Little tip, if your under the $299 you can add gift cards to bring the total up and then use the gift cards for smaller purchases.

I am willing to work part-time, and I would be okay working without pay to gain experience but the issue is I need to at least make enough money to pay for gas, going to eat, gifts, etc.

He can't gift it to you either for a mortgage on an investment property.

We took out a mortgage to purchase the house initially, but when my in-laws sold their home and moved into the one across the street, they then gifted to us the proceeds from their house sale, which my wife and I used to pay off the mortgage of the new house 5 months later (September 2019).Meanwhile, in June, our tenant in the rental property (purchased as a vacation home in 2007 - 6 months before the real estate market crashed - but converted to a rental property in 2013) decided to stop paying his rent. 

Also brings up the question of gifting issues if they gave the properties to you or if you are gifting them the cash flow.  

Tell them if the bill comes under X, you will give each unit a $10 gift card. 

However, make sure to speak with your CPA before doing so to avoid any tax traps or unintentional gifts.

BUT, if you can bring be a deal, gift-wrapped with a bow on top and for 20% or more below market, then I'll buy from you.You might be asking yourself, "Wait....if I'm giving Erik 20% off market and I'm only buying for 10-15% off market, then how do I eat?" 

Other landlords feel that giving gifts crosses tenant-landlord boundaries.

Just know that there are some very good silver tongue real estate investors who have the gift of gab and make these deals come through.