I should add to #15 when I first started in service work I would frequently get similar situations. A customer would call me for service I would quote the price and they would say that seems high can you do it for X? Since I was starting off and building my customer base frequently I would. After a couple years I sat down and did the math and realized that many of those jobs by the time I calculated all my expenses I was losing money, breaking even or making less than I would have flipping burgers at McDonalds. After realizing that and realizing that the referrals I got from those people would be all about the low cost it just wasn't worth it even at the cost of future business, I stopped negotiating price. If someone complained or asked for a discount I would apologize but let them know that I was working for the lowest price I could. I stopped working nearly as much but over the next few years I slowly added customers who paid a fair price. Eventually I got to the point that I was raising my prices to cut down on demand and now I'm at the point where 90% of people don't even ask how much it will be until it's time to write the check.

The point being if workers continue to be desperate enough to work at a loss they will never get to where they are making a profit. I feel like we may be at a point where low wage workers are realizing this and have drawn the line in the sand.

I saw a meme yesterday:

Homeowner: I need someone to paint my house
Me: Sure, it's 15 dollars an hour plus the cost of the paint.
Homeowner: I have 2 dollars
Me: That won't even cover the cost of the paint
Homeowner: No one wants to work anymore

Obviously it's over simplified but there is certainly a nugget of truth in it.

#5

Tony smaller business are hurting badly right now. They won't do squat. For the most part they were barely, or not at all enforcing mandates that existed. If someone comes in with money they will take it mask or no.

I am disappointed that more large companies are converting so quickly. They have the power to say no mask we don't need your money that badly unlike the small business. Honestly I was shocked when I heard Starbucks was dropping the mask requirements in their stores that is about as liberal a company as you can get with cash reserves to the moon but here we are.

Like you I am vaccinated, like you I'll continue wearing my mask indoors until I see vaccination rates closing in on 70 or infection rates dropping near 0. I also know that I will be the exception not the rule. It is a shame that this was not phased in more slowly or a verification system for vaccination was put in place but not much I can do about that. All I can do is my part.

#10

#22

When I was a kid we had 2 indoor/outdoor cats within 3 years there was not a chipmunk in the neighborhood. As far as I know they were the only 2 cats in the cul-de-sac.

We keep our cats inside only now to protect the local wildlife.

Our governor removed the mask mandate yesterday. When I looked up we are only at 36% vaccinated even some anti-vax co-workers were agreeing that it was premature to remove the mandate when we are so far from the 70% goal.

I'm already hearing about stores having customers get mad about mask requirements.

Cat pheromones chase away rats.
1000 cats released in Chicago.
Yet there are still politicians in Chicago.

I hope not Tor. That is exactly what they want.

Screaming at another representative isn't just poor taste and unprofessional, it's wrong.

Republican members of Congress now seem to want to degrade Congress as well.

Look up the history of Congress this is nothing. Not disagreeing that it's unprofessional and a bad look but considering Congress has hosted all out brawls in the past it's pretty minor on the scale of things.

#14 centrist in Europe maybe but in America they are pretty left wing. I don't see a whole lot of moderate republicans going with a party that supports universal healthcare, basic income, and a wealth tax.

#8

Agree. I would not bet against this being a kickback job. Killing net neutrality was obviously a bad idea for consumers. It would be one thing if people had a choice of providers but many people don't. The comment period was a joke.

I mean the only way the corruption could have been more obvious is if Pai had taken over the airwaves like for a state of the union and said "I'm a corrupt MF'er, and I'm getting ready to bend over the American people so my boys in telecoms can make bank. In return they will make sure I'm set for life. Peace out suckers."

AU,

Kind of. The problem is there isn't much profit in them for the amount of labor they take. Additionally serving them is a bear and usually even less money per hour worked. Since I warranty anything I install either my price would have to be stupid high to cover possible service or I would likely only break even.

I've been asked about them before and I usually tell people you are better off buying a cheap one from Lowe's you can get like 10 for the cost of 1 custom built one.

The bulk of my summer work comes from real estate agents and remodeling. In fact one of the 2 Saturday was a remodel.

#'s 35 & 36

He is trying to hire people as are all the individual store managers. If someone is willing to listen learn and work hard they could do just like my wife. She started just under 5 years ago part time 9 an hour within 3 years she was making 40k a year this year will be 60+. She tells people this in the interview and has had one person since corona who she is hopeful for. In fact he just got a 1.50 raise just because. It's not time for his review yet but with wage inflation right now and the trouble finding people she wanted to make sure he knew he was valued and would stick around. Because it wasn't a regularly scheduled raise she had to get the owners approval. He gave it without blinking.

#34

Thanks. It's the best way to build a customer base. It's much more stable than advertising and thanks to the internet being forever if someone searches those sites/apps the will see all the recommendations by multiple people so I get a continuous stream. Heck it's 85 degrees and I did 2 jobs Saturday and have one on for the 29th. Pretty solid for a cold weather business in May. The seasonal nature is one of the big stumbling blocks with going on your own so getting some summer work is a great sign.

Snoofy I find work through word of mouth. Nextdoor, neighborhood blogs and Facebook groups and of course friends of people I service. I don't advertise or post myself heck I don't even ask people for referrals it just happens. When you are one of maybe 10 people/companies serving an area with a population of about 2 million and one of the only ones who services any make or model the customers find you.

#23

It's not possible to effectively manage 3 stores hence the reason he is trying to get her to train the other managers. He actually wants to make her the "regional" manager but she doesn't really want to so he's kind of backhanded doing it by having her train everyone and also getting her to do the buying. I told her at this point we might as well buy the company from him since she is doing the work of the owner unfortunately that would take a bit more capital than we possess.

#22

Gas fireplace service but thanks for playing.

#20

She makes the median household income in the state herself, I make more than the median household income myself so we are over double the median household income, what better job are you proposing?

I've actually looked at doing my part time gig full time and being my own boss. I probably will soon I just need a couple more years to build my customer base up. Right now I've reached a level where I can't really make anymore at my part time gig because I'm already working as much as I can I'm raising my prices next season and if I stay as busy at the higher price that will be a big sign to go full time. The next thing I'm looking for is the point where I lose business because I can't get to people. This past winter I lost a few but most people were willing to wait the only reason I'm not taking that as time to go full time is it was a weird year with people stuck at home and getting stimulus money so doing more home repairs. If this year is as busy it might be time.

She manages one of the two profitable stores and has made it way more profitable since she took over, that's a big reason he keeps throwing more money at her. When she took over the store was just meh, now it is one of the top 10 in the nation. He started having her train other store managers hoping she can teach them to duplicate her success, so I don't think he likes losing money. The store that is losing money is on a long term lease so he can't close it for a couple more years, he's hoping she can train them to make it profitable or at least even until the lease is up. For the most part he is not keeping people on his payroll he doesn't need but he does need better people he just can't get them.

#14

Snoofy I don't disagree but, and we have had the discussion before, where is the money going to come from to pay workers more. I'm not talking your Walmart and Amazons I'm talking mom and pop shops. I pointed out before my wife works at a place where she is making as manager of one store about as much as the owner who owns three stores. Only 2 of the three are profitable and if he increased pay one of those three would stop being profitable. As it is he offers value add services that bring people in rather than going to cheaper online or big box stores but how much more can he charge? At some price point even customers who value shopping local and the value add services won't pay the premium.

He is now up to offering 11-13 an hour for new hires with no experience and still isn't getting people.

I don't have the answer but the problem is more complex than just pay people more. Some business can't and most of those are the small local companies. Starting a business used to be the path forward to many people, but these days with the costs involved and the profit margins for most small business owners it's just a path to bankruptcy.

#18

That's nothing Maroon 5 stole pretty much the entirety of Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Best comment I read about it "If Pachelbel was still alive he'd be like WTF how am I still alive"

Oh and I'm jumping in with that 99% irrelevant comment because I really couldn't care less about the AHA or Richard Dawkins they both think far too much of themselves.

#106

LOL

I am astounded by how dumb people are are. Unlike any other crypto there is no limit to how many doge can be mined so there is no value derived from scarcity it really is just a shared delusion that gives it value. I can't imagine anyone with a brain is buying for any reason other than pure pump and dump and hoping they won't be the one left holding the bag.

What they are actually doing is turning the marriage off then when they turn it back on all the drivers should reinstall automatically. I suspect that 10 seconds after the divorce they will remarry.

Ok. Joking aside this is sad, their marriage was one that survived massive wealth for 27 years and was somewhat of an inspiration. Heck my wife and I still have a year and half to go before we hit 27 years and pretty everyone we know is constantly asking us for relationship advice because none of them has pulled off even close.

For those who are so sour on marriage I can understand the sentiment one of my best friends went through one of the ugliest divorcees I've ever seen and it's hard. However, not to sound trite but if you don't risk pain you won't know love.

#84

Maher is right about two points. One the environmental impact which is ridiculously huge. Two it's like tinkerbell, all money is based on a shared delusion the ones that will succeed are the ones that the most children believe in. Right now that's Bitcoin and ethereum next year who knows. That's the main reason why despite being a fan of crypto I'm not a major investor of crypto.

Trying to guess which one/ones will be the last one standing is a job for someone way smarter than me. Whoever does guess correctly will be wildly wealthy though.

Bill Maher is such a financial genius Bitcoin is sure to bottom out after his pronouncements. What it's up 4K since then, how could this happen, Old political comedians are a great source of investing information.

#3

Sure when the first company breaks ranks and does it. If it works all the others will follow quickly after arraigning golden parachutes for themselves. However until the first one there will be no competitive disadvantage.

The CEO certainly won't make that decision and since boards are made up of other CEO's they aren't going to fight for it either.

Why not is like asking long haul truckers why they are against automated driving.