I always wanted to give busking a shot, but I was too chicken to just do it, and I knew that you needed to buy a license etc. So I only did it twice, at a market that actively recruited young musicians for atmosphere. It was fun, and I earned a lot more money than I expected to given my fairly limited repertoire at the time (I was fifteen, and I found myself too shy to sing, so I just played my flute and recorder). Nowadays I think I'd do it like a shot, but they don't seem to have buskers in the US (and who'd want to listen to a 35-yo housewife anyway?)