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Time To Pack It In?


Guest Discouraged

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Guest Discouraged

I was the cheap guy. I'm not really terrible. No way would I say awesome either. My products are worth what I charge. For example, 2x8-10oz banner: basic 1 color text or clipart only, $64 ($4 a sq. ft., yup pretty sad). Most of the time that was a loss leader. I'd upsell to a 13 oz banner and 2 colors. Now we're talking $8 per sq. ft. I can generally hit them for a 30 minute "design charge" of $15.

OK, I'm not getting rich... I'll do coroplast for about $10 sq. ft., so the typical 24x24" "Open July 4th" window sign is $40. If it's 24x48, sometimes they can beat me down to $70 or get a 2nd color or edge caps for free.

In all honesty, I use the cheapest vinyl and banners money can buy. Coroplast is coroplast. I buy in quantity and get a good price.

March was good to me, about $5,000 in sales. April and May were exceptional, about $7,000 in sales. Not bad for a home based, low end vinyl shop? June was horrible, about $2,800 in sales. That's my worst month in 2005 by about $150.

Last fall was the same trend, about $3,000 Jan, Feb. About $5,000 March, April, May about $7,000. June took less of a hit, about $5,000 last year. July-October were flat, about $4,000 each month. November and December were back up to about $5,000 in sales.

Today I read the new issue of the local business rag and the "official" monthly newspaper insert in the daily paper from the Chamber... Both had the new cheap guy. He's about 25% cheaper than me. That's insane. I don't know how he does this. I checked last week's business rag at the library, he was in there too. He published a 1/4 page pricelist of unbeatable vinyl signage.

This might explain the dip. I don't have the cash to expand this business. If I don't, I'm going to die. I can get a job for $12 an hour driving a medium sized (14,000 lbs) Isuzu or UD delivery truck for my brother, who manages a mattress/furniture store and says he can get me a job if I want it right now.

Since this is a home based business, and there's absolutely no work in the shop for 3 days straight, I could just quit and start earning money next Tuesday.

I never thought it would come to this, but it looks like it did.

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PS Liability insurance is paid up until the end of August. I'm not renewing policy. I also passed on the Yellow Pages (all three in this market and three more immediately to my south) because even a bold listing of my cell phone "business line" was costing me about $500 to be in all six books. They all come out June, July or September. The once comany I could renew. The others it's too late. Even my cell phone contact is up in 3 weeks. Then it's just 30 days notice. I kinda planned on quitting this summer.

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I'm such a lazy bastard, I just went outside to water the back lawn and noticed I started to empty and clean the spa...like days ago. Blacked out somehow and walked away just leaving it there. :wallbash::eek13:

it may sit for a day longer but it sounds good tonight to go with my beer and pretzels

Back to the thread, where do you live? Sounds like your doing pretty good for a home based business. I don't know what your bills are or costs to operate but...where's my calculator?

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. - Winston Churchill

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I'm such a lazy bastard, I just went outside to water the back lawn and noticed I started to empty and clean the spa...like days ago.  Blacked out somehow and walked away just leaving it there.  :wallbash:  :eek13:

it may sit for a day longer but it sounds good tonight to go with my beer and pretzels

Back to the thread, where do you live?  Sounds like your doing pretty good for a home based business.  I don't know what your bills are or costs to operate but...where's my calculator?

I live about 55 miles NNW of NYC. The money is chump change. After expenses, I clear about 40%. That works out to be about low $30's at income tax time. The way things are shaping up for 2005, looks like it will be more like upper $20's.

I just don't bring that much to the table. This month has been particulary hard with the expense of gas and about a 25% drop in sales. Gas was almost as expensive this time last year, but I also had more business. I work 50+ hours a week to get this money. I could give up $5,000, get benefits, and some tips delivering mattresses. Probably with tips and OT get well past $30,000.

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