Takin' it to the truck

(I did post this over on LS, however I thought it would fit well over here too.) Do you consider yourself efficient for one time jobs? Last week I had work in a development, signed a group of neighbors all up together. The night before I plugged in everyones info and printed out their invoices so I could drop them on my way out, (aka get paid faster). I thought i was ahead of the game until 4 other families approached me while i was working and asked for the service also, luckily i had some proposal sheets I had printed out to sell the other neighbors on-hand. I scrawled in their names and property sizes and did the math out by hand. It worked, but it was a very sloppy hack job since my handwriting sucks. I decided that was the last straw, today I went out and bought a wireless printer ($179) and a newer WIFI card ($69) for my laptop. I had a 400w power inverter in my truck already which i use to power it. I could have boughten any cheap printer and run a USB cable from my dash to the backseat where i have my printer, however that would mean i would have to hook up before i could print anything. However with my wireless connection I bring the laptop outside the truck with me and still print. It *also* allows me to sit inside here and and print out tomorrow route sheet, right in the truck. Nothing aggrevates me more than getting halfway to my first stop and realizing i forgot my route sheet. The printer sits under my backseat in my extended cab 350 very snug, It is a perfect fit height and depth. The inverter is up by the center console. I feel the potential is huge. I can take my measurements at an estimate, go to the truck, plunk in the numbers and print something out *on the spot* for the customer. I also no longer have to try to remember what the service price is. The only thing i do not have at this point is a stand for the laptop, however I do not feel I will need one since I use Gopher's Palm software for my maintainence route. I can even stop at the Post Office on the way home, print out the invoices and drop them off.

Lawn care business tips

you can see me new wireless card (802.11g) in the laptop above Anyways, there is the truck waaaay down there. Its about 125 or 130 feet from me in the office.

Here is the printer sitting very snug under the rear seat with wifi enabled in ADHOC mode

finally, here is the inverter sitting up infront of the center console.

[Steve]

Hi BSDeality,

That is great information. I hope this inspires others to think outside the box!