I feel like I harp on this, but I have 18 plus years of experience in trying to pay winter bills with a window cleaning business. I’ve done it the right way, the wrong way and every possible way in between.
Depending on what part of the country you live in, your business probably has a post-Labor Day rush and then how many months left? Two? Three? Are you prepared financially? What would it take to get prepared?I saw a post last week that a bunch of mommy bloggers are sending around the blogosphere called the “5 Dollar Savings Plan”. It’s pretty simple. Get a jar and every time you get a five dollar bill, you can’t spend it. You have to put it in the jar. It’s sounds kinda silly, but the trick is that it is getting you to save while not even thinking about it. It makes it a little game.
What if you put all your money from fall gutter cleanings into a savings account? Or, all work done on Saturdays goes to directly to the electric or gas company? What if cash tips were immediately spent on Christmas/holiday presents? You don’t actually have to get a jar, just play along.
As the daughter of a self-employed builder-construction worker, I watched my mom make one last run to the “Pak-n-Save” to stock up each fall. Sure, we were eating “mystery cans” by Spring, but we always had food on the table.
Whether you need to stash some cash, pay bills ahead, do your holiday shopping in September, stock up on food or build up a little commercial route now, do it! It may seem like you have all the time in the world, but you don’t.