January 5, 2019 represented my first day of driving in the New Year. Last year I set out to drive with Uber and Lyft in an effort to send my daughter on a study abroad opportunity in Spain--- hence, Driving2Spain. I can report that we were successful!!!! We were able to put together savings using my rideshare income to fund her trip, and neither of us could be happier.
As 2018 came to an end, I intended on continuing my rideshare driving on a limited basis and find another target to save for----perhaps a summer vacation with my family. I wanted it to be something to shoot for, but not so critical that it would cause stress if I weren't hitting my marks.
My goodness, how that all changed in a matter of a few weeks. Out of the blue came the lovely US Government Shutdown. Yes, I, in fact, work for the G. Specifically I perform a function that is called "excepted service." What this means is that I am not furloughed but rather I am required to be at work. But, I am not paid while we are in shutdown status. At 19 years of service, I can be angry but can't do much else to rectify the situation except go to work and hope this passes. I love working on behalf of the people of our Country...having also previously served in the Navy.
Initially, I hoped it would end quickly as it had in the majority of cases, but it appears as though we could be in this situation for an extended period. With one child in college, and another who is a High School senior....it is a tough time to have significant financial uncertainty(really, is there ever a good time?). So, in hindsight, I am glad that I started with Lyft and Uber last year, as I have the infrastructure in place to be ready to roll.
This has given me a new appreciation for those rideshare drivers who do this as their sole source of income. Previously, when using this tool to meet a very specific goal, every little bit helped and caused excitement to build toward the ultimate goal. If a Saturday morning was quiet...no big deal. If my rides were short, hey, I still have a few bucks to go toward Spain. But now, I understand how stressful it is for the fulltime rideshare drivers who absolutely depend on this as their sole source of income....the ups and downs can cause significant stress and concern. Now, a 20-minute quiet stretch seems like hours. Before, it served as a chance to grab a coffee and a restroom break.
I am thankful for this outlet because it provides a source of potential income with maximum flexibility. And I am appreciative of the fulltime driver's out there who battle the ups and downs of the profession and carry on with professionalism and pride in their work.
#Lyft #Uber #shutdown
As 2018 came to an end, I intended on continuing my rideshare driving on a limited basis and find another target to save for----perhaps a summer vacation with my family. I wanted it to be something to shoot for, but not so critical that it would cause stress if I weren't hitting my marks.
My goodness, how that all changed in a matter of a few weeks. Out of the blue came the lovely US Government Shutdown. Yes, I, in fact, work for the G. Specifically I perform a function that is called "excepted service." What this means is that I am not furloughed but rather I am required to be at work. But, I am not paid while we are in shutdown status. At 19 years of service, I can be angry but can't do much else to rectify the situation except go to work and hope this passes. I love working on behalf of the people of our Country...having also previously served in the Navy.
Initially, I hoped it would end quickly as it had in the majority of cases, but it appears as though we could be in this situation for an extended period. With one child in college, and another who is a High School senior....it is a tough time to have significant financial uncertainty(really, is there ever a good time?). So, in hindsight, I am glad that I started with Lyft and Uber last year, as I have the infrastructure in place to be ready to roll.
This has given me a new appreciation for those rideshare drivers who do this as their sole source of income. Previously, when using this tool to meet a very specific goal, every little bit helped and caused excitement to build toward the ultimate goal. If a Saturday morning was quiet...no big deal. If my rides were short, hey, I still have a few bucks to go toward Spain. But now, I understand how stressful it is for the fulltime rideshare drivers who absolutely depend on this as their sole source of income....the ups and downs can cause significant stress and concern. Now, a 20-minute quiet stretch seems like hours. Before, it served as a chance to grab a coffee and a restroom break.
I am thankful for this outlet because it provides a source of potential income with maximum flexibility. And I am appreciative of the fulltime driver's out there who battle the ups and downs of the profession and carry on with professionalism and pride in their work.
#Lyft #Uber #shutdown
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