Always loved the muppets. Bork bork bork
Anything else you could do other than handyman stuff? Just curious.....
Mid Life Crisis
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Anything else you could do other than handyman stuff? Just curious.....
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Sales rep for a company selling into the trades? I'd rather sell commercial woodworking machinery for a living, and use it for a hobby, than the other way around.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
With a young child in the home, and you working "odd hours" - wouldn't that give you time at home, when the wife was working, to spend with your son? You'd be saving on child care and get one on one time with him. I believe that the parents should raise their child, but that's another (touchy) subject.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I would argue there are more parents who should not be allowed to raise their own children.
heat seeker
Minister of Fire
Sadly, true.
When the tots are really little, and the most bonding occurs, they are not on a school schedule, so time with them can occur whenever, it's all good to them.
And I'm going to assume everyone on this board is a good parent!
When the tots are really little, and the most bonding occurs, they are not on a school schedule, so time with them can occur whenever, it's all good to them.
And I'm going to assume everyone on this board is a good parent!
Get a few jobs that are not for friends or friends or friends, complete them, and make sure the reality still fits with what you have in your mind of how its going to be. If yes, then consider quitting your current job.
If you are planning on doing this for a living there is only so much money to be made off friends, the rest (bulk) will need to come from random people you do not know.
If you are planning on doing this for a living there is only so much money to be made off friends, the rest (bulk) will need to come from random people you do not know.
I can do lots of things.....I just like doing home reparis, and did i mention I have been prospecting for clients since i was 22.....I am used to starting each month at $0
I have a clent doing it making over 80k, and a friend who started last year doing very well. I never said I was planiing to make money off of friends and family, I said I have done work for them. This is something that I have thought about for 10 years now. Did i also mention my wife works?.......she makes a very good salary, she is the one ecncouraging this. I think you guys are focusing on money rather than quality of life. Currently I have 2 pensions one from Citigroup, one from Aegon USA, and a 401k. If it doesnt work i could get a job selling cars in a second, this business has an extremely high turnover rate.
I have a clent doing it making over 80k, and a friend who started last year doing very well. I never said I was planiing to make money off of friends and family, I said I have done work for them. This is something that I have thought about for 10 years now. Did i also mention my wife works?.......she makes a very good salary, she is the one ecncouraging this. I think you guys are focusing on money rather than quality of life. Currently I have 2 pensions one from Citigroup, one from Aegon USA, and a 401k. If it doesnt work i could get a job selling cars in a second, this business has an extremely high turnover rate.
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OK, so you want to do it, and your wife wants you to do it. Then why are you asking us?
Yup.....last year almost did it...I was just wondering if anyone had made a switch this late in life
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Michael Golden
Feeling the Heat
Do you feel old at 44? I hope I don't feel old then, I'm 28 now! Lol Go for it, like you said you can always get another sales job. Like you said youtube is a wealth of knowledge, just don't tell you customer " yea I can do this, I learned from youtube." I have taught myself many times this way and I'm getting ready to tackle a walk in shower now that I'm a YouTube pro. Lol
Ashful
Minister of Fire
What's your business plan, expenses, and required income? What are your start-up costs, and planned equipment / vehicle investments over the first 3 - 5 years? What's your plan for health insurance, liability insurance, and the like? Seems to me $80k might not leave much for eating, after the expenses associated with going solo, depending largely on your equipment, insurance, and vehicle budgets.
My personal situation is as follows: I run my household bills/debt on one income. Whatever my wife earns (when she works) is gravy. That way there's flexibility and less financial stress. If your wife has a good income, insurance, benefits, go for it. If the entire livelyhood of your family depends on only YOUR income, tough call. For handyman type of work, $1500 in tools can go far.
A guy came here and cleaned my chimney for me today (and I have my own set of brushes to do it myself) Why? Simple: I have 2 young kids, a big yard and work about 50 hours a week. My father is up for Canadian Thanksgiving and I had other things I wanted to get done. Sweeping my chimney takes me about 2-3 hours (by the time I get up there, disconnect stove pipe, clean bottom out, clean myself off, etc). The guy charged me $40. And he had a helper! I ended up giving them $60 (I felt bad..he was here for over 1.5 hours and had to drive here). Before leaving he said "if you ever need anything else done, give me a call". And guess what: I will.
Take the leap of faith.
A guy came here and cleaned my chimney for me today (and I have my own set of brushes to do it myself) Why? Simple: I have 2 young kids, a big yard and work about 50 hours a week. My father is up for Canadian Thanksgiving and I had other things I wanted to get done. Sweeping my chimney takes me about 2-3 hours (by the time I get up there, disconnect stove pipe, clean bottom out, clean myself off, etc). The guy charged me $40. And he had a helper! I ended up giving them $60 (I felt bad..he was here for over 1.5 hours and had to drive here). Before leaving he said "if you ever need anything else done, give me a call". And guess what: I will.
Take the leap of faith.
Here's another thing to consider....how do you know if/when the new plan isn't working? Let's say it might be a tough slog until you get it figured out, build a clientele, etc. If I told you it would take 6 mos to get the new thing off the ground, that prob sounds great. If I told you 5 years (to make a decent living again), would you still do it? Maybe you should sit down with the DW and talk about your earning goals over the next several years. If you don't meet your (predefined) goals, you revert to your earlier career.
Normal psychology is to keep stubbornly doubling down on something that is not working out, until you are in a very deep hole. Or to creep your expectations downward to match your lower income. Writing down a plan and goals and putting the list somewhere helps a lot with psychology creep.
The trick is to not have too much ego-involvement....you are just doing an 'experiment'. You don't know if your new thing will make you happier and get you more time with Enzo, but you are going to try. Before the expt state what your criteria are for a successful experiment, and pledge to yourself and the wife to 'go back' if the criteria are not met, no shame no foul. Not every venture needs to be a success.
Normal psychology is to keep stubbornly doubling down on something that is not working out, until you are in a very deep hole. Or to creep your expectations downward to match your lower income. Writing down a plan and goals and putting the list somewhere helps a lot with psychology creep.
The trick is to not have too much ego-involvement....you are just doing an 'experiment'. You don't know if your new thing will make you happier and get you more time with Enzo, but you are going to try. Before the expt state what your criteria are for a successful experiment, and pledge to yourself and the wife to 'go back' if the criteria are not met, no shame no foul. Not every venture needs to be a success.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Reminds me of too many of my own personal situations. Remind me to tell you about restoring a 1959 wooden racing boat, someday.
NE WOOD BURNER
Minister of Fire
- Dec 30, 2012
- 754
Keep your day job and ease into small manageable profitable jobs that you need no outside help. Get a 24/7 calendar and plot your available time. your above example will make no money for you! you left $375 on the table.
At 42 left working for others, Its been a good ride ( 21 years worth), sadly due to circumstances beyond my control it looks like the end is very near. I have no long term debts, ( mortage ect) nor credit debts. Basicly the ACA is putting me out the door as it has for several of my customers both large and small.
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