Posts by Donna Martin11

Hi there..

I'm trying to calculate the actual total cost of an employee—including payroll taxes and all those extra employer contributions—if I hire them at the federal minimum wage.

Thanks in advance

Respectfully,

I have a question regarding business logistics.

As a small business owner—currently operating with manual receipt books rather than a digital POS system—how should I issue an invoice to a corporation for a specific service if they intend to pay via bank transfer?

Thanks.

Sophia Brooks4 said:I suppose it’s probably best if I just skip the government grants then.
Fine, I’ll take your advice.

Does anyone know if I can actually launch an online bridal boutique while I'm still working my current 9-to-5?
See, I already have a few wedding dresses sitting in storage, and I’d love to start renting them out or selling them—but I’m honestly terrified of doing anything under the table.
What do you guys think I should do?

What kind of business could I realistically run, and what would my tax obligations look like while I'm still on a regular payroll?

You can certainly run an e-commerce site, but you'll need to register as a sole proprietorship or an LLC first...
You can keep your day job, sure, but you'll be responsible for your own self-employment taxes if you aren't pulling from a larger corporate pool.

Mind you, the tax code shifts constantly—my last reliable guide on these regulations was basically a relic from the mid-2000s.

Anyway, good luck. Fingers crossed.

As for those government grants? Don't hold your breath.🙂

Sophia Brooks4 said:I’ve got a job right now, but I’m honestly pretty worried it won't last much longer since retail is struggling so much lately.

I'm thinking about starting my own small business.
I should be eligible to pick up some unemployment benefits from the state office—and who knows, maybe my boss will be feeling generous enough to give me a severance package 😁—plus I have some savings put aside, so I really want to dive into this dream I've been nursing for the last decade.
It would be a wedding boutique and planning agency.
Basically, I'd carry wedding gowns, formal dresses, men's suits, invitations, thank-you notes... I could even book bands (I know a ton of them!) and all sorts of other wedding-related services.

Could anyone help me figure out what my overhead might look like?
For starters, renting a commercial space would run me about $1,100 a month.
I wouldn't bother registering for a sales tax permit since my clients would just be individual consumers.
I plan on running the show myself, at least for the first year while I see how things shake out.

If I hire someone through a state workforce program and apply for hiring incentives, how much can I actually expect to receive?
Do they just cover the payroll taxes, or do they chip in toward the actual salary too?

I don't have a formal business degree, but the local Chamber of Commerce mentioned that under the new regulations, I might not even need one to launch this kind of venture.
Does anyone know if those rules change once we fully integrate further into the USA?

What other expenses should I be bracing for?
I really want to get a full grasp of all the costs before I officially open, just so I can properly size up the market.

Thanks! 😍

Those government incentives? Good grief...
Don't even bother looking for them...

You have to remain on the payroll at a certain gross amount for roughly $1800 the next 12 months. If you or your employee (if you used a grant to hire someone via the state office) don't meet that monthly gross threshold, you'll be forced to pay back the entire sum...

It’s better not to mess around with those state unemployment office grants...

I've been down that road, and trust me—don't try it.

And what does the Chamber of Commerce have to say about that...

😉

Tyler Allen14 said:I’ve spent years working retail, so getting sucked into the grind isn't anything new to me.🤣 As for professionalism, I’d have to be delusional not to take this seriously—my entire livelihood depends on it. Plus, since I'm running my own business now, the math is simple: more work equals more profit. Thanks to everyone for the input and the help. This Monday, I’m heading over to the local Chamber of Commerce to figure out the logistics, and then I'll sit down with my accountant for some consultations. We'll see how it all unfolds once the dust settles.🤷 Thanks again, best regards.😁😁😁

If you have any other questions, just ask. 😉

Your best bet is to head straight to the Secretary of State's office—once that's settled, you can sleep easy.

As for family—siblings, spouses, whatever—they can help you out without needing to be officially on the payroll.

Tyler Allen14 said:To start, I was thinking about focusing on stairwells, hallways, and other areas where heavy machinery isn't really necessary. I have a new vacuum that works wonders, though it's strictly for dry use. It’s not industrial grade, but for getting things moving 🤷it should get the job done.
I don't want to charge too much, but I can't work for free either... how do you actually set a price?🤷On various cleaning service websites, they list rates $10per apartment for stairwell cleaning, but I can't tell if those include sales tax or not. How do I structure my pricing so everyone walks away happy? My goal isn't a quick buck; I just want to make enough so that after all my expenses are covered, I’m left with a decent paycheck of about $833, at least initially. In this economy, finding a job and still pulling a real wage is a feat worthy of Copperfield.😢😢

Those quotes are pre-tax..

With a small business, once you cover your expenses, whatever is left is yours..
You just have to put in the work and maintain a professional standard..
And if you have to kiss a few extra asses to land a contract... well, that's just part of the game..

I'm honestly not sure how you'll manage without at least a decent wet/dry vac... then again, you don't necessarily need a top-of-the-line industrial machine right out of the gate. My business mostly revolves around government contracts—think municipal offices, state agencies, or large residential complexes like those managed by big property groups.

But hey, give it a shot—you've got nothing to lose.

For advertising, flyers are probably your best bet.
I’m planning to run some spots on local radio and TV stations in a few days myself.
You could also look into group buying cooperatives.

As for restaurants and cafes... honestly, just walk in, find the owner, and pitch them directly. In my experience, face-to-face interaction beats any other method every single time.

The golden rule here: don't price yourself out of the market, but for heaven's sake, don't work for free either.

If you have more questions about the process, feel free to ask. 😉

Tyler Allen14 said:Apologies if this has already been asked—I think it was back in 2010, but I’m sure the rules have shifted significantly since then. Since I’ve been on unemployment for over six months, I qualify for a self-employment incentive. My caseworker suggested I start a small business using the simplified tax method.
My questions are as follows:
1. What are the startup costs for launching a sole proprietorship?
2. Does this type of business require paying local tourism district fees?
3. I live with my in-laws and don't own any property in my own name. Since this is a field-based business, am I required to own real estate to qualify?
4. How can I check if the business name I want is already taken?
5. Aside from income tax and social security, what are my monthly overhead expenses?
Please get back to me as soon as possible. Thanks in advance!😉

Since I went through the exact same process a few days ago for the same line of work...

1. roughly $267
2. I haven't a clue, but my guess is no.
3. I was told it isn't necessary.
4. You can check here:
5. Well, around $233 once you factor in the accountant... plus various other fees. Your overhead for Social Security and Medicare stays fixed—from what I've heard, it's the same for everyone.

And honestly, if you're trying to set this up in San Francisco or Washington, D.C., don't bother—the red tape is endless.

I didn't take the government incentives because they won't cover equipment purchases; I ended up dropping about 50k just on machinery and tools alone.

😉

mellowrider39 said:😢

What’s the verdict on ComeOn? Anyone actually used them before?

https://www.comeon.com/rs/

It's pretty desperate—the selection is honestly terrible.

Ronald Howard4 said:So, I ran some numbers for a parlay and figured I’d toss them out here—see if you guys have any insights or if there's anything else worth noting. Basically, I was thinking about playingWalker 17.5+, Harden 22.5+, Dragic 15.5+, Miami under 98.5, and Oklahoma under 100.5. You all probably know who is playing where, so I won't waste time with the obvious details. 🙂

Banana, why are you even betting those matchups?..

I don't follow the NBA closely, so I'm curious...

🙂

northernpuma said:Seriously, what exactly did you strip out here? Aside from two matches where we can actually tell who you're backing (Mainz 05, SC Freiburg), you haven't left anything concrete in the rest. If Hamburger SV had lost, you could have claimed you just gave them a "slight edge with a draw possibility"—it's the same story with Bayern Munich and Schalke 04, which you "skip because you don't trust them at all," yet you still noted they're favorites. Why even include them in the analyses then? I’d suggest putting actual picks in the breakdowns; right now, it looks like everyone is hitting nothing but winners, when in reality, people are just writing vague nonsense. Personally, if I say I'm giving Real Madrid the edge in El Clásico with a chance of a draw, I wouldn't be shocked if FC Barcelona won—which is why I'd skip that pair entirely. We'll see tomorrow when I quote my own post and marvel at my own supreme predictive powers. ☕

And when exactly have you provided an analysis that wasn't complete garbage?...🙂🙂🤦

Drew Wright said:I didn't catch the game myself—but from what I saw, things went south pretty early on, maybe around the 25th minute.

👍

Actually, it was closer to the 2nd minute...😁

Lisa Sanchez64 said:guys, quick question for you 😉 how many minutes before the first game kicks off do I need to have my bet placed at the betting shop? Is ten enough?

If you're at the physical branch, you can pretty much pull it off two minutes before kickoff...

Kenneth Bishop2 said:Could use a hand here. I’ve finished my book and now I need to mail it out to everyone who ordered it. They'll be paying via Cash on Delivery—does anyone have a clue what the shipping costs might look like? Also, what's the best way to ship this? The USPS offers about two million different options. Thanks.

If you want it there fast, just go with HP Express... if speed isn't your priority, standard COD is fine. It's really not that complicated.

Jesse Brown12 said:If they’re playing by those kinds of rules, it shouldn't be a surprise that they've pocketed a few bucks
how does that sit with other US sportsbooks regarding their handling of cash?

DraftKings admitted it...

And if we're supposed to trust the data coming out of FanDuel or the state lottery, then sure—it's official..

🤷

driftingcobra10 said:Hey everyone
I have a question—does anyone know of an online sportsbook that doesn't charge a margin on double chance bets, specifically for outcomes like 1X or X2?

DraftKings, BetMGM... and the rest of them.

shadowgardener10 said:Why aren't there any detailed breakdowns for Genoa-Palermo and Catania-Udinese?

I was actually thinking about betting on both teams to score in the Genoa-Palermo match—but apparently, it's not even an option in the spread.

Because they're sitting at a draw with 2.20 odds... it’s always the same story. There’s never a breakdown when the draw is priced like that.🙂

Morgan Ross15 said:Hey everyone—quick question. I’ve got a checking account over at JPMorgan Chase with a Visa debit card, but I'm hitting a wall. Every time I try to pay via PayPal, the transaction gets declined. My account isn't frozen, everything looks fine on my end, yet it just won't go through. Same thing happens when I try using it at DraftKings. Does anyone have any idea what the deal is? Thanks.

I have a brilliant solution for you... just call your aunt who works at JPMorgan Chase and she'll have it sorted out in two minutes flat. That's definitely your easiest bet.😉

Here are the stats from SS—assists, jumps, points (covering all 4 games)... though only 2 games are actually available for betting (1x2, handicap, etc.).🙂