WINTER - Supplemental Income

[truckmount girl]

Those who live where the cleaning work slows to a trickle in the winter....how do you cope? Just on frozen water pipe leaks? Do some of you run another business in the winter (plow driveways, tow cars, sell firewood, etc.)? Do you just put some aside in the fat months and squeak by on what's saved?

Here in SoCal, our work did slow a lot between New Years and the first week of good weather.....but my spouse's income was enough to get us by....and here winter is the CHEAP season for utilities.

What were some of the best and worst winter cash generators you have used...whether related to the business or personally as side jobs, second jobs, secondary businesses, etc.

.....yes, Brian we know all about Mary Kay!

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Larry B]

I'm going to sell my body to toothless, drug addicted mountain women.

 

[Brian R]

Those who live where the cleaning work slows to a trickle in the winter....how do you cope? Just on frozen water pipe leaks? Do some of you run another business in the winter (plow driveways, tow cars, sell firewood, etc.)? Do you just put some aside in the fat months and squeak by on what's saved?

Here in SoCal, our work did slow a lot between New Years and the first week of good weather.....but my spouse's income was enough to get us by....and here winter is the CHEAP season for utilities.

What were some of the best and worst winter cash generators you have used...whether related to the business or personally as side jobs, second jobs, secondary businesses, etc.

.....yes, Brian we know all about Mary Kay!

Take care,
Lisa

I've gotten back into Herbalife again and it's doing well. I can sell that to ALL my customers and it's got some really good suppliments etc.
I try to find things that work with my company. Not too mention I can use myself.
That's the key.

Mary Kay is doing well. Jen's director is here now for the weekend and they are on the hunt. lol. She's a nice lady.

 

[floorguy]

diversify.....

other type of work connected with carpets......of course commercial work is always nice

 

[truckmount girl]

[quote="truckmount girl":3jg4jwdy]Those who live where the cleaning work slows to a trickle in the winter....how do you cope? Just on frozen water pipe leaks? Do some of you run another business in the winter (plow driveways, tow cars, sell firewood, etc.)? Do you just put some aside in the fat months and squeak by on what's saved?

Here in SoCal, our work did slow a lot between New Years and the first week of good weather.....but my spouse's income was enough to get us by....and here winter is the CHEAP season for utilities.

What were some of the best and worst winter cash generators you have used...whether related to the business or personally as side jobs, second jobs, secondary businesses, etc.

.....yes, Brian we know all about Mary Kay!

Take care,
Lisa

I've gotten back into Herbalife again and it's doing well. I can sell that to ALL my customers and it's got some really good suppliments etc.
I try to find things that work with my company. Not too mention I can use myself.
That's the key.

Mary Kay is doing well. Jen's director is here now for the weekend and they are on the hunt. lol. She's a nice lady.[/quote:3jg4jwdy]

Can't you find something to do that's not annoying, slightly effeminate or reeks a bit of a cult? Next thing you'll be selling Amway!

Love ya man.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Brian R]

Now there's an idea. lol

 

[George V]

Here's a 15 second clip that pretty much sums it up for me.

c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L8DcjFOD1kc]

 

[Mikey P]

too late to get back into Poll shape?




Think good thoughts dear.

 

[Brian R]

too late to get back into Poll shape?




Think good thoughts dear.

No, I think I look pretty good. I never could keep ahold of the pole very well though...I mean unless I tightened my thighs really hard.

OH, We're you talking to Lisa?? :shock:

 

[joeynbgky]

i sell watkins products . i can sign you up to sell to! www.watkinsonline.com/jupchurch

 

[Willy P]

Fiscal responsibility. I put away a few nuts to get me over and doing 70 to 80% commercial and apartments, so I usually make out OK. I've had years that sucked until May and then it was 7 days, 12 hours plus till Christmas. Gotta make hay while the sun shines.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Those who live where the cleaning work slows to a trickle in the winter....how do you cope?

for a solo operator, it's no big deal if you budget right.
Some time off in the winter ain't such a bad thing

for other biz models...
diversification .
"out of the box" diversification..as in NON cleaning related is what we did in '01.
More services offered other than cleaning related = more contacts/prospects to schmooze

I might start a new venture this winter
(more like a hobby, really, like my gun show gigs)
I might start refinishing guns.
I've been approached by a firearms dealer friend that's considering offering/marketing the service.
he's seem my refinish work and wants to discuss a partnership .

we'll see

..L.T.A.

 

[packfancjh]

I've gotten back into Herbalife again and it's doing well. I can sell that to ALL my customers and it's got some really good suppliments etc.

My parents started selling Herbalife about a year ago and it is doing very well for them. The stuff works great too!

 

[dealtimeman]

not just in the winter i do this all year round.

i have a small autoglass service venture that service a small client base.

i also have a small roofing company that speciallizes in copper roofing and accesories like gutter and bay windows.

i sell a vareity of bulk merchandise(overstocked and liquidated ) lots online and to exportersd that take them to mexico and sell at dicounted prices down there.


about 5 years ago i went from making 16,000 to 20,000 a month to making nothing in one day. i had over 16 buildings that we serviced as a janitorial company and lost the contract. since then i have tried to diversy as much as possible.

 

[XTREME1]

I will just have to grin and pray to the good lord that I don't lose my home

 

[BLewis]

That's why I try to get and keep commercial (yeah those dirty ole restaurants). In January while I'm recouping and getting our plans together for next year I enjoy the checks coming in the mail from the commercial work done in December, then again same thing in Febuary, then in March the resy starts and kinda fills in the gaps that may have started.

This winter I would like to take a WRT class, I am having to miss one in December that I had signed up for cuz a big bid came through and they want the job done on exactly those 3 days. Even though I won't be actually be doing the job I want to be on site to see it through and assist, cuz it's a new customer that we will be doing window cleaning for. I did a tile & grout job for them and hit it off with the guy who was from South Carolina and we shared some stories and that led to me bidding for the window job. My "X" tech was a professional window cleaner but luckily I have a back up tech that cleans windows also and I subbed the job out to him.

Lisa, I guess I could always go down to the ole Golden Corral and cook during the slow spell, NOT!

 

[Brian R]

I've gotten back into Herbalife again and it's doing well. I can sell that to ALL my customers and it's got some really good suppliments etc.

My parents started selling Herbalife about a year ago and it is doing very well for them. The stuff works great too!

If you can make it work with what you're working with....anything little extra service or product can be a good thing.

Herbalife...like Mary Kay...is a well known and respected company and product. So it sells it'self...you just have to let people know you are a rep.

 

[handdi]

jan drink alot
feb sober up
march go to work

Really last jan we did pretty good sent out discount cards
to prev customers and landed some very nice jobs.
Feb i still need a game plan though

 

[Mike Draper]

I play the lottery everyday in hopes that soon I will win it big. I know that I'll win any day now. shiteatinggrin

 

[harryhides]

I play the lottery everyday in hopes that soon I will win it big. I know that I'll win any day now. shiteatinggrin

Funny story Mike about a carpet cleaner that won the lottery and when asked what he'd do with his winnings said
"keep cleaning carpets until its all gone".

 

[Mike Draper]

haha, now that is funny.

 

[Wandslinger]

I continue to pick up trash!

 

[Royal Man]

I save enough I don't have to work in the winter if I don't want to.

The slow season is a good time to create more networking oportunites.

Want to start working with credit union and more health cubs and tap into their memberships.

Below zero and roads that are like ice rinks does not make a fun time to clean carpets

 

[Brian R]

I hate to agree with Dave because Harper gets butt hurt but here I go. :roll:

The slow seasin IS the time to create relationships and get the building part of your business going.

 

[bob vawter]

ghetto work NEVER slows down.........honest!

 

[dgargan]

We slow down but not bad. I plan ahead and save some money just incase but never had to dip into the fund. Come spring I buy some new equipment with it.

 

[Becker]

Plan for a possible slow down all season long.

If it happens you are prepared and can spend it doing what you want.

If it does not come, then more money saved for the next year.

I did a house flip one year, but normally it is spent vacationing, and duck season runs till Feb.

This year I'm prepared with plans and money. So I'm guessing I'll be busy working.

 

[Jim Williams]

I did chimney cleaning for five years. It was busy from Oct. - Feb. Better money per hour than carpet cleaning.

I don't do it anymore. Thankfully I live in a warmer climate (N.C.) and I am still able to do enough in the slow months to pay the bills. I also get a check from a self storage company that I am part owner of.

 

[rotorob]

There is no slow season for me anymore, if I am not cleaning rugs, I am hard at work at the local nuclear plant for 40-60 hours a week. It is great to be diversified.

 

[Becker]

There is no slow season for me anymore, if I am not cleaning rugs, I am hard at work at the local nuclear plant for 40-60 hours a week. It is great to be diversified.

Some of us make a living as business owners, or full time cleaners.

40-60 hrs a week, then cleaning on top of that.

Where does enjoying life, or family come into play?