The Side Hustle Thread (split from Bees with AZD)

August 23rd, 2015 at 8:18:33 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
OK folks,
This is a real side hussel dilemna.

Somewher up thread I posted about the old time Gypsy knife sharpeners who supposedly made very good money. Face and some other posters pointed out that in today's economy people just threw out dull knives and scissors and did not hold onto them for sharpening. It was more a 'buy junk and treat it like junk' world.

I pointed out that lots of hippies were paying good money to attend knife sharpening classes in a variety of states.

Now I'd like to shift to another topic previously touched upon up-thread, Mushrooms.

How can this NOT be a profitable sideline, if all the hippies are attending three day conferences/workshops that cost $350.00? Now these conferences are all over the USA, it ain't just in Malibu or something. Ain't no way the conferences and lectures would continue, particularly since some of the lecturers are Canadian and there forbidden to share in any of the compensation. so tell me... what is it that lets there be a definite interest in some circles in quality knives and keeping a sharp edge on knives, scissors, axes,etc. versus the "buy junk and replace it for two bucks" philosophy? do these groups co-exist or is there a different geography to this sort of thing?
September 5th, 2015 at 11:13:05 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
My luggage side-hustle continues. Finally getting to something resembling regular hours. They are not truly "regular" but at least I show up for the same sweep all week. I am moving back to nights again this week. Boss must think that is an issue because I got the "you will make more money" talk. I know I can, and I do not mind nights. In many ways I prefer them. This is the time of year to have them, when night lasts longer than day later this month.

RANT--SITUATIONAL AWARENESS


I knew this was a problem, but good grief it is terrible. Too many people walk around not at all paying attention to what is going on around them. College chicks with ear buds maybe the worst. Some are not on another planet, they are in a parallel dimension. Busy street or whatever. La-de-da keep ignoring the world around you.

Other big problem is people just walking in busy places, aimlessly. In a busy airport, just stop and hang in the main thoroughfare. Folks, treat main walkways as roadways. Keep right. Look before you move. And if someone with a big cart yells, "excuse me" it means watch out and move. Might be 500+ pounds heading your way, these things do not turn and stop on a dime.

RANT--LOST IN TRANSLATION

I cannot believe the Asian population at the colleges here in town. I mean, I knew, but until you see more and more first hand you don't get it. I do wonder how much of this is included in our balance of trade. Anyways, these kids are nice. Polite and a bit shy. But ESL needs to do a better job. Took me about a week to get that they do not get what it means when you say, "I have your bag out front." What I want is for them to come to the door and get it. Too often dead silence. Kind of getting it now, but a learning experience.

TRANSITIONING IN SERVICE

The job has weird interaction. I have all my life been in jobs where the customer can leave if they want. Here the customer wants their bag and the only other choice is to come and get it. You still have to be nice, but you get to assert yourself more. For example, I will give a window of time. Your choices are:

1. Meet the window
2. Release the sig requirement and let me leave it
3. Wait

It can get more difficult. One girl asked if I could wait 10 minutes. "NO" I said, this is like UPS, we have to keep moving. She came right over. A college girl was refusing to sign so I said, "Look, I need to get this person their bags. If you do not sign the earliest they will get it is midnight!" I was directed to some RAs who could and did help. I think reading all those Mafia books has shown me how people are so afraid of a little conflict they cave.

CRYING GETS YOU NOWHERE

On that same note, was at an airline who will remain nameless, but is a current trunk carrier. Woman had two kids, 10 and 8 (might have been 12 and 10) arriving, right after midnight. So there is some kind of procedure to get a pass to pass security unticketed. Well somehow when the clock strikes the system resets and this woman could not get it printed.

Now, the woman is in tears and the clerk is acting like she works for East German Airways saying, "sorry, I can't help." I wish I was the more manly of the two of us but our senior guy asked the deal and suggested she go see TSA. As we left he said "WTF is wrong with that girl? No way I am letting that woman worry on my watch!" Guy is a former law enforcement so I guess he is used to stepping up, I just wish I had done more.

So, the first lesson is that crying does not work. I have observed for years how some people get taken more serious with complaints than others. I myself take some more serious than others. It is not a matter of "yellling" as I have had yellers I did not take serious. Nor is a threat to call the media, nobody smart listens to someone saying they will call the news. It is about firmness and presence. Some people have that and some do not. This woman did not.

Of course, lesson two is do not waste your time when you are getting nowhere. I would have gone right to the security point and explained the issue to a supervisor. Or another counter and asked for the same. I mean, all you should have to do is explain two young minors are going to be at a gate and you should get some kind of action.

MAWG DISEASE

The lead guy at night is a PI and 20+ years various law enforcement jobs. i have a B.S., loads of job experience, and other prospects. Another guy I know who is driving another delivery job (wings) has a MBA and a long history. We are all doing this kind of thing by choice because it pays similar to most basic desk jobs but you get 1/10 the hassles. Very weird, all of us close in age and all effectively kind of saying if we are going to underuse our skills we will really underuse them and skip the stress.

Life goes on.
The President is a fink.
September 5th, 2015 at 12:04:34 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Ah, the memories. Just wait till winter, when it's
dark at 5:30 and there is snow and ice and 15
degrees to deal with almost every day. People
get very crabby in the winter, especially from
Xmas onwards. Any job dealing with the public
tends to suck, and wears you down little by
little.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
September 5th, 2015 at 12:14:15 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Evenbob
Ah, the memories. Just wait till winter, when it's
dark at 5:30 and there is snow and ice and 15
degrees to deal with almost every day. People
get very crabby in the winter, especially from
Xmas onwards. Any job dealing with the public
tends to suck, and wears you down little by
little.


Yeah, but there is money in January. I have been advised to pack a pillow and blanket as you may need to sleep on the fly. Strangely, I can't wait.
The President is a fink.
September 5th, 2015 at 12:27:00 PM permalink
petroglyph
Member since: Aug 3, 2014
Threads: 25
Posts: 6227
Quote: Evenbob
Ah, the memories. Just wait till winter, when it's
dark at 5:30 and there is snow and ice and 15
degrees to deal with almost every day. People
get very crabby in the winter, especially from
Xmas onwards. Any job dealing with the public
tends to suck, and wears you down little by
little.
It depends on where you live. I was down around 52* lat. The sun came up around 9:30 and down around 3. Not bad, still time to get things done if you plan it well. Many of the locals think of the short days as the season to have get togethers, bonfires, and fireworks and get caught up with what everyone had done over the summer. New babies, marriages, fortunes made and lost. Winter is the social season, and a safer time for big canon fireworks.

And as Hobo Jim would sing, "were passin the bottle at the old anchor bar, ain't no one going out fishin" there's an ill wind been blowin 'oer these docks, and there's, storm clouds in the distance.

continued"

Well Jack's fished these waters for forty some years,
and now his sons and his daughters are feeling his fears.
And the cannery's closin in this little town, cuz there ain't no more fish and the prices are down, [stomps foot for effect]

Well there passin the bottle, in the old anchor bar....
The last official act of any government is to loot the treasury. GW
September 5th, 2015 at 5:19:41 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: AZDuffman

The job has weird interaction. I have all my life been in jobs where the customer can leave if they want. Here the customer wants their bag and the only other choice is to come and get it. You still have to be nice, but you get to assert yourself more.


This is a big one I noticed with the USPS. First, it seems almost impossible to be fired. The way the grunts talk to management can only be described as "shocking" (though I completely understand it lol). But with customers... seriously, what choice do they have? UPS and FedEx might get you your parcel, but if you want the important stuff, you gotta go through me.

Fortunately, everyone is oddly friendly. I've even had a guy give me a crisp water during this heat wave, and I'm told the customers get even more helpful once they get to know you. Dry towels, hot coffee, that sort of stuff. I've only had one guy get snippy, and it was weird. I didn't have to play the "customer is always right" BS game I've been playing for my whole damn life. I got to just sit there, tell him he was wrong, and let him deal with it instead of me.

I could get used to this =)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
September 5th, 2015 at 5:35:30 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Face


Fortunately, everyone is oddly friendly. I've even had a guy give me a crisp water during this heat wave, and I'm told the customers get even more helpful once they get to know you. Dry towels, hot coffee, that sort of stuff. I've only had one guy get snippy, and it was weird. I didn't have to play the "customer is always right" BS game I've been playing for my whole damn life. I got to just sit there, tell him he was wrong, and let him deal with it instead of me.

I could get used to this =)


It is kind of weird. I am always surprised when people tip me. I am not the pizza guy, I am showing up because someone screwed up. But I get duked $5 here and there, a couple times a week. Sometimes $10. This week one guy gave me a tomato, a squash, a bottled water, and a breakfast bar. Dude invites me in to sit down. Another guy owns a bakery and dukes a loaf of bread. Some are so happy to see me it is near scary.

Meanwhile the deliveries roll on. Wear shorts to work. Drive a few hours. Make some cash. Live the life of a bum and get paid for it. Work the bees on your days off. Wait for gas to go back up.
The President is a fink.
September 15th, 2015 at 6:26:44 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Just a little brag here...

I made a bottle tree a while back. I think I may have posted about it. For those unsure of what one is...



Real simple. Just a bit of cutting, a bit of welding, anyone here could do it. I built it in just a few hours and made $50. Money came in, I enjoyed doing it, win-win.

Well, the person I made it for just gifted it, as was their plan. Gifting turned into convo, and I just got commissioned to make at least 8 more.

$400 for a day's worth of work doing something I want to do anyways? Thanks AZD for turning me on to the hustle game =)
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
September 15th, 2015 at 7:06:39 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Face


$400 for a day's worth of work doing something I want to do anyways? Thanks AZD for turning me on to the hustle game =)


LOVE IT! Keep it up--get freedom from the daily job one hustle at a time!
The President is a fink.
September 15th, 2015 at 11:05:12 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: Face
Just a little brag here...

I made a bottle tree a while back. I think I may have posted about it.
I built it in just a few hours and made $50.
Well, the person I made it for just gifted it, as was their plan. Gifting turned into convo, and I just got commissioned to make at least 8 more.
$400 for a day's worth of work doing something I want to do anyways? Thanks AZD for turning me on to the hustle game =)

Congratulations. too me, its not particularly appealing and to my budget it is out of the question, but a bit of word of mouth never hurts. Uses? to line driveways or place near a mail box? to delineate open land as obviously residential so hunters do not fire or cross the land. (its a noticeable "border" signal that woods have ended and homes have begun) as a vehicle barrier, as an intersection marker. to whom would you market them? wives of rural homeowners who fear stray hunters, garden shops, stone and slate stores,?

by the way, do you do anything to the bottles to obtain those colors or just use them as is?