Question - DPChallenge Forums

07/23/2010 01:05:01 AM · #1

Alright, I'm not sure how everyone is going to react to this, but...

I'm 13 years old, and need a crap load of money before the end of the summer to buy this. My idea: scam people out of hundreds of dollars really fast by selling ice-cream at suspiciously (but not unusually) high prices. I play the ice-cream-man theme song really loudly and drive slowly past neighborhoods of stay-at-home mom's with 3 kids each. It's GOLD!!!

1. I can get the ice cream at cost-co in mass-quantities for low, low, prices!
2. I have a bicycle with many, many gears for going up hills and down.
3. I live in a neighborhood that has TONS of communities events right near by.
4. I'm 5 minutes walk away from a neighborhood with HUGE houses and rich people.
5. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CARRY THE ICE CREAM

All Ice-Cream-Men I've ever seen have cars... To avoid confusion, I will again mention at this point that I am 13 years old, therefore do not have a drivers license. However, I have a cooler, a bike, a hand-cart, and strong biking legs.

THE ACTUAL QUESTION:

"How can I attach a cooler full of 25 or so ice-cream bars on a hand-truck along behind my bike? The cooler can be connected to the hand-truck with bungee cords, but I just need a way to pull the hand-truck along with me, or some other method of transporting Ice-Cream."

Thanks in advance!

- Jackson

07/23/2010 01:35:36 AM · #2

I've seen vendors with trikes that have large coolers on the front just for this purpose.

I'm sure they cost a bit though. But, you could get a used trike pretty cheap and mod it.

Here's some bike trailers I found with a quick search on Flickr. Some look factory made, others look homebuilt to some extent. Something like this may be affordable.

You might want to check with your city. There may be laws regarding street vendors and child labor. You might need some kind of permits.

Not sure if you plan is likely to work or not. As a parent, I'd cast a wary eye at you hawking ice cream bars to my kids. How about making your photography earn you some $$. Senior portraits, for instance? I believe

LadyK has done pretty good making some money with her camera.

Message edited by author 2010-07-23 01:40:20.

07/23/2010 01:39:17 AM · #3

Thanks! Those are EXACTLY what I'm looking for! I just wonder where I can get one in Portland...

07/23/2010 01:40:42 AM · #4

Added some to the above.

07/23/2010 01:41:53 AM · #5

Doing yard work has always been the traditional teen money maker.

07/23/2010 02:25:13 AM · #6

Yard work = Very little $ per hour

Selling photos = People just aren't interested in a 13 year old kid's photography

Ice Cream = Maybe selling Ice cream from packages that were bought at costco to neighborhood kids is a more traditional business in Oregon then in Texas.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

07/23/2010 02:37:09 AM · #7

Already got my tunes picked out! Here's one:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul7vmraw6k

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

07/23/2010 02:41:37 AM · #8

Originally posted by ApertureJack:

Already got my tunes picked out! Here's one:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul7vmraw6k

If those blasted ice cream trucks around here would play that instead I'd stop trying to hire a sniper to kill their speakers.... :)

KarenNfld

07/23/2010 05:59:31 AM · #9

You might want to check that ice cream at Costco.....written on the wrappers of a lot of boxed ice cream bars is written "not for individual sale".

pawdrix

Nikon D700

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

07/23/2010 07:24:15 AM · #10

Originally posted by coryboehne:

Originally posted by ApertureJack:
Already got my tunes picked out! Here's one:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul7vmraw6k

If those blasted ice cream trucks around here would play that instead I'd stop trying to hire a sniper to kill their speakers.... :)

WOW!

I would be pretty annoyed (downright angered) if that tune was being played through my neighborhood...and I live in a funky neighborhood.

Message edited by author 2010-07-23 08:23:58.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

07/23/2010 08:05:45 AM · #11

don't forget to dress up like a boy scout.

07/23/2010 08:46:47 AM · #12

Originally posted by KarenNfld:

written on the wrappers of a lot of boxed ice cream bars is written "not for individual sale".

Somehow I don't think that will deter him.

Again, I suggest checking city ordinances as there are certainly regulations regarding street vendors and child labor.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

07/23/2010 08:50:19 AM · #13

Originally posted by ApertureJack:

Yard work = Very little $ per hour

Depends on how good a job you do and how quickly you can do it. Yardwork keeps many adults well employed.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

07/23/2010 08:52:58 AM · #14

Besides which, I'm looking at the business plan:

To earn $1200 in 60 days (give or take), he plans to ride around the neighborhood on his bicycle annoying people with loud music and trying to sell melting ice-cream bars for exorbitant prices.

For me, the real issue here is the perishability of the stock. I mean, of all the things he might resell for a profit, he picks one of the few that will melt on him if he isn't really careful?

Still, what do I know? Not a lot, when it comes to being an ice-cream vendor :-)

R.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

07/23/2010 09:02:33 AM · #15

i was thinking the same thing, a cooler isn't going to cut it, he needs a refrigerated cart. Besides he be competing with Mr. softee.

about the lawn crews, they have equipment that allows them to finish a lawn in 15 mins flat, yielding higher hourly earnings, a push mower wont cut it.

he could do other types of yard work, asphalt driveway sealing for one, i know its hot, but i paid a guy $80 (and that was a bargain for me) for 45 mins of his time and $40 in materials. $40 an hour isnt too shabby, he could make his target is 30 driveways or less.

heck get a pc, you'll pay half the price for an equal pc. you can get the same software on a pc (plus some) and if you really wanted to you could run OSX on the pc.

Message edited by author 2010-07-23 09:06:21.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

07/23/2010 09:12:07 AM · #16

Originally posted by mike_311:

about the lawn crews, they have equipment that allows them to finish a lawn in 15 mins flat, yielding higher hourly earnings, a push mower wont cut it.

Forgot about that detail...

I don't know of an easy way for a teen to make a lot of money quickly. Just old fashioned hard work. What else are you good at Jackson?

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

07/23/2010 09:23:04 AM · #17

Originally posted by mike_311:

heck get a pc, you'll pay half the price for an equal pc. you can get the same software on a pc (plus some) and if you really wanted to you could run OSX on the pc.

Ever have any teenagers yourself? One thing never changes; they get brand-obsessed, and once they've determined what it is they want, nothing else is good enough. That's my experience anyway. I remember being really cash-poor and having to buy the boy new shoes, and NOTHING would do but the latest Air Jordans at $125 a pop, and we weren't about to pay that, and it was like the end of the world. He was gonna be too ashamed to go to school if we bought him generic sneakers at the footwear outlet for 10 bux...

So I'm supposing our Jackson/Coleman guy has his mind made up and good luck changing it :-) Besides which, that aluminum chassis is just too cool for words. Makes me wish I was a Mac user :-)

R.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

07/23/2010 09:30:49 AM · #18

Building his own custom PC would be way cooler than an off the shelf Macbook, and a more impressive display of geektitude.(IMHO)

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

07/23/2010 09:45:32 AM · #19

It's great to see a 13yo set his mind on something, anything, and work toward it. Way to, Jack, do your best at whatever it is you decide on.

PapaBob

Sony Alpha a7 IV

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

07/23/2010 10:09:25 AM · #20

If you are going to use a cooler you need to think about using dry ice, dry ice will keep things a lot colder for longer periods of time. Make sure you factor the cost of the ice into the cost of doing business.

Like others have said you should check out local vendor laws, not likely they would fine a 13 year old but they could shut you done leaving you with a lot of ice cream. Good luck, I like your work for it attitude!

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

07/23/2010 10:18:23 AM · #21

Let the kid try his ice cream thing, you old geezers. You're even telling him to not want the thing he wants?! Way to kill the dream. Christ, if I had a bunch of old goons snarling about the way I should have done this and that, I'd.... Well, that's beside the point. I think it's a cool idea (ha ha).

Message edited by author 2010-07-23 10:27:56.