The dark side of my landscaping side-hustle

Dark side, really?

I would love to tell you great stories about getting rich easily and quickly from my landscaping side-hustle projects. I’m sure some landscapers are doing it but this blog post covers the dark side.

Specifically, I want to cover two nagging issues: scheduling and additional work.

Mind your schedule

I’m not the most organized person but I know what has to get done and where. However, there are complications. Like when your wife can’t drive your son to 5:30 soccer practice and it rules out any side-hustle work for the day.

Or, you walk out of Chapter’s with your copy of the New York Times and your car dies. Mine had a blown transmission module and had to get fixed. Now the projects planned for right after work had to get pushed.

Then, your day job boss offers you extra hours on Saturday so you take the cash but it kills off the day. Saturdays are made for side-hustle projects. Again, projects are pushed.

Before you know it, your lawn care client is calling you, desperate, because his grass is long and friends are visiting at 6pm. Now you feel stress for very little cash but you’re committed for 2020.

Betty piles it on

It seems counter-intuitive to complain about additional work but it does cause stress. Say, I’m on site to do a quick lawn cut and maybe fertilize the lawn. Betty, the owner, comes out, greets you, and pulls out a list of new tasks.

Of course, I put it on my list because it’s easy work and I can’t say no, but it will require a separate visit. And all I’m really thinking about is the desperate client with visitors arriving at his home at 6pm; and how I will have to convince my wife to drive to soccer practice.

Escape the dark side

The idea of making side-hustle cash is extremely attractive, especially during a pandemic. But, it requires some juggling and tight scheduling between your day job, family, and side-hustle operation.