They Spent $3,200 On Two Vending Machines To Start A Side Hustle. Six Months Later, They Say, 'It's Not As Passive As People Make It Sound'
- - They Spent $3,200 On Two Vending Machines To Start A Side Hustle. Six Months Later, They Say, 'It's Not As Passive As People Make It Sound'
Adrian VolenikJanuary 31, 2026 at 9:31 PM
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Around six months ago, an aspiring entrepreneur decided to jump into the vending machine business after seeing it discussed frequently online.
They shared on Reddit’s r/passive_income recently how they spent $3,200 on two refurbished machines and another $400 to stock them with drinks and snacks.
The Work Adds Up
They placed one machine in an office building with around 50 employees, and another at an auto repair shop. The office building location performs steadily, pulling in $280 to $350 per month. The auto repair shop, however, brings in only $120 to $180 and is described as “hit or miss.”
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After factoring in gas, inventory, and occasional maintenance, the side hustle is generating about $130 to $150 in monthly profit. “Not life changing, but it covers my car payment so I’m not complaining,” they said.
But they quickly realized the work wasn’t as hands-off as expected. “It’s not as passive as people make it sound,” they admitted, noting they have to drive out every two weeks to restock and deal with unexpected issues, like a jammed bill acceptor or attempted break-in.
Location Is Everything
Other Redditors jumped in to agree. “Most of what I see on here is the opposite of passive,” one person commented. “It would only be that if you had something like 30+ machines and hired a guy to stock/fix them for you.”
Several commenters shared their own experiences. One said their auto body shop location was among their top performers, but it had more than 30 employees on-site. Another mentioned making $30,000 last year across six machines and emphasized that success came down to finding high-traffic spots like warehouses and schools.
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And that was a recurring theme: location matters more than anything. “If I only had the repair shop one, I’d probably be breaking even or losing money,” the original poster said. “I’m learning location really is the whole game here.”
There were creative suggestions, too. Some recommended putting machines in bars with novelty products like makeup, glow sticks or mini phone chargers. Others suggested targeting apartment complexes, hotels, or homeowners’ associations with community centers and pools.
But getting machines into those spots can be challenging. Some said they’d called hundreds of businesses and landed zero locations. One user even claimed they once rolled a machine into a building while wearing a high-visibility vest, and no one asked questions. “Now the office people even call the maintenance number on the machine when it needs to be restocked,” they said.
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As for expansion, the original poster is thinking carefully. “Thinking about getting a third machine but I’m being picky about where it goes,” they said. “Not trying to end up with another mediocre spot.”
For those considering alternative ways to build wealth with less hustle, investing in index funds or venture capital might offer better long-term returns. For example, Fundrise is one platform that gives everyday investors access to pre-IPO opportunities in areas like artificial intelligence and tech, without needing to be a millionaire.
With minimums starting at just $10 and a growing portfolio, it’s an option worth exploring if you want exposure to high-growth sectors without having to restock soda cans every two weeks.
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Image: Shutterstock
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