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Low income dog walker needs to replace car
My son runs his own dog walking business. The old Berlingo that he bought in October so that he could take on more business further afield has broken down and had to be scrapped, which has put him in a dilemma. He’s got some money to put towards a replacement but is over £2000 short.
Although he’s been making better money since he got the car, his last tax return shows that he made less than £7000, so according to the Eligibility Calculator money transfer cards/loans only seem likely to be offer him up to £1400 or so. Saving up isn't really an option as without a car his income has dropped. Any suggestions?
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Bank of mum and dad 😳0
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Hi,
When your son is using a car for his business, he will need to also insure it for business use - as he probably already knows?
And as a dog walker, I expect he also has to pay for extra insurance in case anything happens to any of the dogs while they are in his care?
Those extra costs on top of him wanting to get another car may be prohibitive.
Isn't there anything he can find to buy for around £1400? (per the eligibility checks)
Why didn't he hang on to his old car because even when a car is only fit for scrap, some dealers will accept it as a deposit/trade in. In my experience, anyway. I'd never just get rid of a car without finding out if I could make some use of it. Or get some cash for it as scrap.
Hopefully the job is only a temporary/part time one since £7000 pa isn't really much to live on.Please note - taken from the Forum Rules and amended for my own personal use (with thanks) : It is up to you to investigate, check, double-check and check yet again before you make any decisions or take any action based on any information you glean from any of my posts. Although I do carry out careful research before posting and never intend to mislead or supply out-of-date or incorrect information, please do not rely 100% on what you are reading. Verify everything in order to protect yourself as you are responsible for any action you consequently take.0 -
I dont suppose getting a"real" job and dog walking part time ever occurred ?
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I'm guessing this is just a hobby business - is your son still in further education ?
If so it's likely he doesn't have the time to take on a 2nd job.0 -
He could see if there's any kind of business support funding available, which probably means visiting a business development place or job centre or similar.Or he just needs to buy something cheaper but that'll leave him in an awkward spiral because at the bottom end of the estate car / van market the vehicles are all borderline scrap to begin with.0
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jimpwarsop said:I dont suppose getting a"real" job and dog walking part time ever occurred ?3
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MEM62 said:jimpwarsop said:I dont suppose getting a"real" job and dog walking part time ever occurred ?However, my thoughts are immaterial and it is always nice to find someone doing something they hopefully enjoy and I hope a solution to the car issue can be found, even if it is bank of mum and dad.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.1
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MEM62 said:jimpwarsop said:I dont suppose getting a"real" job and dog walking part time ever occurred ?1
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Thanks for your thoughts people - I agree, he could earn more in many other jobs but, for better or worse, this is what he wants to do. He's working full time but, yes, still living at home supported by mum and dad
The issue is that whilst he's earning much more since he started using a car and increased the number of clients, at the time of his last tax return he was only making £7,000 pa - so that's what the banks are looking at0 -
It's a potentially viable business based on the sign written vehicles I see in my area, and it's a potentially nice job when the sun shines. The money is probably earned when it doesn't. :-)But £7K really isn't much and it all sounds a bit ad hoc. Has he done a business plan of any sort: revenue, costs, competition and their rates and a host of other things such as the insurance mentioned above?You may be a bit sceptical of his choices but you might be able to help with some of the business development purely from the experience of age let alone any particular skills you can bring to the table.2
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