WTBSEs 'Starting From Scratch' Savings Diary.

atush

Well I am eating meat, seafood and limited dairy (but still some- will NEVER give up parmesan cheese lol).

I am reducing carbs instead of meat. Just trying to buy better meat and eggs. And increasing fruit and veg intake. apart from t he odd pasta dinner I have hardly any carbs with my evening meal now.

Am trying to keep carbs to breakfast and lunch only.

WantToBeSE

Wow, i cant believe its been so long since i posted! A whole 17 days!
Anyway, i am back now

I managed to save £300 this month NOt very much admittedly, but i also had to buy a new bed since mine broke. I have been sleeping on a broken bed for months but didnt want to spend money on getting a new one! So i gave myself a good talking to!

I have a lot to think about in regards to the business. I dont like being a boss, i dont like having the hassle of being an employer to be honest.
In a few (rather long) moments of madness, i thought about getting rid of some clients and my employee and then just working as a self-employed cleaner, instead of running an agency.

But then i think i would be mad! I have a good number of clients, another possible client, and some people wanting jobs.I just need better employees i think! I would be stupid to turn away more work and the opportunity to grow the business, right?? Please give me opinions!

I have only been doing this for 7 months and it has grown into a nice little business, so i do feel stupid for even considering giving it up. Someone talk sense into me!
Its the admin i hate more than anything, and i dream of growing it big enough that i can hire a manager to do that side of it for me, LOL.

Eco_Miser

OK, you've built a nice little business in just 7 months, you would be stupid to give it up and become a one woman business - with no back-up if you can't work for a while, no way to take on more clients (because you're already working more than full time), and no way to quit, except by letting down your clients.

How's that for talking some sense into you?

A few further thoughts I had to get you thinking positively:

In an ideal business, your employees do the work, and you rake in the cash - unless you actually love doing the work, of course.

What don't you like about being a boss, apart from the hassle.

When you say admin, do you mean all the tax and NI, and writing pay cheques, or the scheduling employees to clients, or the purchasing cleaning materials, or marketing, or ...?

Some of that can be outsourced to a freelance accountant or other professional for a fixed (negotiated) fee, rather than employing a manager yourself.

Have you considered taking a business partner, whose skills are in those aspects of the business that you don't like doing?

WantToBeSE

I am just off to work, so cant write a long reply. I just wanted to say thanks EM for the boost and reminder that i WOULD be stupid to be a 1 woman band! I need to grow the business, not scale it back!

I just hate all the PAYE stuff, the tax returns, the dealing with employees, sorting out employee contracts etc. The clients are the easy part!

Eco_Miser

WantToBeSE wrote: »

I just wanted to say thanks EM for the boost and reminder that i WOULD be stupid to be a 1 woman band! I need to grow the business, not scale it back!

Glad I could help.

WantToBeSE wrote: »

I just hate all the PAYE stuff, the tax returns, the dealing with employees, sorting out employee contracts etc. The clients are the easy part!

There are people who will deal with all the PAYE stuff, the tax returns, sorting out employee contracts etc. as their own little self-employed business; but I think you're stuck with the dealing with employees, at least until your business is big enough to have an HR department.

JoJoC

Good to hear from you again wtbse although sorry you're feeling downhearted about your business right now.

I don't have any practical advice to offer you but can definitely offer encouragement? You've worked so hard to get it where it is already and you seem to be doing well. It's always tough at the beginning but you'll get there. You're doing this to provide for you and your boys and I think you'll regret it by scaling it back.

As others have said, outsource all the stuff you hate if you can get a good rate for a professional. I suppose there's always something that we don't enjoy about our jobs, isn't there?

Brief update from me- we are still decorating so the savings account hasn't moved much. I think there's about £40 more than I have recorded but I'm not sure. Been putting money in my sealed pot still so I do feel like I'm making small contributions.

Other than that, life is moseying along nicely. I've got less than 9 weeks until my due date so trying to get organised. Eek.

WantToBeSE

Hi All

I am working like a dog at the moment, feeling quite sorry for myself but have managed to save £700 this month!

Business is going well, but i cant seem to find staff! Going to try the job center next, but dont want to spend hours interviewing people that dont want the job, if you know what i mean?

Not sure where else to advertise? I have advertised on FB (the local pages) but people either dont turn up or dont get back to me.

atush

Yes, I have heard anecdotal reports of this, local UK workers not wanting some kinds of work etc.

So, I think if you have any polish delis about, post a notice and if there are any military bases nearby- wives like to take part time casual work of this kind?

You are right you need to expand your business so when you are not well (as when you hurt your hand) you still have income.

Good luck with new workers. Sorry I was away home in the USA so didn't see your post looking for backup lol.

And good on t he savings front, 1K in 2 months!

WantToBeSE

I am STRESSED!!!

My worker went off sick a few weeks ago, she was rushed into hospital due to an ongoing medical condition. She was given a sick note for 2 weeks, but isn't entitled to any sick pay from me as she is a worker not employee, plus she hadn't worked enough hours in the last 12 weeks.

She has just told me that she wont be back until at least a few weeks after her operation, which isn't until the end of June.

So, she wont be back until the end of July!

I have posted an ad on the universal job match website, so am just hoping that people are interested! In the meantime, i have a few problems:

1- having to turn away new clients
2- having to cancel some existing clients
3-Working myself to the bone as i am doing my clients plus as many of hers as i can
4- I am exhausted

OK, moaning over now! Any ideas, suggestions, kicks up the bottom, sympathy, cups of tea etc are welcome

Eco_Miser

:grouphug: :coffee: You have my sympathy, but I've no practical short-term ideas.

Longer term, you need to expand your business so you have several workers, so if one goes sick there are still (several minus one) workers to each cover a bit of her work.