Personal Question's

[Mr. Haunt]

I am just trying to get some ideas. This is a question for those who are a profit haunt.

What was your starting budget for your haunt?
Did you pay mostly out of your pocket?
Did you only have one loan from a bank?

If you do not want to share I will understand. I just wanted a rough estimate on start up costs and everything.

[PumpkinHead]

I know the last thing you want to be told it to buy something.... BUT ...
BUY THIS BOOK!

http://eurekascreams.com/halloween/hauntbook2.shtml

The best investment a haunter could make!
Plus, Kel is an awesome guy... lol!
-PH

[SSP]

I second that motion

Absolutely great book, perfect for getting a grasp on this industry, and business in general.

[SomeThingInTheIce]

YES!!! By far the best book if your are just starting.....Kel send my finders fee to my po box.lol. :lol:

[Jim Warfield]

I had no money at all when I started. I had worked for 15 years doing good work for honest wages and at least two elderly men were impressed by this and eventually loaned me money, personally, so I could get started here.
I invested every spare moment of time I had in this place and did everything myself, spending weekly pocket-change on a gallon of paint, , 25 feet of electrical wire as I could afford to.(It was much later I realised most people do not apply paint using wire and I bought a brush)
If only I video tapped myself whipping that drippy wire around the rooms, I could be a U-Tube sensation!
I could title it:"What Is This Idiot Doing?"
Wall discpline?
Avant- Garde of the mentally deranged?

[PumpkinHead]

Jim.... how about filming a historical reinactment to post online?

You need a TV show...

-PH

[Jim Warfield]

A certain film company in another country has about 5 hours of film they took here that has never been shown anywhere as far as I know.(For which I was paid nothing)
I once was asked to exhibit some of my own silly home videos in an art show in the Detroit area, the "I Know Norbert Show" (because I knew Norbert! He had asked me to exhibit)
Norbert later told me that some Japanese guys were totally fascinated by my videos and maybe secretly made some copies of them . I might be a video classic in Japan right now and won't know it!
Everybody liked the video of me riding a Harley Chopper through the Mount Carroll graveyard while wearing a flowing black cape and hood to the "Born To Be Wild" song playing. The video showed me getting off the bike infront of my house, but it was not me riding it! A stunt double was used and it wasn't Mr. Tuxedo, no matter what he says or writes in his expose/memoirs!
The old joke used to be:"You should be on television!"
"Why? Do you think that I am that talented?"
"No, but then I could turn you off!"
Click!"

[Raycliff Manor]

Wow! :oops: I'm off the forum for a day and I come back to see I've missed a lot! Thanks for the kind words my friends! I really do appreciate it! Lately I've been receiving some gret feedback from people who have read my book and it's great to know it has helped! :D Thanks again!

Kel

[MMManiac]

Kel,

I've been doing De Wane Asylum for five years now and have always been too stuborn to buy these " how to" books, but I have to tell ya after hearing so much good things about your book I couldnt withhold any longer. I bought my copy tonight. Can't wait to get it in the mail and learn new and better ways to operate!

Sean

[Jim Warfield]

I have always believed there were probably alot of stubborn people in this field, look at what we are doing!
How many relatives and friends and even casual accquaintences told us NOT TO DO THIS!!?
Pounding square Widgets into round holes all day to make the Boss rich never seemed to have much appeal to me either!
(Besides that, at day's end my widget would hurt alot! (But some people grow to like this, I guess?)

[TheGallows]

I am not sure where you all have gone for funding but no bank in my city will touch a haunted attraction. SBA has a list of businesses that they will not fund and Haunted attractions is on it. At least for our area. I am not coming from a small city either I am coming from a city that is just shy of 2 million people. Now several Venture Capital firms would help us but I would rather not donate 99.9% of the profit to some rich prick. I work for myself to make me rich not them. Anyway, funding can be tricky. I have learned that bringing in interested investors that have to put as much work in as I do can help the funding alot. Good Luck.

HINT- Citicard, Discover, AMEX, 4th mortgage, Loan Sharks, Bail Bonds, Bank robberies, whatever it takes to compete with the jones for the best haunted attraction is totally worth debt to your eye balls and jail time.

Ryan

Did someone say "get rich?" Has anyone gotten rich from haunting? Well, I guess there probably are a few industry people who have made a lot of money from their haunts, but I don't think this is the right business for anyone looking to become the next Trump.

Most haunters are in this because of the love for the business. We love being creative and entertaining our customers first and foremost.

Most haunters would agree with me that there are easier ways out there to make money. If you do not have a passion for haunting, then I would find another way to earn a living. I am sure Jim W. will back me up on this one. He has a very unique, amazing and creative haunt that he has spent many, many years expanding and improving. Jim, are you rich??? Well maybe rich in humor and wit but you don't see him driving a new BMW.

Don't get me wrong. You can make money from haunting. I have made a decent living from my haunting efforts over the last few years. But, I still stick to a very tight budget every year and hope by November 1st I have covered all my bills and still have enough left over to open next year and maybe buy a sandwich or two.

Howie "Slobber" Erlich
Deadly Intentions Haunted House
www.deadlyintentionshaunt.com

[Raycliff Manor]

Hey Sean! Thanks for your order! Your book is going out via USPS Priority Mail today so you should see it by Friday or Saturday. I look forward to your feedback Sean! :wink:

Kel

[Jim Warfield]

Howie, I don't drive my Bowel Movements around no matter how Wonderfull they might have been.
I make more income doing the haunted house than I did doing any other job , but this is not a "job", it's an adventure, I'm trying to be all that I can be!

[Mr. Haunt]

Be all that you can be? In the army?