As the title shows, a while back my sister asked me if I could cut her friend yard as it was getting tall. For context, her friend is a single mom of one and lives in her own home. I agreed then asked her for the details, where she lived and if she wanted me to cut front and back. She told me front and back and that she wanted it cut asap because she already got a notice for it to be trimmed. She proceeded to show me pictures and her front yard was outgrown but not too bad. However, her backyard was hideous, the grass was almost to my knees and I’m a pretty tall guy. I was a bit reluctant but still agreed. After loading my push mower and weed eater to my truck I texted my sister that I’ll be fine with $30 bucks for doing it.
She then proceeded to get mad at me and called me selfish for not wanting to help her friend because she had a kid. I told her that she was her friend and not mine and told her that it was a reasonable price for her outgrown lawn. She then told me to forget about it and that she will find someone else to do it.
Now Im left wondering aita?
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As the title shows, a while back my sister asked me if I could cut her friend yard as it was getting tall. For context, her friend is a single mom of one and lives in her own home. I agreed then asked her for the details, where she lived and if she wanted me to cut front and back. She told me front and back and that she wanted it cut asap because she already got a notice for it to be trimmed. She proceeded to show me pictures and her front yard was outgrown but not too bad. However, her backyard was hideous, the grass was almost to my knees and I’m a pretty tall guy. I was a bit reluctant but still agreed. After loading my push mower and weed eater to my truck I texted my sister that I’ll be fine with $30 bucks for doing it.
She then proceeded to get mad at me and called me selfish for not wanting to help her friend because she had a kid. I told her that she was her friend and not mine and told her that it was a reasonable price for her outgrown lawn. She then told me to forget about it and that she will find someone else to do it.
Now Im left wondering aita?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1) I believe the action of not cutting my sisters friend yard should be judged
2) I believe that action makes me the asshole because I didn’t do it willingly without payment.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA
$30 is a STEAL for that amount of work. That is going to potentially take hours.
NTA you’re going out of your way to cut a strangers overgrown lawn, and 30 is perfectly reasonable
NTA You are completely right, this is your sister’s friend, not yours. Maybe your sister can go mow the lawn if she is so gung ho to get it done. Why wouldn’t her friend mow her own lawn? I mean when you move into a house usually in the lease it states you are responsible for the upkeep of the lawn, so she should either get a lawn mower or have a landscaper come every week or two weeks and yes she would have to pay. Being a single mother does not give you a free lawn care pass. I was a single mother and I maintained our lawn. I wish I could find someone to come mow my lawn for $30. I just paid $100 yesterday to my handyman to come mow my lawn.
Don’t think you’re the asshole here I mean if the lawn takes over 2 hours then now you’re doing the job for less than $15 per hour. That’s cheap as hell and I’m interested to know if they actually do find someone cheaper lol.
NTA
Why would you want to spend at least an afternoon doing hard work in the hot sun? I wouldn’t do it for $30 let alone for free.
You have no connection with this person.
Also last time I checked mowing and gardening wasn’t gender specific so your sister can certainly donate her free time to weed whacking.
NTA and that’s a fantastic price that I’d be happy to pay. However, your sister may inadvertently be the AH here as she might have offered you up under the assumption that it was a favor without telling you.
Personally, I’d feel bad letting someone clean up my yard for free anyway so if they asked for money, I’d understand. If I couldn’t afford it for some reason, I’d communicate that.
So really you and the friend are NTA from the information given. Sister might be if she didn’t adequately communicate what was being offered.
Hell no. Why didn’t your sister just do it?
I am female and did all my own yard work into my late 60s, including mowing a 8500 square foot lawn
They don’t want reasonable or cheaper prices, they want free. Didn’t you read the part about her being a single mom with a kid? Doesn’t that automatically mean that perfect strangers owe them free labor, of course it does! For anyone not understanding my sense of humor, this is sarcasm, but i honestly think these people believe they’re owed things because they are in some kind of protected class of individuals who deserve to be taken care of. It’s astonishing to me but here we are. I have my own pathetic sob story that I could pull out to play the victim at will, but I realize that my life situation is no one else’s responsibility to solve. People need to get over themselves. NTA.
It’s your sisters friend and favor. She can pay you.
NTA You initially agreed to it without knowing how bad it was. If the back is that tall, it will take special equipment anyway, and will take a long time. Your quote was extremely generous.
They wanted free help. I’m so tired of seeing “but she has a kid “ as an excuse. Labour isn’t free unless you do it yourself.
The lawn folks in my area charge a lot. If it’s overgrown it’s even more. $30 is a steal.
NTA.
Just because you’re a single mom does not mean you are entitled to people doing things for free.
Does she work? Could she have afforded the 30$? She could be making a lot of money. Payment arrangement?
If they wanted a favor, it should have been established from the start.
Don’t get me wrong, I get it kids are expensive but that doesn’t mean other people need to do things for you for free.
If offered, then that’s up to you but too many people are entitled today. Maybe offer a meal, or baked goods or even a talent you have for making things as a gift for them SOMETHING.
Again, I’m not a monster and I would help anyone at any time. It’s the audacity of EXPECTING it that gets me just because she’s single with a kid.
NTA. She has a house, she either does yard work herself or she pays for it. If she doesn’t want that responsibility, she can live in a condo or apartment.
You are not required to give away your time. Your sister can go mow her friend’s lawn for free.