Home-Work is Money in Your Pocket
Surviving a slow month or two with a home-based business.
Today’s “17 Step Commute” Dashboard…
Temp: Currently 74 degrees. High of 84 today 😎
Humidity: 4 on the “Soup” scale. (1=light broth, 5=thick chowder)
Today’s Playlist: Peter Tosh and the Marleys.
Conditions: Another perfect day!
Estimated Travel Time: 18 seconds
Food: Washington apple and toast. Grilled steaks for supper.
Coffee Level: 1/2 Tank
On the Workbench…
Slow business week, but time was needed to catch up on the the post-hurricane cleanup. Another 5 or 6 hour’s work should finish that. The FDOT has picked up the debris on the state road side, the city street pile is still growing.
I have been considering shaping a larger version of my chopstick as pointers, wands, batons. Although the demand for these may not be great, there is not a lot of competition on Etsy for them. None carved with names.
I need to determine their finished sizes and how I would ship them before diving in.
I am also now faced with replacing a 10” x 10” square column on our front porch, considering and gathering the tools, materials, and steps of removal and replacement of the load supporting member. I have a contractor neighbor to give advice and help, if needed.
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Home-Work is Money in Your Pocket: Surviving a slow month or two with a home-based business.
Time is money, whether you are in your workshop carving orders, cutting the lawn or watching TV.
It has been a slow few weeks around here business-wise. There are a number of factors that are affecting online sales right now. The main one is our government and media scaring the bejeezus out of everyone. People are nervous about spending money, not knowing where we’ll sit after the election. Another is that AI and algorithms are playing games and having their way with their newfound frontiers. Also, major storms have disrupted communications and delayed deliveries with all of their mayhem across the country.
Tweak Your Business
Sometimes, slow times are caused by over-saturation of your following and/or product. Here are a few things to try:
Brainstorm your work and come up with something new to add to your repertoire. It may only be a slight variation on your original theme, but may catch the eye of a new group of clients.
Make new contacts. You can search for and join new “social” groups that have similar slants. Commenting with positive energy and humor will draw organic attention (FREE) to you and your work and your business “page”.
Consider creating new listings and images for similar products, instead of relying on one listing with multiple variations to customize.
Tweak your products and listings to catch new interests. Always strive to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and photography.
Build up stock as far as you can to be ready once the orders start flowing again.
Remember that you are only “one” email away from having your butt in a tub of butter again.
This ebb and flow of a home based business must be planned for. Funds should be set aside and buckles cinched to get you through slow periods.
If putting money away is not an option, you should have plans for how to survive a slow month or two. Do some side jobs for previous employers, pick up a part time retail or restaurant job. Julie and I have had to do this at least a dozen times over the last 40+ years. There is no shame in menial work as long as your focus is kept on working for yourself, regardless of who is cutting your check.
Sweat Equity is Real
This past week, we spent about 15 hours tackling the vine tangled mess of broken limbs left by hurricane Milton. Having knowledge that landscaping and tree services would have charged around $1,400.00 ($93.33 per hour), I am way ahead of the game. I am only about half-way through, but at this pay rate I can afford to ride the clock until the holiday business rush comes.
If you are reasonably healthy, have the tools and knowledge to complete a task, you can make a lot of money from yourself. I admit to the inability to grok electricity and plumbing, but can consider just about anything else, although ladders and I are quickly dissolving our relationship.
Taking on home repair and maintenance yourself has the advantage of justifying the purchase of cool new tools and “implements of destruction” that you can use for other things later.
So, in our mind, we banked an extra $1,400.00 this past week, although it is not added to the checking register. It is now in the realm of equity, a seldom documented place that depreciates if not attended to, but is as real as the digital realm with perhaps more value.
Doing-It-Yourself vs. Getting a Professional
Most people today have accepted the concept of digital currency. Debit/Credit cards are now the norm for shopping, paying bills and for services. Our income is regularly deposited directly into our accounts. Payments are made automatically. We hardly ever see cash money anymore.
In my opinion, the same principle applies to repairs and maintenance you do around the house. Use your hourly shop-rate that you have determined is appropriate for your business (mine is $60.00 per hour). This value should be considered when doing chores like lawn mowing, tree trimming, home maintenance, etc.
Keeping up with property is an investment in your future. Whether you choose to do the job yourself or hire a professional depends on a lot of factors. Here are five;
Be honest with your perceived abilities.
Time. Do you have the time to do the job properly and run whatever business you have going on?
Availability of the worker/contractor. People that are good at what they do have busy schedules.
Comfortable, working knowledge of what the heck you are doing.
If in doubt, err on the safe side and hire a professional if the job has a bit of a dangerous element or the potential of causing future dangers. Make sure whomever you hire is licensed and insured against these dangers.
Correctly or not, I believe the pandemic raised the perceived worth of the skilled worker. Those adept in their field are in demand nationwide and can now (pretty much) name their price. They are a valued commodity. But for every one of them (I would guess) there are 10 - 15 who are inept at their work and/or running a business. So be careful who you hire.
Sneak Peek Slideshow
Here are the orders carved and shipped from my DustyNewt workshop this week.
DustyNewt World ~ A map of where I have shipped my woodstuffs. See if your town is represented.
If you are enjoying what you see… I like it hot and black. 😉
Talking about how much your time is worth -- it's funny cuz I'll figure that out by negotiating with myself. If someone came up to me and said, "I'll pay you $40 to mow my lawn," I might be like, no thanks. But if they say "I'll give you $60" -- then I'm in! There's a fulcrum in there somewhere, pushing the value from one side to the other. When I had roommates, and there was ONE big bedroom, and a couple smaller bedrooms, there was a battle for the big bedroom. I said, "I'll pay $1,000 a month, and you guys pay $800 a month, if I can have the big bedroom." They balked, so I increased mine until I got to $1,200 per month, which was still a deal for me. Then at one point, they said, "How about you pay $1,500 per month, and we'll pay $550 each?" Then I flipped it on them, and said, "Let's switch then, I'll pay $550 for a smaller bedroom, if you pay $1,500." Then they balked. I play that game in my head a lot -- if someone would pay me, would I do it for that amount? Good stuff, Scott!