Budget Wars - A New Hope (with apologies to George Lucas)

Thank you PM02 Verbatim CCL & Chanie

I'm just having a bit of late breakfast with the family before I whizz off again. Events today and tommorow although my involvement is minimal but have to be around.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Bob

Hi All

Hope everyone is alright? I am a little bit cross this morning. Having felt on cloud 9 yesterday. Someone who had promised to pay me yesterday still hasnt. Its very tricky having to try and woo people, when they still insist on basically lying & giving you the run around. Im sure everyone is sick of hearing about it. I know Im sick of writing it. But from what I read of other small traders on here, it seems to be a common complaint. I just wish people would be honest. Tell me if you cant pay me for a few days but dont say you will then dont.

Wealth

* After my moan above, I did a big admin session yesterday having been out on 'the road' most of last week. Its amazing what having a few hours at an actual desk with a computer can do for you.
My record is set. It was the 15th of the month yesterday. And aside for £40 I had hit my break even point! I know thats what I should be leading with this morning. Not the grumble about late payers. So :j:j:j

* So technically what this means is every sale I make for the rest of the month is mine!

* I have a higher than usual electricity bill to pay by DD on 1st June. This is already included in my break even for the month. So if it were not for that, I'd have hit it even sooner.

* I've taken a solid £900 in cash already banked, just for May sales. And have a further £583 to collect before the end of the month.

* Record levels of enquiries. I have already had 22. Prior to May it was tracking at around 1 per day, or was levelling out to be so by the month end.

* Obviously higher bookings, hence why I've taken so much already. Both the views at the weekend booked.

* Yesterday I had 3 enquiries. Two of them came via a new platform we only started with recently. The 3rd via another platfom. That one was no good due to space issues.

* Now, here is the kicker. At the moment, although Im in this busy busy record situation, Im broke in my personal spends account. And will have to make sure that I collect on every penny mentioned above. This is what I meant before about still trading hand to mouth. I feel like things are going well in a big way. I am taking money from diverse sources, Im running down local leads and getting people through the door myself. The big platforms are doing their job of scooping up people I wouldnt know were looking otherwise.
But because I have no buffer, Im literally waiting on pennies to roll up enough so I can pay the next bill. Im not expecting anyone to reply to this because what can you say? Well Bob you know the issues and you choose to roll on, so just keep going and shut up? Or quit and do something else. Simples.
But it does help to write it out.
I suppose all you can say/think, is its going the right way. If the rest of the month keeps going the way it has, I could be on track to take £3,000 this month, which would be the highest ever month, and still £1,000 less than I projected we could do at the beginning.
The likelihood of this is very slim in reality as I think people dont have the cash in the last 2 weeks of the month, but maybe Im wrong. So I just need those leads to keep coming in (one already today) to keep chasing down the people who need to pay up & generally keep calm and carry on :eek:

Health

* I've had this stupid cough for a few days now which is very irritating as it only kicks in at night. It makes me so breathless Im literally in a fit of cant breath, cough mode. Fun for OH. Between that and the little one, sleep is very intermittent. Had a good night last night, the one before that was hideous. Other than that the old girl is holding up.

Organisation

* After the mentioned big budget session I did feel better. I have improved my admin so each client has a Virtual File, with their invoices in. Updated my business costs excel, and who owes what file.

* I was delighted to find a 4 day workshop for the next half term that my son can attend, its only half days which is perfect as I dont want to pack him off, but it gives me some flex in my diary to be able to offer views, & I can take him to and from, and its on route, perfect. The course is amazing, and its free! :T

* OH was in the office yesterday so I did a big, print this, list for him. New business insurance paperwork, hardship application for rates (which works on community value not takings apparently) invoices paid, etc. So thats good.

* Just about on top of the house. I always seem to end up in washing hell at the end of the week, because once the beds are changed on Thursday if Im not home and around to pump the loads through and get them hung out, then we get a bit of a backlog that takes till Sunday to clear.

* The garden is messy but we are tackling bits so at least that's something.

And thats me as they say. Have an event on later today, so will leave in the next little while, & weave opening up in with the school run etc.

Bye for now.

Bob