Bundy mate , you are too cheap

[Dustydazzler]

Too cheap Imo

I am around 30% dearer per point for a chased in re-wire

 

[swaRRR]

When I started out self deployed I was very cheap for my area , I never lost a job I priced and my hourly rate was very cheap for call-out so much so I had people offer to pay me more than I was billing.
I was frightened to charge more as I was frightened that I might lose a job to a rival electrician or handyman. Which actually backfired in the end as I was so busy I was killing myself to actually finish all the jobs I had booked in each month. I really needed an 8 day week back then.
Now I have the opposite ethos , I price high and am happy to work 4 days sometimes even 3 days per week as the money I charge pays me a decent weeks wages.
Much better this way Imo and better life balance

Yep that's my philosophy too - i'd rather work 6 months of the year at £50 an hour than 12 months at £22 plus overtime. I want to work as little as is humanly possible for us to survive as a family. The rest is just gravy on top.

 

[swaRRR]

That philosophy can work well for large operations, but for small (or one man) operators it generally doesn't end well. No greater fool than a busy fool.

Bundy seems to be doing alright out of it, and if more business savvy could likely expand and start really scooping up work at those prices - is 'famous' on youtube, likeable guy, has a good rep, is cheap, does good work....customers would lap him up. Like Dusty said though personally i'd rather take the opposite approach, charge what i'm worth and work less.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Yep that's my philosophy too - i'd rather work 6 months of the year at £50 an hour than 12 months at £22 plus overtime. I want to work as little as is humanly possible for us to survive as a family. The rest is just gravy on top.

I fully agree , but it does take time to reach this level where you are comfortable charging more and working less.
I am now in a position that don't need to win every job and I don't need to take on jobs that look a pain in the arse.
When you are just starting out its more difficult to turn work away as you fear the unknown that you might have a quiet week etc.
Now I relish the quiet weeks where I can go fishing or spend time at home knowing the work I did earlier in the month has already covered me a months salary

 

[swaRRR]

Gawd, I price high, Target well healed customers, happy to work 3 days a week. People wanting me to do a job will pay me and all my overheads plus a wage plus profit. I lose lots of jobs on price, I couldn't care less to be honest. Shop at Aldi's or shop at Waitrose customers choice. I don't invent work, I have donated work to good causes (half rewired old girls house while she was in hospital recovering from hip operation...just didn't want to large it up on DIY sos or whatever it's called lol. That was actually all arranged by a taxi driver who used to pick her up weekly and ontop of that he went free of charge every day and got her morning roles...He told me what happened and asked me to have a look and i just did it.

What gets me is some sparks local have told potential customers that I am super expensive and a rip off merchant....That is just ----. They are actually mugs and can't figure out the difference between Self employ, Subbying and PAYE. I NEVER invent work, I give as much cooling off period as the job in hand allows.

I know this is pedantic but i just want to point out the old Aldi adage is outdated - Aldi is really high quality food and Waitrose sells the same crap as everywhere else just more expensive.

In Germany, Aldi is like Sainsbury's.

My father in law shops in Waitrose. Doesn't like it when i point out a loaf of bread at 50p dearer is still just mashed up grass seed no matter where you buy it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I have every supermarket within a 5 min drive and a choose to shop in Aldi , good value , good quality and no frills suits me fine

 

[swaRRR]

I have every supermarket within a 5 min drive and a choose to shop in Aldi , good value , good quality and no frills suits me fine

Me too. The meat quality is right up there. The only thing that puts me off is the tills. You always have a bag of sugar and a tin of dog food and have to queue up behind some woman doing a big shop for her 8 kids. Self service deffo needed and bigger tills so we don't have to pack at the bench.

 

[UNG]

My father in law shops in Waitrose. Doesn't like it when i point out a loaf of bread at 50p dearer is still just mashed up grass seed no matter where you buy it.

Ahh the simplistic approach there is a lot more to the wheat that goes into your bread than you apparently understand or know about

 

[telectrix]

Ahh the simplistic approach there is a lot more to the wheat that goes into your bread than you apparently understand or know about

i generally shop at lidls.

1. it's not a huge store so my legs can cope.
2, it has eveything i need , ready meals for under £3, microwave in 6 minutes. (beer at £1.49 per 500ml bottle).
3.reasonably priced sirloin steaks for pension day spend.

 

[timhoward]

I too like Lidl - the local one has aisles about twice as wide as other shops. I found this reassuring during lockdown as I could stay further away from other people!
I don't really like supermarkets in general and the extra space helps keep me calm especially if my wife comes with me - we shop totally differently. My approach is "what's on the list and how soon can I get out of here". Her approach is "we'd better look at every item in case we are missing out on something good". It's generally best if we don't shop together!

 

[nicebutdim]

We don't have Aldi here, but I like Lidl for its smplicity. They offer two versions of most products: basic and a bit better. I don't need a choice between 23 different types of each product.