Buy an ice cream truck – make things work for little money!

Hi, my name is Tim and for the last two years I have been making a living selling ice cream in Boston. I remember when I first had the idea of ​​running an ice cream truck business, I was put off by the mistaken belief that the start-up costs involved (truck, equipment, and stock) would make it unfeasible in my budget. However, after doing some research on the different options available, I discovered that this was not the case; in fact, there are many options available that make getting started easy and affordable! Here are two things anyone thinking of buying an ice cream truck should know:

First of all, you don’t have to buy your truck outright; To be honest, I wouldn’t suggest buying a vehicle for less than you’re committed to making this a long-term business venture. If you want to buy your truck, a great place to start is Craigslist. With a little research and perseverance, you can find some really amazing deals by searching the site from your local area. If you keep going, you should be able to find a truck that doesn’t cost you more than $3000-$5000.

The second mistake many people often make is thinking that ice cream trucks are built for a purpose. The truth is that very few of these trucks were built to sell ice cream. Most of them, including mine, are just converted trucks and vans. Converting a truck or van is a relatively simple process, all you really need is a side window and your freezer bolted to the vehicle body and you’re ready to go. It’s probably best to have a professional do the conversion for you, but if you’re mechanically inclined and have the right tools, it’s definitely a do-it-yourself project. If you search hard enough, you should be able to find a used truck for under $1,000. Figure another $1,000 at least for a cold plate freezer (I have some tips on my site for making an inexpensive freezer if you don’t want to get a cold plate) and another hundred to get your service window installed and buy paint to paint your truck. buy thick plexiglass for your service window (I got 1/4 inch at Home Depot) and be aware of the size of plexiglass you can buy before you cut the window hole so you only have to buy one piece (it will probably cost around $100).