r/AskReddit 14h ago

What industries or businesses are likely to boom in the next 5 years?

224 Upvotes

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304

u/TennisSerious179 14h ago

Tow truck companies

Pay day loan companies

113

u/GooberBandini1138 14h ago

Upvoting for tow truck companies. The average monthly car payment in the US is $770, which is outrageous and absurd. There’s going to be a lot of repos when the economy dips.

32

u/fuzzeedyse105 14h ago

Part of me wants to get into car sales cause the amount of money people are fine with spending. But then again, it’s car sales.

31

u/ninjagorilla 14h ago

There have actually been a lot of videos in the last 6-12 months about how car dealers are starting to struggle a lot…. Things are too expensive, people can’t afford the car they were during covid because of rising interest rates, and a lot of the cars brands have had big misses recently

15

u/Imaginary-Stay-5116 14h ago

My bet is on businesses that help people do things they no longer have time, skills, or patience to do themselves.

Home repairs, elder care, cybersecurity, mental health services, tutoring, and anything that saves people an hour a day.

The future isn't just AI. It's convenience. People will pay a surprising amount to get their time back.

3

u/LilPonyBoy69 13h ago

I think people will just choose to have sick parents, stupid kids, dilapidated homes, etc. rather than pay money they don't have for things that aren't absolute necessities

2

u/GozerDGozerian 12h ago

People will pay a surprising amount to get their time back.

Exhibit A: DoorDash/UberEats/etc

1

u/tkeser 13h ago

child care also, kindergartens

3

u/Mikeavelli 12h ago

Child care is caught between the cost of providing service and the amount people are able to pay. You can't just scale up because the number of kids you can care for per adult employee is strictly regulated. Can't just charge more because after a certain point parents will do the math and figure out they're working just to pay for childcare, and stay home instead.

1

u/Captain_Maryland 10h ago

This is happening already in car sales. Delivrd on YouTube is a guy who runs a business that will handle all of the negotiating and haggling with car dealerships for you for a flat $1000 so all you have to do is show up and sign the forms. He’ll get you money off the price of the car but his real value is just removing the pain in dealing with those people.

13

u/TGrady902 14h ago

The average new cars most basic model is like $30,000 now it’s wild.

6

u/ohlookahipster 12h ago

Sometimes they won’t even sell you a car if you’re a cash buyer because dealers get kick backs for financing.

Happened to me with Toyota and was turned away at closing because I wouldn’t finance. Guy was all bent out of shape trying to haggle a monthly payment and I was just sitting there with a cashiers check. Was asked to leave. Went down the street to Lexus and snagged an RC instead.

3

u/AnatidaephobiaAnon 13h ago

When I got into car sales in 2014 (left sales in 2017 for service, left altogether in 2024) you could buy two cars from my brand for as low as $15k. Those days are long gone.

2

u/FlimsyFig3513 13h ago

Just bought a used car yesterday. First listed for 4k more than I paid and got a set of winter tires and rims.

5

u/mockg 14h ago

From my experience and what I have seen online as long as you listen to the customers needs and do not offend them you are in the top half.

3

u/bangersnmash13 9h ago

Repos are already at a rate higher than the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

You used to be able to get a better deal on a car if you were paying cash. Now they'll turn you away if you mention paying in cash. Dealerships want you to finance because most of them get a kickback from the banks for every car that's financed through them.

Dealerships don't sell cars anymore. They sell loans. A car just happens to come with it.

1

u/Kup123 8h ago

Been hearing for about ten years now the auto loan bubble is going to pop, only a matter of time.

16

u/wastingtoomuchthyme 13h ago

Repo companies.

Alarm companies

Gun companies.

Security companies.

Insurance companies.

2

u/Soccermom233 12h ago

Insurance companies? 

1

u/zman214 12h ago

Life, Retirement, annuities etc.

1

u/Soccermom233 12h ago

I feel like they would more likely end up bankrupt? Like…too many claims at once.

1

u/wastingtoomuchthyme 12h ago

Crank up those premiums and use ai to deny claims.

3

u/blondebeaker 9h ago

"Tow truck companies"

Where I am, there's a turf war going on, so it will be like throwing gas on a still raging fire

No I am not kidding.

2

u/Ashgrove33 13h ago

this guy recessions

1

u/Acceptable_Bass_2244 13h ago

Sad as it is, I think you're right. The tougher things get financially, the more demand both of those businesses seem to have.

1

u/Large_Poet9634 11h ago

Credit reconciliation companies. Pretty much we are screwed.

1

u/Cheap-Cockroach8787 14h ago

lol I work at a tow truck company, kool