I'm Worried

I hate to be the harbinger of catastrophe but I'm a little worried about 2009.It's Spring here in Houston and normally my phone is ringing off the hook for work.I've had two calls.Then one job I did last month I still haven't been paid for.
I think the b**** stiffed me.

Somebody tell me I'm just being paranoid.

This is looking a lot like the late 80's.Please don't tell me I'm going to have to start selling my body because I know I'll starve then.
Tim,
What are some of the normal jobs you do? Residential? Commercial?
How about advertising, have you been? If you can, just fill me in on what you do, you have a landscaping business I think, but what is it normally like in early March?
Congrats on the cigs, you're doing great.
Roe
Tim, good morning. My husband was feeling that way and just in the past week things have started trickling in...a little of this, a little of that...just enough to keep him working another month or two. People are hanging onto their money a little tighter and waiting to see what happens.

Have faith that it will turn around slowly but surely. It's scary being self-employed and not having someone hustling the work for you.

Keep the faith, Tim...and if it comes to it there are takers for your last resort =)

Peace and Prosperity~M&M
I am in the more luxury business as well, which seems to be more expendableit should have picked up in Jan from what I am told and it has some recently but not like normal yet at all.

What are you doing on your end. I am sure you have repeat customers.
Can you make some calls, offer some dealsNot sure what you do aside from landscaping, but can you add to your services, yard cleanups, lawn maintenance if you dont do that now. Or add other services clients may have asked you about in the past that you preferred not to do when business was really busy.

Can you try to find out what is uplike homework ( I hate homework lol ), look around see who is working and who isnt.what they are doing, be sneaky and call and ask for prices for jobs.The state of the economy is definitely having an effect. My husbands friend who has a similar type side business is seeing it already and spring isnt even here yet, but the jobs normally piled up waiting arent there to pile up.

And the women who stiffed you, dont let it go. What recourses do you have to make sure you are paid
Do you ask for any down payment up front at all...

Hang in there...
Love,
Tina
I think you have every right to be paranoid. People are being told we are in a "crisis" and to hold on to their money, and those with enough business acumen to have accumulated any are doing just that.

The stock market hit a low yesterday it hasn't seen since the late 80's. LOL

I wish you could come over to my house Tim. We know next to nothing about landscaping. We live in a very established neighborhood so there are some rhododendrums, azalia's, hosta's, etc. that have been here for years. I just keep trying to add a couple of perenials each year along with the annuals. I do alot of container gardening. I also got a crepe myrtle two years ago. I had seen them in Myrtle Beach. They were all over the place. Not too many in PA. So far, so good. do you know if I should prune it or leave it alone?

I would pressure that woman for payment. Did you have a contract or written receipt? I think you could take her to small claims court if she doesn't pay. I would knock on her door and ask for payment. She is being bold in not paying you. Be bold back. I would at the very least pay you something each week. We have a few rental properties and have recently had two of them move out in the middle of the night. As a bonus they trashed the place.

How about a little ebay business for those slow times in between?
Tim, for over a year now, my days have been filled with very sad stories of people's lives collapsing due to this business crisis. Good honest people have been bankrupting for over a year now. Some had a lot of money and lost it all. Some had very little and lost it all.

People are scared. I am scared.

My practice usually does well in a bad economy. When things get tough a moderately priced lawyer to guard your interests makes sense. But it seems too quiet out there lately.

I think we have been in a Depression since last fall, but no one knows how to officially define that. The unemployment numbers and the values of the market and home prices tells the story. Never have I seen such a deflationary spiral.

There are very few of us who are more than one bad decision away from catastrophe.

Having said all that (have a nice day, BTW) on Sunday I wrote a check for a thousand dollars to a guy to do some work on one of the rooms in my home. I will have him back this weekend and pay him another thousand.

Why this guy? He is consistently in the rooms. He is sober. He is courteous and clean and he does excellent work. I want to help him survive this downturn, and why not let the money go to someone whom I respect?

Hang in there. Day 5. It will start to get better in a couple of more days.

August

PS: For the rest of those reading this gloom and doom report, yes it is pessimistic, but it is an honest pessimism. Do not expect things to improve during the next 12months. I am not even sure we are at the bottom yet.

However, the tools of recovery tell me that all I can do is put one foot in front of the other. I have to stay in the moment and be grateful for the food I eat today, the roof over my head, the money to pay bills. If I project too far into the future, I am setting myself up for the fatalistic thinking that leads to relapse.

We develop integrity by sticking to our principles in trying times. Well people, it looks like yet another "dad-gummed" growth opportunity is near!
However, the tools of recovery tell me that all I can do is put one foot in front of the other. I have to stay in the moment and be grateful for the food I eat today, the roof over my head, the money to pay bills. If I project too far into the future, I am setting myself up for the fatalistic thinking that leads to relapse.


Amen~

Today I am grateful I have a job to go to every morning. I'm also grateful my husband still has a job this morning as we are both in construction industry and it's been hit real hard in California but it also doesn't surprise me as we are the greedy state and overbuilt ourselves by about 3X from 2003-07. The town I live in is shutting down restaurants that were just opened not 2 years ago and 1 out of every 4th house in the "new developments" now sits vacant.

I just keep doing my gratitude list and have faith, that no matter what, no matter what, we'll get through all the challanges and difficulties in the days to come. Today I work very hard to stay in today.....One day at a time.

August,
My husband & I don't have too many extra's but on things I did spend a little foolishly on, I have stopped & instead of satisfying some of my wants, I take that $100 a paycheck and we have one of our young friends, Matt come down and do work around our house, clean the garage, go to the dump and try to help others as both him and his girlfriend are currently laid off....

God is teaching me how to live simple again.

xoxo
Stacey
I have a client base and they have money.They will spend the usual for seasonals etc.The problem is that the new clients I usually have a surge in are not doing anything.The people that have oil money here made out like bandits this past year but they aren't stupid.They are hanging on to it.That's why they have it.

I am grateful for what I do have but I'm just being honest.I'm a little freaked right now.Some of your suggestions are excellent and I do need to hustle.

I've become a little too comfortable with not having to hustle and just rely on recomendations.Those days are over.

I am very impressed with how Stacey & David try to help those who are in need.If I have to pick up extra labor I also try a local transition house.I've had good and bad experiences.However,I remember how that trust issue was really hard to gain back myself.Some people would never hire me again and I don't blame them.

Well,it's back to work.Thanks for all of your suggestions and input.I knew I wasn't the only one a tad worried.
Tim the guy I am paying has long term sobriety. LIke you, lets just say I have had mixed results with people in early recovery. I help them when I can but I keep them on a very short leash. The younger ones often have yet to learn basic skills of responsibility and integrity.

Hang in there, a better day is coming.

David
Yeah, I am worried too. The economy is ridiculous and I have ridden out bad times before....twice actually. The early 80's.....the early 90's. This IS different and I have made a very conscience effort to now avoid the onslaught of 24/7 news agencies that seem to revel in the hype. Yes it's bad....but do we have to hear it all day long?

We just purchased a new house and this is day 3 of the move. I don't have another move in me. It's odd that the state of the economy has opened up this opportunity but at the same time it's the same economy that will keep me worried.

I got laid off in December and the day we signed off on the house my husband got laid off. Unreal huh? We are both in the construction business so I knew it was coming. I should be more worried than I am but instead I am going to try to remain cautiously optimistic. My hubby needed to change his place of employment and this has lit a fire under his bum. He already has a few irons in the fire and has an amazing reputation so what else can we do but try to move forward in today. I will go to a second interview tomorrow in a different industry and am happy about that.

That is all we can do is the next right thing. No matter how bad things get their is always someone out their that has it worse.

We live in an oil rich province and oddly enough drilling is way down as well but with that said their is always work to be found in that sector. It's time for some of us that are used to work coming in we have to get back to the basics and start digging up some new leads in maybe new industries.

I feel we have to get money moving again. It's commerce 101......moving money means an economy that will prosper. No one wants to spend...no one wants to lend. When that happens we have big problems. I have cut way back on things that I considered a luxury....but that happened when I moved back to Canada from Hawaii, it's odd but things that I believed I needed.....I really didn't and didn't want to part with my money like that.

Okay, I guess I have rambled on enough....LOL. I better get back to my shambles and try to make sense of it. The next move I make I swear will be in a body bag!! I just don't have it in me anymore.....time to let some grass grow under my feet for a while.

Big hugs everyone.....and shut off that news channel NOW!!!!
MISTY OUR MARKET IS GEARED TOWARDS 4-5 STAR HOTELS AND ALL TYPES OF LUXURIOUS SPAS--ON CRUISES HOTELS YOU NAME IT BUSINESS IS DOWN 30%+

AS A SALES MAN WHO HAS BEEN AND SEEN ALL THESE CYCLESYOU LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM.

fIRST HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE MANAGED TO LIVE BY YOUR MEANS AND NOT IN C.C DEBT. tHOUGH DUE TO 2 MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVES THIS PAST YEAR I AM OKAY AS ICUT OUT ALL SPENDING. YOU BUY NOODLES PEANUT BUTTER AND POPCORN AND WELL YOU WONT STARVE BUT I WENT TROUGH ALL MY SAVINGS. i AM TOTALLY BROKE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK

FOR WORK i MAKE TWICE AS MANY CALLS AND SOONER OR LATER IT PAYS OFF. MY BOSS IS NO SCHMUCK HE SEE'S ME IN WORKING HARDER THAN ANYONE ELSE. YOU PLANT THE SEEDS. MOST PEOPLE LET ALL THIS MEDIA CRAP SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU. WELL PUCK THEM ALL. DO YOUR BEST AND PRAY WE GO TO WAR--LOL--SAVED OUR ARSES ONCE WHY NOT AGAIN--JUST KIDDING

TIM YOUR CUSTOMER WHO OWES YOU DOES SHE NOT LIKE ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS PAY YOU UPFRONT? THIS WAY AT LEAST YOUR NOT OUT THE PRODUCT AND YOUR TIME. TIM PEOPLE ARE IN TROUBLE SO FOR NOW MAYBE YOU NEED TO ASK FOR 75% AND THE OTHER 25% WITHIN 30 DAYS.

yOU HAVE TO EAT EVEN IF ITS RAMEIN NOODLES FROM COSTCO

TIM THIS IS WITHOUT imho THE WORST AND ITS GOINGTO STILL GET WORSE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. I AM NOT THAT SMART AND DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS CLOSED BUT THEY THE MODS DO NOT ALLOW POLITICAL TALK?? BUT ONE THING I ADMIRE ABOUT OBAMA IS HE HAS A PLAN AND IF IT WORKS HE WILL GO DOWN AS A GENIOUS OR? ANOTHER JIMMY CARTER TIME WILL TELL.WHAT I DO KNOW IS THE CONGRESS HAS DESTROYEDTHE COUNTRY AND WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE IT BACK FROM THEM. LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE PLANNING AND MY GOD THE TRILLIONS OF $$$ THE WAR ITS A BARGAIN.

CRAZY TIM AND YOU HAVE EVREY RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED. I JUST LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME AND TODAY WAS A REAL GOOD DAY EXCEPT FOR MY DATE.

SHE SAID IN HER PROFILE SHE WAS A FEW POUNDS HEAVY IN HER DESCRIPTION? REALLY PRETTY RED HAIR SMART WITH A BIG BIG ARSE? OH WELL KEEP ON TRUCKIN

LATER TIM

TIM THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF MAKING MONEY PART TIME. YOU HAVE ANY FLEA MARKETS AROUND YOU? THEY USUALLY PAY 50-100$ A DAY DEPENDING ON HOW MANY HOURS CASH---SO BESIDES THAT ?

SURE YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOME OTHER IDEAS.
SHE SAID IN HER PROFILE SHE WAS A FEW POUNDS HEAVY IN HER DESCRIPTION? REALLY PRETTY RED HAIR SMART WITH A BIG BIG ARSE? OH WELL KEEP ON TRUCKIN



.........damn,I told them to change my profile.
LOL @ Tim...

We have a construction company and are feeling it too Tim. Normally this time of year, we are always booked at least 6 months out. It's slim pickings and we are even in an area that hasn't been hit as bad as the rest of the country. We still have 4 guys on unemployment. Tough winter.

My husband thinks things are going to start to get better soon. People will start to relax a little and want to get things done. I'm also one, that if you lived around here, you would have a weekly job. I can't take care of all of this landscaping on my own so I usually end up stealing one of my husband's guys for the day once a week.
So you didn't get into detail with the date Jeff. Did you like her?
Where did you take her? Come on, details....
Are you asking her out again?
Is her arse too big is that why your not going out again?

Jeff, there is a gal on the other addictions board that might be interested in a date. Didn't look like her but was very big.
August,
Your a riot
QUOTE
Didn't look like her but was very big.


Yeah but she looks like the type of gal who has a big mouth!
It's amazing what difference a 6 days makes.I finished two new jobs last week & have two appointment this coming week for new installations.

I've stepped up my meeting schedule and changed rooms from where I normally go.It's non-smoking and I don't know anybody but it sure makes a big difference.Of course when you go to the restroom the smell hits you but I'm not near as bouncy as I was last week.

I'm going to have to get used to it but I think I like it.

I went back to read some of my post last week.I was a b****.Sorry if I offended anyone.I don't remember quitting smoking being this hard.

Well,at least I won't starve now.Geez.....the drama.It's so embarrassing.
I told you better days were coming!