The special jobs that only exist in Vietnam Catching grasshoppers, pulling out white hair or trimming pets’ nails are the special jobs in Vietnam which can bring high income yet don’t require investment capital.   Grasshoppers feed farmers Post-harvest rice fields may look barren, but they offer a bounty of riches to some farmers, who find one more crop left to harvest – grasshoppers. Also called “flying shrimp” by some local folk, grasshoppers serve as ingredients to make delicious and nutritious dishes, mostly served at popular restaurants. Therefore, the demand for the flying shrimp is increasingly high. Nguyen Van Hai, a farmer, said it is very easy to catch grasshoppers with a homemade tool – a racket with net and handle. Hai said that, with the current selling price at VND20,000-50,000 per kilo, he and his son can catch VND500,000-600,000 worth each day. Nguyen Van Manh of Le Thanh Commune in Hanoi is known as a big grasshopper trader. His family sells nearly one ton of grasshoppers daily, which brings them a daily turnover of VND2 million. Phan Ha Anh, the owner of a street restaurant shop in Dien Yen Commune, said grasshoppers are always ordered by clients this season, though they are relatively expensive. Having white hair pulled out – the elegant pleasure Old men nowadays would rather go to hairdressers to have their white hair pulled out than ask their grandchildren to do this. The workers at the hairdressers are very professional, who not only can pull out white hair but also help them relax. The service fee is relatively steep: VND30,000-60,000 per hour, not including tip. While the income is high, the startup investment is modest. Owners basically just need to place a few chairs in their shops. Clients can lie on a couch, listen to light music, and relax, while gossiping with young ladies. Many men fall asleep during the conversations and only leave after three hours of using the service. Having pets’ nails cut by professional workers The demand for pet services has been unexpectedly increasing, especially in summer, when families go away on vacation and need someone to care for their pets. The service fee depends on the pets’ weight. Owners of pets weighing 1-10 kilos pay VND90,000 per day; while pets from 10-15 kilos cost their owners VND130,000. Fawning owners can also order beauty services for their pets: VND15,000 for having a tail’s hair cut, and VND20,000 for nails cut. Sacred water in Phu Tho invaluable People in the north have recently heard about the sacred water taken from the T-junction where the Lo, Da and Hong rivers meet in Phu Tho Province. Taking sacred water has become an “honorable job” for some local residents. However, people whisper in each others’ ears that not everyone is allowed to take the sacred water. Only special people can scoop water from the source, after they burn incenses and pray for God’s and Earth’s permission. There is no average price for the sacred water. People pay in accordance with their financial ability. However, no one dare pay a low price for the sacred water. Therefore, the water suppliers can earn millions of dong a day. DS&PL