The ongoing Great American Economic Recovery is... well, let's say it's a "mixed bag," to keep everyone's spirits up. On the downside, prices are rising faster than wages, meaning that your meager stores of money are becoming more worthless by the day. And the cost of driving is rising rapidly, taking a bite out of your paltry paycheck before you even get to work.

But don't overlook the upside! A hot new career is here that seems almost too good to be true. Low barrier to entry! Stable prices! No taxes! Wide customer base! No long driving commutes—work right in your own neighborhood! Selling loosies on the corner to nicotine-starved office drones is the career of the moment. The NYT reports:

Mr. Warner [a guy who walks around Midtown selling bootleg cigarettes] said he and each of his two partners took home $120 to $150 a day, profit made from selling about 2,000 cigarettes, mostly two at a time. Each transaction is a misdemeanor offense.

What are you waiting for, unemployed Americans? It's this or a McJob.

[Photo: Geoffrey Gallaway/ Flickr]