Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Kwackers on September 21, 2009, 02:52:10 pm
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Hey all,
I went to the bank to speak about finance.
Need it to get a Van and all the gear.
I can't get a loan because i'm a full time university student and not a full time worker. Any ideas of if there are places I could apply for a business loan instead?
I do work, but it's self employed from home and not exactly much.
Thanks
Grant
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Hiya Grant, welcome back.
Have you tried the princes trust.?
Lee
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You will probably find that if you deal with a supplier/manufacturer they will sort finance for you as well.
Well a few of them do anyway
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check your credit record, dont go applying like mad, as the more searches on your record the less likely you will get credit :(
If your fulltime do you really need all that gear, dont mean to sound like you havent thought it through but will it worth having a loan if your not working full time, maybe just get backpack and work from car??
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Hey,
I did it part time before and it worked pretty well.
I've looked at leasing but seems pointless when i'll be paying more and won't have anything to show for it at the end.
I'll be leafleting myself but am going to get roundbuilders down and sub contract so that I can generate some income straight away.
Full time at university is about 3-4 days a week so still plenty of time to work and get work.
Have not tried the princes trust so will look at that now. Thanks.
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Goodluck m8, you sound like youl do ok. R u hopeing 2 make a f/t business out of it?
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like said then try get finance from van dealership/wfp supplier
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
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why dont u just work for the money and save up instead of borrowing it all?
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Well, that's an option, but would probably take me the whole 3 years to save, beens though I don't get a good hourly rate and am at University.
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Call business link, they maybe able to help you with grants and funding..
While we are on this subject if William for b'ham is reading can you email me on design@windowwashers.co.uk I need to ask a private question about something we talked about a while back.
Ian
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
You obviously dont think alot of wcs mate
what if he wants to turn his business into a cash generator to fund something else?? Solving the meaning of life for instance :)
I say do go to uni and then your options are open, i am always doing other courses so one day if i get sick of it i can do anything else i want, i may go back to college once i have enough staff to run things :) I fancy finishing off the electronic engineering diploma i left when i left college a few years back
What a daft thing to discourage someone from uni maybe he is paying his tuition fees with wcing
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
I'm degree qualified, in Mortorsport Engineering, Have a HND in Automotive Engineering and lesser Engineering qualifications from college.
Im unable to get a job in the engineering industry because i have no "work experience" I have over £35,000 debt in student finance which i have to pay back.. It was a complete waste of time and money because i wasn;t able to get a job from it - however i had a blast socially!
I left Uni struggling to find a job, and i was taken in by my uncle and worked with him window cleaning and learnt the ropes and bad ways..lol
University and education is a right and privilege to everyone regardless of your occupation, creed or religious background. Unfortunately im not able to do anything with mine.. so im stuck window cleaning..oh well.
Hopefully this guy can, and window cleaning maybe the financial stepping stone to help him achieve this.. He may well just want to be well educated but want to remain a window cleaner.. i think only he has the right to decide that..
Im currently working my way through H&S courses to be a consultant in H&S when the times comes to hang up my WFP..
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i have a friend did just that , he is doing well in it now as a h and s consultant to building firms
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
You obviously dont think alot of wcs mate
what if he wants to turn his business into a cash generator to fund something else?? Solving the meaning of life for instance :)
I say do go to uni and then your options are open, i am always doing other courses so one day if i get sick of it i can do anything else i want, i may go back to college once i have enough staff to run things :) I fancy finishing off the electronic engineering diploma i left when i left college a few years back
What a daft thing to discourage someone from uni maybe he is paying his tuition fees with wcing
SJ you misunderstand me: I'm a window cleaner and it earns me OK money...but it's not a career I like to admit to...people DO look down their noses at you!
If Kwackers is merely seeking to window clean to finance his education and aspires to ultimately do a "proper" job then very good luck to him. But my reading of it is that he intends to build up a round on the basis of doing it full time at some future point...and as I say: A waste of an education.
My 17 year old is actively looking for a uni place next year....she got 3 As at AS Level and should get 3 As at A Level. Last friday I drove her to Bristol Uni for the open day, this Saturday I'm driving her to Warwick to their open day and will most probably have to take her to Aberdeen for their open day. She's sooo nervous about not getting a Uni place and is studying like mad to ensure good grades next year when she sits A levels. She wants to study history and then after 3 years convert over to a Law degree. She has my every support.
So you'll forgive me if I get a bit irritated when I read about somebody who already has a Uni place who appears to want to clean glass.
Kwackers would do better to do a few hours extra studying and attend a few more lectures.
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I appreciate where you are coming from but i feel you are the one who is stigmatising yourself i have no qualms with admitting i run a window cleaning company, one day i will sit back and work from an office, i have one guy getting more work by the day - its a business not a career, i would be happy to have a business in garbage, its not what job you do in life its how you do it, and how you live, if someone looks down on you thats there problem i take pride in my business and in myself, i clean for solicitors and pilots and similar as do many and am not ashamed one bit that they think there job is better someone determines what they earn and how / when they earn it, they are no better than me in fact some of them are sad old grumps, and many earn less than i do.... One day no doubt i will be out earning all of them
and i work as and when i please, granted i choose to work hard, but how many trades are getting £25-30 ph. Amd although many windys do not average that every hour that s because they chose not to , you can if you want too :)
So dont feel like you cant admit to it, it will hinder your view and ambition of your own goals!
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Kwackers, do you really want to lumber yourself with more debt? Get yourself an old banger, a set of ladders and a roof rack, or as said above a backpack as an entry level for WFP.
It's not what you arrive in mate, it's what you do when you get there. You can decide on what you want to do when you have earned a few quid. I would avoid debt like the plague, unless I was 100% sure that window cleaning was my future.
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Kwackers, do you really want to lumber yourself with more debt? Get yourself an old banger, a set of ladders and a roof rack, or as said above a backpack as an entry level for WFP.
It's not what you arrive in mate, it's what you do when you get there. You can decide on what you want to do when you have earned a few quid. I would avoid debt like the plague, unless I was 100% sure that window cleaning was my future.
good advice
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it is good advice, debt is a heavy burden to carry i wish i never bothered when i started out because looking back now i could of got work canvassed instead of buying and use a backpack for couple of hundred quid... You do not need a1 system to start off....uni will give you enough debt :)
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try a local chamber of commerce - im with one for my construction company - they give you all free support and advise and a start up grant
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
Havn't read any other posts, but thought this was one worth replying to!
I don't aspire to be a window cleaner in paticular, but see it as an excellent opportunity. I respect everyone that does it as I know it takes time and effort. I did a 1 year access course and yes I did pretty well in it.
Window cleaning may or may not be something that brings me a full time income over the next few years. It also may or may not be where i end up in 10 years. For that reason, I want to develop 2 aspects of my life.
Because my parents earn over the threshhold I have to pay for everything myself (which is how it should be). Others get their £3k course for free and then £2k a year they don't have to pay back. You and in fact no one should make me feel guilty for going.
As i'm doing Economics and Finance I thought that might actually help me in the business world. Also, if you want a space on my course, i'll put in a good word for you :)
Thanks for your 'constructive critisism' regarding the finance...which is what this post is about.
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Will have a look SJ.
Well the plan is full time yes. I live at home now so mayswell make the most of it. I've got three years to build something solid, after that I will have to risk a lot.
Now or never as they say!
Why are you at University if all you aspire to be is a window cleaner?
Presumably you did well in your A levels to get a place?
What a total waste of an education. If you had a shred of decency you'd quit uni and free-up the space for somebody who actually wants to make something of themselves.
You obviously dont think alot of wcs mate
what if he wants to turn his business into a cash generator to fund something else?? Solving the meaning of life for instance :)
I say do go to uni and then your options are open, i am always doing other courses so one day if i get sick of it i can do anything else i want, i may go back to college once i have enough staff to run things :) I fancy finishing off the electronic engineering diploma i left when i left college a few years back
What a daft thing to discourage someone from uni maybe he is paying his tuition fees with wcing
SJ you misunderstand me: I'm a window cleaner and it earns me OK money...but it's not a career I like to admit to...people DO look down their noses at you!
If Kwackers is merely seeking to window clean to finance his education and aspires to ultimately do a "proper" job then very good luck to him. But my reading of it is that he intends to build up a round on the basis of doing it full time at some future point...and as I say: A waste of an education.
My 17 year old is actively looking for a uni place next year....she got 3 As at AS Level and should get 3 As at A Level. Last friday I drove her to Bristol Uni for the open day, this Saturday I'm driving her to Warwick to their open day and will most probably have to take her to Aberdeen for their open day. She's sooo nervous about not getting a Uni place and is studying like mad to ensure good grades next year when she sits A levels. She wants to study history and then after 3 years convert over to a Law degree. She has my every support.
So you'll forgive me if I get a bit irritated when I read about somebody who already has a Uni place who appears to want to clean glass.
Kwackers would do better to do a few hours extra studying and attend a few more lectures.
There is a phrase called 'work to live, don't live to work'. I'm got thick skin and if someone want's to judge me because i clean windows to earn some cash then so be it. The plan is to make my money while i'm at Uni( which i have to pay for) and then if it builds into something good then so be it.
You might get paticulary irratated that i'm 'wasting an education'. Well i get paticulary irratated that people think i can go to university and not work. Only lazy people don't work!
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Everyone else. Please be assured none of the above was targetted at you.
I've come on this forum and browse every day, trying to search for what i need so you don't get repeat posts. I've seen window cleaning as a 'business opportunity' and respect all the constructive comments that i have recieved.
All i look for is ways to make money. I ran a ecommerce business from 14-17 and it turned over about £300k in it's last year through my sites, ebay and amazon. Believe me, i made more money working 4 days a month window cleaning and alot less hassle. It's not that I really want to clean glass, but the business side of it definately makes sense.
Again - Thanks for all the responses and before this gets any more heated if a mod sees this, please just lock it, i don't want any pointless offense being taken.
Thanks
Grant
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Are you living with your parents? Regardless, ask the uni for a hardship loan. I also think you are better off getting a backpack, barrels and working out of a car.
Finance for a van, equipment and roundbuilders etc is gonna be several grand, as you know. Doing a degree and paying for that sort of finance will stretch you all over the place.
Disregarding the sermon, your uni will be the best chance to find some funding.
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I study Health and social care. I study because I enjoy it. I am also a part-time first responder for the ambulance service. I do not get paid for it. But get a lot of personal gain from it.
My business is cleaning. I do not look at it has just being a window cleaner. It is a business. A good business at that.
One day if I want to change my career, from running a business, I will have the option too. Paramedic or something.
Go to a good business adviser, not with a bank. They will tell you about grants, etc, u do not have to pay back. They will help u wth business plan, etc. But do not get yourself in deep debt over it.