cash jobs, side jobs, odd jobs | Wash Windows for Cash Money

Wash Windows for Cash Money

Posted on August 1, 2008
Filed Under cash jobs, how to earn cash, odd jobs, side jobs |



Another cash job I did very well with during my college years was washing windows. This is another one of those odd jobs that most homeowners dread doing. In fact, most don’t ever wash their windows.
In addition, there is a lot of potential for creating more side job money by adding on other services such as cleaning gutters and washing window screens.
Here are some tips on earning side money by washing windows….

Use the right Products
You don’t want to streak the windows or your customer will not pay you, so get a good glass cleaner. I always used the green Windex with Vinegar because it worked well in both extremely hot temperatures, as well as on cold days.
If you plan to do a lot of windows, you can buy the bulk bottles and refill your spray bottle from that.
You will also need paper towels that don’t leave behind lint, so don’t buy the super cheap ones.
Finally, you will need a small squeegee with a good rubber flange that will wipe away all residue.

Practice the Technique Before Gaining Customers
Window cleaning is not difficult but you should still master the technique so you can perform it efficiently and quickly. There is a bit of a skill in using the squeegee so you don’t leave anything behind. You should also wipe all the corners with a paper towel after cleaning the window so you don’t leave watermarks.

Borrow or Buy Ladders
You don’t want to limit yourself to only small, one-story houses, so it is best to have a 4-ft and 8-ft A-frame ladder at your disposal, as well as a 16 foot extension ladder.
Disclaimer: Don’t fall off the ladder! If you do, it is not anyone’s fault but yours! Also, be careful not to damage the customer’s house in the process.

Make Up Some Fliers
You will need simple fliers that tell what you do and present a way for people to contact you. You can leave these on doors when people are not home. You should also leave a price on the flier to avoid confusion when someone calls you.
Either way, you need to come out of your comfort zone and knock on doors and talk to people.
You hand them the flier and say these words:
“Hi, I’m Jack, and I stopped by today because I wash windows for folks and wanted to know if I could give you an estimate for cleaning the exterior windows for you.”
If you are a college student earning cash, you could say:
“Hi, I’m Jack and I go to XXXXX College and I am trying to earn some money for my tuition by washing windows, can you do me a favor and allow me to give you an estimate?”

Charge a Fair Price
You are performing a service that people hate doing, but it is not difficult. I recommend a minimum price of $35 to wash windows if there are between 8 and 10 total. You can charge about $3 per window above that. I would also charge an additional $10-$20 if the house is 2-story.
My average customer paid me about $55 when I did this on a regular basis.

Upsell Other Services at a Discount
If the customer is willing to let you wash their windows for $55, ask them if while you are there, you can clean out the gutters for an additional $20. Normally, I recommend charging a little more for gutters, but you should always offer discounts for multiple services.

Put Them on a Regular Schedule
After you finish cleaning the windows, tell the customer that you’d like to come back again in 3 months and clean them again. This time, give them a $5 discount for the next visit as an incentive. Most people would be glad to have you back, but make sure you get their phone number to call and remind them.

Take Credit Cards Via PayPal
You will highly increase your sales by taking credit cards. You should NEVER take the information from the customer on your own, but you can set up a PayPal account and have them send the money via their internet connection; secure in their own home.

Window washing is a great way to make some cash money quickly. My average days washing windows brought in nearly $100 for just a few hours work.



Comments

4 Responses to “Wash Windows for Cash Money”

  1. Dan Waldron on August 1st, 2008 4:16 pm

    I discovered your homepage by coincidence.
    Very interesting posts and well written.
    I will put your site on my blogroll.
    :-)

  2. Earn $100 Cash Tonight Selling Candy Bars | Free Cash Job Ideas on August 7th, 2008 6:22 am

    [...] on August 7, 2008Filed Under Uncategorized | I previously told you how to earn cash washing windows and how to make money cleaning gutters. Now I am going to share with you a side job that earned me [...]

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