24/02/2026
The downside to being self employed... the expenses! I've paid just under £8k on the van alone since December 😩 there is the fuel (which is the worst) poo bags, treats, leads, more... it all adds up. BUT I love my job. I love the dogs. I'm still not where I want to be financially; and I do still have plenty of space for new dogs! After all, I have a family to support. I appreciate my clients all so much for choosing me, and your likes, shares, word of mouth all mean a lot! 💗
Approximately £4,200 spent on my van in exactly 12 months. The entire cost of my van was £5995.
This latest expense has hit me hard, and I feel like somebody who stood too close to the blast zone- absolutely shaken and not sure what to do now.
I'm so proud of having built this little business into what it is over the past 12 months, but this is unsustainable. I can't physically put in any more hours.
This job is the best thing I've ever done, but it's tiring walking 16 dogs in a day. It's a weight on your mind being contactable 24/7, it's awkward and uncomfortable chasing people for payments, it's emotionally devastating when you lose a dog you love like your own, and it's certainly never been a cash cow. But when a bad purchase (my van) threatens the financial stability of your family over and over, I really do wonder why I'm not earning twice as much, working for somebody else. Where they have all of the responsibility, and I can take annual leave and have a sick day when I'm ill.
I'll end my mental breakdown there. I just needed the therapy of writing it down 🤦🏻♂️
