3 Things You Would Do Differently If You Could Go Back And Start Again

[Puddle of Oil]

Originally Posted by LDH

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2. Not got into foolish debt trying to keep up with the Jonses

i struggle with that everyday, it sucks!

[YardBoss Lawncare]

5 years ago I was driving a 1997 blue Ford 1/2 ton that my old man had given me free and clear when he bought a newer diesel. This truck had over 200K miles on it, but he had bought it new and did all his own maintenance (he's been a paint and body man/mechanic all his life). It was a nice, clean truck. It had a V6 with a stick shift, extended cab long bed. The interior was like new, it had the newer body style, and my insurance was about $60 a month on it. No truck payment. I kept it for about a year and traded it off for a 1999 3/4 ton gas, then traded that off for an 04 Lariat diesel, then traded that off, and so on. I kept upgrading and I went from no truck payment to a BIG truck payment. Insurance kept getting higher, etc. I think back now and realize how good I had it back then, driving that truck he gave me. Yeah, it had a wimpy V6 and I didn't really like the standard trans. It was a 2 wheel drive and the tires squated when you hooked a trailer to it. I thought I needed to get a big hoss of a truck, and I did. But if I had it to do over again I would have stuck with that truck and drove it till the wheels fell off. Keeping up with the Joneses will get you in a mess and hold you back from being as successful as you could be if you didn't have the debt. I look around now days at my competitors in town and their trucks are a little older than mine, they're 2 wheel drive gas engines, etc. They're probably netting more money than I am, because they made better business decisions than I did when it came to vehicles. Yeah, I have a nice truck to show for my money. It's not like I gamble or drink it away. But there's other things I would rather have, and I'm handicapped now (so to speak) due to vehicle payments. Anyway, hope the story helps the people who haven't went through this yet.

[beegreenlandcare]

I've neem in this biz since '93 and and if I had to do it over again I would have done a better job at taking a class here & there to maintain my knowledge of the industry and myself better tools to run the biz. I'm thinking maybe a business course here & there and maybe a small engines class just for fun. Education always pays for itself in the long run. Also, would have starting learning espanol sooner!

[Green from the Ground Up]

Having done the whole college thing (and graduated with a degree) I feel like I'd rather work outside than sit at a desk.

Besides, working for someone else, you can lose your job for no reason. With landscaping you have only yourself to blame if you scalp a lawn or decapitate a statue. Very informative thread though, I like what I read.

[Stillwater]

To hell with the espanol they either speak english or they do not work hear....Nor I their.

[beegreenlandcare]

Originally Posted by Stillwater

To hell with the espanol they either speak english or they do not work hear....Nor I their.

Ya, I used to think that way too, but instead of denying it and being at a disadvantage, its better to learn it and be ahead of the game.
Also ya gotta remember too, unless your "native american" our ancestors didn't come off the boat speaking fluent english either

[Stillwater]

Originally Posted by beegreenlandcare

Ya, I used to think that way too, but instead of denying it and being at a disadvantage, its better to learn it and be ahead of the game.
Also ya gotta remember too, unless your "native american" our ancestors didn't come off the boat speaking fluent english either

my ancestors did, England, Ireland. and Native Americans did not speak English........

[twward]

bump........

[Puddle of Oil]

Wow, things changed since I posted on this topic. Lol

[Reelcuts]

Im just starting out and would like some help in the right direction be for I get the bad habbits and would like to know if foreclose homes is a good place to start. Thanks