Funny how that works.

"We can't loan you $2500 for a car that's worth it but well gladly loan you $25,000 for a car you'll lose you arse on."

Larry

Well for me 5 years ago I was in the 8th grade but I'm in college now to become a diesel mechanic and hope things work out. My parents say they have made more money than ever before but wonder where it all goes

I went to college, taught school for 8 years and then joined the State Patrol. Because of my education, I've been at our training Academy for 24 years. Last month I was informed that my position is being eliminated due to budget cuts...our governor wants to eliminate 10,000 state employees and I'm one of them. I took a civilian position so I could be the program director of our management and supervisory training courses...the same people who now are the decision makers who cut my position. I have to take an early retirement and find other work. Not a big market for someone 57 years old in the area of the state where I live.... sucks.

I got layed off from my last job when the plant shut down 2yrs ago.I collected unemployment for a while.Then scored a gig in a National act.I played in The National act,and two local bands and was still borrowing money for car insurance.If that tells ya how the clubs are doing.
Now I'm looking for day work again.And it seems the only thing availible is minimum wage jobs that require you to work retail hours.NOT!!!
I'm pretty lucky to live at home still but I can't find a D@mn job and I can't evan pay the bills I do have.

I'm just trying to stay alive and keep my sideburns, too!

I guess I must really be blessed.....which I already knew. I just got promoted with a 20% pay raise at work, so times are jut booming for me. Our company in general is booming, but then again working in energy managment it is growing by necessity.

Chris

I bring in more coin each year, but that amount seems to go right back out again........................keeping my nostrils above water, with the odd snoot full of water.

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Home Handyman Forum I Shade Tree Mechanic Forum

I think creativity is new boom. The guys(girls) willing to expend effort and think about "seedling" business's will find that there is TONS of money that people are willing to spend. My main gig is construction. I also rebuild snowmobile shocks as a hobby business. I also had a vinyl sign business. (The type of sign people put on their company trucks) I sold the vinyl business as it grew out of control. I was working until 1pm every night. That gets old, FAST ! I didn't have time to spend any money! (Now I do!)
The shock business is lucrative in the winter only, making room for hotrods in the "off" months. It provides the revenue to "play".

Can ANYONE do it? I don't know. You have to motivate yourself. Find something your good at, and a service you can sell. Then put forth the effort.

Ideas
Sign business's can be started for less than $5,000.00. Start with internet sales. Ebay is FLOODED with those stupid stickers. Why? They're selling! Car swap meets with tons of stickers? Trade for cash!

Grocery Getter: Advertise in a penny paper for shopping services. Go shop for the infirmed.

Auto / Boat / RV Detailer: Whats a variable speed buffer and a vacuum cost? $75.00 for 2 hour job? Alot of people are too busy or don't want to be bothered.

Lawn Care

Snow removal (roof shovelers make a TON!) People are scared to get on snowy roofs.

Animal Care

Day Care

House Painting

House Cleaning



Its out there. We just need to find it.


Jeff

Jeff,
You hit the nail on the head!
The last 10 years have been the years for money making.
I think from what I see not the guy that got his professional degree but the guy that has creativity and wants to work. Its unlimited opportunity!

Mostly because no one wants to work or if they do when 5:00 gets here their gone.
The other thing that goes along with the above is credit, if bad get an 8-5 job
if its in the 800 range anything you want.

Both of my companies are debt free and its the old saying when you need money "don't ask a bank" If you don't need money, "they want to give it to you".
My banker calls me at least once every two weeks trying to loan me money, I keep telling him I don't need it or want it but he never gives up.

The thing that is really killing me is the cost of housing here. You can't buy a house anymore with just 5-10k down anymore. Once my ex and I sell our house we will have around 100-135k each , but can't really afford to buy a desent house. The Area that we lived in are going for 500-700k and a nice house on little land is going in the 300-400 range. The crack house that I'm staying in until I sell my old house is going for 280k!!! It's nuts! I make pretty good bank where I work, but not enough to support a comfortible life style. I will need to room with someone due to the cost of living here. I'd leave, but if I did, I would be leaving my kids and I do not want to do that!. Good jobs in Reno are hard to find. There are $10 an hour jobs here all day long, but you can't afford to live on that. There are no real high paying jobs. I'm lucky to have landed the one I have, but it's still not enough. Something gotta give!

20+ years ago we had an auto/truck/tractor repair shop., right in the middle of farm country. Things were going good until Carter's grain embargo. That dried up my customers (Farmers) income and in turn ours.

Then we moved out here. We were 4g's in debt. I worked at body shop for awhile. Then went back to school and got a job at a print shop. Started my own sideline business (Sign shop). After a few years it took off and I went back to self employment. Best move I ever made. My wife lost her job of 15+ years and had to take a part time office job. Last year my sign business started out slow but kicked in grear last fall and I not only passed my best year ever by the end of the year, but made up the difference in my wife's paycheck. And we did it on the same overhead cost??? Somebody is watchin' over us for sure.

Bottom line, as I get older I realize we've always had a roof over our heads, We have 2 grown kids we are very proud of, haven't missed many meals and we have friends we know we can count on. That's my difinition of success, moreso than the size of the paycheck.

What kind of print shop did you work at?

Well I'm not doing any better today than I was 5 years ago, still ahead of the game. Doing the same job I have been doing for 8 years with no pay raises for the last 5, my wife is disabled with MS and has not worked in 8 years, my job is with the state but not one of the high paying ones, we don't struggle from month to month, food on the table, Payed for roof over our heads (lock stock and barrel), kids have grown up and will do fine when they want to, have to help them out once in a while but that is slowing down now also. I have 8 more years to retirement and with luck will retire with enough to get by with out having to work maybe only part time. I'm happy to live here in America and have the best loving Wife and family no major bills, like my job and most of the people I work with are good people, guess I don't have alot to complain about but still like to once in a while. I need to start back on the car but only buy parts when i save up enough to pay cash. Little by little I will get er done!!!!
30dee

Local newspaper and job printing. Bus. cards, Flyers stuff like that.
I started out on the light table laying out jobs. Then we switched to computers. It was a good job but I'd rather work for myself.

I worked in my stepdads print shop in high school doing letterheads,business cardsetc, and I now work in the prepress dept. of the worlds largest commerical printer. We print Sunday inserts and several tabloids here. I've been doing it for over 18 years and am ready for a change.