I had this great idea that I’d get a 2nd job at Pizza Hut, make some cash, and kill time in the process. I had it all planned out, that I’d just use some spare from driving for day-to-day expenses, and I’d free up a few hundred dollars a month to play with, with just a few hours work. Turns out, we’re in a terrible economic time, and people aren’t tipping like they used to. I pretty much figured as much, but I wanted to give it a few days to see how things really are.
I worked four hours tonight, took 15 orders, and only made $25. That’s including $13 for deliveries, so I made a whopping $12 in tips. Back when I was doing this full time, and things were better with the economy, I would have made $60 at a minimum. That job just isn’t worth for $12 in tips, and I’m giving it three more days of working to improve before I stop. I think that’s enough to get a pulse on things, even risking there being a ‘slow week’ there.
It was weird, and stressful going back there actually. Even throwing away the lack of tips, the store runs a little better, but still there’s little things that stressed me out. Pizzas not being made, waiting on wings; it seems like the same old bullshit, and eats up a significant part of my time. I went there to make money, and not stay inside.
I don’t think I’ll be there in a few more days, and maybe it’s for the best. I’m sure there’s other ways I could make some side money putting in 10-15 hours or so a week. Hell, I could EBay a niche market, and probably make significantly more than I did tonight per hour. I’ve talked about that for a while, so maybe I will finally get off my ass and attempt that.
The problem with Ebay is that everyone takes their cut. The products I sell are marked up by the wholesaler. Ebay takes a percentage when the auction sells, and a fee in addition for posting. Finally, Paypal takes a few percent off the top for handling the transaction. These little small fee’s add up quickly, and before you know it, the razor-thin margin you were selling on is evaporated. If I wasn’t careful, I could l lose money before all is said and done.
Still, 15 hours of Ebay is a lot, and I wonder if I found a sweet spot on price, how much I could carve out of it. It wouldn’t have to be very much, but as long as I kept steady sales, I think I would be fine. Plus, it would give me something to do with my off time, which I desperately need at the moment. As it goes, I’m just playing games, and that isn’t the way to live anymore. I want to invest my time in something that will reward me, and not just with stupid graphics on a screen.
