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Joined: Mar 2003
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Friends,

As most of you know, Karen and I retired from our retail jewelry store. It was a mom & pop operation; both of us are Graduate Gemologists and I'm a journeyman gold & platinumsmith, plus I was a Certified Master Watchmaker (AWI).

We literally did all of our own work and sent out practically nothing. THAT is the key to making a decent income.

Having said that, I would surely HATE to be in our former jewelry business today. How could we ever give our clients their moneys worth at $1,750 gold and $1,575 platinum (which is alloyed with irridium ($1,075/Toz itself).

And with practically every family struggling to make economic ends meet, the high prices I would HAVE to charge .... UG, it just makes me shiver.

Even repair would be quite difficult. I used to charge $70 for a full ladies ring shank, making myself a handy $40 ... today, the material cost itself would be close to $200 and if I missed the estimate of 14K shanking material weight, I'd be easily in the dead loss column.

I have a good friend who is a retired manufacturing jeweler who has done work out of his home shop for the last several years (retired from Zell's, Carl Grieve and Shrieve's). He is a MASTER goldsmith and probably finer than I ever was.

He recently received a quote on 18k yellow gold shank stock to do a ladies ring ... the stock was $95 per pennyweight and the ring probably would take 4dwt to do. My friend mis-guestimated by one pennyweight and ended up doing the three-hour job for free and losing $100. Then the lasy complained like heck ... she could not afford the original estimate and wanted to renegotiate the price. He did what I would have done ... he GAVE her the ring, with his compliments and told her than his shop was closed forever.

He quietly pulled in his horns and is doing NO more work.

Tough times. Did I mention that I'm SO HAPPY to be retired and out of the economic mainstream????? grin

God Bless,

Steve




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I posted the following in the classifieds forum but it belongs here as well.






We've paid tens and tens of thousands over the years in federal taxes but our business went to [bleep] and I'm now in hock to the IRS because I used money from my business to pay my mortgage and family expenses for the past couple of years instead of paying them so they could give an Obamaphone to the lazy piece of [bleep] pictured in the Youtube I posted above. I wasn't dodging taxes, it has been a matter of survival as our cash flow has dried up, it was either pay the Feds or keep a roof over my kid's heads. Until you own a business you have no idea how badly they bleed you, it's ridiculous. If they had given us some breathing room and not taxed us so heavily I wouldn't have even had a mortgage as it would have been paid off and I could have paid them on time. Now, I'm on a payment plan with the IRS which after interest and penalties will take me 5 years to pay off based on my current income from my business which is day to day, we've really been struggling to stay afloat these past couple of years and it's getting worse. It wasn't like we were living it up, we have just been surviving, but I realize it is more important to provide for trash like that in the Youtube video rather than those of us who actually work for a living. If I sound bitter and pissed it's because I am. They are destroying small business in this country. I feel like I have a target on my back.

Last edited by GeorgiaBoiler; 11/22/12.
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I really get tired of all this crybaby crap about the election. You think our principles were totally rejected by the electorate? Hell, no. We took the House, didn't we? Obama got 9,000,000 fewer votes than in 2008, didn't he? The problem was that Romney got 3,000,000 less.

It's time to fight. Next election they won't have an incumbent. Here in Ohio their ground campaign was worthless. I know. I helped them. And I'm sorry. Romney wasn't much of a fighter. Danged fools were so out of touch they were predicting a landslide a week or so before the election. The Republicans screwed up. With any brains, they'll learn. We will be back.

For the outfitters seeing cancellations, I sympathize with you. I owned a business too, selling it in 2007 (thank goodness). But stick with it. Advertise a little more. Things will gradually improve.



Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.

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I've been doing this over 20 years with growth 17 years in a row. The last three have declined to a questionable level. The next 2 look pathetic.

"Hang in there" is not a realistic view, hope is not a strategy. I do this for people around the world not just USA. Europe went flat 2 years ago and has a completely flat outlook.

This is very bad, I'm afraid it will degrade to a personal business for repeat hunters and tourists, with a few new referenced people. Rather then grow as the past 16-18 years were. Sad that all the investment and struggle with flawless references and my reputation cannot over come.


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Originally Posted by IndyCA35
I really get tired of all this crybaby crap about the election.


I think this was a bit over the top. Most of the posts are simply stating what has happened to their business. We are tightening our belt and feel that we can outlast Obama, but we are hearing the same thing from our customers. We are a wholesaler and a lot of our retail customers have closed their doors and others have cut their purchasing.

The ones I am angry at are the conservatives that would not vote for Romney because he wasn't conservative enough and the evangelicals that would not vote for a Mormon. They threw the election or else it would not have even been close.

We are less worried about us and our business than about our daughter and the young people of this country.


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Well I am a pilot by profession, I do mostly bush type stuff or off shore oil support in helicopters. I just applied for a job that I thought I would be a good fit for, I even got a call from the Chief Pilot, One seat, he got 700 resumes, and 40 strong resumes for the one seat. I was in the final pile but there are a lot of guys on the streets looking. Its tough as tough as any I have seen. And the 1970's was tough, the only difference I was a young 22 year old in the market place with no experience and now I am close to 60 with fat logbooks. Its not good. I can see were guys would have second thoughts about a hunting or fishing trip. Nobody knows what the rules of the game is going to be, and this is being done on purpose, to cause and much uncertainty as possible. its a political calculation that seems to be working. Good grief the Federal Government has not had a budget since W's last budget. That going on four years now. All of this is plan to see if you just look.


"Any idiot can face a crisis,it's the day-to-day living that wears you out."

Anton Chekhov


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Time for another generation to learn the hard way. Sad, though. Does this make me a crybaby, too?


Gary

Never underestimate the likelihood that the Republicans will cave...
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Originally Posted by dogzapper

Friends,

As most of you know, Karen and I retired from our retail jewelry store. It was a mom & pop operation; both of us are Graduate Gemologists and I'm a journeyman gold & platinumsmith, plus I was a Certified Master Watchmaker (AWI).

We literally did all of our own work and sent out practically nothing. THAT is the key to making a decent income.

Having said that, I would surely HATE to be in our former jewelry business today. How could we ever give our clients their moneys worth at $1,750 gold and $1,575 platinum (which is alloyed with irridium ($1,075/Toz itself).

And with practically every family struggling to make economic ends meet, the high prices I would HAVE to charge .... UG, it just makes me shiver.

Even repair would be quite difficult. I used to charge $70 for a full ladies ring shank, making myself a handy $40 ... today, the material cost itself would be close to $200 and if I missed the estimate of 14K shanking material weight, I'd be easily in the dead loss column.

I have a good friend who is a retired manufacturing jeweler who has done work out of his home shop for the last several years (retired from Zell's, Carl Grieve and Shrieve's). He is a MASTER goldsmith and probably finer than I ever was.

He recently received a quote on 18k yellow gold shank stock to do a ladies ring ... the stock was $95 per pennyweight and the ring probably would take 4dwt to do. My friend mis-guestimated by one pennyweight and ended up doing the three-hour job for free and losing $100. Then the lasy complained like heck ... she could not afford the original estimate and wanted to renegotiate the price. He did what I would have done ... he GAVE her the ring, with his compliments and told her than his shop was closed forever.

He quietly pulled in his horns and is doing NO more work.

Tough times. Did I mention that I'm SO HAPPY to be retired and out of the economic mainstream????? grin

God Bless,

Steve




Nothing I can add Steve, but I'm glad you are OK.

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I would like to apologize to GeorgeL, GaryO, and JJ Hack for insensitively implying you were crybabies. It never occurred to me my comments would be taken that way though I can see now how they could be.

I have the greatest respect for small business, having operated one for many years and sold it in 2007, after growing it substantially. People ask me how I had the foresight to sell it then. Well, it was pure luck.

Rather I am P.O.ed at all the whining among the Republicans about how this election means we are doomed, must change our principles, etc. You three gentlemen were not among the whiners.

Good luck with your businesses. I think this too will pass. Right now, at least around here, everything seems to be on hold pending the tax cliff resolution or lack thereof. People do not fear what they know will happen but rather what they don't know will happen. My own PH in Zimbabwe, whom I hunted with in 2011, is in the same boat as JJ.

I too fear for my children and grandchildren.

All any of us can do is tough it out but apply pressure so that the Republicans in the House don't "go wobbly" on us.



Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.

Democrats would burn this country to the ground, if they could rule over the ashes.
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Originally Posted by Fjold
Originally Posted by luv2safari
It's almost impossible to emigrate to NZ, I understand. I would have made the move years ago, but I didn't have a medical degree or similar.


If you have enough money to qualify as investor class, they'll let you in.


Have they no compassion?

Have they no humanity?

Have they no Rio Grande?


"Chances Will Be Taken"


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This was to be my year for Africa, now I'm holding off to see how things shake out. We own a small business and I work for a large health insurance company, too much unknown right now to pull the trigger.

I'm sorry but priorites have changed. I've wanted to hunt Africa since I was a kid...and I was "that" close. Maybe next year.


"I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man." --Robert Duvall.
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I was days away from booking a trip to Africa. Had to hold off. Too much uncertainty with the job to risk that much money. Government inaction has created great uncertainty in DoD. Industry and govt programs alike are not doing much until the path forward becomes clearer.

Last edited by prm; 12/01/12.
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I too was hoping to be able to go to Africa in 2013 but just too many questions. I don't trust our government and I'm not sure the Congress will stay strong.


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Guys,

You are foolish to wait.

- Botswanna is closing

- Mugabe has wrecked Zim

- Zambia has closed hunting to residents

- RSA is making it more difficult to bring in rifles, and the Majority Government is slowly but surely weakening the country and seizing land.

- Moz has not become the go to destination due to various problems, including costs, lack of infrastructure, game decimated by the prolonged war, and the fact that the South Africans have to do everything for them with regards to hunting.

- Lions are disappearing as wild untouched land shrinks

- Cost has made Tanzania become the destination only for European Industrialists and oil Sheiks.

The point is that Africa will never get better or cheaper. There is no telling what this UN Small Arms Treaty will do to travel with hunting arms once the bureaucrats and functionaries get to it.

If you have the time and money to go now, by all means go! You are not getting any younger or fitter. Prices aren't going down.


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

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+1000.


A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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There's always Texas (for when woulda-coulda-shoulda kicks in.) Listen to jorgeI, hatari,...

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I took my family 4 years ago about the time everything in my business was getting hit. Made the decision to go and I am glad I did. There were times I wish I had some of that money back for comfort but in the end Im glad I didn't back out.
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Enjoy today. Believe it or nor if things stay in the suck you have pleasure knowing you got to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Then you can let Obama take care of you smile
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JJ,

With the outcome of the election, and looming long-term care costs for my MIL, my wife and I have cancelled this year's Africa safari.
I do part-time consulting work, which has all but dried up as the oppressive Obama policies on oil and gas leasing continue their stranglehold on my industry.
Our hunting, fishing, and recreational activities will be confined to the US, for the time being, with cheaper (or no) air fares, lower or nonexistent outfitters charges, etc. We're not out of money, but we are increasingly concerned about what the future has in store.
I also think that in addition to the reality of adverse effect on business, there is a general air of pessimism about the future, that can't help but suppress spending on just about everything.


I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave....
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Originally Posted by Bighorn
JJ,

With the outcome of the election, ....

I also think that in addition to the reality of adverse effect on business, there is a general air of pessimism about the future, that can't help but suppress spending on just about everything.


There are many of us who feel down about this whole mess. However, we will be better off to buck up and forge ahead with life. We could be in Syria right now, eh?


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
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Originally Posted by hatari
Originally Posted by Bighorn
JJ,

With the outcome of the election, ....

I also think that in addition to the reality of adverse effect on business, there is a general air of pessimism about the future, that can't help but suppress spending on just about everything.


There are many of us who feel down about this whole mess. However, we will be better off to buck up and forge ahead with life. We could be in Syria right now, eh?


Thank God we're not in Syria, hatari- or any other eastern country, for that matter.
But, you suggest another point, that affects many of us, and that is our increasing loss of freedom in this country.
Air travel, for instance, has gotten way more difficult than it used to be, largely due the aftermath of 9-11. Transporting firearms has become orders of magnitude more difficult than it used to be, and I don't see that fact changing for the better in our lifetimes.

Two years ago, I had a mule deer hunt booked to Mexico, that both I and my outfitter gave up on because of increasing drug traffic violence in the area we intended to hunt.
Did the election have anything to do with Mexico? Of course not, but the point being that nothing will be done about Mexico by the current administration to change the situation.


I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than living as a puppet or a slave....
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