Come join me in my quest to live a happier more frugal way of life, while enjoying the more traditional family values.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

My Sister and I




 While I really do think that our wages bill crippled our little Restaurant, I have only love for my sister, so let me put it out there. " I love you " and I know that you did not make your decision lightly.
I have spoken too my sister at great length over the last few weeks and she is aware of how I feel and because of our close bond we are still great friends. however some members of my family are putting the blame squarely on her shoulders and are less willing to forgive, however I am working on them....
After the Restaurant was put completely in my charge we experienced a couple of the worst trading months so far, it's because Christmas is just round the corner don't worry about it you will soon be so busy you won't have time to count your money ha ha I believed it all, more fool me. Remember I am completely new to the Restaurant trade.
So I put out an advert in our local newspaper stating longer opening hours during the run up to Christmas and sat back and waited for the bookings to roll in. It was not long before Saturday nights right up until Christmas Eve were booked out, Friday nights were slower but reasonably busy but mid-week nothing changed.
Except of course my Grocery list it got longer and longer and our new trading hours meant more hours for the staff, it was getting really hot here in Queensland and so the air con was on all day and night. and the bar was constantly getting stocked up.
Did I see myself making more money yes of course but it seemed as if there was constantly more going out, but I was still reasonably optomistic, about meeting all of my bills by the time we closed on Christmas Eve.
My chef was going off for a 2 week holiday as were most of my staff and so I had no option but to make arrangements to close the Restaurant over the holiday season, I felt they had me over a barrel with this decision I would have far rather worked on as it was too early in the day to be able to have no money coming in and to be able to meet my obligations, but you can't open a Restaurant without a Chef so I had no choice...
Of course I never made the money I had hoped to make and so when we closed on Christmas Eve I was struggling to pay holiday wages let alone rent and bills................



My financial matters

The Foxx and I sat down last night and paid our bills together then he jumped in the car and went to the bank to withdraw the grocery money for the week. this is the first time ever, in my married life we had kept everything seperately it was always me and you and now it's us.
I have added new debt to our finances as I did not walk away from The Restaurant completely debt free so around $5,000 is now owed outside of  our household expenses so once we get rid of our back bills we will start on the debt.
I have taken my side bars off as they had been paid off and I will think about adding new ones for my current debt.
Off now to take MIL to the shops for groceries........... till next time

13 comments:

  1. I'm glad you and your sister are still close, it would be too sad to have closed the restaurant AND damaged your relationship too. If anything it sounds like your bonds are stronger, and especially with the Foxx which I find very exciting! Sometimes when something awful happens we wonder why is god doing this to us, yet somehow, somewhere there is always a silver lining, I'm thinking the Foxx is yours!

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  2. There is a lot more to why the foxx and I are closer but thats for another post, but like you I am excited for our future....

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  3. good to hear that you are still close to your sister after all thats happened.

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  4. I am so sorry about your business. It is very hard to open a restaurant. The work is grueling and never ends. You really must do most of the work yourself or you are over on wages. But you know that don't you. I opened a dance studio 5 years ago. I have worked harder than I have ever worked in my life . I have gone terribly in debt. I take home no money. I have to work 2 other jobs as all the studio money goes to debt. But finally I am looking at going the other direction. But 5 years of working like dog! I would have loved to have folded years ago, but I could not admit I was a failure to my husband and had put him over $70,000 in debt. I feel so bad for you. But I am glad you still love your sister.

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    1. I was so determined to do this without any help from my Husband that I never included him in my successes or failures, big mistake from me I really needed his support.
      Maybe if I had been able to last 5 years I would be coming out the other side, but in my case it was not an option......Good luck to you.

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  5. I am sorry for your circumstances but have to admit (selfishly) that I have missed your blog and am happy to see you back! Just wish it was for different reasons....

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    1. I am happy to be back I really missed my blogger mates.
      Trying to pull it all back together now wish me luck.......

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  6. I missed you. I am sorry about everything that happen but only good things in the future right! And you are so back on my blog roll

    Judy

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    1. Thanks Judy, it's going to be a brighter future....

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  7. I'm so sorry that things didn't turn out as you had hoped... :( But blood is thicker than water, so it's nice to hear that you & your sister are still close! In the end, that's what matters!!

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  8. Thank you for that Carla I have just finished posting my March goals.

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  9. Maureen, I was wondering how things were going with your sister... Really glad you 2 are still very close... I know my sister means the world to me :-)

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