Lest you get the wrong idea, this site is not about to become another one of those “feel-good” motivational blogs for times of financial woe.
Hella no.
Those sites make me queasy. Still, you gotta give props once in awhile to people who show fortitude in times of economic distress.
For instance, this guy became a pizza delivery driver in order to pay the bills, after making $55,000 a year as a restaurant manager. Kudos to him.
I know, a lot of people are saying: Big Fat Deal, I do a whole lot worse than that for less money. And I think that’s the issue which I’ll harp on today. There’s always somewhere out there slogging through a crappier job than you. So, there’s no shame in taking a “menial” job in order to get through a rough spot. Times is tough, Just Doooo It. (ducking to avoid lawsuit from Nikee)
Now, I’m not recommending you quit your job to try delivering pizzas. But I think it can actually be beneficial and a big learning experience to take this kind of job after living so high on the hill (and yes, 55 grand is pretty high on the hill for many Cheaplanders). It humbles you. It forces you to check your old pride at the door for a different type of pride. It can represent a kick in the ass to get back to where you were before. Or, it could be a good way to get your mindset out of a 9-5 Monday-Friday rut. Maybe it’ll stimulate a career change you’ve been thinking about. It’ll force you to re-examine what you’re actually spending money on - why are you buying so many new high-end products?
In any case, the important thing to remember is that if you were a competent, skilled employee, and not just a hanger-on climbing up the corporate ladder on the backs of people who actually do work (boy, can you tell that I saw a lot of that), then you’re going to be able to get SOME kind of better job back when the eeekconomy swings back upward. Think of the pizza job as a temporary transit point toward the career that you want. And whatever you do, IGNORE the Expensivelanders and Yuppielanders who might look down on you. You might want to reconsider why you’re friends with them.
God, I just read back what I wrote and that sounds so lame.
So have I ever been a pizza delivery driver myself?
Uh, no… I have a note from my doctor saying I’m not allowed to deliver pizzas for the next 25 years.
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January 22nd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
My mother used to deliver pizzas to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the pressure to deliver fast and her dicey driving saw that career end with her wrecking the only new car (as in brand, spanking) my family ever bought by slamming it into a stone wall.
I’ve never delivered pizzas either, but I did serve and cook food in a snack bar in a mall for a short time. I was never prideful so it didn’t have much of an effect on me, but I’ve never seen people’s jobs as a measure of them (or felt my job is a measure of me). My current job is seen as nothing less than a plague on Japan, so I guess it’s a good thing.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
@orchid - oh, I hope your mom was OK. I realize it’s probably tougher to deliver pizza than most people think… actually, any driving job can be sketchy.
I used to work as a dental tray washer. Think of being a dishwasher at a restaurant, except instead of food on plates, it’s bloody gauze, decayed teeth and used floss on rubber trays. Thank god that was only for high school.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I hate Yuppielanders. Naturally I’m in LA and surrounded by them. Of course, they’re also packed together with Cheaplanders, which leads to some interesting dynamics.
Word to the wise: always tip your pizza driver well. My brother worked as one for a few years. Trust me, you do not want to ever get on their bad side.
January 24th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I used to deliver pizzas. It was great to make tips, but then the car broke down. This is what eventually happens to all drivers who use their own car. Hopefully he will take the ‘restaurant experience’ and become a waiter or something better, before his car breaks down too!
January 24th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@ken - the yuppielanders are everywhere - there is no escape =)
@mikaroni - I’ve heard that same thing from someone else - it doesn’t help that often pizza delivery drivers aren’t going to have new cars in superb condition to start with…