Not enough time or money

[Rosendula]

My online webshop is going to have to go . It's not that I don't love it, it's just that in order to make it really thrive I would have to invest quite a lot more money, and a lot more time. Unfortunately, since Richard was forced to go part-time due to health issues, and we (err, more I) decided that rather than me going out to work for money we would simply be more self-sufficient by growing and making more stuff, I simply don't have any money to invest, and I have less time to spend on it than I did before. Then there are other complications, like I hadn't realized it was against the terms and conditions of my tenancy agreement to run a business from home (oops!). On top of that, I haven't ever claimed any wages, and the shop isn't yet in a position for me to do that, but my personal finances really need a boost, and I could do with getting back the money I have invested in the web-shop.

For most part I really enjoy being self-sufficientish, but I hadn't considered giving up the webshop. I guess I should look on it as more of a sacrifice, a way to free up time for other things. I just feel a little sad, because that was my baby.

[Milims]

Aww that's so sad - your shop is lovely and the goods I bought were a delight - not to mention your tooth paste is cheaper than the same one off the greenpeople site! I was hoping to make it a regular purchase and was looking forward to buying christmas prezzies from you - not to mention the rather lovely cardigan and skirt! I do hope that you can find a way to make it work.

[mrsflibble]

it's against most shorthold tenancies to run a business from home... but it's not against my parent's mortgage agreement... :D can you find anyone willing to let you use their home as your billing/tax address?

[Rosendula]

Aww that's so sad - your shop is lovely and the goods I bought were a delight - not to mention your tooth paste is cheaper than the same one off the greenpeople site! I was hoping to make it a regular purchase and was looking forward to buying christmas prezzies from you - not to mention the rather lovely cardigan and skirt! I do hope that you can find a way to make it work.

Thanks Milims. I'm glad you liked it.

it's against most shorthold tenancies to run a business from home... but it's not against my parent's mortgage agreement... :D can you find anyone willing to let you use their home as your billing/tax address?

Thanks for your suggestion, Mrs Fibble. At a push I could ask Richard's parents, but it's not just about the tenancy agreement. Our lives have changed so much in the last year, and something just has to go. Unfortunately, EthicalLooks just doesn't put food on the table. When I started up, it was just after giving up my (almost) full time work to have Katie. She was about 7 months old when I decided I couldn't bring myself to leave her to go back to paid work, but thinking I needed something other than nappies to think about, I started the web shop. Since then so many things have happened, including me taking on the allotment (something I've wanted to do since I was a child), taking up home cooking (something I never had any confidence in due to far too much criticism from my parents when I was a child. It turns out I'm not as bad at it as they said), and many, many other things. The fact is, everything else is productive, whereas the shop just about brings in enough money to pay for itself. I've never had any wages from it, and can't see me being able to without investing a lot more money and time into it - obviously that's just not possible. And, if I'm honest with myself, all the other things I do are more enjoyable. Perhaps that is because I see (and eat) the results

So if I'm not around much at the moment it's because I'm trying to get everything on eBay and removing the items from the website. In between that, I'm reading a fantastic book. It's called "The Self Sufficient-ish Bible", by Dave and Andy Hamilton. Have you heard of it?

[AXJ]

it's against most shorthold tenancies to run a business from home... but it's not against my parent's mortgage agreement... :D can you find anyone willing to let you use their home as your billing/tax address?

There are many standard things in tenancy agreements, if you're not running machinery, child minding a horde of noisy kids, or having sacks of post arriving at your home address (use a PO box), I doubt anyone would give a monkey's. The number of people who work from home using computers, running wed developers, design agencies and similar low nusance enterprises, if they all abided by the tenancy agreement, the digital economy would grind to a halt!

[AXJ]

I had a look at you ebay site, nice stuff.

Here is a tip for you if you're into running up fabrics. I know a woman who makes 500 quid a week making custom sized cushion covers. She only sells on e-bay, and spends about two days a week actally working. Basically a few pictures of cushions, a swatch of fabrics... amzazing, and probably the most simple bit of sowing one could engage in.

Damn, I should do it myself, but no sowing machine!!

[DominicJ]

I'm pretty sure there is a buildings insurance reason for it, and there may be a tax reason as well.
I wouldnt actualy expect your landlord to care.

[Annpan]

Rosendula, I just want to say well done for trying. It is hard work running your own business and sometimes there is just no way of winning.
Speaking as someone who has been there and done that, woke up one morning in a sleeping bag on my office floor and realised that I needed to call it quits (I couldn't afford the rent for a flat and my office - which I needed to meet clients)

2 of 3 ventures fail in the first year so you are in good and plentiful company

[AXJ]

I'm pretty sure there is a buildings insurance reason for it, and there may be a tax reason as well.
I wouldnt actualy expect your landlord to care.

How about some facts?

[Graye]

No problems taxwise as log as you keep some records ro prove your level of (non) profit. They don't care where you are running your business from as long as you pay tax if it's due. Basic, very basic accounts will suffice too, just a notebook of ins and outs with receipts will do.

[Russian Doll]

ooh can i see your ebay shop hun....also my ex was an estae agent..he said landlords raely bother about ebay shops as a busineess...by businesss they genrally mean ..for e.g not running a cat cleaning salon in the frontroom

[mrsflibble]

nabbed the scarves, they'll make a lovely addition to my home made / ethically sourced xmas pressies.

[AXJ]

ooh can i see your ebay shop hun....also my ex was an estae agent..he said landlords raely bother about ebay shops as a busineess...by businesss they genrally mean ..for e.g not running a cat cleaning salon in the frontroom

Indeed, it is the nusence they are trying to avoid, equally if you don't have clients calling, no employees and your business is not handling hazadous materials, special insurance would not be required. Many, many, many people use computers at home for work, a wise person will insure it properly if it is a tool of trade (e.g. accidental damage, new for old, possibly even data loss coverage), that is just simple business sense, not a legal requirement.

I have known people to be running serious server farms from the atticks of their rented houses, the joys of affordable domestic broadband!

[Ellendra]

Could you partner with someone who could help with both the time and office space?

[Wombat]

Bummer mate!

But I bet you've learned stuff you wouldn't have found out any other way

Nev