What am I missing? What am I missing.... I would like to earn more.

originally posted by: deadlyhope
a reply to: eXia7

Yes, I am definitely considering moving, even if it's just to save enough money for a large down payment on a house out here. I despise the city with all my heart.. But sometimes when times get rough, you can't just sit back in your preferences ( I guess)

Move to texas or florida, these seem to be the states that are growing the best.

a reply to: trollz

Perhaps. I'm more and more opening my mind to things I hate.

There's things I dislike, things I don't know, things I'm okay with, etc..

But everything about cities, traffic, the interstate... I hate them. Very bottom of my list. I'm not exaggerating when I say I'd rather shovel crap, or clean toilets all day - unfortunate those are low paying jobs around here as well.

But if the bottom of my list is what I must do to improve my life in this aspect.. I'll do it.

but my town has a population of 150.

I'd say that right there is a huge part of your problem. Even with tourism, that's still a damn small town.
I mean, I live in a small town, but, jeez...
I don't see how you're going to find any good opportunities there and moving to a larger town would help. It doesn't have to be "The Big City", but you've got to get somewhere there is more to choose from and more jobs available. Moving is a bitch and I feel for ya, but, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

OP I sent you a PM

a reply to: DAVID64

There's a lot of opportunities when it comes to tourism. Even huge chain motels are considering new development in the area, people planning a resort right by my town in fact.

I just don't happen to have a hundred million hiding under my mattress.. Nor a hundred.

Business is booming here, just in the one niche, though. I'd have to offer something - which I do have such things on my mind, just have to consider cost, capability, etc.

For instance I could be a tour guide for around here- id just have to be willing to commit to that life. The customer comes first, from sun up, until after dinner even if that's nearing midnight.

And also leave what it takes, invest in a vehicle that would be reasonable to haul others around in, etc.

Buy and sell on EBAY from your home. Amazon too. Find some good products to sell and get set up

I think I said this before, but if tourism is good, then you could do a website where you coordinate all of these rental listings and their prospectve clients.

a reply to: visitedbythem

I've heard of this online.. But a huge amount of people that "show you how to do this" seem to be rich because they take others people's money for "lessons" that don't pan out for the majority.

Not saying it's not a realistic business, just to say I have no idea where to start, and I'm very cynical of the people that will gladly take your money, but yet very few people seem to profit in the same way the person suggests they can.

a reply to: Mandroid7

I mean, I'd pretty much have to compete with the professional level airbnb - which would be akin to trying to set up an auction site to compete with eBay.

Not impossible, but a large undertaking for sure.

a reply to: deadlyhope

if you have coding experience, find a way into a smaller office environment.

For me, its always been figuring out how my skills move laterally. I leveraged experience as a Workforce Manager in a call center to get a job as a Director of Accounting. Bit off more than I should have, but persevered. My point is: i wove a tale about how creating a forecast and scheduling against it is conceptually similar to accounting (debits and credits). I also had some financial reporting experience, but nothing of any consequence.

Their interest was more in the direction of CMA skills, but the lateral move worked.

I've seen quite a few programmers end up being Access and Excel Gods in small office settings.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Just do whatever and anything you can to lessen your tax burden. If I lived in an area of 150 and had no desire to be with people, I'd get into farmland. It's my bet that hemp will restore itself to former glory's within the U.S., but there are many good crops/animals to farm. Farming drops tax burdens drastically... and insurances often provide guarantees in case of failed yields. I have a mansion on the property across the street. They essentially grow their crop wrong each year on purpose, collect the insurance, and not have to keep the proper provisions to process the growths. You can also plop houses on land and collect rent so others pay your mortgage expenses. I am moving into a camper here soon as I can get 500 more a month in rent then I pay for mortgage. I also pay less taxes then renters... since I am able to itemize deductions. Play the game well enough, and the most revenue pays next to zero taxes. That is why Trump's tax returns will show no taxes paid while living a lavish lifestyle... it's a game of tax loop holes.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

That's a thought.

I do enjoy using excel, doing math and such in general. So perhaps the work I should look for could fall into those categories.

work for yourself, do skilled or semi skilled manual labor, nobody wants to break a sweat anymore so they will gladly pay lots of money for someone to do that for them.
learn how to fix cars, it`s not really that difficult, and people will sell their first born child to raise money to pay you to fix their car.
people are mentally and physically lazy and they WILL pay lots of money to have someone do the things they are to physically lazy to do and to mentally lazy to learn how to do.
I could make a fortune fixing cars, I have the ability and knowledge, I have the tools and I have the garage to do it but what I don`t have is the lust and greed for money to do it.it`s boring work.

a reply to: deadlyhope
I wouldn't get discouraged by competition.

It's all in marketing. I've never used the site airbnb for locating rental vacation homes, and have only heard of it used once in person.
I would always jump on Google and type Key Largo vacation rentals, for instance.

websites cost next to nothing to build, your overhead will be smaller than airbnb, so you can offer lower fees.

Imo the money is in google and social media linking.
You have to appeal to the clients "better" than they do.

Example. Approach each owner directly with a free listing service via cold call, or directed mail marketing.
Use a professional, or at least get good a photography, then blow up social media with the properties.
Learn the tricks to get up front in Google page ranking.

Open a biz account at the bank, then you basically are in the scheduling biz at that point. Take calls or emails to schedule rentals, collect a deposit and payment for owners, then cut them a check with a smaller listing fee than airbnb, or similar.

Don't hesitate to tell your clients you are a Dad looking for help, people love to help small guys vs giant.com.

You secure 10 houses that rent for 2k k a week and get 300 listing fee, you are at 12k a month gross for 10-20 communications/ via email or phone. boom, 144k a year gross. Probably seasonal, but you can do the math.

You get in 1 that works well, neighbors will talk and join.

good luck, sounds exciting.

a reply to: Mandroid7

I guess one thing I don't know, and will definitely look into - is how their bookings work. Sometimes booking engines are direct, so a person doesn't even have a schedule, the website just takes care of it for them.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Typically, you register with a GDS (Global Distribution System) to get exposure to travel agents, corporate accounts, government per diem business, etc.

I suspect the AirBnB gives you a profile where you put up your inventory and rates, and manage availability from there. You probably pay a 15% commission for the service. Its what Expedia does, although Oritz is delusional and asks for 22%.

Alright, so I just came up with what i believe to be an amazing business idea. Not going to give out too many details for the moment since I don't know if this idea exists yet or not, but this thread and people's suggestions did get my mind going.

Not to say I want the thread to stop! Keep it coming. I really enjoy thinking and pondering about things.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Hmm you seem to know a thing or two.

My cousin is my boss at the hotel I work at, so he's bound to know some things. And my mother is a close friend to people who rent out houses, so I have some contacts, even if it's a friend of a friend situation.

Yeah I've heard 15 percent as well.

a reply to: deadlyhope

i've opened a few hotels, all independant properties. GM'd a branded property for awhile.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Ahh that would explain it.

Thanks for the suggestions and comments! I think I at least have an idea going in my head now of what I could do - which doesn't mean it's a definite, but means that I'm not in the rut position anymore, I'm moving - even if it's backwards, it's better than being stuck.