Recession bites

[slofox]

Looks like I have to sell my house before the bank forecloses on account of not enough money coming in to keep the business afloat. Bugger.

Rather sell the house than the bike though...ya reckon I could garage it under the Claudelands bridge? Next to my bedroll?

Anyone need a Liquor manager? Or teacher? Or horticulturist? Or Psychologist? Coz I can be any of the above...daresay I could be a bullshit artist as well if necessary...

[yungatart]

Its been tough out there for the last year or so.
I feel for you, mate.
There is only one direction when yu are at the bottom though, and that is up!
Good luck.

[Fatt Max]

Mate, shite news,

Hope all works out well, keep your chin up, I have about 7 chins to keep up so yoru one should be a piece of piss

Take care mate

[MIXONE]

Shit mate not good.If I was up your way I'd buy my booze from you,
Good luck.

[Fatt Max]

Shit mate not good.If I was up your way I'd buy my booze from you,
Good luck.

I've bough booze from him and it was fecking good. Maybe we should start a 'Save Sloey' campaign. Everyone in the 'tron buys their piss from there next week. I'm down there on Wednesday so I shall be calling in for another bottle of that Rose

[slofox]

I don't really mind about the shop - been here for four and a half years working six days a week for fuck all. But I did quite like having a house to live in...:bye:

Part of the problem is me trying to sell quality products instead of quantity products. Lots of people don't give a shit about quality any more - they just want cheap. As long as it gets them pissed they don't care. I always believed that there is a market for quality but that market is tiny now and getting smaller all the time. But then maybe I'm just some kind of ancient fossil holding onto long gone beliefs...:crazy:

[george formby]

I don't really mind about the shop - been here for four and a half years working six days a week for fuck all. But I did quite like having a house to live in...:bye:

Part of the problem is me trying to sell quality products instead of quantity products. Lots of people don't give a shit about quality any more - they just want cheap. As long as it gets them pissed they don't care. I always believed that there is a market for quality but that market is tiny now and getting smaller all the time. But then maybe I'm just some kind of ancient fossil holding onto long gone beliefs...:crazy:

I hear you. I'm almost in the same boat, working like a fool just to standstill & trying to offer the best product I can get my hands on but still be competitive on price. If a silver lining doe's not appear save me a space under the bridge, you bring the brandy I will bring the coffee.

[peasea]

Looks like I have to sell my house before the bank forecloses on account of not enough money coming in to keep the business afloat. Bugger.

Rather sell the house than the bike though...ya reckon I could garage it under the Claudelands bridge? Next to my bedroll?

Anyone need a Liquor manager? Or teacher? Or horticulturist? Or Psychologist? Coz I can be any of the above...daresay I could be a bullshit artist as well if necessary...

Horticulture; there's your answer!

[slofox]

I hear you. I'm almost in the same boat, working like a fool just to standstill & trying to offer the best product I can get my hands on but still be competitive on price. If a silver lining doe's not appear save me a space under the bridge, you bring the brandy I will bring the coffee.

You're on! Plenty space under that bridge...

[slofox]

Horticulture; there's your answer!

Green ecomony, huh..?

[Dadpole]

The amount of business I am getting suggests that I may be joining you in Bridge City.

[CookMySock]

Bugger. Oh well, you were lucky to HAVE your own house while running a small business - mostly banks won't touch property finance for someone with a small business.

I count myself extremely fortunate to have survived all this time in business, and at the higher end of the market too.

Still, as you say, a piss poor income really.

Things will pick up mate.

Steve

[rainman]

Its been tough out there for the last year or so.

That may be the understatement of the decade!


But I did quite like having a house to live in...:bye:

Having been in a place before where the loss of my house was close to inevitable (and in a country with no welfare system and a big stigma against renting), I can sympathise. But having been through that and finding it wasn't as bad as I thought, I'm less concerned now that I'm heading for a similar sort of place again (a few months behind you, maybe). Owning a house is over-rated, unless you own it outright and can cover the running costs - then it's a source of comfort. As soon as it becomes a risk to your financial well-being, that value goes away.

And WINZ may be a complete PITA to deal with but they'll make sure you don't sleep under a bridge, at least...


Green ecomony, huh..?

I've been watching the job boards for a while and there are regular hort job ads, at least up in Auckland. They all call for Hort 4 and spraying certs, and pay like shit, but they're work. I'd assume there would be more hort jobs in the Waikato? Or maybe across towards Tauranga if you have the option to move? But yeah, failing which, there's always Northland and the other green economy.... :)

Alternatively maybe you should rebrand and start selling cheap shit booze in quantity? I assume people are still drinking, recessions typically don't slow that down... Or link up with the local Scottish society? :)

[Southmotian]

Looks like I have to sell my house before the bank forecloses on account of not enough money coming in to keep the business afloat. Bugger.

Rather sell the house than the bike though...ya reckon I could garage it under the Claudelands bridge? Next to my bedroll?

Anyone need a Liquor manager? Or teacher? Or horticulturist? Or Psychologist? Coz I can be any of the above...daresay I could be a bullshit artist as well if necessary...

At least house prices haven't bombed. Assuming you didn't buy in 07 you should come out in the black:woohoo: And home ownership is overrated unless you're seeing good capital gains, which I think is unlikely in near future. I reckon you're selling up at a good time :2thumbsup /my2c

[FROSTY]

have you thought about the shop within a shop idea?? The "big" shop sells the bread n butter and then within it is the stuff you are passionate about.

[slofox]

I've been watching the job boards for a while and there are regular hort job ads, at least up in Auckland. They all call for Hort 4 and spraying certs, and pay like shit, but they're work. I'd assume there would be more hort jobs in the Waikato? Or maybe across towards Tauranga if you have the option to move? But yeah, failing which, there's always Northland and the other green economy.... :)

Alternatively maybe you should rebrand and start selling cheap shit booze in quantity? I assume people are still drinking, recessions typically don't slow that down... Or link up with the local Scottish society? :)

To be honest, horticulture would be my last choice - I spent eighteen years in that area and vowed never to spray another plant again once I got out...as for cheap shit booze? I still some vestigial principles intact, dammit...


At least house prices haven't bombed. Assuming you didn't buy in 07 you should come out in the black:woohoo: And home ownership is overrated unless you're seeing good capital gains, which I think is unlikely in near future. I reckon you're selling up at a good time :2thumbsup /my2c

I bought six years ago. Will sell for near 50% better than I bought so not all bad...


have you thought about the shop within a shop idea?? The "big" shop sells the bread n butter and then within it is the stuff you are passionate about.

See above - vestigial principles etc...

Overall there are far too many licences out there in the Tron - it's a wonder anyone makes a bob out of it any more in the face of cut-price supermarket bastards. This weekend, Prog supers advertised... "At least 50% off all wine in store". Then in tiny letters underneath "we support responsible drinking". Yeah. Right. Fuck off.

[golfmade]

Sorry to hear it. Plenty of friends back in the States having similar trouble.

If times get really bad you could always move here and teach English to hyperactive kids :D

[Edbear]

Sorry to hear of your situation, mate. It's a general problem and anyone who says the recession is over should just look at the WINZ stats. I was laid off a job with a major telco last May and couldn't even get a job pumping gas.

For the last 6 months I've been working for virtually nothing, relying on my wife's wages and an accomodation supplement form WINZ to get by. We still have the house but it's been hard going. However the business I've been working on is starting to come together and this year is looking good thanks to a business plan that impressed the bank manager enough for him to back us up and buy us time, otherwise we might have had to sell up and downsize to a cheaper home, not easy to find in this area.

Things are going to be tight for the next couple of months or so, but there is light at the end. We are fortunate to be in a fairly recession-proof industry.

As disappointed as I was to lose a job I enjoyed and was good at, I do feel that it is true, as one door closes another opens and if you're flexible and willing to take on a new challenge you should survive. Look at poor old Ian Fergusson facing the loss of his business. He'll come through though I'm sure, and so will you.

Certainly take advice from "those who know about these things", which I have been careful to do and have received good support from not only the bank manager but also successul businessmen. Networking is essential these days and you never know who may know someone.

All the best!

[pzkpfw]

Read a book once (or rather a co-worker who read it told me all about it). It was a study of American millionaires.

Pretty much every statistics turned out to be an 80 / 20 kind of thing.

80% of people who inherited a million, lost it.
80% of people who were millionaires, earned it.

And maybe this is "helpful" or not:

80% of millionaires had been bankrupt at least once.

I've got a lot of respect for the small business person - it's not easy.

Hope it all works out well. I'm sure you'll eventually get where you want to be.

[98tls]

What can i say other than by the grace of god mate,we wish you all the luck in the world resolving this.You have always struck me as a good bastard so hopefully you get the good fortune you deserve.All the best eh.

[Motu]

It's tough trying to sell quality in this country...or world.Just look at this site - everyone want cheap tyres,cheap boots,cheap gloves,cheap bikes,cheap parts.....it's all got to cheap or they aren't interested.Keep a box of good red to carry you through the tough times.



Can I come and help with the good box of red?

[boman]

It dosn't help you at all unfortunatly, but this quote is quite true especialy in NZ.

"If you want nice fresh oats, you have to pay a fair price.
If you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse;

that comes a little cheaper."

I hope it all comes good for you.

[EJK]

Read a book once (or rather a co-worker who read it told me all about it). It was a study of American millionaires.

Pretty much every statistics turned out to be an 80 / 20 kind of thing.

80% of people who inherited a million, lost it.
80% of people who were millionaires, earned it.

And maybe this is "helpful" or not:

80% of millionaires had been bankrupt at least once.

I've got a lot of respect for the small business person - it's not easy.

Hope it all works out well. I'm sure you'll eventually get where you want to be.

Henry Ford got bankrupt 5 times but end up net worth $188 Billion USD.
But that's Henry Ford :msn-wink:

[Latte]

Yeah we have gone from a business that supplied toys and income, to just income, then no income, now sucking money like it;s going out of fashion. We are culling 50% of our income but clulling 60% of our costs as well, so hopefully we can turn it around. It's a real shame but "cest la vie" - you have your health (I hope) and your bike - keep smiling :D

[Usarka]

Slowfox - Bro you still in the shop I need to stock up on some piss now that i gotz a job auw. Looking to stock the bottom shelf of the wine rack for some "keepers"

I'm not sure if you have what I'm after but good to buy from a good cnut if i can.

If so, 1) do you have an internets site, and b) can you ship to arsebiscuitland?


Chur

[The Stranger]

Anyone need a Liquor manager?

Shit yeah, I could use some help. I have no end of trouble managing my liquor.
But must warn you, the pay is shit.

[sil3nt]

Wow thread dredge. Did not notice.

[Madness]

I count myself extremely fortunate to have survived all this time in business, and at the higher end of the market too.


So you do the premium ice-creams then? :innocent:

[Mom]

Looking to stock the bottom shelf of the wine rack for some "keepers"
Chur

Things got so tight for me this past year, I had to drink my bottom shelf just to survive :pinch: Some of it was entirely wasted to be honest :drinknsin but there were some delights and sadly the odd one past its use by date too :sick:

What a jolly good idea to see what the old fox has set aside :yes: Whistle out when you head down, I will join you.

[sinned]

Wow thread dredge. Did not notice.
You got to watch those pesky dredges. Now we are here an update would be interesting.

[Toaster]

Bugger. Oh well, you were lucky to HAVE your own house while running a small business - mostly banks won't touch property finance for someone with a small business.

Bollocks. Property security is almost about the only way small business can be funded - as small businesses usually don't have the kind of cashflow position needed to do cashflow lending more commonly found in larger commercial and corporate banking.

The equation is simple, security lending against property has to be within certain ratios... almost always found in the equity of the property or properties used as security to support lending to the business.

Speculative lending and property development lending is a whole different ballgame.

[Geeen]

You got to watch those pesky dredges. Now we are here an update would be interesting.

I got some alcomahol from him for the wife on Friday.......If that helps

[slofox]

Slowfox - Bro you still in the shop I need to stock up on some piss now that i gotz a job auw. Looking to stock the bottom shelf of the wine rack for some "keepers"

I'm not sure if you have what I'm after but good to buy from a good cnut if i can.

If so, 1) do you have an internets site, and b) can you ship to arsebiscuitland?


Chur


Shop's still going and I do have a coupla wines worth keeping...

website is

www.hillcrestfinewines.co.nz

There's probably not a lot to help you on the website though - it's pretty generalised. Phone or email is best.

I can ship anywhere in NZ. Freight extra though...cost varies with location and weight.



With regards to the original theme of this thread, I have managed to sell my house after fifteen months on the market and am lining up a smaller cheaper place to buy. This has reduced the outgoings to more manageable levels and I haven't had to sell The Vixen...yet.

The financial year just completed was not the worst ever - second worst ever. So I suppose that's positive...kinda.

Have also reduced certain other expenses. Also looking at maybe doing some other work in the mornings and reducing the hours in the shop by two per day. We'll see what comes of that.