Hard Times

[csservices]

Been the second generally quiet year in a row but been worse from about october through to now, now however I've got a load of fencing and hedgelaying to get done before end of February, so typically started it today and pulled a muscle in my back

[themonkian]

Fill your boots from March to October and put enough money away so that ANY work during November to February is pure profit.

 

I pay myself a salary from the tree account to personal account every month and only spend the contents of the tree account on diesel, spares and other tree stuff (makes accounting nice and easy too). Come October the account is nicely flush and means if I dont want to work for 4 months then I dont have to and i will still get a monthly wage, anything I do make during that time could be either pee'd up the wall, paid to me as a bonus or spent on new kit over and above the budgeted stuff.

 

Always plan for the worst, I always budget for a few rained off days a month and a seriously quiet winter, that way if you work every day in a month you will be up and if winter is still busy you will be flush in the spring. Last January I did about £500 worth of work due to the snow which just covered expenses so without the saving I would have been living on fresh air. This year has seen £3k already this month, all profit due to saving in the summer. If this carries on it will be new car in the summer.

 

Plan properly and you don't need to be searching around for ways to make money in the winter doing things you don't really want to do.

 

Cheers Kev, great advice & inspiration.

 

I'm just starting out and want to set up my own business at some point, this has been a valuable post.

 

Does anybody have any other advice on starting up their own company?

 

[grumpydavesmith]

Cheers for the advice guys. ive now secured a full time job with a local company to see me through till the business picks up again. got the job through this site too!!

[Littletree]

Hi that's really great news I wish y all the best with your new job.

I do a combination of private and subcontract work and this works really well for me I get the best of both and it keeps me busy . And the beat bit is that the main company I do my sub work for is just so nice to work for he is an older tree surgeon and allways treats me really well it's allways a joy and a pleasure to go to work for him.

 

O happy days

 

All the best with your new job enjoy and enjoy

littletree