Welcome to Animated Finance Stories
We teach financial literacy through real stories showing how money truly works in our everyday life.
Let’s dive in—because financial literacy isn’t just taught, it’s lived.
The Spark of an Idea
From where we left off, I smirked as a realization hit me out of nowhere—back in middle school, I had unknowingly discovered a way to earn money and help support my mom. That thought alone filled me with excitement.
The moment I got home, I tossed my schoolwork to the side and grabbed a fresh sheet of paper.
This was it—the beginning of my candy-selling journey. But before I could start, I needed a plan. I wasn’t just selling candy; I was finding a way to make extra income to support my mom and two sisters.
Of course, as a middle schooler, I didn’t have a fancy business plan or an MBA-level strategy. My approach was much simpler. I used the same method we learned in English class when analyzing books and characters: asking the basic questions—Who? What? Where? How?
It was a simple start, but sometimes, simplicity is all you need to take the first step.
Who am I selling to?
This was my way of figuring out my target audience—who would actually want the product I was selling. As a middle schooler, my thinking was broad. I believed everyone was my customer because, honestly, who doesn’t like candy? So, in my mind, my entire school became my marketplace.
Quick Tip: When identifying your audience or ideal customers, narrowing it down as much as possible is crucial. It helps you focus your efforts, maximize sales, and avoid wasted time. Not everyone at school would be the perfect customer—some kids brought their own snacks, others weren’t interested, and a few might not have had the extra money to spend.
By narrowing down my audience, I could target the right people—those who loved candy, had the money to buy it, and were willing to spend it during the school day. This realization would later help me refine my strategy and become more effective in selling.
What am I selling?
That’s easy—candy! As mentioned in the first part of my story, Gaskin gave me the idea when he offered to pay for the extra lollipop in my backpack. That moment made me realize there was a demand, and I could turn it into an opportunity. (If you haven’t read the first part, check it out here: [The Side Hustle That (Almost) Got Me Arrested: Part 1])
Where am I selling?
Another easy one—I’m selling them at school!
It was the perfect place — full of candy-craving students, and during those long class hours, who wouldn’t want a sweet treat to break up the day? Plus, it was convenient for me to make sales between classes or at lunch.
How much would I charge?
This part took me a couple of days to figure out, but it’s important to take your time when pricing your product. Don’t rush through it—just make sure to set a deadline. Open-ended decisions can drag on forever and, in the end, you might forget to make a decision altogether. So, even if you’re taking your time, keep yourself on track by setting a goal to finalize things by a certain date.
Here’s how I broke down the numbers:
- Cost of candy: I spent $1 (or 99 cents) on a bag of candy that contained 16 lollipops.
- Cost per lollipop: To figure out how much each lollipop cost me, I divided the total cost by the number of lollipops:
$1 ÷ 16 = 0.0625 ( rounded 7 cents) per lollipop.
This was my break-even price, meaning I wouldn’t lose money if I sold each one for at least 7 cents. But I knew I needed to price them higher to actually make a profit.
Quick Tip: It’s important to note that in California, food products for human consumption, like the candy I was selling, are generally NOT TAXED. This made things simpler for me because when I bought the candy, I didn’t have to worry about paying a sales taxes. As per California regulations, tax does not apply to food sales for human consumption, except under certain conditions outlined in Regulations 1503, 1574, and 1603.
However, it’s important to remember that when selling goods, one is subject to paying taxes on any profit made. Though, in middle school, I wasn’t exactly worried about filing taxes or reporting my earnings. Still, it’s good to be aware that as you grow a business, tax obligations could become a factor, depending on your location and income level, as will be discussed in other stories.
Furthermore, I considered what I could actually sell the lollipops for, based on what I saw around me:
- Candy bars like Snickers were priced around $1 at the stores.
- Lollipops in stores were usually about 25 cents each.
So, after some thinking, I decided to sell each lollipop for 25 cents. But I added an extra charge for the convenience I was offering—bringing the candy right to my classmates instead of making them go to the store.
In the end, I settled on 50 cents per lollipop. It wasn’t a huge markup, but it was enough to cover my costs and make a potential mountain of profit overtime.
Plus, the added service of convenience justified the price.
- Cost of one bag of lollipops: $1 for 16 lollipops
- Selling price per lollipop: 50 cents
So, if I sold one bag of lollipops (16 lollipops), I would make:
$8 (16 lollipops × $0.50 )
My cost for the bag was $1, so my profit would be:
$7 per bag ($8 – $1)
I could already smell the money—$7 per bag wasn’t too bad for a middle school hustle!
My Doubts Slowly Creeping In
Now that I had all the logistics figured out—who I was selling to, where, and for how much—I felt ready to launch my candy empire. I laid in my cheap blow up bed feeling excited, like really excited. But at the same time, this nervous feeling started creeping in. My brain wouldn’t stop spinning with “what ifs.” What if no one buys my candy? What if I mess up? What if this whole thing flops? I didn’t expect to feel this unsure after doing all the planning, but that’s when I learned something important: doubt is totally normal. Even when you’re prepared, your mind might try to talk you out of it because new things can feel scary.
I definitely felt doubt creeping in—but deep down, I also had confidence. I didn’t want those nervous feelings to stop me from going after something I was excited about. Just because I felt unsure didn’t mean I wasn’t ready. I realized that doubt isn’t a stop sign—it’s actually a sign that I care, that I’m stepping outside my comfort zone, and that I’m challenging myself to grow. That’s a good thing. I reminded myself that I didn’t need to have every answer or be perfect. What mattered most was making the effort and giving it a try. So, I let those thoughts float through my mind without letting them take over. And as I laid in bed, eyes getting heavy, I slowly drifted off with candy dreams and colorful lollipops dancing in my head—still nervous, but ready to try anyway.
The Final Push: Ready to Sell
Day 1
The next day, my candy-selling journey officially began. As I arrived at school, I was armed with the 14 lollipops I had left (after selling one to Gaskin and, uh, “taste-testing” one myself) and the shiny 25 cents I had earned. Walking into class with my bag full of candy, I felt like a businessman stepping onto the trading floor—confident, and a little nervous.
I waited patiently for lunch because I had a rule: no selling during class. I stuck to that rule, mostly because I didn’t want to draw too much attention from the teacher and risk getting in trouble. But once that lunch bell rang? Game on.
Lunch Time – Open For Business
I found Gaskin, the first person I told about my candy hustle. I let him know I had more lollipops and that I’d be selling over by the basketball courts. Without hesitation, Gaskin spread the word like fire.
And just like that, the spark was lit. Word started spreading fast—way faster than I expected. Word of mouth turned out to be the best kind of advertising. Before I knew it, other kids started showing up, asking if I was the one selling candy. A bunch of them had heard through Gaskin or someone he told. In just 30 minutes, I sold out the rest—14 lollipops gone like that. I made $7, in total 7.25. My candy empire was off to a sweet start.
Interesting enough, that wasn’t it—more kids rushed up to me, eager and practically tripping over each other just to get a piece of my candy. It was like a Black Friday sale, but instead of TVs, they were after my lollipops. They were shoving, pushing, and waving their quarters at me like I was running the hottest snack stand in town.
At that moment, I realized something big—I had struck gold. This wasn’t just a small hustle; this was a moneymaking machine. But beyond that, I had stumbled onto a real business principle: supply and demand.
Supply and Demand
I only had a few lollipops left, but suddenly everyone wanted one. Kids were lining up, asking if they could get some. It was like I was the only person in school with candy, and word had gotten out.
Because there weren’t enough lollipops for everybody, and so many kids wanted them, I realized something cool—I could’ve raised the price and kids probably still would’ve paid me. Why? That’s called supply and demand.
Let me explain:
- Supply = how much of something you have
- Demand = how much people want it
So, when there’s not much supply (only a few lollipops) and high demand (a lot of kids want them), the value goes up. That means people are willing to pay more because they don’t want to miss out.
At that moment, my lollipops weren’t just candy—they were gold. But instead of charging more, I had a different idea:
Buy more lollipops while they were still in demand.
Smart move, right?
I saw this as the perfect opportunity to grow my candy business. With the money I made I took $3 and bought more candy, making sure I had enough supply to keep selling.
This taught me an important financial lesson: if you want to keep making money, you have to put some of your profits back into your business.
The same day on my way home, I stopped at the 99 cent store purchasing more bags of lollipops. I bought 3 bags (48 lollipops) for a total of $3, leaving me with a total $4.25.
Day 2
The next day, the same thing happened. I met up at the basketball courts again, and within just 30 minutes, I had sold 48 lollipops. It was practically effortless, as some kids were buying four, while others went for six or even eight. They were flying out of my hands so fast that in no time, I had made $24 in total, with a profit of $21, for Day 2.
Total money made = $28.25
Despite the success, I still couldn’t keep up with the demand. More kids kept flocking to me, craving lollipops, but I didn’t have enough lollipops to sell. So, I made a decision. This time, I would reinvest $6 of my profit, buying six more bags (96 lollipops).
Day 3
And I bet you can guess what happened next, Yep! The same thing happened all over again. I sold every single lollipop, making a total of $48 and pocketing $42 in profit, for Day 3.
Total money made = $76.25 – Total Profit = $66.25
Altogether for the week I seriously felt rich. Like, seriously rich. I had never held more than 5 bucks at once before, so when I counted everything up and saw I had made $76, my jaw dropped. It felt like I had just hit the jackpot, but more than anything, it motivated me.
If I could make this much from selling lollipops its time to ramp it up!
WEEK 2 – Getting More Organized
From that point on, I had created a system—and it worked. Every week, I’d head to the store and buy 6 bags of lollipops, because that’s all that could fit in my backpack along with my books. I would buy 6 bags on Sunday, 6 bags on Tuesday, and 6 bags on Thursday, and sell on Monday Wednesday, and Friday, in total 18 bags (288 lollipops) per week.
For the next couple weeks I made $144 a week, and by the end off the month I had made:
Week 1 : Gross Income = $76.25 / Net Profit = $66.25
Week 2 : Gross Income = $144 / Net Profit = $126
Week 3 : Gross Income = $144 / Net Profit = $126
Week 4 : Gross Income = $144 / Net Profit = $126
1st Month Gross Income = $508.25 / 1st Month Net Profit = $444.25
This was a turning point in my life and I was on top of the world. My candy business had pulled in over $500 in one month, and I felt like I was unstoppable.
My mom was shocked when I told her how much I had made, and honestly, so was I. With all that money, I felt like I could do anything.
And so, I started spending.
1st Month Spending Smart… Kinda
First, I wanted to do something that mattered. I gave my mom $80 for groceries and $20 for gas—just to help out. It felt really good. For the first time, I wasn’t just making money for myself—I was also helping my mom who was always there from me and my sisters working long hours to take care of us all.
Then, I stepped it up even more. I pitched in on the light bill ($60.25) and water bill ($40). It wasn’t everything, but it was something. And that something made me feel like I was doing my part. I was also thinking my mom deserves a night out. I also gave her $50 for a night out with her friends because let’s be real our moms work so hard and they need a break from the kids some nights.
But after that?
Oh, I went all in.
I treated my family to a movie night ($50)—yes, including the ridiculously overpriced popcorn (seriously, how is popcorn more expensive than the ticket?).
Next, I rewarded myself. I bought some new drip—new clothes, a chain, and some bling—costing me a cool $63. I figured, Why not? I worked hard, I earned it, and if I was going to run a candy empire, I had to look the part.
At school the next day, I felt like I was walking on air. Every time I passed by, I could feel eyes on me—kids checking out my new clothes and the shiny chain around my neck. It was like I was suddenly the guy everyone noticed. I felt good, like I was the king of the school.
That wasn’t it!
After school, I was eating like a king. My favorite food spot? I hit it once a week, easy. That added up to $60 a month, and honestly? I wasn’t even that hungry most of the time—I just liked the feeling of being able to buy what I wanted.
By the end of the month, I was feeling unstoppable… Until I counted my money.
I had started with $508.25, but after all my spending:
- Groceries: -$80
- Gas: -$20
- Light bill: -$60.25
- Water bill: -$40
- Mom’s Night Out – $50
- Family Movie night: -$50
- Clothing/Jewelry – $63
- Fast food: -$60
Total Spent = 423.25
That left me with… just $85.
I stared at my nearly empty drawer, completely dumbfounded. How did I make over $500 and end up with so little? That’s when I learned a hard financial lesson—the difference between needs and wants.
Breaking It Down: Where My Money Went
- Needs – The groceries, bills, and gas? Those were necessary because they kept our household running. Groceries meant food on the table. Gas meant my mom could get to work. The light and water bills kept our home livable. These weren’t just random expenses—they were things we needed every single day.
- Wants – The new clothes, the movie night, the treats. Yeah, they were fun—but not essential. Don’t get me wrong—spending on fun isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s totally fine and even important sometimes. We all need moments to enjoy life, reward ourselves, and feel good about what we’ve earned. But, it has to be budgeted. If I had planned better—set limits, tracked what I was spending—I could’ve still enjoyed all those things without burning through so much cash. It wasn’t the fun that was the problem. It was not knowing when to stop.
Month 2
With only $85 left in my pocket, I knew I had to go even bigger to make up for all the money I had spent. Sticking to my usual six-bag rule didn’t feel like enough, so I pushed myself and bought ten bags (160 lollipops) on Sunday, ten bags on Tuesday, and ten bags on Thursday, upping my weekly total to buying 480 lollipops, and spending $30 in the first week of Month 2.
Total Money Left Over = $55
I was determined, and with only $55, a little desperate to bring in more money than ever before. But when I got to the basketball court, something felt… off. This month was different.
Yes, Month 2 was different but not in the way I predicted. I only sold three bags (48 lollipops). At the end of month, I only made $24. I still had 7 bags left over at the end of the month that were not selling. This is called a loss because
I paid $30 but only made $24, and my loss is $6.
Total Money Left Over (After Month 2) = $79
For some reason sales were low and I was now losing money. I was used to making more—seeing but now walking away with less cash in my pocket almost diminished my spirit. That’s when I realized another important lesson about business: things change, and profits aren’t always guaranteed.
Lesson: Business Has Ups and Downs
In business, you can’t always predict success. Some months, sales are booming, and money flows in easily. Other months? It’s slow, and profits don’t come as fast. This is just how the business cycle works—some days people want what you’re selling, and some days they don’t.
I thought that buying more candy would automatically mean more sales and more profit—but that wasn’t the case. Just because you spend more money doesn’t guarantee you’ll make more money. Businesses always have to be careful about overstocking or putting too much money into something without knowing if it will sell and I should have put more thought into planning for scenarios like this.
Nonetheless, I had to adjust my expectations and learn to adapt. I knew I had to think smarter for the next month. Maybe I needed to change my strategy, find out what people wanted more, or sell in a different place. The biggest takeaway? Businesses don’t make the same amount of money every time, and you have to be ready for that.
Fast Money, Heavy Consequences
Just as I was starting to figure things out—making plans for a comeback, thinking about how to rebuild my little candy business—here comes DJ.
DJ was one of my closest friends. We had most of the same classes and always hung out during PE. He was chill, funny, and always had ideas—some smart, some… not so much. In the locker room one day, I told him everything—how I’d been selling candy, making money, spending too much, and now trying to bounce back.
He looked at me and nodded like he had the perfect solution.
Then he said something that caught me off guard:
“Bro, you could make way more than that candy money. Like… triple. In just a few days.”
I was curious. He reached into his backpack, glanced around, then pulled out a bundle of illegal fireworks.
My heart skipped.
I froze. This was the first time I had ever seen an illegal firework up close. And there I was, standing in a locker room, holding it in my hands. It was an M-80—one of those old-school explosives banned years ago because they’re basically mini dynamite. People have lost fingers, even hands, messing with these things. But kids love buying them anyway.
It felt heavy—not just in weight, but in what it meant. The money? Tempting. DJ said I could make more than $544 in just three days. But I also knew this wasn’t candy. This wasn’t just about profit anymore. This was serious.
And I didn’t know it at the time… But that moment—right there—was the beginning of something bigger. It would lead to one of the most intense moments of my life… A face-to-face with two police officers, and a choice I couldn’t unmake.
The Final Part of This Series is Available Now
The choices I made in that locker room came full circle. Let’s just say, facing two police officers wasn’t how I imagined things ending. But it might’ve been exactly what I needed.
👉The Side Hustle That (Almost) Got Me Arrested: Finale https://animatedfinance.org/the-side-hustle-that-almost-got-me-arrested-finale/
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