TOTW, $ going NUTS

[Coinneach]

First time in years - diesel was 6 cents cheaper than unleaded locally. One problem with newer vehicles is that not much can be repaired. Lots of plastic. Various parts have to be replaced, not fixable. People here are salvaging old barns, selling old, weathered wood for super high prices.

Don't see old farm equipment sitting around these days like we used to. Used to be common "Behind the barn" supply - no more. Times change.

My immediate Neighbour here in Australia has acres of old machinery and scrap metal, he's a compulsive collector of everything.

 

[Coinneach]

Coinneach it sounds like you could use company, or might I say hope you might like some company. Had a friend move down under back in the 70's and we heard of him only once and all he said was "Paradise". I was young and always heard the women were mean and ugly, that scared me away. Now with modern communication that was proven wrong. LOL

Its still pretty reasonable here, not as good as it once was, despite what you hear we didnt loose all of our Gurns, although some of the legislation is restrictive and annoying generally we can live with it.

As for the women, over here they transformed into self-entitled monster configuration a couple of decades ago.
No shortage of Aussie guys avoiding them, MGTOW has understandably become endemic, I'm happily divorced and living an independent lifestyle nowadays.

 

[kelljp]

I had a boss I worked for 32 years. He would wash his hands, dry them with a paper towel then lay it out to dry and reuse. Lol. He was a millionaire!!

Old habits are hard to break, that's why he was a millionaire. Have known several who never enjoyed their money.

 

[Artificer]

Just turned 71 here but Lordy be its a miracle, when I land in Bangkok every March and October for my "Scent of a Woman" holiday I'm only 55 !

And I imagine NO Katooey's for you, eh?
Gus

 

[Coinneach]

And I imagine NO Katooey's for you, eh?
Gus

Well sir, I know where you've travelled at least once !
And yeah certainly no Katoeys for this fella.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'll hit 78 this Fall. My gunsmith shop keeps me too busy, but new folks keep coming.

As long as you can do it and enjoy there is no reason to stop. 84 here and wish I could still work in my shop.

 

[Artificer]

Well sir, I know where you've travelled at least once !
And yeah certainly no Katoeys for this fella.

To be honest, I haven't made it yet, but I've been studying on it for about 8 years now. Seems about every time I get close to going, I have to need some kind of minor surgery. Hope springs eternal, though, especially since you posted the first note about it.

Gus

 

[Bullit]

Hey Jim:
Thank you my friend, but I just can't (in good conscience) keep upping my prices. It doesn't feel fair. I feel like I'm Price Gouging like the big guys do?
I'd rather go out of business than feel bad about myself and my sales practices. My customers come first. If that means giving up, then so be it. I'm 74 today and I don't plan on being in business until I'm 150, so quitting is inevitable NO ONE lives forever!
God bless:
Dave
.

I know how you feel about raising prices. I felt the same way. I shut down my marine repair business Dec. 31, after over 2 decades of service due to price increases of parts, unavailability of parts and my rising hourly rate. I was charging $65/hr and felt terrible about being forced to go that high. I was forever giving my clients breaks. Within the past 2 years, 5 of my suppliers have shut their doors. Also, the free money of a couple years ago seems to have run out. All the people that ran out and bought boats, campers, motorcycles, now can no longer afford to repair them. I felt bad about charging 65 an hour for repairs, then I walked into one of the big boat shops this year and just about fell over when I saw their hourly rate, 160 an hour. The bottom line is, don't feel bad about charging for good quality, whether it be work or merchandise. I learned that a little too late.

 

[Coinneach]

To be honest, I haven't made it yet, but I've been studying on it for about 8 years now. Seems about every time I get close to going, I have to need some kind of minor surgery. Hope springs eternal, though, especially since you posted the first note about it.

Gus

My first experience in Thailand (Land of Smiles.... LoS) was as a young Trooper posted to the Ubon Airbase in 1974 for a 12 month stint that extended to 2 years.
My first wife was Thai (not a Bar girl) I lost her when she gave birth to twin Boys.
I still fly to LoS twice a year, March and October are my preferred months both for the climate seasons and overall prices.
Feel free to PM me when you're planning to visit there, and I'll try to advise you.

 

[nhmoose]

Folks supposedly voting for BINDEN May have had an effect, eh??

 

[Hermit Tim]

Thank you or your kind words. Yeah inflation is killing all of us crafters. The big box stores are feeling the crunch too, but they just pass it on to us.
If I tried to do that, I'll be forced to give up. I've tried not to change my prices, but at the very least I have to up my shipping charges due to the USPS playing games. That doesn't help me at all when my supply costs go up by 5% every 6 months from inflation. I barely break even on shipping these days? I'm not going to start using cheap, inferior parts just because they cost less. That's not fair to my customers OR my reputation.
If you need anything email me. You have my email address.
God bless and thank you for your business:
Two Feathers

You said it brother. I'm in the same boat with my business. Leather is crazy. Steel is crazy. Wood, and everything else is going through the roof. Been scrounging for a long time. I guess I will keep it up. Too set in my ways to go back to work for somebody else.

 

[Two Feathers]

You said it brother. I'm in the same boat with my business. Leather is crazy. Steel is crazy. Wood, and everything else is going through the roof. Been scrounging for a long time. I guess I will keep it up. Too set in my ways to go back to work for somebody else.

Hermit Tim:
Thabk you my friend. Like you, I've been beggin' n buyin' fer years from anyone who had what I needed. I just acquired a bunch of Elk antler. I lost my supplier from Oregon, so I had to look elsewhere. Now I have enough to last me the rest of my life. It's good to have friends who have what you need.:~)))
Good luck. Keep fightin' the good fight. We need our craftsmen.
God bless:
Two Feathers