posted July 19, 2009 04:59 PM
Hi Gang - just want to throw this out there to try and get some feedback and direction. The Canadian winters are bringing me down more and more each year ( WINTER BLUES ). My wife Vicky (45) and I (50) want to try and find a way to spend a month - or 2 or 3 - in a nice warm climate ( FLORIDA or similar ) during the winter months, and make a few bucks to get by while there. We both have really good work situations here in Ontario and are somewhat flexible during the winter months. We've had this on our minds for a couple of years now and really would like to try and make it happen.
Any thoughts / suggestions sincerely appreciated
-------------------- Randy Howe Gougerville Sign and T-Shirt Co. 408 St. John's Rd. E. RR#3 Simcoe, Ontario / N3Y 4K2 519-426-6124 Posts: 203 | From: PORT DOVER, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted July 19, 2009 05:47 PM
A lot of snowbirds rent places for 2 or 3 months in the panhandle of Florida - it's off season and you can get some great rates, especially in this economy. Not much work down there in the winter, however......
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted July 19, 2009 06:07 PM
Randy...Shirl and I were asking the same thing 12 years ago.
We took the plunge and went to a nice, safe, yet affordable area in Mexico for a month.
We were not looking to pick up any work and it wasn't necessary.
We escalated from one month to two and then three.
12 years later we now live there 7 months of the year.
If you would care for some more info, send me an e-mail.
edited to add...I guess I was 52 when the "dislike cold" thing hit me. Sucks to get old!!!
Opps..edited again to ask...is guaranteed 25-30 C warm enough in January and February though???
[ July 19, 2009, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted July 19, 2009 06:26 PM
I waited for Dave Grundy to reply to you because he has the correct approach.
However my answer would be this, practically any state you choose south for the winter you'll find that your work may interfere with those persons who live there year round. And with that said, unless you are a bonified hand letterer and or pinstriper charging the correct prices for quality work possibly doing Daytona and other bike and rod shows, making ends meet is going to be hard in this economy. Now I'm not saying it can't be done as its only choosing the correct place with quality work to make things happen. Almost any city or town above Ft.Lauderdale is going to make you wonder why you've shown up except for the shows I've mentioned above.
I am lucky, I can go anywhere
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted July 19, 2009 06:55 PM
Joey..good points..I would have been annoyed if some skiing enthusiest had come north and tried to scoop up some work in my area to finance his vacation.
If yer on vacation..why work?
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted July 19, 2009 08:00 PM
When I went to Disney World 5 years ago, I spoke with several workers. They call the 50+ crowd "snowbirds" and said that there is work a plenty. The pay is not great but they say it pays their bills while in FL. Just a thought.
-------------------- Cynthia Pack 246 Diamondview Loop Galax, Va. 24333 Posts: 659 | From: Galax, Virginia USA | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted July 19, 2009 08:30 PM
Being as I lived all over down south in Florida and Across to almost Texas. We used to look forward to the Snowbird ( anyone from North where it snows) crowd because they would infuse a load of cash to the locals.
Its warm and nice just about anywhere along the gulf coast. I would look at all the States the entire length of the Gulf Coast instead of just Florida. Some of the nicest places are definitely inland of the beach. You will be welcome and experience Good ol' Southern hospitality at its best.
As for working down there. Be careful. Most do not care but some will really take it as an insult to see you come there to get a few bucks to extend your leisure time. I lived in Daytona Beach and watched when a few had a hissy fit when an out of country snowbird would try to get some work. I also watched as an in country snow bird would try to get work. I watched as businesses would accept snow bird applications just to be nice but would round file them. They wanted to support locals who would be in the community long term. There will be a few that will be the work nazi gestapo. So, keep your illegal work status a secret.
As Jeff says, It is not paradise down there if you live there. Its the same as anywhere when trying to pay the bills.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5273 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted July 21, 2009 08:39 AM
Well I guess it would depend on how you define paradise. It's definitely warmer here in the winter than in Canada, and with nice blue skies.
I have lived in FL for 42 yrs. I'm self employed (for 29 of those) and surprisingly, it seems like my 2 busiest months of the year are Feb and July; Feb being the relevent month in this discussion. It might be slow in the Panhandle in the winter, which is good to know, but in south FL that hasn't been my experience.
Randy if you can hand letter, I doubt anybody would care if you did window splashes. The car meets Joey mentioned might be profitable as would race events if you do auto related graphics of any kind. There are a few racetracks around, like the one near me, Moroso Speedway, that have car shows and drag races regularly. Sebring is another one. I have a friend that used to airbrush cars on T-shirts at Moroso, and he did well. It's just not something that happens every month, and the entrance fee was $1200 as I recall. Also, there are small weekly and monthly festivals with inexpensive entrance fees ($15) where you might scratch out a modest living or more if you could either run vinyl boat names and registration numbers, or offer small whimsical hand painted wood signs people might put out by their pools, or in their homes, especially if you could letter prepped blanks on site to order. Anything nautical is always popular here. There are always the temp positions you might run across too if you called shops or stopped in. Your chances for that might be greater in West Palm, but the cost of living would be higher.
Rents aren't cheap in the winter. It's our season. So normally it'd be best to find a place early. However right now with all the foreclosures you might pick up a condo for 600 bucks a month even in the winter in Martin, St. Lucie, or Indian River counties.
Good luck. If you're my way, I'll do what I can to help you get situated. -Jensen Beach-
-------------------- Julie Bertrand Bertrand Signs 1780 NE Mango Terr. Jensen Beach, FL Posts: 10 | From: Jensen Beach, FL, USA | Registered: Jul 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted July 21, 2009 03:38 PM
i live in the PANHANDLE, pensacola. being as i lived in SOUTH FL, gulf coast, sarasota for 18 years, i can tell you......IT IS NOT THE OFF SEASON THERE. south fl, makes most of its income NOV-MARCH. as for sign work down there, i dont think you will find any because of the number of sign SHOPS NOW THERE. when i moved to sarasota 1981, yellow page listing for SIGN SHOPS, was less then 10!!!!!!! when i left in 1998 yellow page listing was 68!!!!! here in the PANHANDLE, Its not as warm as south fl. swimming in the gulf, maybe, but the water temps do get in the high 60's, and to most who live here TO COLD TO ENTER. FINDING WORK HERE........unemployment is now above 10%. i was having lunch in DENNY's the other day and iam freinds with the waiter, while i was there(30-45 min)he handed out 5-6 applications to walkins looking for a job. he tells me its like that all day long!!!!! SIGN WORK HERE, nov-march, is never good. i hand paint, so i know whats being HAND PAINTED usually. i got a partner, who has a job at the navy base FULL TIME......still does hand painting as a side job. so we still do some. here the PRINTER IS NOW KING. the shops that have em, have undercut vinyl prices so much, i practically dont do mant banners any more, and in the tight economy..... EVERYBODY SHOPS PRICE.......... BUT .........if you want pretty beachs, anywhere from panama city, fl to biloxi miss....is open. biloxi also has gambling, like vegas. all nite casinos.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic