Expenses

[TIMON]

Hi all.

Just been looking over our expenses for the last year. Our percentage compared to our income is quite high and I want to bring it down this year.

Have any of you been on this journey and made any significant gains by making cuts or changes in any particular area?

I'd love to hear of anyone's experiences, successes, failures, things that have made a difference to your income/expenses percentages

Any tips on how you have been able save in this area would be very welcome.

Thanks in advance

Timon

[bolthole]

Hi all.

Just been looking over our expenses for the last year. Our percentage compared to our income is quite high and I want to bring it down this year.

Have any of you been on this journey and made any significant gains by making cuts or changes in any particular area?

I'd love to hear of anyone's experiences, successes, failures, things that have made a difference to your income/expenses percentages

Any tips on how you have been able save in this area would be very welcome.

Thanks in advance

Timon

 

As you replace your saws, start to buy battery ones?

[TIMON]

As you replace your saws, start to buy battery ones?

 

 

Funnily enough,,,, the Stihl training guy was round today and he was talking about the advances in battery technology. He said that the new battery saws give about 30 mins cutting time on 4" inch timber..

Food for thought. Certainly

[Mick Dempsey]

Your expenses must be put into categories, like insurances or chainsaw repair.

What seems high to your eyes? That would make it easier to offer tips on saving.

[Stephen Blair]

It's a guessing game with such little information or knowledge about the running of your business.

[cornish wood burner]

Don't buy over the top kit. Simple example is size of saw, if a smaller saw will do all you need then that's the one to buy. Larger saws cost more, use more fuel, and parts will be more expensive. Same applies to trucks, tractors, splitters etc.

[TIMON]

It's a guessing game with such little information or knowledge about the running of your business.

 

 

I run an Arb firm that is part of a drug and alcohol recovery charity.

We all work as volunteers, and so do the guys on the programme.

It's provides work skills and life skills for people recovering for addiction. All the guys live in our residential centres

The income from the business pays the bills not just for the business running costs but also for the residential side of things. (We also have furniture and landscaping)

Once we have paid our business running costs all the profit goes to the residential costs (astronomical !!)

Our business running costs include vehicles...,

Mog, transit and doblo van x2 chippers.

Kit....

Usual cutting climbing rigging stuff (don't want to list it on here for obvious reasons)

Insurance

Training, (once our guys have been with us a while we put them through their tickets )

We hire an extra climber (an ex-resident) to help us push work through.

We also occasionally hire a subby climber for anything tricky or potentially dangerous.

We spend a lot on flyers but that's what brings the work in.

I recognise were not a typical Arb firm but at the end of the day we have a family to house and feed. Ours is just a very big family. Big houses big bills.

The more efficient our business's are,

the more places we can provide for people who need help.

[TIMON]

Your expenses must be put into categories, like insurances or chainsaw repair.

What seems high to your eyes? That would make it easier to offer tips on saving.

 

 

We have spent a lot on kit and hopefully this year we can reign it in. But ropes wear out and chains etc...

Running a mog on white is pricey but it gives us an edge on the competition as we can process more quickly.

[Mick Dempsey]

We have spent a lot on kit and hopefully this year we can reign it in. But ropes wear out and chains etc...

Running a mog on white is pricey but it gives us an edge on the competition as we can process more quickly.

 

Ok, fair enough.

 

Look at selling the Mog, buying a 7.5 tonne truck and tow behind.

[eggsarascal]

You could start by cutting out middle management, let's face it most charities are full of them.

 

What would someone in your position get in return for their volunteering?

 

I mean in actual figures. House, vehicle, utilities, living allowance and the likes, I'd dare bet it's a lot more than most tree surgeons/managers earn.

 

Just I thought, mind.