Tips for Running a Bed & Breakfast

Many people dream of running a bed and breakfast. It may also be a lucrative business idea for people who want to work for themselves. Bed and breakfast establishments tend to thrive in country settings. They're also found in vacation areas like Key West.

Startup Funds and Planning

You'll naturally need a property to run your bed and breakfast. Some people prefer to find a fixer-upper. Keep in mind that guests will be staying here as though it were a hotel. You'll also need to furnish the bedroom that guests will be staying in. Local ordinances may require you to install new safety fixtures. You'll want to look at what kinds of guests could potentially be staying at your bed and breakfast. Tourists and business travelers are an obvious choice. Many married people stay at bed and breakfast establishments on their honeymoon. You'll want to make sure that your establishment is warm and inviting before you start advertising to potential guests. The good thing about starting a bed and breakfast is that many people want to stay at a place that looks familiar. You may not have to change anything at all. You should also plan out your menu and figure food costs into your expenses.

Licensing and Zoning Laws

A bed and breakfast is like any other business, so you'll need a business license. You may want to come up with a catchy business name. You'll have to look up the zoning ordinances in your area. These vary based on the county that you live in. Some bed and breakfasts can operate as standard residential businesses.

Setting Prices

Bed and breakfast establishments usually charge a flat fee that includes everything. You'll want to call other bed and breakfast businesses in your area to determine what the going rate is. Beachfront properties can typically charge significantly more than ones that are opened in suburban areas. Rural bed and breakfast establishments often make a lot of money because the mortgage prices on the home are lower. Adding amenities to the property may allow you to increase prices.

Consider Hiring Employees

Some bed and breakfast businesses don't hire any employees. Some people prefer to seek out a helping hand after a few years of consistent business. Try to hire someone that fits the image of your business. A typical bed and breakfast doesn't have more than one or two people running it.

About the Author: Collin is a guest contributor from The Inns of Glendeven, a wonderful Little River bed and breakfast.

Local Attractions in North Myrtle Beach for Kids

North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a hot spot year-round for family vacations. Of course, the beach is a popular destination and hours and hours can be spent at the many beautiful shores in North Myrtle Beach. If you're looking for family and kid-friendly attractions to fill the other hours of the day, here are some fun activities in the area to consider:

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Christmas on the Beach

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Hardwood vs Carpet: Pros and Cons

Hardwood and carpet are the ultimate favorites of homeowners because of their favorable characteristics that make them stand out from other types of flooring. Choosing between them can be tough because they do have their own lists of pros and cons. We at Carolina Flooring Services will help you evaluate the two and help you decide whether to install hardwood or carpet in your home.

Why Dealerships Push Extended Warranties

(Photo credit: Thomas Hawk)

You found the car you want at the dealership, you even talked the salesman down to a price you're comfortable paying. You've won the war, right?

That is until the pressure comes in to buy an extended warranty for your "gently used" vehicle. What happens if you blow a gasket? What if the starter goes kaput? Don't you want protection for these repairs?

If you haven't made a lot of car purchases at dealerships it may come as a surprise to you that the real full court press in sales comes after you've likely agreed to buy the car. The extended warranty is where the real money is made it turns out, and that's why your sales person is going to push so hard to buy it. According to Consumer Reports most places earn up to 50% or more margins when they sell an extended warranty.

With profit margins thinning on vehicles, add-ons like extended warranties are increasingly where dealerships make their money. Interestingly, many of these dealerships that won't budge on a warranty's price (should you pursue one) also sell discounted warranty coverage online. This is a perfect example of dealers having their cake and eating it, too. For in house sales they likely offer a commission to the salesperson, but savvy dealerships also set up standalone websites and hock their wares across the country at a discounted rate so they can get a piece of that action as well. While there are third party used car warranty providers like Auto Warranty One, for every one of those there are fifty local dealerships selling GM, Ford and Chrysler backed plans.

So, if you're wondering where the pressure is coming from, it's strictly the dealer's bottom line and honestly it's hard to blame them. If you do want to go down the path of getting a warranty for your used car, though, you're likely to find your best deal online, and not at the dealer.

Chapter 5

It's been a long week.  I'm about halfway through editing and revising Chapter Five.  It's been both fun and difficult as I've had to include more information than was originally there - due to the improvements I made at the end of the story.  It seems to be working well so I'm just going to stick at it.  Even as I'm writing it I can just tell that this is only the beginning of a very long and meticulous revision process.  It's not so much that I can see inconsistencies in the structuring of the plot, but I just don't feel that it's 'gelling' together very well between chapters.

In Chapter Five I have a character who must appear to be a goody, but in actual fact he's working for the enemy.  I want to write it in such a way that the reader won't see through the disguise on the first reading, but when (if) they read it for a second time they will learn more about how deceitful this particular character is.  The problem I have when writing like this is that I always feel like I've given too much away and so constantly alter it to make things more subtle to the point that it no longer achieves its purpose.

I've adopted the mentality that as long as I'm constantly working on it, it doesn't really matter when I finish.  Once the plot inconsistencies have been rectified I think that I'll feel much better about it all.  So for now I'm going to get back to it and hopefully complete the editing of Chapter Five tonight.

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