help starting a business?

[winky]

well i found out yesterday im having a baby! sooo i need some extra income, i currently work at a chevy dealership and every now and then fix peoples stuff at my house.. but that's not enough.. i was wondering if anyone had some good ideas for money making? i was thinking about parting out cars etc cause a lot of people are always asking me if i have parts.. only thing is now days most people want 2k for a blown up car.. trying to keep cost down until i actually start making some money.. any ideas or suggestions?? thanks for the help in advance!

[fitz]

What state are you in?
As long as your not from Mass (I don't need any competition) get a car trailer and start junking cars. Do you have a junkyard near your house that will buy them?
It will cost about $5000 to get started if you buy a new trailer and winch, but you can make good money for a one man show/part time business.
This will also leave you with plenty of vehicles to part out.

[winky]

already done that before, have truck trailer and everything. only thing is people want like 700 for a rusted out car and it only brings 350 at the scrap yard

[velojym]

Advertise yourself as a "clean-up" service. You'll haul away that old unwanted heap for free, just hand over the title and listen to the neighbors' complaints fade away.

[fitz]

$700 is too much.
What state are you in?
In Mass right now I'm paying $300 a car.
By the time I get paid for the car, cat converter, battery, and aluminium wheels (if it has them) I do alright $$ wise.
I get allot of running & driving cars that failed emissions and were taken off the road.
I've gotten some 73-87's along the way.

[1980c10]

You've got to look at your skills and demand in your area. I started by replacing a driveway for a guy and that led to several jobs all connected to the first job I did by word of mouth. I did everthing from  building decks, sunrooms, a lot more driveways, retaining walls, pretty much anything I could figure out to do. My business model was simple; I didn't need the extra work/money so I set prices high enough so that I wanted to do the work. Second was to have close to no overhead; I rented everything I needed to do the work including a pickup to haul the stuff. I bought a few tools here and there, a saw or two, drill etc but only with profit from each job. My customers liked my flexibilty and ideas to do pretty much whatever they wanted done. I would make my way around a subdivision from neighbors talking and would eventually find myself down the road at the next. My work was better than what anyone else could do-because my prices were at least double so I could spend way more time and extra expense giving them more than what they asked for. My customers were in pricey neighborhoods and they didn't price shop. Most thought they were getting a great price. Typical driveway r+r went like this. I look at it after work. Charge 800 to tear it out. I had a guy who would do it for 500, then set the grade. He knew the deal so he wouldn't let on. So I made 300 before I did any work. Show up friday night. I would check and finalize the grade set forms(2x's) Rake it out and tamp it. I would order the concrete for sat at 9 am, show up with 2 or 3 guys I worked with make the pour and finish it. maybe 5 or 6 hrs. Come back the next day and clean it up. This is where I would spend the extra time. I would get sod if it looked better or whatever they might want done. when I was done usual profit after all expenses was 1500-2000. bear in mind construction is tough now with the economy and competition is better than before. Ultimatley I think it was my professional manner that led me to be succesful and an attitude that a customer needs to be happy enough that they tell everyone. 

[1980c10]

To be a little more clear; you have got to have and edge that is differant than everyone else. If your thought is that you'll get work by being a little cheaper and doing really good work; you'll soon find yourself out of work. What you need is a recipe for profit. Not neceasarly what I did, but it needs to be something no one thought of.

Another unrelated thought is to find ways to save money creativley. (I own a day cab semi and run it locally) I purchase my fuel with a credit card that gives me 3% cash back on fuel. My other credit cards all give me at least 1% cash back on everything. I never buy anything any other way and pay them off monthly. This make me thousands a year (I spend a few hundred a day on business expenses). I do my own taxes this saves hundreds a year. I never hire anyone to do anything I can do myself or figure out how to do myself. I broker my own loads, I don't hire compliance people to do my paperwork etc. I don't use a factoring service, If I don't get paid I can send them to a collection agency just the same. I don't use carwashes etc. everything saves something and you just have to do a little more work yourself. However once you do the work yourself a time or two you'll see it's all pretty easy after you figure it out the first time.
Just think waht you can cut out of your regualar expenses and be creative. Don't think that just because its a few dollars here and there that it doesn't matter. It all adds up. Get some ideas and a calculator work them out and you'll come with something and its easier than working more.

[winky]

Thanks every one, and no cars off the road here due to emissions.. It's alabama haha, my 78 with a 383 in it was ran with headers and straight pipes.

[fitz]

In Alabama you could start a business shipping rust free 73-87 cabs & beds to the rust belt states. A few of us on here have talked about it before. Seems like there is $$ to be made in it.

[bake74]

     As 1980c10 stated, what are your skill levels ?  If you can find something you are good at and also like doing, it is almost a guarantee that you can succeed.
     Velojym has a great point, I have been kicking around the idea of doing the same thing.  I drive a lot for my job as a Srvc. Manager in the field, and I see all kinds of stuff in people's yards and such, the thing is if they believe it is just junk or treasure.  You will not know unless you ask.
     Fitz, I have though about starting something like getting rust free cabs and beds to the rust belt, I can get 73 - 87 trucks all the time for $500.00 or less, just have not found a cost effective solution to the "getting it there" without paying a fortune yet. 

[zieg85]

     As 1980c10 stated, what are your skill levels ?  If you can find something you are good at and also like doing, it is almost a guarantee that you can succeed.
     Velojym has a great point, I have been kicking around the idea of doing the same thing.  I drive a lot for my job as a Srvc. Manager in the field, and I see all kinds of stuff in people's yards and such, the thing is if they believe it is just junk or treasure.  You will not know unless you ask.
     Fitz, I have though about starting something like getting rust free cabs and beds to the rust belt, I can get 73 - 87 trucks all the time for $500.00 or less, just have not found a cost effective solution to the "getting it there" without paying a fortune yet. 

If my health holds out and our hobby hasn't been squashed by the government I hope to collect and move rust free stuff up north after I retire. 

[bake74]

  [/quote]

If my health holds out and our hobby hasn't been squashed by the government I hope to collect and move rust free stuff up north after I retire.
[/quote]

      Maybe I should start collecting them now.     That will make my wife just fuzzy all over. 

[winky]

lol, and im pretty good with cars. love working on them so thats kinda what im leaning towards. i may start poking around and asking people if they would like for me to remove there scrap metal or sell there junk cars. just put a tow package on my truck yesterday (killed my bumper hauling an old dump truck) so now im ready haha

[gto109]

Bake if you do that I'll be your first customer.  I'm a rust belter and I'm not having good luck finding a frame for my convertable.

[bake74]

Bake if you do that I'll be your first customer.  I'm a rust belter and I'm not having good luck finding a frame for my convertable.

     You need a 73 - 87 truck frame for a convertable project ?