A few months ago, while visiting my mother-in-law, I noticed a peculiar situation going on across the street from her house. At first, I thought, "nah, I don't think that's what I saw," and I sort of went about my business. Of course, I peered through her blinds to try and get a glimpse of whatever the hell was going on, but I still couldn't really see anything.
Then, I decided to take our dog Lou for a walk so I could really creep in on the situation that was happening, but by the time I got outside, the garage door was closed up and the neighbors were back inside their house.
The next day, I waited around until I saw some action happening. After all, it was the long Memorial Day weekend, so it was the right time to be doing any sort of work outside your house. I then noticed the neighbor setting up a table and bringing out tools and large pieces of wood.
I watched, trying to figure out just what they were creating, and I finally figured it out.
Coffins.
They were building wood coffins.
It was a little disturbing to see these pieces of wood take the shape of a coffin. And by the way, I'm not saying casket, I'm saying coffin. It looked like something that a mummy would come flying out of in Scooby Doo.
What in the hell were they doing? Why were they building these? What exactly were they doing building them in their front driveway?
I don't know. Maybe I sort of read into it too much, but it was a little odd to see, especially in a suburban neighborhood in a small community.
Either way, I went about my life, we headed back to Seattle a day or two later, and I sort of forgot about it.
And then this past week, my mother-in-law texted me.
"Hey Scott, remember how my neighbor was making coffins a few months back?"
Turns out, the neighbor operates a haunted Halloween experience as a side gig. They were building the coffins for it, which makes total sense.
I completely changed my feelings about the whole thing. I went from "what the hell are the Klopeck's doing" to "damn, good for them, what a great side hustle." (If you don't get the Klopeck reference, you need to watch The Burbs, it's a cult movie classic with Tom Hanks)
I respect anyone who is trying to find multiple ways to make it these days. And I know it's not for everyone, but for those who have the talents and can find the time to produce income with multiple methods, they are really doing something great for themselves.
What really hit me was how smart it was. The neighbor wasn't wasting a long weekend; they were investing in something that would pay them back. Building coffins for a haunted house may not sound glamorous, but it is a perfect example of turning creativity into cash.
Too many people sit around talking about how expensive life has become without ever looking for ways to create more income.
I respect the hell out of anyone who takes the time to build something extra for themselves. It could be driving Uber, flipping sneakers, coaching, consulting, reselling furniture, making TikToks, or building Halloween props in the driveway. The point is, they are playing offense. They are not relying on a single paycheck to cover everything, and they are not waiting for a boss to hand them more money.
The people who figure this out early create a freedom most others never get. A side hustle is not just extra income; it is optionality. It gives you room to breathe, space to say no, and leverage to make bolder moves in your career. Even a few hundred dollars a month can change the way you show up, because it means your primary job does not fully trap you.
So when I see someone out there hustling, I applaud it. The neighbor building coffins is no different than the friend who sells real estate on weekends or the colleague running an online shop at night.
They are all proving the same point: if you are willing to put in the work, you can create more for yourself. And in this economy, that is not just smart, it is necessary.