Unemployed needs help

I am currently living on $167 a week unemployment. I work my ass off for jobs that keep me at the bottom because I bust my ass at even the smallest tasks (Working hard and smart), I worked myself out of a job, now making HALF of what I was making, and really...I am, tired of someone getting rich off of my hard work.

What are my chances of starting a successful business? I live in a rural area, I am very good with computers (the only thing I don't know how to do is code) and have been fixing them for people since I was a teenager, I know how to weld. I have a perfect driving record (no accidents or tickets in the 12 years I've had a licence...since I was 16). I also have a $1200 investment portfolio. The problem is...I don't have the certs to show employers and possible customers I know what I am doing.

Am I screwed, or do I have a shot at least till I have enough money to move into a better area? Or should I just suck it up and be the mindless employee I was supposed to be?

I think you already know the answer - you have to break out. You sound desperate and driven - a good combination.

>I am very good with computers (the only thing I don't know how to do is code)
Computer repair/assembly is a race to the bottom. You need to specialize in something - e.g. making high end gaming PCs. Get yourself known in the twitch community as the guy to go to, so that locals can find you. The problem is it will take time (months).

Another possibility is sourcing parts, buying and selling.

My internet isn't fast enough for twitch. I have built gaming rigs for people, but I don't have the funds to like run a Tech Channel.

Also, I am working on a project right now, repurposing an old computer for a new task. I find it to be a fun thing to do. Perhaps I should film it, and start a new tech-centric channel.

in my experience a successful business starts itself.

get the work first as a side job and quit your joe job when you've got enough income to float.

In the kinds of businesses you can get into without much money anyways, that's how it should go. Don't sit down and plan a business and seek financing and design logos and shit. That's just procrastination.

if you want a welding business get a welder and go out and find work in your spare time. Don't quit your job, just weld stuff as a second job. Once you've got enough work then you can think about quitting your job and designing the business.

get your cash flow first, worry about starting a business once that's in hand.

Good idea, it won't hurt to do it.

I looked at twitch myself but I have no time for it. However I think there is a new niche on twitch and youtube - replaying classic games. Literally something DOS tier. Maybe your connection and pc will be sufficient for that?

I already have a youtube channel playing classing games.

How much are you making?

How rural is your area? Population wise, and how close are you to a big city?

I was making two things, Jack and Shit, but jack left town.

I don't know the population, but the largest city in the area is Jackson, and that's an hour north.

You gotta market it hit the abandonware sites and build an audience.

I am no good at marketing without making myself sound spammy.

Weld copper wire frames that fit over computer towers. Sell em as signal blockers that keep the NSA from being able to steal your data through radio signals your computer generates

Crazy enough to work.

Well, I just took a look at CL in Jackson, MS, and it appears there are a few ads for computer services/repair/etc.

Here's a plan, advertise computer service in that area and around that area. If you play it right, and are a bit of a salesman, you could schedule 3 or 4 appointments on the same day, and pick up an extra $100 or so, minus gas.

When I needed a fan replaced, I found this guy on CL with a professional looking ad and he looked like his diet consisted of root beer and cheetos, but this guy was doing very well. He lived in a city of about 10,000, but lived about 30 minutes away from a big city.

Regardless, even if you only made $100 a week from it, who cares? It's still extra money.

I'd try it. Say some guy calls and says he needs something. Well, it's Wednesday, and unfortunately you're "booked up" until Friday, which is what you've told a couple of other rubes.

People who want stuff done will pay a premium, especially if you drove to them. If you could set two appointments a week, it's worth it. Charge an extra $10 for a "convenience" charge, and with two people you could pay for the gas alone. Rest is just profit.

This guy would drive to people and just undercut his competition enough in the beginning. Then his set up some simp Wordpress site with reviews from his customers.

Shit, no one cares about credentials when they need something done and know you can do it.

And say they needed a fan or some shit on their computer. Just tell them that they should buy it themselves online to "save money," and that way you know you aren't being stroked.

This guy would send links to people to buy shit, and he did that with me. I thought, "Well, this fuck here cares about saving me some money," boom, he picked up a new client.

Fan arrived, he drove to me, met him at a McDonald's, and he did the work right there.

Up to you, but I'd try that route. Hey, you're a busy fella, you can only meet maybe one or two days a week, remember that.

I'm not in Missouri, I'm in Michigan. But, good idea.

I have a shit ton of case fans sitting in a box, I know they work. I could clean them up, clean up the motors especially since they will be cruddy...and charge almost new prices for them.

>Charge an extra $10 for a "convenience" charge, and with two people you could pay for the gas alone.
It's hilarious what plebs think is a good price.

I scrub toilets for a living, I won't roll out of bed for less than $100, I'm not setting foot on your property for less than $125, and if I drive you can bet you're paying my gas and at least $75 an hour for my time behind the wheel.

$10 convenience charge? If someone offers me $10 to do something I usually do it for free just because fuck your $10.

Well, it's Mississippi, but regardless, I'd look at areas around Michigan. I see Jackson has about 33,000 people there, it's still enough people to make a go of it.

And if you have stuff just sitting around, you might want to sell the components you fix on Ebay.

That $10 is another $10 in your pocket, plus you have the chance to get a good customer.

Rule of Acquisition number 57;"Good customers are almost as rare as latinum...treasure them."

Most of my components are VERY old components. Pentium 1/Pro, 2, 3, 4 and some Celeron. Gold to one man, trash to another.

Good try, faggot. No shit, it's nothing, but this dude is living on less than $200 a week. I'd say more in line of $25, then his charge for his repair services, but shit, he'll be undercut in no time.

Why don't you come over and I'll piss on your fuck face, Toilet Boy, and I'll pay you $101.

Post detailed finances.

I'm 100% sure you're spending money on retarded shit.

$668 a month (down from $1400)

-Car payment-$0. I own my own car
-Car Insurance-$25 a month because I am piggybacking on someone else's plan and paying the difference.
-Health Insurance-$73 a month
-Total debt payments (Student loans) a month-$173
-The rest goes into gas and groceries.

I'm just wondering why anyone would work in an industry so competitive that $10 is worth doing anything for.

after you pay your self-employment taxes it's minimum wage. Do you really want to go into business to make less money than you would at a regular job?

ridiculous. If a dime is what your time is worth sell it to mcdonalds.

Are you going to report $10 to the government? Do you report money given to you as a gift too?

that's a 2 edged sword.

if you don't report any income you can't get credit. Which puts you in the same labor pool as illegal immigrants and the homeless.

>If a dime is what your time is worth sell it to mcdonalds.


Lysol Man, I feel like I should send you 10 cents for that cute little rhyme you just dropped.
MC Scrub N Bubbles could be your stage name.

No shit, obviously he wouldn't charge $10 total for a job. Hard drive repair, virus repair, etc. etc. would be a separate charge.

$10 is a bit much though.

There is a computer store 20 minutes from me, offering $30 for a virus cleaning. Why not charge $25 and I can come to them...or meet them half way. I usually charge $9 an hour for labor, or 12% for builds.

Well, he couldn't charge $15, he'd spend it all on blow and strippers. $10 is about right.

I don't really care what he charges total. If it's less than an average of $125 per day or takes longer than 4 hours he's better off washing dishes at the local diner.

because most of what he makes goes to taxes, and the actual work on site is only half of what it takes to run the biz.

but you're right, he can't jack up prices because everyone and his brother repairs computers. He's far better off welding where the pay is over $100/hour and he gets more than $10 to drive out for an urgent job.

Now you're thinking. There you go, man, that's a plan.

Hey, check out that rhyme.

Yeah, a welder in a small town. Good plan, Buffett.

My neighbor does it. He drives upwards of a hundred miles a day but then he owns 2 houses, a bayliner, a couple seadoos, a bike that costs more than my car, a truck that costs as much as my house, and tons of vacation time.

I have another friend that repairs computers in the same town. He lives with his parents, works 2 other jobs, doesn't own a car, and gets $50 flat for any computer repair he does.

one of these two trades pays.

Heh, Welders in my area don't see anything more than $12 because it's such a common skill.

yes, just like janitors in my town make $12.

that doesn't mean that's what a welding contractor makes, or what a janitorial contractor makes. Because when you're self-employed your expenses go way up, and you work faster than an employee.

an employee makes about 1/10th of what a contractor does. Welders make $12/hour? Welding contractors are making at least $120.

>rural
>fixing computers
shouldnt you move somewhere where people need their computers like air eg. a city or some shit so therefore they need your business?? you may work hard and smart but you dont get many light bulbs eh

OP here, I made $5 today. All I had to tell the person was not plug the monitor cable into the wrong port. $5 for a couple minutes of work, eh. not bad.

dude, fuck the certs. Walk into a computer shop and apply/

OP Here again. I am going ahead with the idea of going into business for myself. I am thinking of a name and I am going to post on craigslist and facebook sale sites. I just need to write an ad that isn't spammy.

what business did you choose?

Start pissing and shitting yourself and apply for autismbux

I have Aspurgers anyway, but no autismbux