Managing money is difficult for all self-employed people, and bouncy castle operators are no different. Watch out for what we like to call the ‘money trap’. New businesses and small business owners all-too-often get the impression that all that cash in their pocket is for them to keep.
Back garden clients in particular will often pay cash upon delivery for their hired bouncy castle. Having delivered five or six bouncy castles on a single day, the amount of money in your pocket can add up very nicely!
Before you blow all your hard-earned income, consider that you need to pay for insurance, gas, transportation, advertising, and other expenses. Also, make sure you factor in the depreciation of your equipment. These expenses may not happen on that very same day, but eventually you will have to pay for a repair, replace a castle and renew your insurance, so make sure you put something aside from your earnings to cover your business running costs. You should also budget for annual safety testing of your products - doing so will ensure you adhere to health and safety requirements and will keep your stock in good shape and your customers happy.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the money you take is all profit – after you’ve paid for your expenses, you’ll also want to invest towards the future. If you only have one bouncy castle, you could potentially double your earnings by investing in another one!
You have to keep in mind that bouncy castle operation is a seasonal business, and that the main part of your annual income is to be made from April until October. Small rental companies may not make enough money during the winter months to live off of. Furthermore, most of your bookings will occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and you will therefore receive most of your payments on these days – so don’t expect every day to be as lucrative as the last.