The Side Jobs Thread

[camshawn]

I do little things for our neighbours as requested. I moved a pile of lumber for the new people next door this spring, ploughed snow for the horse place to get hay in a few yrs ago after a big snow. We have a short hill on the road out front that always gets the snow cleared off of it when we get snow. Sometimes I do it, sometimes it is done by Ken up the road. I lifted trusses for my friend’s garage this summer. He has a saw mill and cuts me stuff for cheap.
I never charge anyone but have received several bottles of wine and other gifts over the years. Mostly, the helping out of our neighbours is being part of the community and it comes back over and over.

 

[jk96]

I see people tilling gardens for $50, and they are all giving their time away and losing money. There are a lot of guys working that think they are making money, and they are actually losing money because they do not figure the cost of wear and tear on their $30k tractor, implements, and their $60k Truck and trailer.

This is why I really hate getting calls from people I know well for clearing jobs. I feel bad charging full rate. I started out doing a few at a discount but now I quote by the job like any other customer unless it's immediate family.