How Geckcessories did financially this year

[acpart]

I'm continuing the tradition started by a former forum member of providing some details about how I did financially with my gecko business in 2010. Before presenting the figures, here are a few clarifying notes:

1. There are, once again, 2 big expenses that I didn't track and I do understand that it makes a significant difference in my totals. They are mileage to shows (this is sig. because I attended 2 shows that were a 3-4 hour drive each way) and electricity to run the UTH's. So you have to take these 2 omissions into account when you see my figures.

2. My "misc." income figure is relatively high which is due to the fact that I get a really small monthly stipend from Gecko Time and that I've been doing some gecko-related writing for pay. Misc. expenses includes NY State tax (for when I vend in White Plains), business license and vendor table fees.

3. I've included expenses for caring for my herps that I don't breed or sell.

4. I have a very small "business" with about 15 leopard geckos and 3 AFT's (not all the leopard geckos breed) and about 10 additional herps that I don't breed. I generally produce about 40-50 babies a year.

So here it is:

Annual expenditures:
Reptile purchases: $ 413 (higher than usual)
Food/feeders: $1009
Supplies: $ 561
Misc. $ 385
___________
Total: $2368
Annual income:
Reptile sales: $1470
Food/feeder sales: $ 10
Supplies: $ 392
Misc. $ 375
______________
Total: $2247

Grand Total (-$121)

Not bad, huh?

Aliza

 

[gixxer3420]

That's not that bad at all.

 

[Euphoric]

That isn't bad at all either. I estimate my geckos cost me around $400 a year since I get a lot of things for free. So I am hopeful that this breeding season I can make some of what I spend on them! lol

But this is really interesting. I am going to do a spreadsheet too.

 

[Dog Shrink]

When doing your figures do you include the expenses of the non-breeding solely pet geckos into that? I don't think that would be right... shouldn't you keep pets seperate from hobby/business expenses? I know I do that with my rabbitry but idk how that would work with your situation. Prob. kinda similar I would think.

 

[acpart]

When doing your figures do you include the expenses of the non-breeding solely pet geckos into that? I don't think that would be right... shouldn't you keep pets seperate from hobby/business expenses? I know I do that with my rabbitry but idk how that would work with your situation. Prob. kinda similar I would think.

This is how I do it: if I get something that's just for the non-breeding herps, like the florescent bulbs for the beardie, I don't include it. However, I'm feeding crickets to a lot of different creatures and I'm not going to try to figure out what percentage of the crickets the beardie eats, or which supplies are for the breeding leos as opposed to the non-breeding leos.

Aliza

 

[Dog Shrink]

Just a thought, and only 'cause I think what you're doing with posting all this is really cool. I wish mopre people that wanted to breed dogs would read something like this before getting involved. But what if you counted all your leos, figured one number for productive profitable breeders, the other is strictly pets, Figure out what percentage of your leo population are productive and which are pets, so say if your colony is 80% breeders and profitable leos, 20 % are strictly pets, could you just subtract 20% from your food bill for a pretty close estimate of what your financials look like for only your breeder's share? Would that work?

 

[acpart]

Well, it would probably work in some way. The money per food per gecko is pretty small though in a monthly way and the bearded dragon makes a big dent in the crickets. In my opinion, it's probably not worth the figuring time since I'm already not counting electricity and mileage. My main goal is to come close to breaking even (not that I wouldn't mind a profit) in the traceable expenses for my hobby and since my hobby encompasses all the herps, I do fudge a little about what I count (hence the notes). Interesting comments, though.

ALiza

 

[Kristi23]

I always end up spending as much as I make. One of these years I won't buy so much and may end up with a profit (only because I breed my own feeders).