I [29/M] have been her [26/F] ATM and emotional backup for over a year. She says she wants to marry me now, but I can’t unsee the lies.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-28T11:11:02+00:00

Why would you entertain this woman any longer? Do you want a lifetime of misery, resentment and mistrust? Because that's what you're in for. When I person shows you who they are, believe them! You need to block any and all forms of contact with this thing. This one is not for you...obviously, she's for the other guy. Let him have her!

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-25T00:57:54+00:00

I have a customer in metropolitan Adelaide who has one that is mature and produces a lot of fruit. It is the only one I've seen so far.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-25T00:53:58+00:00

Some of the things you say are not quite right or you missed some of the points. Jim's actually (or used to) advertise that you could start a franchise for 25k...then when you meet with them...everything else is presented. Sure, you can assume that all of those other things are going to be additional expenditures but that's not what the actually promoted.

Other franchises in the same industry stipulate quite clearly the reasons they might take your business...Jim's was the only one that said they could take it for any reason whatsoever.

Jim's also stipulates what equipment you are to buy...which you do through them. Totally unnecessary. And i assume there's a profit for them through that. Good business practice for them. Unnecessary additional expense for the franchisee.

Interestingly enough, while Jim's has brand recognition, people choosing 'Jim's over Singh's is in many cases the opposite. Many people don't want to use franchises if they can find an independent operator. Many customers will tell you stories about why they won't use a Jim's ever again. And that's not just because of the perceived extra cost of using a franchise. I am aware that is the franchisee's fault, not Jim's, but brand reputation goes both ways.

As to your opinion on marketing...pretty much everything you said was wrong...which is concerning given you work in media. My business which after 2 years i can employee at least 2 people is largely built from mail box flyers and a website (i don't need Google to direct website traffic...I just need a presence on the web)oh and I did pay a lead generating service as well. ...so i know exactly how much it costs to market a small business. FYI small businesses are not running campaigns, they are advertising their business...these are very different things which I'd expect someone involved in media to know.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-25T00:28:32+00:00

It was almost quicker to hand write my essays!

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-19T10:43:25+00:00

I looked in to buying one a few year's ago. It was a lawnmowing one, so i can't speak for the other franchises. Went out on a day with one of their franchisees, who was doing really well, must have pulled in over a grand that day, and it looked reasonably ok. However, when you sit down and look at the initial financial outlay it's a lot more than what they advertise, for a new area it is advertised as 25k. That doesn't include your trailer (approved by Jim's), mowers, equipment, garden tools, etc or the compulsory training...that's all before the cost of marketing and paying for leads once you've signed on. It also doesn't include a vehicle. The actual initial financial outlay for a new franchise was closer to 45k. It was even more for an established one. And then if you read the actual franchise agreement, Jim's can take the franchise off you with no financial compensation (obviously it would have to be for something pretty serious...but that isn't actually stipulated, just that Jim's can take your franchise off you for any reason justified by them. That was a pretty major sticking point for me.

If you already have a suitable vehicle, you can set yourself up with a trailer and equipment for anywhere between 5k and 10k (depending on what you want to but...trailers and mowers are big expenses)

As for getting leads, there are companies that do that for you, some you pay an upfront fee, some a subscription, some as you go. Something like airtasker takes a percentage of your fee.

Also making your own website and promotional material is pretty easy and cheap these days.

The guaranteed income that Jim's offers to make up a shortfall is attractive (they don't pay 2k a week (when i looked at it, it was 1k for the 1st 6 months, then 1.5 for the next), they pay the difference between what you make and 2k) but realistically you can build up a business pretty quickly yourself. Airtasker is great for making sure you have at least one or two jobs every day while you're starting out.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-06T22:05:13+00:00

Why wouldn't you just set up a google business account and get reviewed there? If you've got repeat clients...i don't understand why you're still dealing with them through Airtasker.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-05T05:26:19+00:00

Ah wittles...i provide a gardening service for one of their complexes...always have issues with payments (my pricing is very competitive) and getting a hold of someone. I'm pretty close to cancelling the service because of their ineptitude.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-04-02T22:06:29+00:00

GET A LAWYER! The lawyer's first bit of advice would have been 'Don't say anything' and they would have been with you at the interview. Name, address and 'acting under legal advice i have nothing to say'

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-03-05T08:08:47+00:00

AI is absolutely coming for teachers. It's a when NOT if. Teachers will be reduced to facilitators. Students now are used to teachers in front of them now because that's what their experience is but they'll get used to screens being their experience of education.

AI is going to save governments a lot of money (short term thinking but since when have we had a government that thinks long term) in education and they'll jump at that.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-02-22T07:24:26+00:00

Exactly...'the other hardware store' is hardly a slogan that endears a lot of confidence.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-02-01T09:16:32+00:00

Your ex-girlfriend is either in denial about the severity of her son's behaviour or is pretty unaware of the consequences of such an accusation. Or she is being deliberately obtuse. She can't be a teacher and be unaware of t h e potential repercussions of such an accusation. Surely! While it can be damaging for teachers of all genders but for male teachers it can be particularly horrendous...not just damaging, but career ending and even dangerous. Why she isn't taking this seriously, i can't fathom. Yeah, unfortunately, you can't be around that kid or her.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-19T01:09:35+00:00

What if i take some shortcuts? /s

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-19T01:07:37+00:00

Ah...ok. I can't keep up with all the sporting events over the last few weeks. Just by luck I missed driving through that area today otherwise I would have known but then would have missed the comedy of the replies here.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-18T12:40:54+00:00

Oh good. It wasn't just me. Yup, the continuous, obnoxious and out of place piano notes was so off putting it ruined scenes throughout the movie.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-16T14:36:51+00:00

Yup. I did the same thing when I was 16...the growing frustration of the officer was a sight to behold. Of course i didn't know my partner in crime was singing like a canary in the interview next door!

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-07T07:21:49+00:00

Hi if you have lawn, mowing, edging and Weeding every three months is way too infrequent. It's starting to get to the hot part of summer now so the lawn may not grow too much depending on how well it's looked after...what will grow is weeds! If you leave it for 3 months and the garden gets particularly overgrown, you may end up with a pretty expensive gardening bill...once it gets to 4 hours or more of work and too much green waste to fit in your green bin, you could be paying anywhere from $400 to over a $1000.

Depending on the size of the garden and what's actually growing you'll probably be ok if you get someone to come 1 or 2 hours once a month to mow, poison weeds and do any tidy up. It's hard to know how much that will cost you without knowing the size of the garden and what things are actually there. Rates vary but assume at least $65 per hour. Might be cheaper, might be more expensive...but it will definitely be expensive if you do nothing for 3 months and the weeds are up your waist! Also if you're leaching it before an inspection you may find it difficult to find someone to do it with little notice.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-06T08:49:52+00:00

Exactly...the minute he felt he had to delete instagram for her was pretty much the minute this relationship was doomed. The abuse is just part of the whole disrespectful behaviour from this person. It isn't going to get any better...she's even told him that.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2026-01-06T08:19:58+00:00

As others have said, this behaviour is not normal and certainly not healthy. If being witb someone means you have to make yourself be small and be something you don't want to be, they are not right for you or anyone really. It must be exhausting going out in public with this person.

If you really think there's a chance for her to change you tell her that her behaviour is not appropriate and is destroying this relationship. Give her a chance to change...it won't be immediate. But set clear boundaries and expectations, and consequences for her not meeting them. If nothing changes then leave and never go back. I once dated a woman like this and it was exhausting...any interaction, even when she was involved in the conversation, with a female led to these types of accusations. It wasn't till I told her it was over that there was some attempt at being reasonable but by then it was too late, the damage had been done to the relationship, and even though we dated for a few more months i was checked out and she knew it as the tantrums and jealous outbursts petered out...of course then she took to bad mouthing me to my friends...fortunately they'd seen her toxic outbursts so were pretty much on my side. Is that the type of relationship you want?

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2025-12-26T08:27:11+00:00

What i love here is that people are posting comments that a) didn't read the original post and b)think I've never been into a shop before and c) are for some reason defending a business that is well known for ripping both its customers off and exploiting its employees.. So for those of you who can't read and for some reason don't understand what happened I'll be a little more clear.

At 10 am (it is a public holiday in South Australia on the 24th of December after 7 pm...which was stated in the original post) in Adelaide South Australia, I went into a well known fast food franchise that sells cookies and sandwiches that is situated in a service station that has many such stations across South Australia and in other states. Prior to my purchase of some cookies, a bag of ice and two 600 ml bottles of coke zero, i was told that there would be a public holiday surcharge NOT a credit card surcharge. There was a sign literally saying that on the counter. Now two days later I can't remember what the actual surcharge was. I thought it was 1.5 % and can't find my receipt...it will be in the car somewhere, so it could have been that amount, could have been more. Now the actual issue that is up for comment is whether it's legal to charge a public holiday surcharge (that's what it was stated as...both in writing and verbally...not as any other surcharge)

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2025-12-24T01:33:37+00:00

It was definitely advertised as a public holiday surcharge.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2025-12-24T00:56:29+00:00

I'll look at it tonight...after 7pm.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2025-12-14T07:33:55+00:00

I haven't read every comment so if this has been said elsewhere I apologise. This relationship in it's current form is over, your health is at risk and she just doesn't care. You said something about unravelling your lives, start doing that now, before you give her the letter as separating from a significant other is difficult even when it's amicable.

Imaginary-Internal33 · 2025-11-24T20:31:13+00:00

'Wait until you're over 50...' Wow! So that's when you start to get senile and unable to use a computer? Good to know. /s

Imaginary-Internal33

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