[coastie]

I'll pass on talking about the trucking, the otehrs know more than I do since I been out of trucking for a few years.

Prior to going into trucking, and afterwards, I have done some retail selling. I ran a Hobby shop via mail order and a retail store when I got out of the Service. It's very hard to make it and you need to be able to support your self and not take pay from the store till your on your feet solid.

You will have to sell least 1000.00 worth a week to make it just paying the bills at the least. The 4 months I had my store, I my biggest sale was 1000.00 and that was 2 days before I shut the doors.

After Trucking I sold at Flea markets and eBay. Still cost arrises and you have to make more to cover all expenses. But it help me survive.

But [pending on where you live, more people will go to walmarts to buy than they will give you a chance. When I had my store, people would travel 16 miles to Wal mart and pay more than stop at my store in the same town as they lived. My home town everyone rather travel to Anderson, SC, or Athens Ga to shop than to shop local, and if they buy local, it's at Walmarts.

[Rico]

Thanks guys for all your input. I promise I will think long and hard before I leave my kids with a nanny.

Coastie,

My boutique will be a specialty boutique, not anything that Walmart carries. I've done my homework on that aspect. I've been planning this for 2 years now and was socking away my paycheck from JP Morgan during that time. There are a lot of things I will be doing that makes my idea unique. I've done surveys in the city where I will be having the store. I was making 45K/yr at JP Morgan plus benefits. I got tired of the traffic (one hour each way) in the horribly congested Dallas freeways. I hated every minute of it.

My husband says to go ahead and open it without going OTR with him; that where there is a will there's a way. I tend to be more cautious and want to make sure my cash reserves will be enough to carry my business through the first 3 years without having to dip into our IRA $$.

I think my going over the road could be tough on the kids. I would miss them terribly as well. I think I'm going to take you guys' advice and stay home for a while. Oh well! Can't blame a girl for trying, huh?

[GMAN]

If you are short on the amount of cash you feel you need to make a go of your boutique, perhaps you could go back to your previous job at J.P. Morgan. You will make more in a year than you would likely earn in your first year OTR. 8)

[Doghouse]

Hi Rico,
Have you guys given any thought about your husband increasing his work load?
You see, I am in the same position kindof. My girlfriend has waited her whole life to be a fine artist. She has always had a natural talent for art, but no means to finance a career in it.
So I step in and absord all the finacial start ups, and when she starts selling her talent,.....I can then slow up a bit and smell the roses.Its sometimes the only way to get something like your project up and running.
I also agree with Gman,...at least on biological parent should be with your kids, they will benifit in many ways.

Best wishes, and good luck on your project.

[silvan]

Originally Posted by Rico

I think my going over the road could be tough on the kids. I would miss them terribly as well. I think I'm going to take you guys' advice and stay home for a while. Oh well! Can't blame a girl for trying, huh?

With that 10-year-old still at home, I definitely think it would be a bad idea for both of you to go on the road if you don't absolutely have to. Having one parent driving one of these things is enough strain on a family, and I say that as someone who has been driving since my kids were both in diapers.

[Rico]

With that 10-year-old still at home, I definitely think it would be a bad idea for both of you to go on the road if you don't absolutely have to. Having one parent driving one of these things is enough strain on a family, and I say that as someone who has been driving since my kids were both in diapers.[/quote]

I don't have a 10 year old but I get what you're saying.

[Bigmon]

Most kids get molested by someone they know. I suggest stay home or work locally.

[Teal 95 KW]

Rico-where are you from? I hear you say you've drove from Dallas to Austin...so I'm assuming somewhere in the I-35 Corridor? I'm in Waco.

For shits and giggles I called Greatwide once, to see what they offered... .76cpm, and .24 cpm fuel surcharge. I don't see how one could survive on that type of revenue ( no offense...) But, I definitely wouldn't give up my bedbugging for that.

[Rico]

Teal,

I live in Rockwall. I asked my husband and the NET is 2000 - 2500/week, not the gross. That's also after he pays for his gas. Shows just how little I know about trucking and the pay.

Oh, I don't really care what anybody thinks of his salary. I was just wondering if it would be worth it for me to team with him OTR with some other company.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Bigmon

Most kids get molested by someone they know. I suggest stay home or work locally.

This is very true! Now you're scaring me. I'm paranoid about my kids too, I guess I watch too much TV.