Jobs for my 56 & 55 year old parents?

[PennyArcade]

I'm trying to get some ideas for jobs that my parents can do until they hit 65.

They sold their convenience store (bonus points for anyone that can guess their nationality!) last year and are now looking for a job where they can make a little bit of money.

Their experience is 20 years of running convenience stores (wow, long time...)

There are two possibilities:

1. Open another small business:

There are a lot of issues with this. Initial investment is quite large, long hours, etc. On the other hand, it is what they used to do.

There is another factor in which many people are not going to small stores anymore to buy anything. Cigarettes were (and still are) the #1 profit maker in small stores but that is dying down due to people quiting and government controls on public smoking.

2. Find a position somewhere:

The only problem I see with this is that my parents are immigrants with limited english. Having owned a store for 20 years has helped them learn basic english, so simple jobs should not be a problem.

Some ideas that I've had are:

- postalperson (delivering mail)
- cashier
- production worker

If anybody else has any ideas on what they could appy for, I would greatly appreciate it :)

[can't get 'nough dealz]

maybe at walmart, or a coffee shop?

[thezone]

baby sitter?

[thelefteyeguy]

open a korean restaurant? ...kimchi and korean cuisine are the trend due to the success of the korean tv series

[yayawhoo2003]

telemarketers....security guards....door to door flyer deliverys?? Check with ctc, zellers, walmart, price chopper, loblaws etc.

[zero_]

i don't think delivery job is good for your parents given their age.. work in postal office to sort letters maybe?

[coldWater]

i don't think delivery job is good for your parents given their age.. work in postal office to sort letters maybe?

isn't working in the postal office sort letters(canada post that is) better pay that opening a convenience store?? i don't think it is that easy to get the job...

[hyperion]

Whatever happened to retiring and enjoying life?

[Audiogenic]

They need to work for themselves at that age. No one wants a boss at both half your age and intelligence telling you what's up every flippin day.

[BigBadBoo]

Your mom should stay home man. As for your dad, security guard is the easiest. Maybe try for working at a university or a government building, so it wont be that stressful.

[ericssonboi]

I'll take a crack at this..

They sold their convenience store (bonus points for anyone that can guess their nationality!) last year and are now looking for a job where they can make a little bit of money.

Brown? Korean?

Anyways.. like others have mentioned, being at their age, last thing you want is a 20-30 year bossing you around for 8-10/hr.

[Alvito]

I suggest they work in a grocery store or something.

[poppa]

Contract Agent? (http://www.contractxchange.com/) You have to pay for training and get a dedicated phone line, but they can work from home. It may actually work out in the long run. I don't have any experience though, I was just browsing through job sites.

[yatko]

Open a dry cleaning business
or a lottery booth

[TinyTank]

vending machine business.

[Steeve Urkel]

Contract Agent? (http://www.contractxchange.com/) You have to pay for training and get a dedicated phone line, but they can work from home. It may actually work out in the long run. I don't have any experience though, I was just browsing through job sites.


omg, thanks!

I want this job! I could do this on top of my "spying work". I already have a home office.... ;)

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[PennyArcade]

open a korean restaurant? ...kimchi and korean cuisine are the trend due to the success of the korean tv series

thelefteyeguy wins the bonus points! While ericssonboi answered the question directly, thelefteyeguy already assumed the nationality :)

I talked to my parents about the restaurant. It is a lot of work to do it, though I think it would be great if they did.

[PennyArcade]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I forgot about the lotto booth. That would be an ok endeavour. They are hard to buy at a busy place though (like Union station or any of the big malls).

I'll take a look at security guard. Where do they post openings for guards?

There are not a lot of openings at canada post right now. Any other places I should take a look at? hmm... maybe fedex and UPS...

Thanks all. Keep them coming :)

[z3r0]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I forgot about the lotto booth. That would be an ok endeavour. They are hard to buy at a busy place though (like Union station or any of the big malls).

I'll take a look at security guard. Where do they post openings for guards?

There are not a lot of openings at canada post right now. Any other places I should take a look at? hmm... maybe fedex and UPS...

Thanks all. Keep them coming :)

Companies post vacancies for security guard positions in newspapers alot of the time.

[faizalm]

I'll take a crack at this..

They sold their convenience store (bonus points for anyone that can guess their nationality!) last year and are now looking for a job where they can make a little bit of money.

Brown? Korean?

Anyways.. like others have mentioned, being at their age, last thing you want is a 20-30 year bossing you around for 8-10/hr.

destination --> PACIFIC MALL <--- plenty of jobs i guess.

[sunnybono]

maybe at walmart, or a coffee shop?

Don't even think of working for Walmart. They are the biggest slave drivers with barely minimum wage to support its workforce. Your parents will be taken advantage of!!!!!!! :twisted:

Enjoy retirement!!!!! I'm sure they must have made some money while owning the store(20 yrs) and when they sold it, that they can live off the investment income???? :)

Life is too short, enjoy it!!!!!!!!!! :)

sk

[coldWater]

thelefteyeguy wins the bonus points! While ericssonboi answered the question directly, thelefteyeguy already assumed the nationality :)


we knew the answer, but just don't think we will get any "bonus"

[weedb0y]

Your mom should stay home man. As for your dad, security guard is the easiest. Maybe try for working at a university or a government building, so it wont be that stressful.

security job is mind boggling and can be dangerous as well. i have worked as a security guard and its no joke

[tonychau]

-write a book in their language.

-make small movies/film. (alot creative movie makers)
[if they are interested... the is Phone Films Contest]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/23/entertainment/main1161161.shtml

[sandhead]

Sell Crap on ebay

[unleashed]

Open a dry cleaning business
or a lottery booth


Hey i'm just curious to know... can u make good money by owning a lottery booth?

[PennyArcade]

Hey i'm just curious to know... can u make good money by owning a lottery booth?

well, depending on how much business you get.

a lotto machine gets 3% for each sale and 5% for redeeming wins.

You do need a lot of people going through the area that you are situated at to get decent money.

My parents owned a lotto machine, but that wasn't their sole business so I don't have a clearer answer. sorry :(

[William W]

What about buying a couple of rental properties and managing it?

[unleashed]

well, depending on how much business you get.

a lotto machine gets 3% for each sale and 5% for redeeming wins.

You do need a lot of people going through the area that you are situated at to get decent money.

My parents owned a lotto machine, but that wasn't their sole business so I don't have a clearer answer. sorry :(

it's ok.. but thanks for answering the question... do they still run the lotto machine and how much did it cost to start one/ own one?

[ayeung]

I think the best job for your parents will be to look after their grandchildren. Then you, your brothers/sisters will save a bit on child care.

[PennyArcade]

What about buying a couple of rental properties and managing it?

They were thinking about that. It is still a possibility. My mother is worried about the people that she gets though. She's a real pessimist.

[PennyArcade]

it's ok.. but thanks for answering the question... do they still run the lotto machine and how much did it cost to start one/ own one?

No, my parents do not run the lotto machine anymore.

The machines are "free". The Ontario lottry gaming corp (OLGC) has to survey the area first to see if a machine is worth installing. If there are too many around, then they will deny you of a machine.

The machine itself would cost around $20k if you wanted to buy one.