I still have a few more machines that i need to change the locks on them.

?

The reason for the changing of locks is that my work van which i have mentioned on the previous posts that it was vandalized and all my vending keys were stolen.

The week after the new year was getting some momentum already on the sales and it’s revving up to it’s normal sales.

?

The only constant expense will be the rent or the mortgage which does not shows it’s mercy on it’s drawn against your bank account every month.

While i was driving my work van for the usual visits on the locations. I was tuned in to a radio station, i think it was 104.9 FM and the DJ was mentioning that the most unaffordable place in the world which is just second to Hong Kong is Vancouver, BC.

I totally agree to this since most businesses just stay afloat and always in survival mode, any uncertain uneventful scenarios will have disastrous havoc in the small potatoes, small businesses.

I heard it again on the radio that St John’s, Halifax, Greater Moncton ( see the link ) and most other regions in Canada offer more affordable housing and slightly higher salary than Vancouver, BC.

?

I really have not looked up the population of these places but i guess where can you put 100 to 200 vending machines for instance in Halifax ?

?

I grew up in Makati City a city that never sleeps which is comparable to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok or Jakarta.

If i was transplanted to places which are sparsely populated then maybe it will be extremely difficult for me to survive. City people brains are wired differently since they are mostly exposed to a lot of information overload when growing up and extremely flexible and mobile.

?

In growing up in a big city means lots of distractions and observations on the revolving multitude of businesses and people who are trying to survive.

?

?

Whereas if i grew up in the Philippine countryside which i find here in Vancouver, BC where most Filipinos are originally from then Vancouver or anywhere in Canada is heaven sent. I guess you see the picture now ?

Perhaps a Londoner who migrated to Halifax or NewFoundland will be a good idea ? Maybe for him Vancouver, BC is boring compared to Downtown London what will it be if he settles in rural Canada ? Never.

I just wanted you to see what my thoughts on how i feel like living here in Vancouver, BC Canada. In business you need to be flexible and also if you relocated.

But in the long term which is still far away i will keep on moving since it is my nature and maybe most city person’s perspective. You know that in business you have to be alert on opportunities right? It is like looking for a better job with better pay where you should grasp it and move on! Vending business for now suits me.

Nonetheless, lets talk about Vending.

As usual i need to take some break on vending lunchtime, it is the first time that i saw a Rubber Band Ra men.

I’m a small self-employed businessman. I understand that it is not the fault of the establishment. I did not think of calling a lawyer for this matter. You have to give fighting chance to a small business to prove it’s services that sometimes you think does not up to your standard. I can be understanding but what about the other finger totting happy sending emails manager’s out there who suddenly for no reason at all does not want your machine anymore ? Statistically most managers are easy and flexible to talk to, so do not get me wrong or think it im ranting.

Aside from vending too much i recently went to a motorshow in Abbotsford which took like 45 minutes driving from Vancouver, BC and i was reminiscing my Yamaha V max which i sorely missed so much back in the days when i was still in Makati City.

My previous Yamaha V Max was 1994 model, so the picture below is the recent one.

I proceeded to a location near the airport and have not been there since December, it was about 2 months since the people there did not care and not too fanatical on an empty snack machine.

I went there trying to destroy and replace the lock but i took off without servicing the bottom portion the combo machine since i could not remove the lock even thou i drilled and removed most of the lock.

I have to be creative when i go back there on my next visit and find a hook to remove the notch that was left on the lock.

How to fix a vending machine without power ?

?

I went to one of my locations in downtown which i go every month. The machine was empty of chips but there was no powder. It is an old reliable machine located in a heritage building. I thought it was the breaker or the power transformer. I was about to leave the location because i do not have the time to remove the transformer.

Alas my inner voice told me to inspect the power cord

?

and viola i was able to fix it by removing the burnt extension cord and directly plug the snack machine cord to the power outlet and it worked like a charm.

It is not only me that is not updating my coin mechanism to accept the new shiny loonies but the parking meters as well as you can see that i took my new shiny loonie without any credit on the parking meter. I got some vending locations and people complaining why my coin mech not accepting the new shiny loonies, but at least you have the option to use townies or debit credit card and my vending machines split out the new shiny loonies if it does not accept them yet.

I guess not so many people complain against the parking authority, but they are throwing their weight around on small business operators. I guess im just overthinking on this, but this is my feelings and my thoughts.

Waiting for the new program to update the coin mechanism. Which will cost me around $30 again per machine to upgrade.

Chocolate bars prices are going up again.

?

Wholesale club where i normally visit obviously is where i always go to buy products beside vending products of Canada. The chocolate price per piece seems to be hovering around $1 already.

I also went to 7 Eleven and just casually checking the chocolate bars and the prices are retailing for $1.75 plus tax. When people see me doing vending machine business as a full time business they constantly think that i got loads of cash and profits.

You see the got a lot of locations in the east side which sells chocolate bars for just $1.50 and a large percentage for $1.75 and maybe a handful for $2 a piece. Honestly i do not know how to approach the manager again have to wear a big smile and say that prices have gone up again. And needed to change it to $2 a piece.

Did i mention before that i have several locations that im still selling chocolate bars for $1.25 a piece a midst that i have trouble finding a parking space or sometimes i get a ticket for some uneventful events by some pen totting enforcer who likes to write all the time.

Not to worry, better days lies ahead.

?