I know for the rest of the world it is Earth Day – but for me and my neighbor it is Groundhog Day, as in removing them! Our houses sit next to a farmer’s field, and what was once a groundhog here and there has now become a colony! I can barely mow without stepping into a hole – some the size of basketballs. In addition to all the holes, they have been attacking my garden. So it is time to do battle.
So what does this have to do with finance? Well, for one thing, owning a home is always full of surprises – like spending money on groundhog removal! Second, having a garden is not free food (unlike what some reporters have been saying in the news!). If you live in an area like I do, you must be vigilant against pests, including groundhogs and rabbits (or your garden will be free food – for them). And finally, because I worked with my neighbor and we are doing it together, we can split the costs, and the company we are using is giving us a discount because they are doing two jobs in the same area!
I have found that you can often get a discount if you can have a neighbor join you contracting the same company. I know people do this for snow removal, for paving driveways, etc. Something to think about next time you have a project that you are hiring out for.
