If you love cutting the lawn and you’re thinking about the next chapters of life, mowing is a great way to spend time outdoors, volunteer your efforts and make a little extra money.
Heading into retirement, you might be wondering how you can fast-forward to this milestone—or save some extra money to fund the hobbies you enjoy once you have more time to take it easy. Also, if you’re used to decades of a work schedule, finding fulfilling ways to spend a few hours is important to many of us. If you’ve always loved the outdoors and the satisfaction of mowing your lawn, there’s a real opportunity to volunteer your efforts and even make extra money.
Why not mow a bit more?
You can generate a second income before retirement to build up savings or create a low-key lawn care business that produces enough revenue so you can sustain your lifestyle well into the future. Plus, mowing is great physical activity, it’s relaxing, you’re not stuck at a desk or behind a cash register, and it’s a helpful way to give back to local organizations like churches and schools on a volunteer basis. Plus, you can mow well into your golden years with ergonomic, commercial-grade zero-turn and riding mowers that run smoothly.
Here are a few ways to mow into retirement and maximize the financial and feel-good benefits of spending time outdoors cutting lawns.
Maybe you’re looking ahead to retirement and realize that you don’t want to dig into your nest egg to travel, go hunting and fishing, or spend on some home projects you’ve been wanting to tackle for years. You’re not interested in part-time employment or a remote freelance gig that would only feel like you’re back to work again. Mowing is an appealing alternative.
Or, perhaps you’re nearing retirement and looking for a way to get there faster. You love mowing your lawn, so why not mow a little more for extra income? You can set your own hours, decide how many (or few) mowing jobs to manage, and deliver an in-demand service. There are many community members who could use help with cutting their grass. Even when the economy is in a slump, yard work doesn’t go away and busy families need a break.
Another benefit of mowing into and during retirement is the income potential. You can decide to mow a few extra lawns a week or grow a local mowing business when word of mouth passes that you’re available for hire. You decide. Plus, you can choose attachments like snow throwers and supplement your retirement income year-round.
If income isn’t your main motivator, mowing lawns can help out community organizations like churches and schools. And many municipalities offer maintenance services for seniors free of charge like clearing snow or yard work. Your mowing can be a real help to those in need.
Connect with local groups to find out if you can help out by mowing their lawns. As for flexibility, since you are offering a volunteer service, you will likely be able to cut grass when your schedule allows. All the while, you’ll get to spend time outdoors in the fresh air—and you know you’re delivering a service that these groups and individuals will really appreciate.
When you invest in a comfortable, efficient mower that’s high-quality and you know will last, you can gain even more ROI by using the machine more often. So, now that you’re retired, why stop at mowing just your yard? Plus, with convenient attachments, you can offer more to neighbors and friends—plus manage more maintenance on your own property.
Rather than renting a core aerator, an AERA-vator™ implement gets a tough job done effortlessly. You can maximize this investment by offering aeration to friends and local businesses in town. PowerVac™ systems take the elbow grease out of raking lawns. As you enjoy your retirement years, you can comfortably collect leaves without excessive physical exertion. And during winter, you can save neighbors from shoveling and clear your own driveway and walkways, and theirs too, with a mower that works all four seasons and includes snow removal attachments.
Who will use your mower, and how much grass do you plan to cut? Will retirement mowing focus on neighbors’ and friends’ residential properties, or do you plan on helping out local organizations with larger lawns to maintain? When choosing a mower, also think about how often you plan to mow.
Grasshopper can help find the right mower for you. And you can count on the comfort of a smooth ride and ergonomic features as you pursue mowing as a hobby or business into and during retirement.
Interested in more mowing tips from the pros at Grasshopper? Check out our library of how-to videos, or sign up for our newsletter. Thinking about a new mower? Our team can help you choose the best model for your needs.