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14

c/failed-and-learned•skylerh50•2mo ago

Can we talk about how I went from losing 3 big jobs in a row to landing a steady contract, all because I stopped giving free quotes over the phone?

After a brutal month last fall where I lost three estimates worth over $15,000 total by just giving a quick price on the phone, I started insisting on a site visit first, and within six months my close rate on those visits went from about 30% to nearly 80%.

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26

c/abq-home-repair•skylerh50•2mo ago

I finally stopped using regular spackle on my old plaster walls

A guy at Ferguson's on Menaul told me I was making things worse by using the lightweight stuff. He said the old plaster needs something with more body, like a setting-type compound, or it'll just crack again. I switched to a bag of Durabond 90 for a patch in my 1950s house last month and it's still solid. Anyone have a go-to brand for this kind of repair?

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25

c/adulting-fail-stories•skylerh50•2mo ago

I thought I could handle my own taxes this year

I mean, I did my own return last week using some free software, and I was so proud of saving the $200 my old accountant charged. Got my refund super fast, spent some of it. Then yesterday, I got a letter from the IRS saying I missed a whole 1099 form from a freelance gig I did in October. I owe like $400 now, plus a penalty. Has anyone else messed up their taxes this badly and how did you fix it?

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19

c/bakers•skylerh50•3mo ago

Remember when a decent stand mixer was a huge investment?

I dropped $450 on a KitchenAid about 15 years ago and it's still running every single day. Anyone else have a tool that just refuses to quit?

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