How much do you earn in a year ?

[Silberschweif]

may you can get ritch as tool war seller
when I started with jewelry making a few years ago a good frind of me asked me why the hell you want to do the things yourself you can earn mutch more money only buying the cheap and selling the cheap expensive may by puting a label on it. His Girlfrind was working at google and they earn millions of dollar for only running a virtual service.
If you want to get ritch you need something that noone needs but everyone think he needs it for a lucky live like the IPhone or something else you can produce for 5 Dollar and sell it for 1000

I told him I have to do something that makes me happy money isnt the key for a happy live
you only need everything you want and if you are happy you need no more money to buy a litle luck in your live

sure you need enough to pay the bills and a little over to have a safe feeling but noone can say how mutch that is

my dad sad to me when I steped out to the little big world many years ago a man can do whatever a man can do

its the same with the money a man can earn whatever a man can earn maybe the same as a woman

 

[KCSteve]

I always say, if you want to be sure to make good money in a gold rush, be the guy selling picks and shovels.

 

[diandwill]

I always say, if you want to be sure to make good money in a gold rush, be the guy selling picks and shovels.

Or what Cecil Rhodes did during the South African Diamond rush...sell water and ice! Then you can afford to buy the claims of those not willing to persist, and when he had enough, took Barney Barnato's piece of the Kimberly Pipe too! The start of DeBeers.

 

[Jan Hendrik]

Money is not everything and should not dominate our way of thinking.
Sure money can buy you comfort and lots of goodies, but it can't buy you happiness in life.
We spend approximately 60% of our lives working. If you do not like what you are doing you will spend 60% of your life being unhappy. That sucks!
Having a home, food to eat and a bed to sleep in are the basics you need. I'm sure most of us have this much and quite a bit more, in fact maybe a lot more!
So life is good in general.

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

Money is not everything and should not dominate our way of thinking... Having a home, food to eat and a bed to sleep in are the basics you need.

And, a dog or three to be with you. Who could ask for more?

 

[Gemsetterchris]

Home, food, clothing & transport..the basics.
However, being extravagant with the basics & struggling to maintain them is cause for misery.

I know plenty of high earners that are no better off (some worse) despite appearing affluent, just because they feel the need to use all their resources.
All fur coat & no knickers some of them.

 

[Willem Parel]

"Money isn't that important" is a luxery quote mostly used by people who have enough to spend or are not in need of...
But if you get unemployed ( or other circumstances) having kids to raise and a family to take care of and there is a lack of money, what would be one of the most important thing in your life, I experienced this myself in my younger days.
Situations like this changes your way of thinking about money, only staying healthy is more important in cases like this. (and not only then of course)

 

[Ron Jr.]

The 20 steps that is my work commute every morning, my ultra cool boss the ability to take time off and adjust my schedule however I want (well mostly, there are those pesky deadlines on commissions), knowing I'm in control of my own destiny (for the most part), LOVING what I do for a living..... These and many other things are what makes the pay for what I do "priceless" to me.

 

[dlilazteca]

The 20 steps that is my work commute every morning, my ultra cool boss the ability to take time off and adjust my schedule however I want (well mostly, there are those pesky deadlines on commissions), knowing I'm in control of my own destiny (for the most part), LOVING what I do for a living..... These and many other things are what makes the pay for what I do "priceless" to me.

Thumbs up!

Saludos,
Carlos

 

[Gemsetterchris]

The 20 steps that is my work commute every morning.

I have only 3, & 14 to the coffee machine

 

[Brian Marshall]

I have a LOT to be grateful for...


I do not have to get up at a certain hour on certain days and be "on time" to anyone else's schedule.

I do not have to work fixed hours. I set and change mine as I see fit.

I do not have to dress "for work" or worry about what I "look" like while I'm working. (Unless there is a class going on, or special client coming by)

I do not have to drive to work. (or fly and put up with that mess)

I do not have to drive home from work. Therefore a motor vehicle will last me a coupla decades. (at the very least)

I do not have to put up with unpleasant bosses and other staff.

I can refuse to take a job. I can set my own prices within reason.

I answer to no one - and these days I am responsible for no one else.


I do not have to pay Starbucks prices, eat "fast food" crap or overpriced restaurant meals - paying a penalty "tip" on top of that.

I do not pay outrageous prices for "organic" fruit & vegetables - they grow right outside the door almost year round. Just walk out, pick 'em, wash & prepare 'em.


I do listen to MY favorite music all day long.

I do have some incredible dogs & cats around me 24/7. Always a couple of 'em with me while I work.

I eat my favorite foods at EVERY meal - and I know exactly what goes into them! No GMO, "additives", chemicals or artificial coloring.

I know how to cook, wash dishes, clean house, do laundry, fix whatever is broken (90% of the time), make whatever else I need - and I pay my bills on time.

If I want a day or two (or ten) off - I can choose when and where to spend them without asking "permission".


So what is all that worth? I have been fortunate enough to have had it for well over 40 years now...

I may not have a regular paycheck and I may not make a lot of money. And when I do work, I work hard.

The side work that helps feed me - maintaining the gardens, fruit trees & vines, house and shops also takes time. A LOT of time!

But those who make hundreds of thousands of dollars and absolutely HATE their hectic, pressured, miserable jobs tell me they wish they lived like I do...


And unlike every one else on this forum (so far) - I am not afraid to put up the answer asked for originally. I am quite comfortable discussing money.

During the past 20 years for example: the lowest I have cleared after expenses/taxes was around $38,000 - due to illness. The highest has been $95,000+...


BUT (yeah, there's always gotta be one of these)

That income varied some - percentage wise.

On average here of late: 60 -70% of my income comes from hand engraving and 30 - 40% from goldsmithing/stonesetting and the like.

In years before that, the smithing may have been 50% or more?

And back when I had the retail jewelry store, the engraving income percentage may have been as low as 20%.


Brian

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

I have a LOT to be grateful for...

Me too! A wife of 39+ years (known each other since kids in Sunday school), 3 beagles, a house I own, lots of good friends, etc. But, I wish I had the "benefits" I used to have at a regular job years ago. My "Obamacare" will be $1,569.00 per month starting in January. Being we have to start over again a reapply each year... it can only get worse. But, all in all, I have a pretty good life too.

 

[Jan Hendrik]

I have a LOT to be grateful for...


I do not have to get up at a certain hour on certain days and be "on time" to anyone else's schedule.

I do not have to work fixed hours. I set and change mine as I see fit.

I do not have to dress "for work" or worry about what I "look" like while I'm working. (Unless there is a class going on, or special client coming by)

I do not have to drive to work. (or fly and put up with that mess)

I do not have to drive home from work. Therefore a motor vehicle will last me a coupla decades. (at the very least)

I do not have to put up with unpleasant bosses and other staff.

I can refuse to take a job. I can set my own prices within reason.

I answer to no one - and these days I am responsible for no one else.

I do listen to MY favorite music all day long.

I do have some incredible dogs & cats around me 24/7. Always a couple of 'em with me while I work.

I do not have to pay Starbucks prices, eat "fast food" crap or overpriced restaurant meals - paying a penalty "tip" on top of that.

I do not pay outrageous prices for "organic" fruit & vegetables - they grow right outside the door almost year round. Just walk out, pick 'em, wash & prepare 'em.

I eat my favorite foods at EVERY meal - and I know exactly what goes into them! No GMO, "additives", chemicals or artificial coloring.

I know how to cook, wash dishes, clean house, do laundry, fix whatever is broken (90% of the time), make whatever else I need - and I pay my bills on time.

If I want a day or two (or ten) off - I can choose when and where to spend them without asking "permission".


So what is all that worth? Most people will never have it. I have been fortunate enough to have had it for well over 40 years now...

I may not have a regular paycheck and I may not make a lot of money. When I do work, I work hard.

The side work that helps feed me - maintaining the gardens, fruit trees & vines, house and shops also takes time. A LOT of time!

But those who make hundreds of thousands of dollars and absolutely HATE their hectic, pressured, miserable jobs tell me they wish they lived like I do...


And unlike every one else on this forum (so far) - I am not afraid to put up the answer asked for. In fact, as you can see above - I am quite comfortable.

During the past 20 years for example: the lowest I have cleared after expenses/taxes was around $38,000 - due to illness. The highest has been $95,000+...


BUT (yeah, there's always gotta be one of these)

That income varied some - percentage wise.

On average here of late: 60 -70% of my income comes from hand engraving and 30 - 40% from goldsmithing/stonesetting and the like.

In years before that, the smithing may have been 50% or more?

And back when I had the retail jewelry store, the engraving income percentage may have been as low as 20%.

Brian you are so right!
I quit my job 7 months ago to work full time from home and agree with everything you said except you annual income that is 3-5 times more than I currently earn. Lol!
The biggest advantage for me is my life is a lot more peaceful. My stress levels are very close to non existent. Can money buy that? Not a chance!

 

[Brian Marshall]

Have a little patience Jan,


From what I've seen of your work, you'll do just fine - but it doesn't come overnight.

I had another 20+ years BEFORE the more recent 20 that I used for an example in the above post - that were nowhere near as good...


Meanwhile, you learn about what you really need... and it ain't money. (or more expensive tools)


B.


And that income from my "best" year was 7 or 8 years ago - back before the "crash", and the advent of stainless, carbide and titanium jewelry with synthetic/simulant stones.

 

[Marrinan]

I don't know Brian, If setting a stone worth $10,000 was x amount of money setting that synthetic of the same difficulty should be also x. The only difference is if you had to buy insurance on the $10,000 stone the setting rate should be the same. Inlaying is x per inch, gold or silver or lead. Inlaying is inlaying, My engraving cost a min amount. The only direction it goes is up for hard metals. I can be broke sitting on the porch or making something for a family member. Fred

 

[Brian Marshall]

Yeah, Fred I know - should be, but sadly - it's not...

In order to profit from the cheaper jewelry nowadays you need to cut costs and sell a LOT of it.

Most of the public does not know or care enough to have "one of a kind" or bespoke jewelry these days - putting food on the table comes first.


B.

 

[Marrinan]

Like you Brain I raise and grow most of mine. My biggest bill is my property taxes. I know that most people are off the rack. That's okay, I don't take advantage of the ones who still would rather carry a custom hand made knife or wear custom spurs. As soon as I finish my shop I will be manufacturing hand made blank, unadorned items to the trades. People who Can not build a custom pair of spurs will still be able to engrave or silver mount or whatever and they will be 100% hand made. Thanks to a few individuals I know that some artist don't want to commit the time to the building end but they want to embellish hand made. My ability to sit at the scope for long periods is restricted by my injury so I am coming at things from a different direction. Fred

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

My biggest bill is my property taxes.

Property Taxes... mine were $13,002.85 last year. And, then there's the Income Tax. It seems like I just paid them and it's not long until they are due again. Gotta keep the redistribution of wealth going whether we like it or not.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Senators & Congressmen need to pay for their Obamacare... they ARE all gonna use it, right?


B.

 

[LVVP]

Very useful information, thanks to all