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Easycareacres
17-06-2004, 06:55 PM
Just wondering how many get stressed, wifes etc. I get to this point many times through each year. Bad payer's, bank loans, workers, sacking ones, Alot can boil the pot and like to feel theres some like me. man has to kick a cat.

Pain in the Grass
17-06-2004, 07:30 PM
Can relate to that Man!!!!! Especially bad payers...Just got stiffed over a grand from a principal who I dropped my own work for to help out on some Strata lawns.....Bastard bounced the cheque twice!!!!!!! Lesson well learnt....but that wont pay the rent.....

Ah hell,,,, maybe a few more coldies will help relieve the pain....

Easycareacres
17-06-2004, 07:41 PM
What a bugger dude, is it worth trying small claims ? just a thought. round up his playfield heeeeeee

Pain in the Grass
17-06-2004, 08:47 PM
If I could find him......seems to have gone to ground.....Could have been worse though....He was trying to get me to do a soft landscaping job for him which (thankfully) I kept putting off cos of other work...

Pain in the Grass
17-06-2004, 08:49 PM
But if I dod manage to track him down, think I would have to borrow TonyR's big red machine on him to "loosen his pockets" eh

PHolmes
17-06-2004, 09:31 PM
I am a stressed wife at times. I can relate to all of it. My husband is thinking about starting up a mowing business. At present he has a business doing marble and granite work, mainly kitchen bench tops. Stock is expensive and he is caught between kitchen companies he contracts to and their clients, our last bad payer ripped us off $6000 and that was a major kitchen franchise. One of the reasons he is looking into mowing is because at least he will not be outlaying huge amounts of money for imported granite and then chasing money. Be nice to your wives for some reason we seem to worry about security more while men are more easy going and happy to take a few more risks.

Pain in the Grass
17-06-2004, 09:34 PM
MY advice...Stand by your partner at all times,,,good and bad,,,give em all the suppor tthey need and the rest will take care of itself....

Be passionater about your endeavours during the good and bad....it will all come good sooner or later

Tonyr
17-06-2004, 09:45 PM
G'Day blokes and bloke-ettes!

Dr Pain, you just say da word buddy, we can feed the git in one end and spray red out the other, and those grafiti kids reckon they know how to spray colour....haven't seen Tony's little Toro yet, ha, ha, ha!

Bad debts stress me too guys, wife, kids, work, this forum, Ebony, and the giant scotsman!! lol.

Sorry to hear about those big rip offs guys, I couldn't survive that, shows you's have good business sense and raw grit! good on yas!

Indyanswer
17-06-2004, 11:27 PM
Yes ! We need wives to give us the balance, hold us back a little ,or we would be right out there .I'm not married and i always stand on the edge. Mind you when i was married i was on edge lol .No just kidding. Fear nothing its a better way to live .Now that doesn't say to lose your wisdom . :ebony:

Indyanswer
17-06-2004, 11:33 PM
Pain in the grass

soon we will show you how to do a summons for very little money its called fighting back.

:boxer:

Ebony
18-06-2004, 09:54 AM
STreSs? Nevvveeer! hehe. Hopefully the forum will give some of you an outlet, somewhere to chat to others of like mind & who can relate. Will probably give the partner a rest too :bike: as PHolmes pointed out, the partners get stressed to remember lol.

odin
18-06-2004, 10:05 AM
best stress reliver ...marry a sicilian girl <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/26/26_24_1.gif' border=0></a>

Tonyr
18-06-2004, 10:07 AM
LOL Ebony, was hopin you'd reply!

Where is our big New Age Guy Scotish mate lately? Been quiet...

Re...Who can relate...

Oh Ebony, no one understands my gentle natured little self, no one can relate to me, I'm totally misunderstood and uninformed, over worked, under loved, over internetted, over forumalised, oh what is to become of the lone toro rider!?? LOL!

That's the best I could do on short notice, I'll ask DVM to juice it up more if ya like LOL! :confused: :help:

Hey, just noticed I don't have a smiley named after me either, see, my point exactly.... :dean:

Tonyr
18-06-2004, 10:09 AM
Hi Odin, how do you jump up there like that!?

See Ebony, pushed down the pile..yeah, who relates to me?

Should get Jessica to help with this gag, see's a bloody drama queen!

This forum interupts with my work and social time too! :sad:

odin
18-06-2004, 10:18 AM
lol tony ..im just meditateing ...getting in tune with my innerself ...i to am misunderstood ...people see this big 6/2 220 pounder..and they dont relize im in search of the meaning of life ... i go in the basement and move to a higher plane ......lifting weights lol and thinking about when my daughter get dateing age lol....and that little speach im going give the propective suitors.....and if my BAR's clip that holds 20 rounds is enough lol

Tonyr
18-06-2004, 11:14 AM
I'm already feeling sorry for your daughter's boyfriends!

But I do love that story you posted, very good!

I too dred the days, very much!

patch
18-06-2004, 12:57 PM
Stress can be a very dangers thing if you don't control it.
I suffer from a condition called Chronic Fatigue and that all started form stress to the extent of attempting suicide twice but my wife has been there for me and is still there if I fall again.

Patch

Tonyr
18-06-2004, 01:30 PM
Re: Stress can be a very dangers thing if you don't control it.
I suffer from a condition called Chronic Fatigue and that all started form stress ...



Truer words have never been said, thank you for being so open with us. Stress can wreck people, many don't realise how it quietly builds in the body until something breaks though, sigh.

More people than you know have been down similar roads or have illnesses from stress etc than you may know mate.

look after yourself, and you must have a very, very special wife, you are very lucky. She must be a very strong, positive and supportive person patch. go give her a hug!

patch
18-06-2004, 03:11 PM
Re: Stress can be a very dangers thing if you don't control it.
I suffer from a condition called Chronic Fatigue and that all started form stress ...



Truer words have never been said, thank you for being so open with us. Stress can wreck people, many don't realise how it quietly builds in the body until something breaks though, sigh.

More people than you know have been down similar roads or have illnesses from stress etc than you may know mate.

look after yourself, and you must have a very, very special wife, you are very lucky. She must be a very strong, positive and supportive person patch. go give her a hug!

My wife thanks you for the propted HUG and yes she is very special to me.

Patch & Mrs. Patch

Easycareacres
18-06-2004, 06:06 PM
well Patch no more of that you got new mates we all help each other here, thanks for sharing. Oh man feel at home as others simular. Have known one guy got out of moWing and he was our mowing rep president from same thing. Any way Patch welcome and lets mow the town .

Ebony
18-06-2004, 06:30 PM
:help: OK, here is My Stress, lol. My hell for the past few days putting this together

OHS - Amenity Tree Industry (http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=139)

OHS - Documenting OHS System (http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=143)

Got to start somewhere

mick
08-07-2004, 10:31 PM
Hey, just noticed I don't have a smiley named after me either, see, my point exactly.... :dean:

Tony, I want one too ................ :cheer: (mickhippy) as in......... Oh mickhippy your so fine, your so fine you blow my mind, mickhippy, mickhippy! hehe

Stress, drinking works for me! Sh1t faced evey Friday. Also playing guitar, listening to music and surfing! If that dont work I add Valium to the drinking and then I dont care about bugger all! :eyes:

Tonyr
08-07-2004, 10:47 PM
Yeah, this ol' Eb chick is a bit slack eh...reckon she could of got creative for us old buddies hey?
Southerners....sigh...


Alcohol....yep, many per day I no lawn play for me!

Got into the black douglas mix cans last weekend, haven't drank this stuff for many, many years...wow, rocked me! went got more, then was just cruisin...love whiskey, no hangovers!

buy a bottle next time, I prefer a stronger mix...I used to mix with lemodade or ginger ale, coke leave a crap taste in your mouth, and it did!! Was like I ate Ebony's rat/dog thing , yuck!

can't handle rum anymore, hits too hard too fast, and I love the stuff! sigh...

Hahn premium light is a good brew, love my xxxx gold.

Called stress control.

Valium mate?

Makes ya tired...I'm dopy enough already! LOL!

mick
08-07-2004, 11:08 PM
Hey Tony,

I like the bourbon as you know! Wild Turkey is my fav although it rocks me.

I picked up 2 bottles of Turkey duty free. Its called Freedom and I've never seen it before. 7 to 13 years old 53% and 106 proof. $50 a bottle duty free. Must be good and I cant wait to try it, hmmmm!

Tonyr
09-07-2004, 08:45 AM
Great Bargain on the Ferral Chook mate!

Bet that stuff has some grunt!

very smooth.....

mick
09-07-2004, 10:00 AM
Great Bargain on the Ferral Chook mate!

Bet that stuff has some grunt!

very smooth.....

I'll tell you tomorrow if I can see the keys properly! :cool:

Easycareacres
10-07-2004, 05:48 PM
hope ya chunder all day heeeeee

Pain in the Grass
10-07-2004, 06:06 PM
Hey guys...got me money (in cash) off my litle lebo mate.....Guess it must have been the threat of being thrown under Tony's big red Zee machine that made him cough up....and he even had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to do some more work for him!!!!!1 Can you believe it!! :i dunno:

Oh well, I can pay the rent for the next coupla weeks .......

Dont know if any of you guys know about thgis little earner or not...For the last two weeks I have been delivering phone books in my area....First week earned $380.00 (three days work) this week nearly 1200.00...Now that I'm gaining a head of steam in this I reckon $1500.00 average is not a big ask...and that's doin it on my own.....You can work your own hours and as much or little as you want....these books get delivered all over Oz.......Godd little winter earner.....In fact some guys do it full time for a job working ten months out of the year......

Food for thought eh... : : :o

Tonyr
10-07-2004, 09:40 PM
LOL! Mate!

Glad you got the bucks! $$$$

Glad to be of service, just let me know if you require me and my Big Red Z in the future! LOL!

Did you describe what stuff looks like after being processed by 3 Raptor blades spinning at 18500fps...like red spray really, ha, ha, ha.

got me thinking about those phone books..ours get delivered in may i think. but thinking outside of the square like you do is the winning factor.

Pain in the Grass
11-07-2004, 01:01 PM
Yeah, the books seem like a pretty boring and mundane job..(well actually they are) but getting some bucks in in the quiet months is better than none.....

Helps to clear the head and plan for the coming season....

And it's even raining here, well drizzling,,,but at least it's got the grass wet and hopefully in the next week I should have some lawn work

Cheers

Andy B
03-02-2010, 06:25 PM
Reviving old threads is my new favourite thing. :)

A newbie mentioned in his reasons for starting a mowing business was no stress (Hi Simmo), it got me thinking. Well it's true if your attitude is right, but sometimes things push us over the calm limit...

Stress exists if you let it and having ways to overcome the obstacles that cause it alleviate it. So I was thinking we could have a thread dedicated to the stress we face and ways or solutions to overcome them.

EG: Minor stress, some mo' fo' opened their car door onto mine today and left a nice blue dint on the rear wheel arch, and didn't stay around for me to politely speak with them :mad: I could peak out some more as I did or pick up some polish and polish the blue mark off and stop looking at it and move on cause these things happen, you build a bridge and get over it.

EG: Major stress, just busted a window, really needed the money to pay for rego next week :mad: Window is broken now, can't take rock back :o better tape it up so the glass doesn't go everywhere, better get a glazier for a good price, better get over it or may not give good impression to customers I'm quoting this arvo. Get good price, pay glazier, claim it as operating expense, client happy, customer happy with quote, new job leads to another and bang on, have just enough money for rego... just.

redbackmowing
03-02-2010, 07:50 PM
andyb,

you really need to stop breaking windows. your having a good strike rate.

cheers
rbm

geoff
03-02-2010, 07:51 PM
andy you really have to stop breaking windows :laughing: we might have a competition of who breaks the most :)

redbackmowing
03-02-2010, 08:08 PM
andy you really have to stop breaking windows :laughing: we might have a competition of who breaks the most :)

two great minds think alike. :wave-hi:

Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden
03-02-2010, 09:09 PM
You get really stressed when both cards are maxed bank in overdraft and you know there is 1200 owing to you from accounts but when are they going to pay.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
03-02-2010, 11:06 PM
Hi Andy.... maybe i shouldn't have put no stress. Minimal stress is probably better and more accurate word :i dunno:

Lawnmowing for me isn't stressful at all (the actual job).... not to say that i never get stressed, i do!!! but it is always caused from daily activities that i haven't always managed correctly, taken no accountability or even taken way out of context.

There is one WORD that i have learnt in business over the years and i truly believe it is the secret to business and also personal success..... The word is "ACTION". If you do nothing, nothing will ever happen or change! If you take ACTION and have a clear and precise plan of what you want to achieve... you will be way to busy/motivated/focused to become stressed.

For instance, if you are stressed over money..... plan now how to make more money! if you get stressed from late payers, make your terms clear - upfront payments only. If you don't like doing a particular clients lawn, take them off your books immediately. if you don't like doing the paperwork.... outsource it! Do you want more customers today.... take action and advertise, introduce yourself to your client's neighbours. Don't want to physically work anymore.... Do what Jim Penman did (get people to pay you to do the work for you). If your not happy lawnmowing and stressed find a job you like or make a change! My point is.... DO SOMETHING AND SOMETHING YOU LOVE DOING! why become stressed over an issue that can usually be solved immediately if you simply put your mind into ACTION :russ:


As for breaking windows... there are somethings you just cant control..... but in saying this you can minimise the risk to a certain degree i would imagine (not experienced enough to know exactly how)

If you are in control and take action... stress will be a thing of the past.... Well in my humble opinion anyways......

Worst case, there will always be an ice cold beer waiting for you at the end of the day :rolleyes:


Simmo.

63impala
04-02-2010, 03:13 PM
Only time I get stressed is when it rains and the works starts staking up and I hat sitting there home alone watching rain trops fall looking at my emty wallet witch is not full of paper...

Lawn Mowing Professionals
04-02-2010, 04:44 PM
Only time I get stressed is when it rains and the works starts staking up and I hat sitting there home alone watching rain trops fall looking at my emty wallet witch is not full of paper...

Yes like the last 3 days in sydney :dean:

Its going to be a big day for me tomorrow 12 lawns (that's if it doesn't rain)


When it rains it is probably a great time for Indies to chase money... get equipment serviced... do quotes.... do paperwork... or just work on advertising and building your business :i dunno:

Simmo.

Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden
04-02-2010, 04:48 PM
I dont know what you guys are on about when it rains i still go out and mow my yards. i know other contractors are sitting around twitiling there thumbs but i keep mowing especially the regulars that way i can cash in on the one off jobs.

Stripes
04-02-2010, 04:56 PM
Yes like the last 3 days in sydney :dean:

Its going to be a big day for me tomorrow 12 lawns (that's if it doesn't rain)


When it rains it is probably a great time for Indies to chase money... get equipment serviced... do quotes.... do paperwork... or just work on advertising and building your business :i dunno:

Simmo.

Its been shocking the last few days! Supposed to be the same again tomorrow and heavier on Saturday. Don't know what's worse- working in the rain, or being stuck at home with whinging kids.

I think most of my clients would flick me if they saw me mowing in the rain.

GreenHaven
04-02-2010, 05:18 PM
why would your customers flick you for mowing in the rain i do it would just be a pain to put off all the jobs and what not

Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden
04-02-2010, 05:42 PM
Its been shocking the last few days! Supposed to be the same again tomorrow and heavier on Saturday. Don't know what's worse- working in the rain, or being stuck at home with whinging kids.

I think most of my clients would flick me if they saw me mowing in the rain.

I had many customers saying that it was great and that they where happy that there lawn was being mowed rather than left to grow out of control. What happens when the rain stops do you then go to regulars and try and charge them extra as there yard is now out of control

63impala
04-02-2010, 06:12 PM
Maybe if you are using a push mower if It has been rainging a while my 216 just hos lawn the back weel dig in and make nasty marks on the lawn....

Bgs
04-02-2010, 06:21 PM
Maybe if you are using a push mower if It has been rainging a while my 216 just hos lawn the back weel dig in and make nasty marks on the lawn....


and spew green sludge everywhere, mowing in showers is ok but if its raining I call it a day

Stripes
04-02-2010, 06:21 PM
It becomes very hard to mow to the same standard if its wet and also the jobs become messy. Green tracks from the wheels if its a rotary job or muddy marks all over the grass, or green stains from the roller of the cylinder mower rubbing on driveways/paths. Also when using the cylinder mower each time I turn, all the grass on the rollers falls off in clumps on the grass and becomes hard to clean up.

A few showers won't hurt, but if its really wet I would lose jobs very quickly if I cut it. I just wait for it to clear up and off you go. It can be hard to catch up some times, but most of my clients are weekly, so it won't matter too much if I miss a week here and there. I used to have to work in the rain but won't now. A few days break never hurt.

Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden
04-02-2010, 06:23 PM
Maybe if you are using a push mower if It has been rainging a while my 216 just hos lawn the back weel dig in and make nasty marks on the lawn....

All i use is 2 216sd there great machines and i reckon they work better in the rain. On a couple of yards in really wet spots i did have lines where the wheels had gone but what do they want long grass or a couple of marks that will go away in a day or two.

Bluey
04-02-2010, 06:34 PM
Aside form the wheel tracks and other problems with mowing in the rain it is bad for your health. Just as bad as mowing in 40 degree heat. Most if not all of us entered this business for the lifestyle and the fact that we don't have to do these things because the boss is telling us to do it. If it is belting down rain then stay of the grass and do your maintenance or book work. If you get a dose of the flu from mowing in the rain you could be off work for weeks not days.

Stripes
04-02-2010, 06:39 PM
If you get a dose of the flu from mowing in the rain you could be off work for weeks not days.

Exactly.

It will be much harder to mow lawns when your eyes are watery, if feels like there is a vice on your eyeballs, your arms and legs feel like they weigh an extra 20kgs, snot is dripping out of your nose like a dodgy tap, not to mention having no energy.

I'll just wait for the rain to stop thanks, but each to their own.

lenny
04-02-2010, 08:56 PM
Nothing wrong with missing a few days work to rain, as rain is very good for the lawn mowing business, as you are going to be really busy when the rain stops.

A quote from another lawnie I know he used to say when it rains its raining dollar coins.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
04-02-2010, 09:13 PM
I did a mowing job between 6.30 and 8.00pm tonight in the rain :Rain:

It was heaven compared to mowing all the dried out dust patches in the heat lately :)

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
04-02-2010, 09:18 PM
BTW What stresses me out is the catcher having more dust in it than grass clippings :(

GreenHaven
04-02-2010, 09:41 PM
errr you dont get the flu from being wet but i know what you mean about the cylinder mower leaving the grass pankakes on the paths i see it would be a pain if you were using a rotary all the time espically my 196 with its awasome wet grass catching abitlities but most of my jobs are cylinder or ride on (no catching) each to their own i supose its a personal thing

Arfa Brayne
05-02-2010, 10:22 PM
Most if not all of us entered this business for the lifestyle and the fact that we don't have to do these things because the boss is telling us to do it. If it is belting down rain then stay of the grass and do your maintenance or book work. .

Couldn't agree more Bluey. Same attitude if it is baking sun or blowing a gale. I only book 4 days work a week - it leaves a day for extras or rain, and sometimes a long lunch or flexi. If I wanted to be stressed I'd go back to the Corporate Jungle.
Crikey - how can you be stressed mowing lawns , it's like active meditation, even the mower says "oohhhmmmm" for you.
If a customer is a PITA - drop em and move on.