funny

[herler]

Tell you one thing I have learned over the years.

There exist other folks with this false perception, such as thieves and robbers.
That is why I never carry a large chunk of cash with me.
Not on me, not in my truck, no $100 not even $50.

Not unless I have previously arranged to pay for something and I am on my way there, this rarely happens.

Any LCO ever gets robbed with a large amount of money on them puts us ALL at risk!
They rob some fat wallet guy omg we made $700 hell yeah you're next!

My own rule is I never have much over $20 cash on me at any time,
now they can still come and take it but they won't get away with much.
And hopefully they'll figure it's not worth it, and won't go after anyone else.

[JimLewis]

I guess that's one way to do it. I always have a few hundred in my pocket, no matter where I am. Been doing that for a long, long time. Never had a problem. Even in Mexico or other areas we've traveled to, never had a problem.

I guess I don't have a problem with this for several reasons. One, I'm a little more stout that most guys. So I guess they think twice about trying to stick me up. Second, I'm not going to run around my entire life afraid of what might happen - but probably won't happen. And three, that's not a lot of money. If I lose $300 or $400, it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't be happy about it. But it's not like we wouldn't eat or pay the mortgage that month. We'd still be just fine.

Back on the subject of this thread - there are a few owners of larger landscape companies that make more than some doctors - but not many. Maybe the top 1% or less of landscape owners. We do pretty well. But I can tell that most doctors still make more than me because they always live in just a little nicer homes in a little nicer neighborhoods.

[RSK Property Maintenance]

Originally Posted by JimLewis

I guess that's one way to do it. I always have a few hundred in my pocket, no matter where I am. Been doing that for a long, long time. Never had a problem. Even in Mexico or other areas we've traveled to, never had a problem.

I guess I don't have a problem with this for several reasons. One, I'm a little more stout that most guys. So I guess they think twice about trying to stick me up. Second, I'm not going to run around my entire life afraid of what might happen - but probably won't happen. And three, that's not a lot of money. If I lose $300 or $400, it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't be happy about it. But it's not like we wouldn't eat or pay the mortgage that month. We'd still be just fine.

Back on the subject of this thread - there are a few owners of larger landscape companies that make more than some doctors - but not many. Maybe the top 1% or less of landscape owners. We do pretty well. But I can tell that most doctors still make more than me because they always live in just a little nicer homes in a little nicer neighborhoods.

probably more then the top 1% depends on what type of doctor too, but if i'm not mistaken most doctors well the ER doctors i know take in about 30,000 a month before taxes, I'm sure there are a lot of landscapers, and fert guys ,and tree service guys that do that no issues.

my buddies usually have a few thousand in there pocket, they've been doing that for close 14 years now, never got robbed not say it won't ever happen but they too are more stout then the average guy so that may deter thieves a bit plus the money is in their front pocket making it a little harder to get.

[jrs.landscaping]

Originally Posted by RSK Property Maintenance

probably more then the top 1% depends on what type of doctor too, but if i'm not mistaken most doctors well the ER doctors i know take in about 30,000 a month before taxes, I'm sure there are a lot of landscapers, and fert guys ,and tree service guys that do that no issues.
my buddies usually have a few thousand in there pocket, they've been doing that for close 14 years now, never got robbed not say it won't ever happen but they too are more stout then the average guy so that may deter thieves a bit plus the money is in their front pocket making it a little harder to get.

If I or one of my guys made 30k in wages I'd be bankrupt pretty quick. It's funny, we walked into a dealership a few years ago and two salesman wouldn't give us the time of day, one guy came out, asked what we needed and took care of us. We bought a brand new truck 30 min later. I just laughed when we walked past the other salesman, we've done this twice and it makes me laugh how people judge how we look and assume we are tire kickers.

[Patriot Services]

Being an MD isn't what it used to be. Your 200k in the hole out of med school. Your malpractice insurance is 50% of your billable since your so new and a huge liability in todays sue happy world. Forget about private practice, too much startup cost before you can build the huge patient load you need to break even. The best MD job is radiologist, sit at home and read images in your underwear, never see a patient and use words like maybe, possibly or recommend further testing. Insurance company will pay you but stiff the MD that ordered the test. The days of golf at 3 after tagging the head nurse are long gone.

Second topic. Why does anybody need to have cash in their pocket while working? Some guys got set up and robbed here last spring. One numbnut claims he was wearing a thousand dollar gold chain. Just plain dumb.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JimLewis]

Originally Posted by Patriot Services

Second topic. Why does anybody need to have cash in their pocket while working?

First reason is I have 31 employees and in any given week at least 2 or 3 of them want a loan until payday. They're good workers and I'm a nice guy so I always do it. Long time ago we realized it was much easier for me to give them a personal loan (cash) and have them just repay me in cash after they cash their next paycheck rather than the alternative. Because the alternative creates a lot of extra accounting when you are running a corporation. This is much easier. And they always pay me back the day after payday. So that's the first reason.

Second reason is sometimes we have to buy stuff cash. Like on craigslist the other day we bought a motor for a machine. Had to pay cash. I just gave my mechanic cash to go get it.

Third reason is I got 3 kids that are usually needing money for something. School lunch money for the week, a special field trip, whatever.

Fourth reason would be if you got paid in cash. I'm not admitting that I've been paid in cash and not reported that. Because that would be illegal. But I am sure there are some people who sometimes get paid in cash once in a while. And sometimes for larger jobs. If you deposit that money into a bank account and later get audited, they're going to wonder where you got that money. But if you just put it in your pocket and spend it on immaterial stuff like groceries or dinners out or whatever, then there is essentially no trace of that money. Again, not saying I would do this..... but I am sure there are a lot who do.

Fifth reason is I still like to use cash. It's too easy to use your debit card and not know when you've run out of money in your account. Especially when the wife and you both use the same account. I don't want to be constantly checking my account balance to see how much is in there. It's just easier to pay with cash. If it's in my pocket, I know I still have money. If it's not, it's time to go get more before I buy something. Cash requires no PIN numbers, no balance tracking, no potential for mistakes.

Let me ask you this? You think you're safer NOT carrying cash? But carrying credit/debit cards instead? Really? A good thief could steal that card without you even realizing it was taken and charge up hundreds or thousands of dollars on your card within just half an hour. Another common method is for someone at a gas station or restaurant to copy down your debit or credit card number and pass it on to an underground network that uses it to charge hundreds or thousands before you realize it too. You're not any safer with credit cards. It's a false security.

[cpllawncare]

^^^ Jim, I have to disagree, I only use credit or debit cards, I always know what my balance is ESPECIALLY in the business account, I ALWAYS have the company budget and overall finacials in my head and know where I stand everyday. I know your wayyyy bigger than me, I couldn't imagine not knowing how much money I had in the bank being your size company? I think I'm a nice guy too, but payday for my guys is friday not thurs or wed, it's not my problem if you can't manage your finances. These days you can't just charge up someones credit card without the bank being alerted and shutting down your account, I've had the bank call me several times after I've made a large purchase to confirm that it was me doing it, actually I think anything over $500 initiates a phone call from my bank.

[StanWilhite]

Guy got jumped by 3 muggers in bad part of Atlanta one night....and fought like his life depended on it. In fact, he fought so hard that he almost got the best of all 3 of them...but they finally beat him down.

So there he lays on the filthy ground, beaten to a pulp, bloodied all over, some teeth knocked out, and an ear almost ripped off.... and the 3 muggers weren't looking much better.

The muggers rolled him from side to side checking all of his pockets, and were shocked that they could only find one dollar and thirty seven cents.....one dollar and thirty seven cents!

The leader of the pack of muggers stood there amazed.... looking at the guy on the ground, and not believing how hard he fought. The mugger said, do you mean to tell me that you fought us the way you did for a lousy dollar and thirty seven cents!? You could have gotten killed! Look at the shape you're in....why in the HELL would you do that?

The guy on the ground looked up, wiped the blood out of his eyes, spit a tooth out said, "I thought ya'll were after the two thousand dollars in my shoe".................

[JimLewis]

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

Jim, I have to disagree, I only use credit or debit cards, I always know what my balance is ESPECIALLY in the business account, I ALWAYS have the company budget and overall finacials in my head and know where I stand everyday. I know your wayyyy bigger than me, I couldn't imagine not knowing how much money I had in the bank being your size company?

I'm not talking about my business. I'm talking about my personal money. I use cash instead of card PERSONALLY. For the business, 99.5% of what we buy is paid for by card or at the end of the month by mailing a check. Of course I know where our business stands financially. How else could I run an effective business?

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

I think I'm a nice guy too, but payday for my guys is friday not thurs or wed, it's not my problem if you can't manage your finances.

Well, you probably get all sorts of smart guys working for your company who graduated high school, went to college, and are really good with finances. That would be great. Unfortunately, the only people around here who are willing to mow lawns in the muck and mud and rain day after day after day are mostly uneducated immigrants who never made it past 4th grade, worked in fields most of their lives and are trying their best to keep their family fed and their rent paid even though they only work at a fairly low paying job. Don't get me wrong. We pay well. We pay as good or better than most companies in our area for routine maintenance workers. But that still isn't a lot of money. Plus, they probably haven't ever had much training on managing finances. I'm not going to be a jerk when they come up short because their child had an unexpected health problem or their car broke down. I'm not going to say, "Sorry. I don't care that you are out of money. You can just starve until payday. Learn to manager your finances better!" That's just plain rude and uncaring. I wish I could teach each of them to manage their finances properly and I wish I could pay them all $20 or $30 an hour. That would be awesome. But it's not realistic. And since it's not, I have to be compassionate. You do whatever suits you and lets you sleep at night. But I'm not going to sit by and watch someone go without for several days or a week just because I feel they need to learn a lesson. That's messed up. If I can help someone out by loaning them a few hundred for a few days - and that someone also happens to be the same person who's busting their a$$ every day for me - then heck ya I'm going to help them. It doesn't cost me anything in the long run. And it makes for very loyal employees when you show compassion like that.

Originally Posted by cpllawncare

These days you can't just charge up someones credit card without the bank being alerted and shutting down your account, I've had the bank call me several times after I've made a large purchase to confirm that it was me doing it, actually I think anything over $500 initiates a phone call from my bank.

The he|| you can't! Someone found out our Sprint/Nextel account number a year ago and charged over $2,500 in stuff in one day, had it shipped to some state halfway across the nation, and I didn't notice for a little over a month when I finally got the bill and started going over it. How they got that number, I have no idea! But Sprint went and let them buy stuff we normally would never buy, didn't ask for our password (which they always ask me for every time I call for anything), let them ship it to some other state over 2000 miles away. All this should have set off red flags but didn't. We did finally get all the charges removed but it took almost two months and a lot of my personal time to get it fixed.

A friend of mine had over $3,000 taken out of his personal checking account over just a day or two and the bank not only didn't catch it - but they made HIM prove that he didn't make the charges before they'd finally give him the money back. It was a huge hassle. They drained his account and he was without all that money for over a month.

You're naive if you think stuff like that doesn't happen. But still, I'm not going to run around scared. If it happens, fine. But I been carrying a lot of cash for a long time now and it's been working just fine for me. If someone's going to hold a gun to my head for the $350 that's in my pocket, fine. Take it. I'll go make more and you'll still be a broke thief going to hell. I'm not going to change my lifestyle just out of fear of what probably won't ever happen.

[cpllawncare]

I've heard of those things happening with banks before but I've wondered how it happened? maybe I'm just lucky, I've always had my bank call me if there were any issue's, but I guess it could get by them. I only have two guys and myself so payday loans aren't an issue, I would probably see it differently if I were in your shoes, didn't mean to sound so harsh about it. I'm going to buy my crew leader a pair of good work boots for Christmas he's always complaining about his feet hurting and doesn't have the money to get a good pair of boots so I can see where your coming from on a small scale. It's such a fine line sometimes trying to be the boss yet show some sympathy for the guys, I'm still learning on that front, I was a DI in the Army so compassion isn't my best trait.