Good morning ZBIN Investors, so as promised-every Saturday is Diaspora Investment Day and we will cover at least one business idea targeting the Diaspora Community. This morning we  tackle a simple business idea-Vending Machines!

There are few operational vending machines in Zimbabwe and I really do not know why. There is great potential in pushing volumes for products such as soft drinks, ice creams, potato crisps, maputi or mahewu. The list of products that can be sold is endless but we do not know why we are ignoring this business idea.

Imagine 15 vending machines at Fourth Street Bus Terminus, 10 at Copacabana, 5 at Avondale Shopping Centre, 5 at Longchen, 5 at Machipisa Shopping Centre, 4 at Sam Levy, 3 at Hunyani – Lake Chivero, 10 at the National Sports Stadium.

How many sales can you push through this business venture? Now if this succeeds in Harare then you can cascade the business venture to other cities. Location challenges? Don’t worry about location, you can also mobile vending machines as shown below.

So where can you buy these machines? Do watch out for our part 2 or join our newsletter where I will provide members with detailed opportunities about this venture, the costs involved and where to purchase them.

Every week ZBIN will try and help talented writers with resources on how you can earn an extra dollar. We start with 5 ideas below and more will be coming next week.

A List Apart : ALA publishes original, feature-length articles (1,500-2,000 words) about web design. Submit a pitch, partial draft or a rough draft of your article, along with an outline for consideration. Pays $200.00 per article, typically within a month of publication. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alistapart Twitter: https://twitter.com/alistapart

2.   Today I Found Out: If you enjoy conducting research and finding interesting facts and details, while making sure that you get the facts absolutely correct in the process, you may enjoy writing for Today I Found Out. This site specializes in facts and trivia. Send a pitch or an article for consideration. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TodayIFoundOut Twitter: https://twitter.com/TodayIFoundOut1

3. Cracked :Cracked is looking for writers for list-style articles; if interested, sign up for the writers’ forum. The site is also looking for writers for infographics and charts, and will buy content in text form based on your funny idea. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cracked/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cracked

4. College Humor: College Humor is one of the biggest comedy sites on the Internet. Submit a pitch by e-mail and the editors will work with you on your article. Pay is $35.00 for a single page and $50.00 for a multi-page article. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeHumor Twitter: https://twitter.com/CollegeHumor

5.   The Diplomat :The Diplomat covers reporting and analysis related to Asia-Pacific Region. Submit pitches, blogs or feature articles for consideration, and indicate whether you expect payment at that time. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diplomatmagazine Twitter: https://twitter.com/Diplomat_APAC