[Tosh]

I know what I wanted when I first started window cleaning; I wanted some stability, routine, and minimal stress and I think I'm pretty much there (apart from when Ian_Giles isn't quoting £80 for accounts I do for £125 ; the bugger); but the road to here was stressful at times.

But what is it you want from 'window cleaning'?There's always lots of 'business' type posts here; I'm sure I don't need to give examples; but all I want out of window cleaning is a stress-free life; and I'm lucky enough to be there, very nearly anyway.

I just want to pay the bills comfortably and have three-or-four holidays a year in our caravan; boring I know; till Wor Little Un grows up, then go touring the Far East on a big motorbike with Wor Lass.

I don't need to be rich; I don't need to earn £1K per week or £400 per day; money does not make us happy (and we've had it, and it didn't make that much difference).

So what is it you want out of 'window cleaning'?

The guys/gal from the TV programme the Dragon' Den always say you should have a clear focus for where you want your business to take you; apparantly.

So what do you want out of window cleaning?

[CLEANGLASSUK]

I know what I wanted when I first started window cleaning; I wanted some stability, routine, and minimal stress and I think I'm pretty much there (apart from when Ian_Giles isn't quoting £80 for accounts I do for £125 ; the bugger); but the road to here was stressful at times.

But what is it you want from 'window cleaning'?There's always lots of 'business' type posts here; I'm sure I don't need to give examples; but all I want out of window cleaning is a stress-free life; and I'm lucky enough to be there, very nearly anyway.

I just want to pay the bills comfortably and have three-or-four holidays a year in our caravan; boring I know; till Wor Little Un grows up, then go touring the Far East on a big motorbike with Wor Lass.

I don't need to be rich; I don't need to earn £1K per week or £400 per day; money does not make us happy (and we've had it, and it didn't make that much difference).

So what is it you want out of 'window cleaning'?

The guys/gal from the TV programme the Dragon' Den always say you should have a clear focus for where you want your business to take you; apparantly.

So what do you want out of window cleaning?

CLEAN WINDOWS 

[martinsadie]

exactly what i have now,bills paid ,4 week aboard each year,and no hassle

[EZclean]

yup same as

[matt]

most know what i want, and i used to get slagged off for it ( fairly regular aswell  ) now it seems more and more are on here who have similar ideal's

i want :

the bills paid each month

time with my family ( 2 little girls and my wife )

the opportunity to have time off when i want, sports day, school picnic day, christmas shows, school trips, and to help out in school occasionally

money to have a few breaks per year, doesnt matter if its a haven park, center parcs or just a weekend in the campervan

2 weeks in disney ( orlando ) every 18 months, now this is shot now, it was paid for by my commercial jobs who have slashed the frequency of the cleans, thus slashed the money i got  we were lucky to have done disney twice in 18 months, i was lucky to experience it though my daughters eyes / world ( she was 4 and 5 and 1/2 years old for the visits, we celebrated her 4th birthday inside cinderella's castle and had lunch, the princess's sang her happy birthday and gave her a birthday card signed by them all ), we were lucky to do it, and for that i thank the big man upstairs 

i was asked today by a fellow window cleaner ( who was helping me out ( does that now mean i can now say " i sent the guy / s out to work ? ? ? ? ), he asked me what i aimed for and wanted to achieve ? ? ? i asked when, he said when my 18 month daughter starts school, what will i do with the extra time i will have to work ? ? my answer was, i most prob have the work to work 4 / 5 days a week, i will work the extra day and have a day for myself, what would i like then, to get back to disney holidays

funny really, i have simple aims at the mo, will they change when the girls are older ?  ?? ?  i would like to think i might be more driven by earning then, but who knows, watch this space

[kevin James]

exactly what i have now,bills paid ,4 week aboard each year,and no hassle

4 weeks aboard? Such an accommadating wife. Must be love, love , love, must be love.

[kenaltobelli]

i want a range rover sport and i want to put £120 petrol in it and not start to cry
like i do now when £50 leaves my poket in derv if youv got it flaunt it i havent got it YET

[elite mike]

exactly what i have now,bills paid ,4 week aboard each year,and no hassle

4 weeks aboard? Such an accommadating wife. Must be love, love , love, must be love.

i wish i could get 4 minutes  

[martinsadie]

Elite Mike have an extra minute on me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfe7xp_uI_4

[kevin James]

Elite Mike have an extra minute on me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfe7xp_uI_4

Stan, I think Elite Mike might prefer the extra minute with her who is close to his heart.

[elite mike]

Elite Mike have an extra minute on me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfe7xp_uI_4

Stan, I think Elite Mike might prefer the extra minute with her who is close to his heart.

 

[ftp]

As long as i've got enough to live on and can afford a new SLX once a year.  

The money is out there, just got to resist the temptation to work like a looney to get it.
Money doesn't do it for me these days, sure it's nice to have but a healthy balanced lifestyle comes first. ....... So that's no cleaning in the hissing rain for me thanks chaps.   and knock off between three thirty and four thirty if I feel like it.

[sparklebright]

I get what I wanted from window cleaning, which is self determination. I had worked hard for other people for 15 years, and never got out what I put in.
Now I work hard 4 days a week and have a long weekend most weekends. I take the kids to school (well the older 2) on Friday gives the wife a lay-in then we go for a coffee or lunch.
I'm in control.
Today I finished early and went to see my older daughter at her dance class I could never do that in my old job.
My quality of life is very high.
I'll never be a millionaire, but I have enough for my needs and I have a great relationship with my wife and kids, I would like to thank my old boss for forcing me into a corner where I decided to do what several of my friends had done and window clean.
Sorry long post but...you know
Finally if I work hard I benefit not someone else.

[s.hughes]

I always thought I would like more time off but the fact is I take less time off and would love the time I used to have when working for some1.
But I wouldnt change it

[sair]

window cleaning a means to an end

i wanted it all as much as possible in as short as possible, when i was younger and not plagued by problems with my spine.

My focus is different now i want one more full timer,one more van and i will not work! maybe just the houses which i have built up over the last year, which is a morning 3 days a week 4-6 houses good sized ones and off coarse the book work

than the afternoons with my girls, bit sea fishing and eventually finishing all the promised DIY

will this happen who knows, life always throws a curved ball even when your expect it, just never sure which  way it will go.

 

[NWH]

When i`m just quoting and covering days off i`ll think i`m getting there,there WILL come a time when you just won`t want to get up every morning and graft like mad and i do graft when i work.Saying you want enough to pay the bills is fine if that`s all you want out of life but i don`t want to be 10 years down the line thinking if i`d have put in that little bit of extra effort i wouldn`t have to be doing all the grafting now,i also think you need to have a plan in your head where you want to be in a certain time and if your not ask why maybe.I enjoy WC you have to otherwise you`d pack up in next to no time simply because it`s hard work,work just to pay the bills or work really hard and let the employees pay the bills for you it ain`t hard is it, i`ve had half a dozen lads over the last 6-7 years and they`ve all been green eyed monsters mainly down to me being to soft on them but that will never happen again as experience has taught me to now spot them even just over a coffee.

[foxy]

the world chico, and everything in it 

[chrismroberts]

the world chico, and everything in it 

And we know where THAT ended up.....

Seriously though, I've been skint, scarily skint, and I just want more than anything NEVER to go back there again... I'm nearing the end of my 3rd full year window cleaning,
and I'm getting there Want enough money to pay my bills without worrying, a few trips away on the 'bike every year, and perhaps an M3

[pjulk]

What i want is to be able to pay my bills have a week or two abroad each year and a day off a week for my dog training.

[dai]

What I have wanted out of it has changed over the years, I now have to figure out a way for my round to subsidise my pension.
My kids have successful careers, but I do regret that there is no one to carry on building on the foundation I have laid down.

[Mr.G]

as a single parent i value the fact that i can take time off when my daughter's ill, (quite often)  attend meetings at school etc
 also that i can have a lie in when i've slept badly, window cleaning is THE number 1 flexible job!

[Moderator David@stives]

For me it is money, I want to earn £1m

[Tosh]

For me it is money, I want to earn £1m

Is this turn over or profit?  If it's profit, before or after tax?

Obviously it all makes a massive difference to your disposable income!

[Niall McAllister]

Money is the answer. (Unless it’s a fetish or you do it for free)

It’s amazing how people talk about them self or there family, when the subject is window cleaning.

Its money plain and simple pull the wool over your own eyes.

i don't think anyone is not in it for money, but there are other ways to get money.
the point is getting the money with minimum impact on the important things.
i became a window cleaner to get money in the shortest time, so that i could spend the amount of time i want with the family, and do the things i feel are important in life

[johns window kleen]

I became a window cleaner cos I was sick and tired of an auditing job, and all its accompanying Americanised bullpoop, "Blue sky thinking"  "Think outside the box" and much much worse.

I just wanted no more stress, or pure bull.
It wasnt money that did it believe me.

Now all I think is wheres the nearest Tesco's I need to pee.

So I got what I wanted, a simpler more manageable life,on my own terms.

[Pj]

For me it is money, I want to earn £1m

My father in law, who died last year, always used to say - "I've made a small fortune in my time....but I've lost a big one!"
He was a multi-millionaire in 1980

I have tasted much of the "rich life", you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you.

[Art]

For me it is money, I want to earn £1m

My father in law, who died last year, always used to say - "I've made a small fortune in my time....but I've lost a big one!"
He was a multi-millionaire in 1980

I have tasted much of the "rich life", you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Go on PJ, i'd love to hear it ?

[Londoner]

Freedom and the ability to be my own man.

One of the big things for me is there is no big boss. I worked for a big multinational company for years.

Having to work for a series of bullying, power mad morons who all thought they were God's gift finished me off. They could, and often did, destroy people's careers - even their lives - on a whim.

In the last few years when business was going down the pan I saw some terrible things done and because I had a mortgage and a young family I had to go along with it and kow tow to them.

Now I wake up in the morning, smell the fresh air and say "what do I want to do today"   

[Moderator David@stives]

Turnover or Profit, if it was profit i would be a millionare in the year my profit hit that level.

Turnover ? The profits on that turnover would be quite high, so after the accumulation of 3-5 years, that should give a £1m as well.

Also my profits could give me the means to persue another direction, ie property investment etc.

You have to have a dream.

Saying all that if it all starts slipping away, theres always that fishermans cottage in the Outer Hebrides, I will be happy with that too

[leapstallbuildings]

At the moment, I want to be free of debt by the next Olympics.  After that, I want to be mortgage free by 10 years from now.  It used to be about a low stress decent wage but now I just want to be free of the stuff that drags me down.

[ftp]

Money is the answer. (Unless it’s a fetish or you do it for free)

It’s amazing how people talk about them self or there family, when the subject is window cleaning.

Its money plain and simple pull the wool over your own eyes.

You don't have a family ?

[gary999]

making a living on my terms not somebody elses

[Oakley Windows]

Ive now got what I aspired to when I first started.

[ZaNo]

I want to be able to buy what i want when i want (with in reason) and not cack my pants wonderin if my cards gonna get declined and then say its the banks fault n walk off.

also id like to treat £100 like its pocket change!

[Lee Pryor]

its all about the money for me and always was. it may not buy you happiness but it buys you the opportunity for happiness.

[kenaltobelli]

money cant buy happiness but it can rent it for a night

[ZaNo]

This is about what you want out of W/C not life. Out of life id want happyness yes like everyone but from W/C i want MONEY AND LOTS OF IT!!!!!!!!!

[matt]

Money is the answer. (Unless it’s a fetish or you do it for free)

It’s amazing how people talk about them self or there family, when the subject is window cleaning.

Its money plain and simple pull the wool over your own eyes.

i disagree

i could earn more money by working for some1 else

now the problem in that is that working for some1 else i can only take so much time off

thus, working as a WC'er means i can take the time off to do what i like

some1 once said " window cleaning should not be a lifestyle choice" for me it is

[matt]

Just out of interest could you work the same hours as your window cleaning round working for some one else and still make the same money?
 

i will try to answer the question honestly

if i worked for someone else doing carpentry / building / project-site management i would expect a package that would mean i would get paid for more hours then i worked, i have allways done the same

the job gets done, i get what i want, thus i would earn at a guess slightly more for the same hours worked

BUT i dont think i would get the same Flexibility, you can only push it so far, then i feel i would be taking the pee

[Clive McDonald]

All that compact work in the same street, let someone else do it. Build another better business.Use a van. Buy proper kit.Don't let your prejudices stand in the way of making money.

....sorry couldn't help it.

[matt]

All that compact work in the same street, let someone else do it. Build another better business.Use a van. Buy proper kit.Don't let your prejudices stand in the way of making money.

....sorry couldn't help it.

 

i have a van, i have a tank in it aswell now, keep up the floor is even painted now aswell it looks the biz

as i said, the flexibility of this is great, and it works well, speak to me in 3 years ( when my youngest starts school )and i might have changed my plans