A man concerned about the rising cost of living has turned a vending machine side hustle into a lucrative venture, claiming it will boost his annual income by £43,000. Shabaz Khan, 31, from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, began exploring ways to supplement his earnings in 2023 after noticing the relentless increase in everyday expenses.
Research and Investment
Shabaz spent eight months thoroughly researching the costs and groundwork involved in running a vending machine business before taking the plunge. In April last year, he purchased his first refurbished vending machine for £2,400 and invested a further £400 in stock to launch his own venture, SnackZone Vending.
Initial Success
Within his first month of trading, Shabaz raked in £854 in sales. He reinvested the proceeds to acquire five additional units. Over the course of the first year, he calculated that a single machine generated upwards of £10,000 in revenue. He now expects to turn over approximately £43,000 across all six machines, yielding a £20,000 profit, within a year.
Balancing Work and Side Hustle
Despite the impressive returns, Shabaz has no plans to quit his full-time position at a charity. Instead, he intends to reinvest all profits back into his growing business. He said: "It's like most people nowadays - the cost of living is quite hard to live off just one salary. The price of everything is just going up. I wanted to build something that not only would bring in additional income but also the challenge of building something different."
Learning Curve
Shabaz dedicated eight months to investigating vending machines before buying his first unit and securing a location within a care home. He explained: "I thought this doesn't seem like a difficult job to do. I started in April last year with one machine, then within the first month, I secured a second location, and that went to six locations. A year on, we're looking to get another couple of locations in the next few months. It was a very steep learning curve; I made mistakes. Managing stock and understanding what sells best and what doesn't."
Time Commitment
On average, Shabaz spends about four to five hours a week on his side hustle. He fills the machines before work, during lunch, and after work, with each refill taking less than 10 minutes. He emphasized: "My full-time job is still my main focus. I love what I do."
Return on Investment
After investing approximately £3,500 in his initial machine, Shabaz recovered his outlay within 10 months, producing £10,152 in turnover during his first year. He expects his enterprise to generate £43,000 in revenue and approximately £20,000 in profit across all machines. However, he plans to reinvest every penny: "I'm yet to take any money out of the business. I just want to grow it as much as I can. I've not necessarily got into business to make a lot of money; I've never been driven by money. We'll wait and see what the future brings."
