<html> <head> <style> .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } </style> </head> <body class='hmmessage'> Wim, the good thing is: you live in paradise :-)  At least I think so. When I think about Hawai the first thing that comes into my mind is Thomas Magnum, PI, one of my favorite tv serials. But real life is no tv show, particularly if there is no Robin Masters who pays for the red Ferari and the nice stately home :-( How many inhabitants are there and how many other tuners? Is there a piano store? Could you sell some used pianos at times? Do you work only on Oahu or do you hop from island to island? Just curious. Gregor <hr>To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: the economy Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:13:38 -0400 From: wimblees@aol.com Terry I tune between 10 and 15, Most weeks not even that. At $115 per tuning, and even with some repairs, PR's, and other stuff, I am averaging about $6000 per month in income. My rent is $2100, and with the other bills, including taxes, electricity, car, cable, phone, etc, it all comes to about $6000 per month.  Just an average of 3 tunings per week will make life easy. Now, if I can just figure out a way to do that, without it costing a lot in advertising, I'll be happy. I am confident, however, that I will get the business. It just takes time. <div style="clear: both;">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician Mililani, Oahu, HI 808-349-2943 Author of: The Business of Piano Tuning available from Potter Press www.pianotuning.com</div> -----Original Message----- From: pianolover 88 <pianolover88@hotmail.com> To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 3:52 pm Subject: RE: the economy <div id="EC_AOLMsgPart_2_bc9caf65-5c34-4966-9a88-0f21913845b8"> <style> .ExternalClass #EC_AOLMsgPart_2_bc9caf65-5c34-4966-9a88-0f21913845b8 .EC_hmmessage P {padding:0px;} .ExternalClass #EC_AOLMsgPart_2_bc9caf65-5c34-4966-9a88-0f21913845b8 body.EC_hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;} </style> 20 pianos-tuning only, not including PR, regulation, repair, accessories, at an average of $100 minimum per piano, would yield $2,000, or $8,000 per month. You must have MASSIVE expenses and/or debt if you can't get by on that. If you add all the other extras above, you could easily ad d another $2,000-$5000 per month. Terry Peterson > Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:42:59 +0800 > Subject: Re: the economy > From: <a href="mailto:justpianos@our.net.au">justpianos@our.net.au</a> > To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> > > wim > > HAVE to tune 15 - 20 piano a week, in order to make a > > living. The bad news is,?I am only tuning 10 - 15 piano a week.> > > > With respect,what do you charge, and what are your high expenses that you > can't get by on 15 tunings a week? > I would be looking again at my business plan. > Bruce Browning > The Piano Tuner. > > <hr> See how Windows Mobile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. <a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/" target="_blank">See Now</a> = </div> <div id="EC_MAILCIADB034-90b648f0360450" class="EC_aol_ad_footer"> </div> <hr />Discover the new Windows Vista <a href='http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE' target='_new'>Learn more!</a></body> </html>