Utilities & Mobile Internet Cafe

Ok yeah yeah I know theres an internet cafe every 5 meters, while fortunately where I live the closest one is 20 minutes into town, and i am fortunate enough to have a direct line of sight for internet signal and am one of the only houses that gets internet...im thinking about putting up a makeshift internet cafe for try-out..like 5 desktops at first..

anyone give me any insight where i can get 2nd hand or desktops cheap and/or the managing software to set something like this up

thanks

 

I have been thinking something similar, and often look around different Buy/Sell Pages on Facebook as well as OLX and Sulit, often something will pop up from a failed venture, also keep an eye on those and other Selling Pages.

I usually keep such information in a text file but cannot find it, but one I did see the other day which was an old Ad on a Dumaguete Facebook Selling Page, so considering the age of the Ad, this being a Reference for you as to what can come up from time to time:

Candy Mae Borbolla Enrera shared her photo.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd....x540/998522_10201353429267381_374255384_n.jpg


*October 7, 2013
FS: Computer set w/ 18.5" AOC Led monitor
CPU G2010 2.80GHz dual core
2 gb ram
500 gb HDD
video card: NVIDIA GeForce 210
Under warranty pa.


Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU G2010 @ 2.80GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
Memory: 2048MB RAM
500 gb HDD
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 210
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 210
DAC type: Integrated


10 units available
RFS: close na amo internet cafe
*very good condition
------13k fixed-----

 

I still don't understand the business model. You get maybe like USD 30 cents per computer per hour. Out of that you pay electric, the computers and for the help.

You still have to put your time into it. For an expat working abroad, the opportunity costs of just one hour of jacking around with these things could equal a week of revenue for one computer. Just the distractions would be enough for me to kill it if I had to work in the same house.

I wouldn't run one without being good on the business and taxes end of it. I don't know how much time / money it costs to setup a business and figure out taxes, but that's further erosion of your profits.

Why not just rent the space out for someone else to figure something out with?

Alternatively, I bet you could make more money by having people do work on the computer for 15 pesos / hour rather than have them pay you 15 pesos per hour to use the computer.

 

Computer hire in Tanjay is 20 pesos for 30 min. , like the Dude said elect , etc etc , the only way it would remotely be worth while , would be if you had sari sari / eatery / re-load / sell ice / computers and then had a family member to sit there all day with it ( with a camera set up on the cash register of course ) , with initial outlay to be considered it would appear to be a sticky little path to navigate , but hey prove us wrong !

Tony

 

Okay Tony you confirmed my first brilliant idea regards opening the Tricycle gig with a resulting Fire Ball... (BTW Thanks for that mate :D lol)

Now listen to Idea #02! :D

My second idea was to open a "Internet Cafe"! :D lol

But wait; not just any Cafe! :(

My plan was to open a Cafe with a Gaming Room for all of the prepubescent yahoos cheering on their mates playing the online Games, a SOUNDPROOF Room!

Then; another Room, this one would be for those who wish to speak online to their loved ones who work and/or live abroad, a QUIET Room! Are you hearing me? :D

But wait! There's more!

In this Grand Internet Cafe to end all Cafes, I planned to have another Room, this room would be for those who are not Internet savvy, here they could learn to use the PC, learn how to work their email, how to chat via Yahoo Messenger or Skype, LEARN HOW to use a PC!

Now this is still not all...

In the Taj Mahal of all Internet Cafes, lurks another Room, this room would smell like dirty diapers and regurgitated Milk! This is the Room where the Babies and younger Children go to be cared for whilst Mama is busy in Room #02 chatting to her 'sole BF who resides abroad' *wink wink nudge nudge* and in this Room would be a small play area similar to what you see in some of the other Takeaway joints who shall remain nameless...

Now; this Grand Palace would be fronted with a 50's style Milk Shake Bar where people can buy snacks, small hot nibblies, Soda etc and *FREE COLD Water... (*Only for those renting a Machine)

Now how would this work?

I would employ Senior High School Students who are looking to earn some pocket money, this money would not be paid by me, it would be paid for by the Customer who is wishing to be taught how to use the PC or the Parent who would be paying for one on one Care of their Child as long as they provide the necessities such as disposable Nappies (available to buy singularly at the counter) and Milk Formulae etc after signing a waiver that they acknowledge their child is being cared for by a voluntary Teenager for a small fee only for the duration of their customer business...

I would only employ Girls for the Child Care, Boys for PC tuition... Those Students would keep 100% of their 'Pocket Money' for their Services. No Work = No Payment. Work = Payment... The better they are, the more friendly they are, of course the more they will be sought out by trusting Mothers to care for their Child...

To the rear accessible only via the interior of the building would be a small Play area with a few swings etc for children, say up to the age of 8 to 10 years who can pretty much care for themselves...

Now; just an Idea... First you must purchase the Honey to attract the Ants, if you build it, the Ants will come...

Thoughts? :p

 

Your words portray that of an enterprising individual , which gives chance to the above mentioned , just keep 2 things in mind

1. you are in the Philippines &

2. you are still in the Philippines

Seriously , market dictates all in business , and every business has a chance if you have the traffic so to speak .
But do your homework , maybe as Horizon first suggested , start small , and facilitate any expansion moderately .
This is the Philippines and if some one see's your are doing ok don't be surprised if they then start their show up
directly adjacent to yours , at special intro price ,O-|

Brian I will grant that your enthusiastic planning , would outgun a local attempt , But in the Philippines it is all about price
so if you are 1 peso dearer/more expensive , you better make sure that you have got lots of that free cold water on hand

Good post mate well done , regards Tony

 

Actually I think the only enterprise I plan to embrace is call "RETIREMENT on a Tropical Island" hehe

After running a Company sometime back I can honestly state that the LAST thing I want to be doing nowadays is jumbling figures into the small hours, dealing with those who want money up front for purchases yet demand a 30 Day Account in return, working out Taxes yada yada yada and so on...

Retirement sure sounds good for now

 

Probably a wise decision Brian. From talking with people and watching local closures, a rule is to only invest what you can afford to lose, because foreigners who have been successful here have had either sufficient wealth to begin their adventure with or were clever enough or fortunate enough to have investors willing to participate.st.
A less stressful retirement life here, even one on a limited budget, is still a very nice lifestyle for most.

 

I have just come back from walking the dogs. while I was out, I bumped into the Guy (local) that runs our Local Internet cafe well I say cafe, a few tables and Chairs under a canopy, outside his machine room. he runs 10 machines but only seems to be 1/2 that working at any one time.

I am a little bit Forward when I want /need to be, so I asked him about a few things. He told me the Mayors Permit was expensive. His electric bill is under surveillance, no Doubt using a domestic Tariff on a Commercial basis. Same I guess as his Internet provider will be saying. Using a Domestic installation also

He said that he was Lucky to get 40 people a day and at as much, as 30p per hour over an 8 hour opening day I can't see him getting more than 1200 peso. If that per day.

Now this is out of Town. I guess nearer Town the rents and permits and all things done to the letter. the Set up Costs are going to be unrecoverable based on the Figures I have heard.

Any business in this Field, seems well taken care of, in the Town. So you would have to look at A catchment area with more than 40 paying people. people won't walk too far so you would be looking at a close community.

I can't see it being a profitable venture out of town


JP

 

Thank you Jack...

Honestly what I wish to do is to ensure my Wife has a reliable income after my demise...

I do not expect to make money in Duma, honestly I am over worrying about throwing figures around until they balance for the Tax Man, competing against those who do the same thing as a "Hobby" and open up alongside you, R.E.T.I.R.E.M.E.N.T. is the only thing really on my mind, along with making sure after I am gone asawa has an income to support herself and the children...

But still I am throwing ideas around, I can probably do what I do best here, Buy & Sell, buy something and do a quick clean up then resell at Profit. But that would not help my wife after I am gone, and the Highway is dotted with small Family Shops, many closed due to lack of patronage so almost all of her ideas on how to make money I deem to be unviable...

I am not in any hurry but I think in a country of 90 million most of the good ideas are already taken...