About 6 weeks ago I went from having work piled up to having very little in front of me. For the last few weeks I have been turning up at 7.00 in the morning, quoting on a job and then doing it that same day.

I have also been undercut hugely on some jobs. Last week I reduced my price from $1250.00 to $1100.00 to get a turf job and then missed out because another the guy who came to do the retic was willing to do it for $800.00. I’ve gone from hearing people respond to a quote with ‘no worries – when you can start’ to ‘ooh that’s more than we can afford!’

It was like someone ‘threw a switch’ and things slowed right down. The economy was hardly on fire, but for some reason we seem to have gone slower again. In speaking with other guys in similar trades they too have experienced an abnormal slowing. Some guys I know are struggling to put petrol in their cars and keep credit on their phone – which makes it tricky to run a business.

Perhaps it is the post-Christmas credit card bills taking their toll?… Or maybe people are just tightening their belts yet again?… With work less certain people spend less. Who knows when you will need that money you have in the bank? The flow on/ripple effect is significant and it seems everyone will be affected in different ways.

Probably the only ones who will come out unscathed are those who ave ‘enough’, who are already able to live simply and for whom the desire for bigger and better is not the primary driver. But the question I find myself asking is what about those for whom ‘consuming’ has become a way of life, a religion?… What about those who rely on that next purchase for some degree of fulfillment in life?

I’m curious to see what develops.

I have enough work to get by and in quieter times like these I just try to enjoy the rest periods which give my 46 year old muscles a chance to recover. But you can’t help wondering, ‘If its quiet now, what will it be like in winter?’

Might have to plan some extra holidays!