It sometimes seems that everyone in town has a side business. They sell chicken out of their house or ice cream out of the back of their pickup.
To bring in some extra money, my brother-in-law and his wife have started selling food out front of the house on weekends: pizza, Saturday nights; sandwiches, Sunday afternoons.
To bring in some extra money (actually, there's nothing "extra" about it), Hernan and his cousin have decided to start cutting hair in the shop my mother-in-law runs out of the house.
They applied some fresh paint, put up some mirrors, and moved some of the display cases into the living room - pushing the living room furniture back further into the house. It's been quite the rearrangement.
They're planning on cutting hair for men and boys, both regular cuts and buzzed-in designs, like stars and lines, which is all the rage among the teenage boys in town.
They have had a few customers, and yesterday they each made about eight dollars in pesos.
I kind of like the idea of the barbershop, but I doubt we'll make much money from it, since each cut runs about two dollars. Also, as I expected, Hernan and his cousin are spending the whole weekend hanging out on the street in front of the house surrounded by teenage boys and old men who like to tell stories about themselves.
My mother-in-law has her shop; my brother-in-law, his weekend food stand; Hernan, his barbershop. Now I have to come up with my side business...
This is kind of wacky, but what about translation? I seem to recall that Dan B. made some money this way in Italy--taking things that people needed written in English and doing it for them. Mind you, I don't know how much call there is for this in your area, but that's my idea for a side business.
ReplyDeleteTeach English, hey if I can do you can. And its something you can do while holding, feeding, burping, changing your baby. Do you speak to the baby in English? I found that my student actually enjoyed that she got to hear me having normal (sort of my daughters 3) conversations in english while she was here.
ReplyDeleteMoonshine still in the back yard.
ReplyDeletebake cookies-sell them outside your house, or brownies? or rice krispie treats.....just put a sign out that tells everyone what the "postre del día" is....and see how it goes......do a lil a day.....you could make like "Monday Chocolate Chip Cookie DAY" and then peeps would know when to look for stuff......
ReplyDeleteTo Alex's comment--I was thinking if the whole "writing" project doesn't work out for me here on Long Island, I could start a business producing artisanal Long Island iced tea...you know, I would grow the sugar cane for the rum, the potatoes for the vodka, the coca for the cola...then sell them for $25 a glass. What could go wrong?
ReplyDeleteOh !! I know what you mean! Everybody has either a tiny tienda in the front of their house, or bolis or tamales, ropa, pollo asado ect. I was truly considering selling shoes and sandles (big here on the border) and my husband wants to do limonada for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could teach english but for that I think I would need a tad more spanish :P
AND - OH MY GOSH I can't believe that lady nursed your baby!!! No, I can't think for even a second that your reaction was just because your American either, it's just... wrong. If you were sick or something and she offered, I guess, I don't know. I'm pregnant with my first right now and I don't want her to have anybodys boob but mine. Good Heavens!!!