Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with costs

Price for new water heater?

Cosine — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:52:12 -0800

Reasonable cost for a new hot water heater? (Vancouver, Canada) We're replacing our water heater, plain old 40 gallon gas water heater. We have a quote from a company we have dealt with before (and liked a lot) for $1200, which seems very high. My father-in-law just had his 40 gallon tank replaced for $800, unfortunately he lives several hours away.

Is $1200 crazy or was $800 just a really great price?

How much should we have saved up before we have a baby?

mittenbex — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:45:13 -0800

When the time comes, I'd like for it to be possible for me to stay at home for at least a year after a baby is born (I am not pregnant yet). I guess this is two questions. First, how much should I have saved up to care for baby for the first year and secondly, how much should I have saved up to cover myself for the year? Mr. Mittenbex is a teacher so there will be other income obviously. I am currently only bringing in about 21k a year.

I know the obvious one-time costs like crib, car seat, furniture etc. But I'm looking for advice from parents who have an idea on what they spent on their kid in the first year. I am planning to breastfeed so hopefully that works out and out goes the cost of formula.

Thanks, guys!

Trying to wrangle a creative business into a business plan is tons more difficult than I expected

divabat — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:09:10 -0800

How am I supposed to make financial projections for a business plan when I don't even know how much money I'd earn in a month? I'm in the process of starting up a small creative business aimed at providing services for creative productions & producers - anything from selling merchandise to stage managing to backup singing. From my experience, such people (basically anyone willing to do random grunt work that's necessary for a production to run) are quite in demand and it's something I enjoy doing anyway, so it's a viable idea. It's also going to be the brand/structure for my own performance/creative work.

I've already done a couple of gigs and am getting my name out there in the communities I want to work with. There are some grants and funding I'd like to explore, and they all require a business plan. However, I'm stuck at the financials section of the plan, because I don't know how to project my yearly cashflow or turnover.

The nature of my business means that my income is likely irregular, especially during the first year while I build my reputation. My potential income all depends on the people I work for, my level of experience, their budget, how friendly they are to me, whether they'd give me money or something in-kind, or so on. People tend to be really secretive about this as well.

I have an idea of a base hourly rate, based on previous work, but there's no telling how many of those hours I can fulfill. There's also the option of paid by commission, flat rates, retainers...so many variables!

I asked a well-known accountant in the arts industry this question and he gave me this reply:

I tend to not worry too much about income projections, well not upfront anyway, because, as you say, you have bugger-all idea of how much you’ll make. Instead, I concentrate on getting the costs identified and quantified as well as you can, and even that’s a bit more guessing than anything else. Once I’ve established how much the business is likely to cost on a day-to-day basis, then that tells you how much income you need to cover costs. Add to that your cost of day-to-day living. That tells you how much money you need to be getting to live on and run the business, in total. Subtract from that how much you get, say, from part time wages, and the balance becomes the business income you need to get by one. That’s the starting point and if you think you can make more than that, then that’s the figure you use. Don’t get too hung up on income from a budgeting perspective though; generally you’ll hustle enough to get by on!

I do have an estimated budget of my costs, as well as calculations of how much I'd need from my jobs (not just this one, but regular jobs as well) to get by. However, it still doesn't help my business plan - I'm not sure I can replace the Financial Projections section with "My accountant told me not to bother"!

How do you plan for irregularity in business, particularly a creative one? What do you do when you can't predict exactly how much you'll earn, but you have a pretty good idea why that's the case and how you'll price yourself?

Also, are there any examples of creative and unusual business plans? I know of the Right Brain Business Plan but that's about it really.

Do I refund the shipping difference?

littlerobothead — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:53:11 -0800

Sold internationally on eBay (I'll never do it again) but couldn't ship via the method the buyer wanted. Do I refund the difference, or chalk it up to lessons learned? This was an Acer Netbook. I reluctantly sold it internationally and it finally arrived (after almost two weeks). But, as it was used merchandise, I couldn't ship it UPS, the method I estimated for. Instead, I had to send it International Parcel Post which took longer but was a bit cheaper.

I sell frequently, and typically make a dollar or two on shipping because estimates vary. Is there some critical limit at which I should refund shipping costs? Is it $20? $10?

The buyer said he knew this would happen since he eBays a lot, too. However, he still wants the difference back. Should I give it to him? Seems to me I've gone out of way at this point, and given that the shipping was an estimate anyway I feel I don't owe him anything.

What say you, hivemind?

What's worth spending money on for your wedding?

Dzolali — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:44:07 -0800

My SO and I recently got engaged. We're pretty chill folk, and are looking to have a medium-to-large wedding (150-200 people) but constrain costs to well under $10K. We have flexibility on timing and location, but we're aiming for MA/NH/VT/ME/RI of 2009. The question I want to ask of the married MeFi hive is: of the things you spent money on for your wedding, what was most worth it? What was least worth it?

Negotiating a home purchase

jclovebrew — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:55:33 -0800

When buying a house is it better to have the seller pay the closing costs or to reduce the sale price of the home? I'm buying a house (yay!). The inspection turned up some issues so I've gotten some concessions from the seller. So far we've left it open-ended as to whether they should reduce the price of the house or pay the closing costs. Which one should I push for? There seem to be pros and cons to each. I'm favoring the price to get reduced because it means my monthly payment will be a bit less and I will also be able to cancel the PMI sooner. Is this a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other, or is one scenario clearly better than the other?

Getting back to Social Gaming

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:08:50 -0800

Getting back to social gaming/console gaming, and other related considerations from an ex-hXc gamer. I've been for the better part of the last 5 years, a solo gamer, dwelling in the realms of an mmorpg or just playing games like CivIV/Elder Scrolls/F.E.A.R./Puzzle Quest/Patapons alone.

In my youth, ever since the early 90s I'd been an avid gamer, buying up practically every console since NES, until the PS2 where I sort of dwindled off into the PC world, and then entered adult life where I try to save as much money as I can for tuition and rent and such.

I have a girlfriend who I've been slowly inducting into the game world by showing her some of the best games that aren't for serious gamers (like Patapons/Katamari Damacy/Loco Roco/Puzzle Quest/Baldur's Gate etc...). Considering the way that gaming has been going since the Wii and franchises like Guitar Hero (which we both LOVE, and bought GHII for my old PS2 only to have the console die in a matter of days - ugh!) I think we could both benefit from having a fun multiplayer game on the side.

The problem is, I still don't have the money to be a serious gamer, and frankly I don't have the time even if I could find the money with the work I do, and school for a better part of the year, so I'm considering my options here carefully since it would be more of a distraction than an all-out hobby.

I'm looking ahead towards an anniversary gift that would be to both of our pleasure for something like a PS3 (or Xbox or Wii) with GH: World Tour or Rock Band as an idea that I've been toying around with.

The problem is a money thing coupled with the knowledge that I lack at this moment considering that I don't follow gaming trends nearly enough to make this judgment call, I was wondering if anyone had a guesstimate about when prices might come down for any of the consoles, and if anyone could help me decide between them considering my investment would ideally be minimal, and while I have a background in hXc gaming, it's not so much my priority these days.

I guess I'm looking for constructive opinions, like "The Wii might be a good choice since it doesn't emphasize bleeding-edge visuals, which means it might have more years than the PS3/Xbox" or "The Xbox is probably going to fail in 6 months anyway", or dates of price trends since our anniversary is a few months away!

I realize fanboyism is at a prime with a topic like this, but I wouldn't be opposed to any discussion this thread might generate, so feel free to talk amongst yourselves if it remains constructive.

I also appreciate comments from persons who are recently discovering casual, social gaming and how you find it to be from a financial/time-investment perspective.

All Costs Considered

bbranden1 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:16:22 -0800

Streaming radio production cost: what is the cost to a local radio station for internet streaming of one program to one listener? Not just the cost of paying the royalty cost of a national program (like Prairie Home Companion}, but the local costs incurred by the station, e.g. servers, software, staff time devoted to webcasting. Bonus question: is it more or less expensive than the cost of downloading a single podcast to a single listener?

Need X income, therefore business must by Y profitable?

garfy3 — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:42:08 -0800

Simple set of calculations/spreadsheet formulas for thinking about the true cost of starting a business or going freelance? I'd like to do a spreadsheet that "reverse calculates" what I would need to charge per-widget in order to make a living wage. Something like input-current-cost-of-living, then see how many widgets you can make in a day, and see how productive you'd have to be. (Asking because I noted a colleague of mine had "gone independent" and was charging $17 per digital image to clients...thought this was rediculously expensive, then figured taxes/health insurance, etc, might even make this way unprofitable?).

I've seen cortex's question which covers some of the considerations on starting/not-starting a business. One of these is "if you have to pay self-employment tax then reduce your profit calculations by 40%." Got it. So I'm thinking the equation should show loss to taxes, loss to health insurance, loss to business registration fees, loss to capital expenditures, etc? What else do I need to add to this equation?

(Oh, and I'm in the US).

Family of four, moving to Bay Area, making $115K. Is this crazy?

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:11:58 -0800

Family of four, moving to Bay Area, making $115K. Is this crazy? I live outside the US. I have been offered a job in Mountain View making $115K, which is a lot anywhere else except the Bay Area it seems. I have the potential to make $30K+ in bonuses annually, but bonuses don't pay the mortgage. I would have ~$300K in home equity to make a down payment on a house. So my question is two-fold: one, can I actually live a reasonable life on this much money in the Bay Area? 1100 sq ft 3-bedroom houses seem TINY to me. Is this really the best I can expect to be able to own? The second question I care less about, but of course the big question is whether buying a house in the peninsula in the next few months is bad timing. But I'm a believer that you cannot time the market, so really it's the first question I care about. Can I, my wife and 2 kids live in a nice neighbourhood for that much money? (Finally I would have a relocation package, so transaction costs are not an issue, just making monthly payments on somewhere worth living and not having to eat beans, as much as I enjoy them).

Mental health coverage in Canada.

opsin — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 18:52:38 -0800

Hivemind, can you help me work out if my friend will be covered by the health system in trying to see a psychologist in Ontario? My friend moved to Canada a year or so ago, and has now got his SSI (I think it's referred to as - his work permit anyhow), as he is married to a Canadian.
He'd been seeing a pyschologist in the UK, covered by the NHS, and is trying to find out if he'll be covered similarly in Ontario. He is working, I think full time now (the issue being however, that he's not earning much), if that affects it.

We've both googled it and not really come up with much information on likely costs or whether he will, as I say, be covered. Any info would be appreciated.

How much do mid-size companies pay for health care on behalf of their employees?

Asherah — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:23:52 -0800

How can I determine or calculate the average amount a company pays for healthcare/benefits for a single full-time employee? I'm discussing the possibility of a merger of two positions with my current employer and I'm trying to calculate the cost savings of eliminating the need for an additional full-time employee. Are there statistics available on the web, or would I be able to calculate the amount of money a company pays in health care premiums and other benefit costs (monthly or annually) for the average full-time American worker? I realize there are probably many variables involved, so an average range is all I'm looking for. (If needed, this job is an Administrative position at a medium size, national financial institution that would pay in the range of $35-$45K, annually.) Also, would it be possible to contact our HR department directly, as in, would the company even disclose that information?

Splitting costs with a couple

jontyjago — Wed, 02 May 2007 02:26:27 -0800

I'm organising the hiring of a car for myself and 2 other people who are a couple. I'll be paying for the car upfront - should I ask them for half of the amount or two-thirds? Obviously mathematically and logically I should ask for 66% of the cost, and if it was 3 unattached (to each other) people I would split the cost in 3. But as they're a couple it seems a bit weird, obsessive and cheap to ask for two thirds. What would you do in this situation?

How much does an abortion cost?

bilbo baggins — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 10:25:34 -0800

What is the average range cost for an abortion? I know there are different procedures and costs most likely vary depending on health insurance? But I just need some basic idea because I cannot talk to a health professional until monday, and I want some idea. Please no moral judgements!

Factoring Utility Costs into Business Plan

goalyeehah — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:13:40 -0800

How does one estimate utilitiy costs utilities in 4000 square foot retail space? I am in the process of developing a business plan for a yoga studio and would like to know how does one calculate average utility costs for the year. Are their any sites out there that calculate costs per square foot?

What do budget/cost/technical knowledge is needed for a website relaunch?

Duck_Lips — Sun, 07 May 2006 07:35:38 -0800

I have been asked to rapidly (tomorrow night) put together a plan to re-launch/re-design a website. What are the pitifalls/costs/technical factors that of which I should be made aware? Now, I have 15 years experience related to the subject matter of the website.
BUT I know nothing about the costs/budget/technical end. Ultimately, we'll probably bring someone to actually do the work. But can i guestimate what this will all cost? or what key technical needs there will be. and how might this website pay for itself. Is there a primer?
oh, and this re-launch is secret so I can't ask any of the people who have worked on the site. (oh, and one brief addition, has the Web 2.0 "look" gone mouldy already)?

What is being done about high prescription costs?

monsta coty scott — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:09:56 -0800

The high costs of prescription drugs is often reported in the media, but what is currently being done about it? Are there any plans currently in effect? Are there any congressmen lobbying for action to be taken, if so who? I'm looking for either really general solutions to the problem, or specific actions people are taking towards a solution.

Cold Air Refrigeration

ParisParamus — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 11:19:17 -0800

Using Cold Outside Air to Reduce Refrigeration Costs: Why isn't this done? Why has it not become architectural and kitchen appliance practice to use the cold air of fall, winter and spring to reduce home energy costs? In other words, why not create duct work and refrigerator/freezers that suck in cold outside air to cut down on electric refrigeration costs? Mass produced, such would not seem like it would add much cost to applicances, and over the years, it would more than pay for itself, and then some. Yes, Floridians or residents of Italy might not benefit, but still...

Help us weatherproof our house.

Kimberly — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 18:25:54 -0800

I need suggestions for inexpensive weatherproofing on our home. My husband and I rent a townhome (in Denver) and it is horribly drafty. We can feel cold air coming in through most of our windows. We love our little house--it's a lot of space for the money--but we have a very uhm, "hands-off" landlord and there's little to no chance to get them to invest any money in weatherproofing. With energy prices the way they are, I'd love some low-cost suggestions for how to weatherproof our windows along with any other tips for keeping warm while keeping our energy costs down. We're living on a one-income graduate student budget, so I have to stress the low-cost part. Thank you!!

Retirement Calculators

machaus — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 15:48:21 -0800

Retirement calculator needed. [more inside] It's easy to find calculators that tell you how much you need to save if if your want to retire at X age with X level of money per year. What I'm looking for is a bit more complex:

Say that I want to invest 10% of my gross salary per year in retirement. Let's also say that my employer matches the X% of the first 4% of my salary deferral. Given that I am fairly young and my tax bracket will increase, is there a calculator that could tell me whether it would be better to put all the money in the company 401K plan or if there was a break even point at which I should shift some of the yearly 10% into a similarly performing Roth IRA to take into account later life taxation? Is this bordering on the milieu of a financial planner?

how much should a small organization should pay for IT support and services?

yeahyeahyeahwhoo — Mon, 02 Feb 2004 10:47:10 -0800

I need some help finding general numbers/info about how much a small organization (around 50 employees) should expect to pay for IT support and services.