[TopGlass]

Hi guy's,

I've been working for myself for about 9 months now and its been really good, but recently I've been quite depressed and I'm finding it hard going working on my own. I haven't really got anything to complain about because I've got so much work coming in and the business is growing nicely, but I seem to have more and more out goings and no matter how much more I seem to be earning I've got nothing to show for it!

I just keep catching myself thinking about selling up and going to work for someone else.
Has anyone else been through this?  Has the novelty worn off? Or am I just being stupid?

Any words of wisdom and encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks in advance
Daz

[jeff evans]

Hi topglass.

Start keeping a diary of everything you spend you will find out then where you are hemoraging money from.

Keep your chipper up , its probably a combination of the weather and not knowing where the money is going,

Soon be summer and happy days

Cheers jeff

[steve k]

do you really need to spend??
It is easy to take on board everything that everyone else does on here but you sometimes need to take a step back and look at what you have got.
If you are WFP, all you need to have is a means of purifying your water and getting it to the brush head...think basics.
It is not rocket science and need not be expensive...once you have the method set up, stop looking at ways of improving the system.

Don`t get tied up in the philosophy of thinking that a successful window cleaner is someone who employs others and cleans many lucrative commercial contracts on a regular basis...there are many sole operators earning more than the big business boys take home.

If you are trad, what equipment do you really need. If you have the equipment to go out there and safely and comfortably complete your round then stop buying and take satisfaction that your overheads are slowing down to a virtual standstill.

Listen to a radio or personal stereo all day long...it is a mind saver during those boring days.

When you have time, canvass the richest areas you can find....just drop some cards off. If you get custom there at a premium rate, drop the custom that gives you the biggest headache...low payers. bad access etc.

Tear yourself away from the forums...they can be stressful and take you away from your loved ones and quality free time which could be more usefully spent taking the dog for a walk, reading a book, taking the kids out, going the gym....whatever.

Think of being in an office or on a building site with a horrendous boss, bad hours and back stabbing "colleagues" and then look at how you work and list the benefits of working for yourself.

 

[genesis_windows]

I'll second that.
the summer always makes things feel better.
the dairy is a good idea, i put all my earnings away till end of week and then distribute it where needed. it feels better at the end of the week to have a nice bundle in your mitts.
all the best.

[neil100]

Daz,

Are you wfp or trad?

How many hours are you working a week?

If you are saying that you have a lot of work coming in but not makeing any money, then something is not right somewere.

Are you under priceing, a common mistake when starting up. You should be makeing a min of £20.00 per hour, Domestic or commercial.

30 hours at £20.00= £600.00

It takes time to build a good round. But you have to get the basics right. Set a target of how much you want to earn the first year and work towards it. Then set a new target for the next year, If you dont you will drift along.

Its not easy being s/employed but if you are disciplined and work hard you will be all right. If you want everything on a plate then you should work for somebody else.

Nel. (26 yrs w/cleaning & going strong)

[genesis_windows]

my reply was meant to be re; jeffs post but steve, you got there first.
what sound advice!
the headphones really do help, and actually "using" your kit rather than constantly updating and trying something new is some of the best advice i've heard, if it aint broke........
chipping about on your own round can be a bit hard to stay motivated but look at the alternatives!
stay positive, focused but above all stay happy

[windows_chepstow]

Top Glass,

Regardless of some posts you read, it's difficult or nigh on impossible to build up a good window cleaning round - and get the skills and techniques required - in just nine months; unless you're super-human or very lucky.

After three years of being a window cleaner I feel I'm only competant, yet I'm just at that stage where I can pay all the bills (including my outstanding bills incurred from starting up a window cleaning business).

Regards,

Tosh

PS.  I went a year without paying any council tax or gas; so I'm in the process of paying them off too.

Then there was my tax and NI bill and that has been a struggle too; still paying them off as well!

I've also two girls from a previous marriage and ensure I make my maintenance payments to them each month. (Not CSA; I pay them what I can which is higher).

Plus I'm paying off the debt my ex-barmy-wife incurred too.

I see Nel has just posted a good post, but he's been going for 26 years.

PPS. But from the point of view of earnings; your potential earnings from window cleaning, depending on your work-ethic, are going to be far higher than getting a 'slave-wage' from some company.  It just takes some time to build up, learn the skills and overcome!

'Hardship breeds character', so they say.

Stick at it mate.  It'll all come right in the end with a bit of patience, determination, and hard work.

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Daz,

Been Ther Done that....... Got a bag full of T shirts!!!!!!!

I've been self employed window cleaning for 20 years April this year.

It is only this year!! that I have settled into the job and realy changed my attitude to the WORK!!! (Sorry Mod for the nasty four letter word!!).

Ask yourself:
What am I doing this for?
What do you seriously want to acheive?
Be honest with yourself and when you have found the answer then..
Make a Plan......... and follow it!
Sorry but you will have to work at it.  Nothing worth having comes without hard work.  But remember...
YOU will have acheived it!!!

E-Mail me for my phone number if you need a chat

david@salkeld95.freeserve.co.uk

David Salkeld

[Ian_Giles]

We all have our down days, but the above advice is solid, list everything you spend...everything!
Pasties, mars bars fags, newspapers, not just the work stuff, you'd be amazed at how much can be frittered away on bits and bobs.

We all tend to live to our income, the more you earn, the more you spend, it takes a bit of effort to curtail your spending!

The personal stereo is a good idea, so is setting yourself targets too, and then give yourself a treat when you hit them!
It can be silly things, even just the time out to have a cuppa or a quick read of the paper.

Take a pic of your fav account and look forward to getting home and posting it on here.
That account may be halfway through your day, but you look forward to getting to that point.
Make sure there is something to look forward to each day.

Earnings wise it is completely reasonable for just about anyone to be able to knock out a £100 in a day, most won't average it throughout the year, lets face it, thats 25k per year and there are few out there earning that much money.
The average for window cleaners is just over 17k

And before all you guys earning way over 25k jump up and start spluttering, of course the higher end can be achieved, but by and large, individuals will be earning under 20k per year.
How many of you out there submitted accounts to the tax man that are over 20k

So don't let the high achievers on here depress you cos you can't manage to do what they can do.

You will earn a decent living though.
And keep your chin up! we all have our blue days
But you have to have those to be able to appreciate the good days!!

There will be those days when you don't put a foot wrong, the work feels effortless, the sun is shining, you pick up a real good paying account
And the missus tips you the nod that your lucks in tonight

It can be a lonely old job, but there are many plusses too.

Ian

[macc]

hi daz, all the posts are my thoughts to, sound advise.

REMEMBER, this is the worst time of year, cold, depending where you live WET & miserable.

in 3 months time we will be in our shorts in the sun cruising at work in the sun, i know how you feel cause its no fun out there at the mo, but after 15 odd years i accept this cause i no it only gets better now.

chin up, SPRING IS ON ITS WAY. macc  

[dish]

I agree that it can be lonely if you are working on your own.  Don't let it get you down though because there are many benefits.

The good side:

1) You can probably earn more per hour than you could working for someone else.

2) You can pick and choose your work, if you don't like a customer or they give you any grief, you don't have to go back.

3) If the weather is nice it can be glorious just to be out

4) You can work to your own timetable  -  If you want, you can have a slow day

5) You can chose to do the job your way, as long as you do a good job, the technique and the time it takes to master is something you can develop in time.

There are loads more good sides too.  Just keep motivating yourself to get out and do it.

[TopGlass]

Thanks guys, I feel a bit better!

When I first started out I had the good fortune of working for a couple of large national companies which gave me the grounding and training in trad and wfp I needed. But I soon realised the earning potential for working for myself!

Half my problem at the moment is that I'm paying off stuff from when I was young and stupid and didn't really understand about saving money, oh how I regret it now! But I don't make things easy for myself. For example, I got done for speeding last year, and stupidly forgot to post the cheque, so now it has gone to court and I'm waiting to find out how much I'll have to pay!

Alot of things you guys have suggested I have been doing as I got them off the forum originally and it is sound advice, like writing down all that I spend and listening to the radio. I think I'm just going through a bad patch at present, but hey its windex next week and I hope to meet alot of you guys there, it will be good to put some names to faces!

Many thanks again, its good to chat with fellow w/c's who understand!

Daz

[TopGlass]

One thing I forgot to mention, I'm trad at the moment but my 1000 litre tank is due to be delivered at 18.30 tonight so I can start building my static system and trolley to join all you wfp!

Daz

[gaza]

HI daz: The sun has got its hat on hip hip horray,no more days off,we will  earn a decent pay. 1 month/2 months time get out and  canvass when the sunshines first   time it raises its head bang your working price up.

 people WHO YOU WORK FOR WILL MAKE SURE YOU WILL NOT EARN MORE THAN THEM
BUT WORKING FOR YOURSELF,YOU CAN EARN MORE THAN THEM.

  GAZA

[jeff evans]

Hi again daz

I dont want to pour cold water over this post, but if you are just going over to wfp i wouldnt recomend it just, yet i would wait till the weather warms up a little and you are of a sunnier disposition.

Allthough you say you have experience in wfp it will bring you some hassle changing over from trad to wfp.

just my thoughts, but all the best for the future.

Cheers Jeff

[Andrew McCann]

Hi Daz

I admire your honesty. We are all human and get the down times as well as the up.

It's good to see a very honest post like this. Not good in that you are going through a bad time but good in that it shows that window cleaning is darn hard work and isn't a licence to print money. Yes it can be very lucrative but it takes time and other factors to get there. Whats also very good to see is all the great advice you have already got to which I really haven't anything to add. Window cleaning can be a very lonely occupation and if you have problems on your mind they can be fed by this loneliness. Coming here and asking for some reasurance seems to be working for you so all will be well with you I have no doubt.

I get a lot of calls from people thinking of going into window cleaning. Some who have been dazzled by earnings they have seen posted around the net. Of course I could say yes it's easy. Just buy a wfp system and its easy pickings. I dont do that. I give them my own experience and tell them the good the bad and the ugly. Some of these people have families etc and are in regular jobs that pay the bills. They may be fed up but I wouldnt want it on my concience to think that they go off with rose coloured specs only to find that the reallity is very different to their false expectations. I think we all know here that it isnt a bed of roses and that not everyone is cut out for it. Those that are and have put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it do well. I think many casualties fall by the wayside.

I dont think that you are or will be one of the casualties mate.


Cheers

Andrew

[beefy]

a point about feeling lonely. as a w/c ive met more nice friendly people than i ever did as a labourer or factory worker .im out in the country a lot & sometimes feel a bit isolated but 3 out of 10 houses will have a pensioner in who is desparate to talk as their relatves are dead & kids moved away, with some of these i now know more about them than i do about my own mum. these ones also seem to be the ones who insist im not charging enough & would i like an extra £1 . the buzz from from mthis alone makes w/c worth it never mind earning twice as much for 10hrs less. yr in the right job mate

[simbo]

Feeling the same as you at the moment, spent a lot this year in order to grow business but do not see a return straight away, but it comes slowly. I have found the last 2 months really bad, time off with broken ribs carpet cleaning work dead all at once. Today it lashed it down so went dropping flyers and got large house in books so cheered me up a bit.
When i get down i just think, i don't have enough customer yet and only work around 5 hours a day but already earn more than i did before and books filling all the time and every week i get a pay rise! 6 new customers this week already, just a pitty the weather will not let me clean them. When we are established we will be glad of the odd day lost due to weather, just stick at it, i have met some of the nicest people through this job when its good its really good, hold onto that
cheers simb0

[Terry_Burrows]

after 30 years of wc I have been through it all,good and very very bad,one thing you must be,is very strong when you fall over,pick your self up and carry on,twice as strong.look forward not back,you can help the future, you cannot change the past,a wise head is a strong head,there are many of wise heads here to help you.

[dai]

After 13 years in the game, we sometimes forget how hard we worked when we started. Stopping in the street when you see a furniture van. Watching if they are moving in or moving out. Going out canvassing on Sunday afternoons.
The best thing about our trade is we are always fighting the clock, not watching it. If I start feeling lonely I turn to my stop watch and start timing myself on jobs.
If you really concentrate on every move, you can fly along. It's when you are strolling on autopilot that you give yourself too much time to think. some of those thoughts can be negative. just try an hour of concentration and see how much work you are getting through. There's nothing like seeing a big boost in your hourly rate to cheer you up. Good luck mate, and stick with it. Going back to working for someone else is my worse nightmare. No honest! I used to wake up at night in a cold sweat, dreaming I as was back at a milling machine, or machine centre. Dai