Originally posted by ensigmatic: If I was physically able (and I currently am), I'd start a lawn care business. Not out of any expectation to make a bunch of money, but to give myself something to do I enjoy, that would get me outside, and be physically demanding.
As someone that does that, you're nuts!
Regardless, $25000 really isn't enough. A mower alone is going to run you $11000.
February 26, 2019, 02:49 PM
sigarms229
Do the Uber or Lyft thing?
Drive cars (as in move them from point A to point B or pickup dealer trades) for large auto dealerships? I have a retired friend that does this. Take's him all over and they look for older, responsible people.
Sometimes, you gotta roll the hard six
February 26, 2019, 03:19 PM
old rugged cross
BLS/ACLS instructor. Minimal investment. Something you already have exposure too. Not a big money maker but connected to the right facility you will get lots of chance to instruct.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
February 26, 2019, 03:33 PM
L90814
Did the carpet cleaning equipment business on here in central Florida already sell? Seemed like it was a "ready to go" money maker out of the box.
February 26, 2019, 03:52 PM
HRK
Take the $25K, buy a used Kia Soul, or Honda Element (rubber floors for easy puke cleaning) join lyft/oober and drive people around your town.
February 26, 2019, 04:09 PM
mcrimm
quote:
Originally posted by L90814: Did the carpet cleaning equipment business on here in central Florida already sell? Seemed like it was a "ready to go" money maker out of the box.
I’m quite sure this isn’t a winner. I have a guy do my carpets from time to time. He pulls up in an old minivan, drags a bunch of hose into the house and does the hot water extraction cleaning. Takes about an hour and he packs it up and leaves with a hundred bucks of mine.
He’s booked out for weeks and can easily knock down $400 to $500 a day. Work that out annually.
Little overhead and no employees. Lots of Ben Franklins. Mike
I'm sorry if I hurt you feelings when I called you stupid - I thought you already knew - Unknown ................................... When you have no future, you live in the past. " Sycamore Row" by John Grisham
February 26, 2019, 04:22 PM
CPD SIG
quote:
Originally posted by x0225095: A Boat/RV/4-wheeler self-operated "car wash"... with a location that would be frequented by outdoorsmen.
Or this....
quote:
Originally posted by SBrooks: Spend $25K at a tech school and learn a trade. Welder. IT. Plumber/HVAC. Blacksmith.
Only save some of the money to start out with on your own once you're done! Mike Rowe would be proud and you would be busy for life.....
I'll toss in another vote for the self operated Spray-n-Wash type car wash. Do your homework on location and taxes.
______________________________________________________________________ "When its time to shoot, shoot. Dont talk!"
“What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. It’s not good at much else.” —Author Tom Clancy
February 26, 2019, 04:26 PM
ensigmatic
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic: If I was physically able (and I currently am), I'd start a lawn care business. Not out of any expectation to make a bunch of money, but to give myself something to do I enjoy, that would get me outside, and be physically demanding.
As someone that does that, you're nuts!
I figured I'd hear from you on that score
quote:
Originally posted by mark123: Regardless, $25000 really isn't enough. A mower alone is going to run you $11000.
I'm talkin' a small, one-man operation. The guy that used to do ours started out with nothing more than a homeowner-grade ZTR mower, string trimmer, leaf blower and a trailer. by the last season he did our lawn he'd upgraded everything to commercial grade from the meagre profits. Then he had to have surgery for an injury (not related) and dropped the business.
He did it for the same reason as the OP: He was retired and it gave him something to do that amused him. I know he wasn't in it for the money. He charged us a mere $25/mowing. We have 20 to 25k sqft of lawn with all kinds of interruptions and curvy borders. It takes me 45 minutes to do it, leaving the clippings, with our Walker with a 4' deck. That's with no string trimming or trim mowing.
Heck, with the gear I have, all commercial, I could do it, if I wanted to. But I ain't bored... yet?
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
February 26, 2019, 04:29 PM
honestlou
quote:
Originally posted by 71 TRUCK:
...My background revolved around the fire protection industry years ago. I was a service manager for a fire protection company, A part time paid instructor for the county fire academy in the county I live in in New Jersey and a volunteer firefighter...
I don't know what certifications, if any, are needed, but there are a couple of companies locally that seem to do well doing fire extinguisher inspection/certification. The fire department inspects retailers to make sure their fire extinguishers are up to date. Here that means that a private company has stopped by and inspected/certified that my extinguishers are good. They can refill/replace if necessary, but mostly I pay them to put a current tag on my extinguishers. Seems like I pay $75-$100 or so for 20 minutes of their time. I have about 6 extinguishers.
February 26, 2019, 04:30 PM
NavyGuy
quote:
Originally posted by trapper189: Three words:
Ice Cream Truck
Good grief. Listen to "its a small world" chimes for 8 straight hours is enough to send the strongest man to the therapist's couch.
Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.
-D.H. Lawrence
February 26, 2019, 04:58 PM
mark123
I'd drive the Mammo-van. "Step right up, ladies."
February 26, 2019, 04:59 PM
ensigmatic
quote:
Originally posted by mark123: I'd drive the Mammo-van. "Step right up, ladies."
Have you ever been to Walmart?
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
February 26, 2019, 05:06 PM
mark123
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic: If I was physically able (and I currently am), I'd start a lawn care business. Not out of any expectation to make a bunch of money, but to give myself something to do I enjoy, that would get me outside, and be physically demanding.
As someone that does that, you're nuts!
I figured I'd hear from you on that score
quote:
Originally posted by mark123: Regardless, $25000 really isn't enough. A mower alone is going to run you $11000.
I'm talkin' a small, one-man operation. The guy that used to do ours started out with nothing more than a homeowner-grade ZTR mower, string trimmer, leaf blower and a trailer. by the last season he did our lawn he'd upgraded everything to commercial grade from the meagre profits. Then he had to have surgery for an injury (not related) and dropped the business.
He did it for the same reason as the OP: He was retired and it gave him something to do that amused him. I know he wasn't in it for the money. He charged us a mere $25/mowing. We have 20 to 25k sqft of lawn with all kinds of interruptions and curvy borders. It takes me 45 minutes to do it, leaving the clippings, with our Walker with a 4' deck. That's with no string trimming or trim mowing.
Heck, with the gear I have, all commercial, I could do it, if I wanted to. But I ain't bored... yet?
Try your best to never get that bored.
I actually am a one-man operation. I really wish that I'd have got into something else. I honestly don't want to be doing it at retirement time.
All the uninsured guys with homeowner grade mowers have the same story that your guy had.
February 26, 2019, 05:09 PM
mark123
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:
quote:
Originally posted by mark123: I'd drive the Mammo-van. "Step right up, ladies."
Have you ever been to Walmart?
Oh, no. I'm cruising the gates communities.
If I really have $25000 I'd probably get a nice lathe, a mill a cnc controlled router and open up a maker shop.
February 26, 2019, 05:28 PM
jimmy123x
quote:
Originally posted by HRK: Take the $25K, buy a used Kia Soul, or Honda Element (rubber floors for easy puke cleaning) join lyft/oober and drive people around your town.
I'd recommend Uber or Lyft- but you want a minivan to make it work, Especially around Orlando. The minivan allows you to take XL rides and they pay double the normal Uber X rides (can still do X if XL rides are slow). You can work your own hours and in a place like Orlando, easily pocket over $100 a day after maintenance money and gas in a 8 hour day. No real risk, if you don't like it, keep or sell the minivan.
Otherwise, you've got to do a mobile business (these make good money usually in FL). Carpet Cleaning, mobile car wash, lawn business (I sure as hell wouldn't be doing this in central florida when it's over 80F and closer to 95F 8 months out of the year), dog wash, food truck, I've even seen a dog crap picker up service that goes house to house.
February 26, 2019, 06:34 PM
David Lee
quote:
Originally posted by 71 TRUCK: Thanks everyone you have come up with some great ideas.
My background revolved around the fire protection industry years ago. I was a service manager for a fire protection company, A part time paid instructor for the county fire academy in the county I live in in New Jersey and a volunteer firefighter.
When I moved to Florida I worked for that big entertainment company in central Florida. I worked a front desk,advanced sales work and drove a van transporting guests.
I also worked in a shop with mechanics working on heavy equipment for a while then helped a friend at his gun shop/range. From there I went into retirement. I was thinking of some sort of home based business. I have also been looking at business for sale in my area but nothing so far.
I didn't see the part about home based business. Go buy storage units or from auctions and sell on Ebay. I know several people who do this and buy estates just to sell on Ebay. None of them work a real job and do quite well for profit. You stay at home all you like drinking coffee, eating cheese doodles, watching Cappin Kangaroo and when your computer dings a sale, you make money. You can get the Ebay boxes for free if you like and print all your own shipping labels.
February 26, 2019, 06:52 PM
OKCGene
Well you could start a business where, let’s just put it this way, men go see the ladies for a short time. You know, like Robert Kraft in the news.
Be aware you’ll have to run it as a business, not a hobby.
