The lemonade stand down the street is not following the laws of economics.
The past couple of weeks I've noticed a kid's lemonade stand on the way home from work.
There are usually a couple of kids out there. The dad is always out there tinkering with something, so I assume he must have the type of job where you get summers off. Maybe a teacher.
If I was riding a bike under the scorching heat, I probably would have considered visiting the small business stand. However, since I usually drive my car I never actually had a need to stop.
Today I figured I would actually check it out. Why not?
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I thought it was really interesting that the two little girls out front were twirling their signs the same way that the tax service down the street does.
I know that tax service pays people like $10 an hour to stand out there and twirl that sign. Not everyone can do it because it requires a great deal of acrobatic ability.
Yet these girls were twirling the sign, doing cartwheels and kickstands, and all kinds of other really incredible feats.
Pulling up I noticed on the small wooden table a tablecloth, a large glass container of lemonade, and several tiny eight oz plastic cups. They were the same kind we keep near the water fountain at work.
I know those cups are supposed to be eight ounces but it feels like they barely hold a gulp full of water so we usually use larger styrofoam cups.
I reached into my glove box to pull out some change before looking at the price near the front of the lemonade stand.
One cup was $1.50.
We are not talking about a large styrofoam cup here, nor are we talking about any kind of special container. We are talking about a tiny eight oz plastic cup that will probably be filled up to about the six oz line with lemonade.
I'm quite certain that this pricing has to do with the dad that is constantly out there tinkering with stuff.
Maybe the kid really did want to price his lemonade at $1.50, but when I was a kid our lemonade stand charged a nickel.
My mom told me back then that it's not about the price, it's about learning how to run a business. This kid is soon going to learn that our economic situation does not afford people the luxury of buying a tiny gulp of lemonade for $1.50.
You might say that I'm a cheapskate, but I'm really not. It's just that I worked my lunch shift today and made $20 because not many people came in to eat, and no one wanted to spend any money. The whole world is suffering like that. Yet these kids are out here charging $1.50 for a gulp of lemonade when at the very least they could give you a large styrofoam cup.
It really looks like they make the lemonade by using lemons, sugar, and water.
I like the fact that it's fresh squeezed but it's still isn't worth that price.
Current economics simply do not allow for an overpriced lemonade stand to do well.
I left feeling frustrated and instead picked up a nice sixteen oz bottle of lemonade for a buck from the grocery down the street.
Hey! I believe you when you wrote you are not cheapskate and probably it was father's idea to sell it for 1.50$, however think about their investment.
Do they pay taxes to stay there selling lemonade in the public soil? Do they have any competitor nearby or are they offering a service that is "unique" in your surroundings? Are you supporting youth employment with it?
I sometimes go for brunch in a coffeeshop where there are only disable people employed. I'm paying more but I know I'm supporting them.
Maybe think about it?
Do they pay taxes to stay there selling lemonade in the public soil? Certainly not.
Do they have any competitor nearby or are they offering a service that is "unique" in your surroundings? Several homeless people within viewing distance that also need support.
Are you supporting youth employment with it? I would rather support the homeless people that definitely my help then this rich dad in his huge house that is using his kids to make money with overpriced lemonade.
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Good post sir really attractive you too much worry about kid that the good thing
Thank you.
Thank you.
Umm sounds like its following the laws of economics perfectly. If they're not selling any lemonade then they're learning exactly what you said they arent learning. They're also learning at an early age that dad is a broke fucking loser and that they should never listen to his dumbass again. If they are selling lemonade then they are also given an opportunity to learn other stuff as well. And lastly they're learning that what matters most about a job is what you make of it. The girls regardless of whether they sell or not they are having a good time, which is the only thing that matters in life.
They're not selling any lemonade even though I see them everyday out there tossing their signs around in the heat. The law of economics = make money. They aren't.
I hope this test proved to be a good learning experience for them but I certainly don't think that they are learning how to run a business. Then again, who knows. Maybe they will eventually lower the price and they actually are learning a lesson here.
For the record, they may be out there tossing signs but they certainly do not look like they're having even an ounce of fun. It looks like the dad is a slave driver trying to get them to do things his way even if it means dancing around in the middle of the street to get cars to stop.
Sounds like everything is going exactly as its supposed to except for your definition of the law of economics. The law of economic is not "get money, its get money or die trying" lol no here are the actual laws of economics.
What they lack is a competitor. Once one of the other neiborhood girls decide to copy their idea they will be forced to either lower prices, provide a better deal, or go out of business