It was nearly $75 to fill my tank this week. Really sux when I have to drive a long distance (some days as much as 100 miles, and occasionally 200) to do a wallpaper bid, and then never hear back from the prospective client.
I had a call from someone in Montgomery, Tx, about 40 miles as the crow flies, but it took me 2 hours due to construction, traffic jams, etc., and then anther hour home. I told her I had a buddy in nearby Conroe, but she insisted that she had heard "such wonderful things" about me that she wanted me to do the job.
Well, I invested about 4 hours and a heck of a lot of gas in that bid, and have yet to hear back from the lady. Of course, perhaps they're still undergoing remodeling and will call when it's finished and they're ready for wallpaper, but it's been 2 months, and I'm not keeping my hopes up.
I know I should probably charge for bids outside a certain mile-radious, but it's hard to ask.