So just signed up on http://www.thumbtack.com/ its a listing profile site to find local professionals and service providers . It was free and the lay out is really nice its a good place to list your services especially since its free so if your starting or expanding your services this would be a great place to list on. Since I do work for both national and local customers in both the commercial and residential Field and my services vary from Gutter cleaning to Dryer vent cleaning and lawn maintenance for residential customers all the way to REO / bank owned property preservation and services.
I some times find it hard where to put my marketing towards since not only do I need to reach my local market I also need to let companies across the country know about the services I provide and Thumbtack seems to let me reach both . I just signed up so I will keep updating the effectiveness of this site but as far as I can see it looks great and shows promise.
This is the link to a page to test the waters <a href="http://www.thumbtack.com/Dryer-vent-gutter-cleaning-reo-services-Creedmoor-NC/service/355432">Dryer vent gutter cleaning reo services</a>
As you will see I added pictures and a you tube video as well as answered some generic questions and listed my services.
Other places I've done well with have been Google Places and why would that be well almost every time your looking for something or about something the first thing someone will say is "Google it" so it stands with out question get listed on google.
Craigslist is also great to just put up little classifieds for free and a lot of people looking for your service locally use craigslist. a simple ad on craigslist like
Dryer Vent Gutter Cleaning service (your town)
let us clean out those sloppy clogged gutters and let us also help cut your electric bill and help prevent a house fire by cleaning out your dryer vents
we offer these services for (whatever you want to charge)
we are fully insured
call us today (your Number)
this is very effective and free.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
How An .89 can of spray paint saved me
So as I mentioned I lost my job and knew I had to do something so I decided to go clean rain gutters a sloppy job that no-one wants to do so they'd be happy to pay someone else to climb on their roof and do it.
So I was picking lunch up for my fiance and saw a town employee pulling up yard signs that people put out to advertise their business. So I said to them " you have to take down those signs?" She said yeah you can only have them up from friday to sunday and then if we see them we pull them down.
Now I never knew that and since I was pondering ordering some of these signs to promote my new gutter cleaning venture I starting second guessing my choice since they range in price from like .99-$24.99 plus the stakes they would really need to produce some seriously quick results...
Then in that second I happened to say to her well what do you do with them? My kids are in school sports and there always making signs for car washes and bake sales etc. and those would be perfect if we painted over them plus its like recycling. Well much to my surprise she said we just junk them but if you want take whatever you want from my truck to use and you know you can go down to the waste facility and ask them to save them for your kids.
Well needless to say I emptied her truck out and went straight to Walmart (after dropping of my fiances lunch of course you gotta have priorities!!!) and I got my self a few cans of .89 black and a few cans of .89 white spray paint a few stencils and rushed home.
So now I was set I didn't expect to become a sign maker but hey you do what you gotta do right?
I spayed my heart out and that night I drove around town like a ninja putting my new signs out at every corner possible.. The next day it by chance rained like hell and at about 10:30 am I got a call to schedule gutter cleaning and then another and another and it didn't stop for about a week to 2 weeks I guess until the town took down my signs and then I did it again and by this time I was getting referrals from satisfied customers.
The point is sometimes you just have to do what it takes and then go a bit past that I didn't plan on making signs but nor did I plan on getting that busy let alone from a homemade sign but determination not to bottom out when the chips were down kept me afloat and gave me the push needed now it would be really hard to have to go to work for someone else .
Look for your "sign" use your talents pull out your determination hell belittle yourself a bit if need be but we can all survive if we try and if we really want to we can all thrive.
So I was picking lunch up for my fiance and saw a town employee pulling up yard signs that people put out to advertise their business. So I said to them " you have to take down those signs?" She said yeah you can only have them up from friday to sunday and then if we see them we pull them down.
Now I never knew that and since I was pondering ordering some of these signs to promote my new gutter cleaning venture I starting second guessing my choice since they range in price from like .99-$24.99 plus the stakes they would really need to produce some seriously quick results...
Then in that second I happened to say to her well what do you do with them? My kids are in school sports and there always making signs for car washes and bake sales etc. and those would be perfect if we painted over them plus its like recycling. Well much to my surprise she said we just junk them but if you want take whatever you want from my truck to use and you know you can go down to the waste facility and ask them to save them for your kids.
Well needless to say I emptied her truck out and went straight to Walmart (after dropping of my fiances lunch of course you gotta have priorities!!!) and I got my self a few cans of .89 black and a few cans of .89 white spray paint a few stencils and rushed home.
So now I was set I didn't expect to become a sign maker but hey you do what you gotta do right?
I spayed my heart out and that night I drove around town like a ninja putting my new signs out at every corner possible.. The next day it by chance rained like hell and at about 10:30 am I got a call to schedule gutter cleaning and then another and another and it didn't stop for about a week to 2 weeks I guess until the town took down my signs and then I did it again and by this time I was getting referrals from satisfied customers.
The point is sometimes you just have to do what it takes and then go a bit past that I didn't plan on making signs but nor did I plan on getting that busy let alone from a homemade sign but determination not to bottom out when the chips were down kept me afloat and gave me the push needed now it would be really hard to have to go to work for someone else .
Look for your "sign" use your talents pull out your determination hell belittle yourself a bit if need be but we can all survive if we try and if we really want to we can all thrive.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Great Apps I found to help Daily
If you have a smart phone there are tons of apps but these I like the best after trying so many
1-easy graph will track and graph anything you want to measure or monitor
2-google plus is a great networking tool
3-hello expense will track all your incoming and out going money and email you reports for your records
4-Mobill reminder will remind you of all your bills coming due
5-my calculator has calculators for everything from basic to debt free to salary,inflation even paypal
6-out of milk is a great list generator that can be used for keeping track of anything
just a few of my favorite app i found got any suggestions let me know.
1-easy graph will track and graph anything you want to measure or monitor
2-google plus is a great networking tool
3-hello expense will track all your incoming and out going money and email you reports for your records
4-Mobill reminder will remind you of all your bills coming due
5-my calculator has calculators for everything from basic to debt free to salary,inflation even paypal
6-out of milk is a great list generator that can be used for keeping track of anything
just a few of my favorite app i found got any suggestions let me know.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
continued...........
So by switching to a different car we would save like half of our gas expenses so now we can use that for the phone bill. By lowering our payments and fuel consumption on a new vehicle we not only would have a new car but the savings would pay for the lights,cable and phone and possibly even a tank of gas!! Now that's obvious and of course everyone can't just go do that nor will it always help but it was just a start that idea got me thinking how great that would be i wonder what else we can save on? Now the next thing that happened I sure will not happen to most if anyone reading this but if it ever does just remember never look a gift horse in the mouth what that means? who knows but ask your parent or grandparent its just one of those things I heard growing up but read what happened and the meaning may become clear. My life like most people has ups and downs but my downs are usually so often and so low that what you may never give a second thought to is a huge up in my life. Getting back to the car situation , While were looking for a new car and we got down to the final few to choose between my wife's Grandfather Died and he didn't want a service so she wasn't going to go anywhere until her whole family decided to go and do something regardless of his wishes so of course she didn't want to be the only on that didn't go , But then she couldn't get coverage for work to take the time off so now again she's not going . But at the last minute she got it sorted out with work and could now go and she was able to catch a ride with her sister to save on gas. The whole family goes they have a service and then go to clean out his house and He bought a little SUV cash will like zero mileage and no one needed it so they all said to her why doesn't she just take it someone needs to drive it back up to home and if you like it keep it . Of course I told her I don't care if you hate it deal with it for now but luckily she does like it. We sold her truck for a lot less then we wanted but enough to pay it off and a bit well this really jump started my saving exodus we were talking getting something new to save enough to cover some utility bills now were saving at least $750 that like 3/4 off my mortgage or more!!! So now my goal is to first save enough to cover the house payments then hopefully surpass that amount and start putting money back into savings.
I'm sitting here writing and smoking as I mentioned smoking before however this time I'm smoking an E-Cigarette not only does it curb my cravings its also not pumping tar and over 500 other chemicals and carcinogens into my system and I have a pack of good 'ol Marlboro reds sitting right here and they remain untouched because I really get my fix from these E-Cigs OH and did I mention between me and my wife we would buy a pack a day each ? Even though I live in the south the tobacco center of the world people smoke while pumping gas down here you know babies breast feed and then kick back with a Winston LOL!!! So a pack of smokes is relatively cheap so between $4.50-$6.00 I know you New Yorkers paying $13-$16 are packing up and getting ready to move.. I know I did and here I am and still not happy with the cash wasted on something hats gonna also kill me. O.K. do the math:
lets say $5.00 average per pack x 7 packs per week x two smokers = $70.00 x 4 weeks = $280.00
The E-Cigarette cost $19.99 the filter last equal to 2 packs refills are 5 for $19.99 they last for a cartons worth of cigarettes which is 10 packs.
Initial cost for first month for me and my wife would be $19.99 x 2 =$39.98
enough filters to equal the 56 packs we would have bought is 28 so say 5 packs (because they come with a filter equal to two packs) of 5 filters at $19.99 = $99.95 plus initial cost of $39.98 = $139.93
Real cigarettes $280-Ecigarettes $139.00 = $141.00 to start Great!
ongoing real cigarettes $280 - E-Cigarettes $99.95 = $180.05 There the lights and cable paid for again or
$180 + the $750 Car savings = $930 per month leaving less then an eighth of my mortgage to pay!!! and I didn't stop there. Stay tuned !!!!
I'm sitting here writing and smoking as I mentioned smoking before however this time I'm smoking an E-Cigarette not only does it curb my cravings its also not pumping tar and over 500 other chemicals and carcinogens into my system and I have a pack of good 'ol Marlboro reds sitting right here and they remain untouched because I really get my fix from these E-Cigs OH and did I mention between me and my wife we would buy a pack a day each ? Even though I live in the south the tobacco center of the world people smoke while pumping gas down here you know babies breast feed and then kick back with a Winston LOL!!! So a pack of smokes is relatively cheap so between $4.50-$6.00 I know you New Yorkers paying $13-$16 are packing up and getting ready to move.. I know I did and here I am and still not happy with the cash wasted on something hats gonna also kill me. O.K. do the math:
lets say $5.00 average per pack x 7 packs per week x two smokers = $70.00 x 4 weeks = $280.00
The E-Cigarette cost $19.99 the filter last equal to 2 packs refills are 5 for $19.99 they last for a cartons worth of cigarettes which is 10 packs.
Initial cost for first month for me and my wife would be $19.99 x 2 =$39.98
enough filters to equal the 56 packs we would have bought is 28 so say 5 packs (because they come with a filter equal to two packs) of 5 filters at $19.99 = $99.95 plus initial cost of $39.98 = $139.93
Real cigarettes $280-Ecigarettes $139.00 = $141.00 to start Great!
ongoing real cigarettes $280 - E-Cigarettes $99.95 = $180.05 There the lights and cable paid for again or
$180 + the $750 Car savings = $930 per month leaving less then an eighth of my mortgage to pay!!! and I didn't stop there. Stay tuned !!!!
Trying to control my out flowing cash.........
So again I'm not a millionaire and I really have no right speaking about debt or finances but there's a few things I've been doing and changed in my life associated with debt and the hemarage of cash flowing out each month. Its pretty funny as long as you have great income you don't care or think about out going cash I would get a $500.00 cell phone bill because everyone in the house was just buying ring tones and etc. and I would see it and say DAMN! but that would be all then pay it because whatever you need a cell phone so what'd gonna do? and as I sit here writing this I can think of a bunch of things like that. Think about it for a second how many things do you pay just cause? just cause you have to just cause what are you gonna do you need this and this and of course that service and oh what about.... See we all have those things and it really all adds up.
It all really came to light for me all at once kind of like that old commercial for V-8 juice when they would bonk their heads and said "I could of had a V-8!!!" so no I wasn't thirsty or eating 15 tomatoes it was one day when I was researching some old unpaid invoices from one of my national clients and thinking how can I keep doing this its great money but after waiting to get paid so long by the time I receive the check the bills are now already past do then I got defeated and stressed as I sat staring at my email screen waiting for a reply. I got up to get get a cigarette and while walking down the hall to the kitchen I said I need that money!! you know if I could squeeze even a few residential gutter or dryer vent jobs in even weekly at least I would have some money even if only for gas to get by to do the rest of my work that would really help. Gas huh now if we weren't driving that huge gas guzzling truck that we really have no need for other then we like it and it's kind of a status thing (living down south and all!) and boy if we could ever be done paying for it since the payment alone was $654 a month. (wife bought it before I knew her $654 !!! crazy right?!) And just like that I had an idea not really sure if it would work or be beneficial but as soon as my wife came home I said you know we really need to get rid of that truck. Now we looked a different smaller SUV type trucks so I figured even at a super high interest rate we would still save between $250-$350 per month Hey that's like the lights and cable now going from an 11mpg to a 25-30mpg vehicle the gas savings according to:
It all really came to light for me all at once kind of like that old commercial for V-8 juice when they would bonk their heads and said "I could of had a V-8!!!" so no I wasn't thirsty or eating 15 tomatoes it was one day when I was researching some old unpaid invoices from one of my national clients and thinking how can I keep doing this its great money but after waiting to get paid so long by the time I receive the check the bills are now already past do then I got defeated and stressed as I sat staring at my email screen waiting for a reply. I got up to get get a cigarette and while walking down the hall to the kitchen I said I need that money!! you know if I could squeeze even a few residential gutter or dryer vent jobs in even weekly at least I would have some money even if only for gas to get by to do the rest of my work that would really help. Gas huh now if we weren't driving that huge gas guzzling truck that we really have no need for other then we like it and it's kind of a status thing (living down south and all!) and boy if we could ever be done paying for it since the payment alone was $654 a month. (wife bought it before I knew her $654 !!! crazy right?!) And just like that I had an idea not really sure if it would work or be beneficial but as soon as my wife came home I said you know we really need to get rid of that truck. Now we looked a different smaller SUV type trucks so I figured even at a super high interest rate we would still save between $250-$350 per month Hey that's like the lights and cable now going from an 11mpg to a 25-30mpg vehicle the gas savings according to:
Friday, December 30, 2011
What I'm Saying is..........
So I'm not saying anything in this blog could or would pertain to you and of course I'm not saying quit your job to do any of these things. And lastly I'm certainly not saying that doing anything I post will make you a millionaire . But If your in need of help in a tough time of your life both the financial points on better controlling your out going cash will help and the "odd" jobs I will talk about will help keep you at least at water level if not a little higher until you can get back on track.
The first thing you should realize and think about which I didn't until just very recently is whether you have a great job with great pay or a crappy job with crap pay is that other then your annual raise if your lucky enough to receive one or a promotion you can't really control your pay. Well in a way that's better put like this you have control over you you want more its up to you to go get it and really your the only one who can stop you, But the reality we all face is with out risking your security and switching careers or professions how can you control your income. Lets say your sitting down doing your monthly bills ( A very important thing to do instead of just pay what ever when ever and we all know we've all done it!) but anyway so your doing your bills and money is tight so what do you do ? You say I need more money!!!! Ok so wake up the next morning and go make more money problem solved yeah you can't make more if your salaried at $50,000 you can't work longer or harder and get paid more so you need to "find" money somewhere the next posting will show some ways and examples of what you can do and follow my progress as I post what I do as I do it and it will also be tweeted with results #myshitinablog on twitter.
By this point your asking who is this guy and why would I follow or take advice from him well I hope you do follow and its not really advise per say I'm an average working family man dealing with all the same stuff every other average Joe is dealing with and I knew I needed to do something and soon So really everything I post will be what I tried to make some cash and if it worked or not reason I feel it did or didn't and what steps I took to achieve success . I am also on an exodus of my debt sort of speak I did a few things that not only cut my bills but improved my life and life style with the most simple tweaks it was like DUH!!! I hope you follow me on this journey and I really hope something I post helps you even alittle. Till Next time..........
The first thing you should realize and think about which I didn't until just very recently is whether you have a great job with great pay or a crappy job with crap pay is that other then your annual raise if your lucky enough to receive one or a promotion you can't really control your pay. Well in a way that's better put like this you have control over you you want more its up to you to go get it and really your the only one who can stop you, But the reality we all face is with out risking your security and switching careers or professions how can you control your income. Lets say your sitting down doing your monthly bills ( A very important thing to do instead of just pay what ever when ever and we all know we've all done it!) but anyway so your doing your bills and money is tight so what do you do ? You say I need more money!!!! Ok so wake up the next morning and go make more money problem solved yeah you can't make more if your salaried at $50,000 you can't work longer or harder and get paid more so you need to "find" money somewhere the next posting will show some ways and examples of what you can do and follow my progress as I post what I do as I do it and it will also be tweeted with results #myshitinablog on twitter.
By this point your asking who is this guy and why would I follow or take advice from him well I hope you do follow and its not really advise per say I'm an average working family man dealing with all the same stuff every other average Joe is dealing with and I knew I needed to do something and soon So really everything I post will be what I tried to make some cash and if it worked or not reason I feel it did or didn't and what steps I took to achieve success . I am also on an exodus of my debt sort of speak I did a few things that not only cut my bills but improved my life and life style with the most simple tweaks it was like DUH!!! I hope you follow me on this journey and I really hope something I post helps you even alittle. Till Next time..........
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