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Dan Furman
02-24-2009, 11:37 PM
Last year, I was really busy. Tons of client work, wrote a book, etc. It got to where cutting the lawn was a pain in the @#$. So we hired a lawn guy. Local business, great guy - really professional, etc etc.

Let me tell you, this was bliss. For the first time in my life, I didn't even think of the lawn - every Tuesday, as if by magic, the lawn was cut. Not only did it make me feel good personally (bending over a lawnmower is not great for my back), but also in a work sense - it's hard not to feel like you've "arrived" when you can hire out to have the lawn done.

Anyway, cut to this year. Business is not as good. Scary economy. Etc etc. The lawn care proposal for this year comes. As a service to his customers, he's not going to raise his prices, but I'm still somewhat considering dropping it. Bad economy and all.

Then my wife steps in. "Owl" she says (she calls me "Owl") "you are NOT dumping the lawn guy. You still make enough, and we're not going to be the people that cut someone. He needs his customers just like you need yours. And you LOVE having the lawn cut. I'm sending that proposal back with a "yes" right now.

God, I love my wife. She puts it in pretty good perspective. Business is down a little, but it's not down enough that I'm gonna cut my lawn guy.

No real point to this - just wrote a blog post and felt like writing some more tonight. :)

vangogh
02-24-2009, 11:42 PM
Cool story Dan. I'm sure a lot of people are cutting their lawn guy this year, but it's nice to know you won't be. I bet he appreciates it and at the very least your lawn looks better than ever. I also believe in karma and think it'll come back around your way.

Maybe one of your clients is out there in a similar situation and is debating whether he really needs some copy this year until his wife grabs him and...well you get the rest.

cbscreative
02-25-2009, 12:22 AM
Great post, Dan. Now I just need to share this with my clients who are "lawn guys," because I'm sure they can use the encouragement.

Blessed
02-25-2009, 12:50 AM
I wish my hubby would let me hire a lawn guy... he hates mowing the lawn, I can't (I'm allergic to grass... I'd be sick for three days) and it doesn't really cost that much. But Hubby hates to pay anyone to do something he thinks he should do himself just because he can.

Oh well, maybe one of these days!

huggytree
02-25-2009, 09:50 AM
I was going to hire a house cleaner this year, but because of the ecomony im putting it off....

financially im just fine, but work is still very slow and its hard to spend the extra $ with all the doom and gloom

Dan, remember on Despirate Housewives the affair between the lawnmower boy and Gabriel......maybe your wife protests too much?....is she at home alone when he's cutting the lawn?

i love cutting the lawn.....i have 1 acre of lawn and a riding lawn mower....my wife says i have a smile on my face the whole time...i admire my yard & the tree's...im into unique tree's and we have 10 different/unique varieties.....i look forward to seeing them grow and getting better and better every year....the weeding i hate with a passion though

Dan Furman
02-25-2009, 10:37 AM
Dan, remember on Despirate Housewives the affair between the lawnmower boy and Gabriel......maybe your wife protests too much?....is she at home alone when he's cutting the lawn?

heh heh - well, since I'm home all the time, that would be hard. :) Now, maybe at some point, we hire a lawn girl... that would be kinda cool!



i love cutting the lawn.....i have 1 acre of lawn and a riding lawn mower....my wife says i have a smile on my face the whole time...i admire my yard & the tree's...im into unique tree's and we have 10 different/unique varieties.....i look forward to seeing them grow and getting better and better every year....the weeding i hate with a passion though

If I had your situation (1 acre, riding mower), I'd love it, too. I love landscaping and such. My lawn is just under the size that would require a rider. But it's big enough that it's a pain to do.

billbenson
02-25-2009, 10:50 AM
In Florida, most people middle class and up use lawn services. Mine costs $70 per month. I have a reasonable sized suburban lot. It would probably take a good hour to mow with a non riding mower. My lawn guy is a retiree. He mows a bunch of lawns in the area. He's frequently out walking or walking his dog as well. I think he just mows the lawn for the exercise and to stay busy. There are a lot of illegal immigrants who mow lawns as well.

Like it was said in another thread, my time is better spent working.

KristineS
02-25-2009, 12:32 PM
Dan, I think this is a great story. I'm with Vangogh, I believe that good deeds and thinking and behaving kindly toward people will come back to you.

I purposely moved into a condo where yard care and snow removal etc is part of the association fee simply so I wouldn't have to bother with the lawn. I just don't enjoy that kind of stuff.

nighthawk
02-26-2009, 07:53 AM
Your post is a fairly good reflection on the current state of the economy - a lot of people and businesses are cutting back on expenses, whether they really need to or not. Most people still have jobs and look relatively safe - but they are cutting back on frills such as eating out or going to the cinema. This is having a knock on effect to the economy and is causing exactly what everyone is fearing. If people just continued as normal then the effects of the resession would probably be a lot less severe.

cbscreative
02-26-2009, 12:03 PM
That's the real irony of a recession, Gavin, if everyone refused to participate, recessions would lose their teeth.

KristineS
02-26-2009, 12:23 PM
While I can see your point, I also understand why people are fearful. If you're in danger of losing your income, or think you might be, you're definitely going to cut back to try to preserve the income you do have. Plus the job market is tough out there right now. If a job is lost, it might be hard to get another.

Heck, I'm quite sure that my job is secure, and I still think twice before making a purchase.