I used to think tracking every little expense was a waste of time...

For years I ran my crew without really keeping tabs on where the money went. I'd ballpark material costs and just hope the profit margin worked out at the end. Last summer I had a job in Portland where I lost almost $800 on a deck because I underestimated lumber and hardware by a lot. That stung bad enough to make me finally try a simple spreadsheet for the next project. Turns out tracking things like screws, sandpaper, and gas for the truck adds up fast. Now I log every single purchase over $5 and it's saved me from guessing wrong more than a few times. Has anyone else had a similar wake up call with their numbers?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee_grant971mo ago

Facts, that "it's just a few bucks" mentality will absolutely bleed you dry over time. I started doing the same thing with my business expenses and was shocked how much I was hemorrhaging on random supplies and tool replacements I never thought about twice.

john4301mo ago

You ever had one of those moments where a buddy tells you something that makes you stop and think? My friend Mike runs a small landscaping crew and he told me he was blowing through like forty bucks a week on those cheap trimmer lines. He said he never thought twice because it was "just a few bucks" each time. Then he actually added it up for a year and realized it was over two grand just on trimmer line alone. Changed his whole mindset on buying the good stuff in bulk after that. @lee_grant97 hit the nail on the head, it's those small things that add up fast.