W*rking for the heck of it

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I know we avoid talking about w*rk, but I just retired last year, and recently a friend has asked for advice on managing their website, which is what I used to do for money. He's actually our exterminator, and the business owner, but whenever he comes to visit we usually wind up talking about something completely unrelated, so he asked me for a bit of advice, and offered to pay me.

So my question is, have any of you done a little consulting on the side for someone you knew, like a friend or neighbor, and do you have any advice?

IMO It's not enough work to draw up a contract, he's already said he'll credit me 100% for our last inspection just for my advice so far. I'm not sure how much time I want to spend on this, but I could probably wind up charging him more than I would pay him for his services. The good news is, he was paying someone a lot more for a really crappy job, and I explained to him where he was overpaying, and what he should expect from reputable SEO and hosting services. I think he's just happy to have someone he feels is 100% transparent and trustworthy, as I'm going to try to set him up to pay the hosting directly, and give him some analytics and search dashboards so he can check them himself.

Of course, I suppose if he wanted me to, say, rebuild his website (I'm not crazy about the current layout), I'd probably get at least an email agreement on terms for that, but I'm not even sure I want to spend that much time doing what I consider work, but we'll see.

EDIT: I suppose the important part is, like any geek I really enjoyed explaining the basics of SEO ranking and the importance of letting your content drive it rather than trying to game it. That didn't seem like work. I'm not sure whether rebuilding his website would feel like a fun challenge/diversion, or a chore.

 

[Surewhitey]

Sometimes, for friends, we'll exchange services. Otherwise I don't charge much & ask them to assist. Not exactly something you can do though... I enjoy doing what I do too.

 

[Ronstar]

I do some work for our HOA, friends, etc. All volunteer, nothing for pay.

 

[VanWinkle]

I help DIY friends and family with their tax returns. I have volunteered with VITA for years and still enjoy working with numbers. It is never a payed position, but I get a few free dinners

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Sometimes, for friends, we'll exchange services. Otherwise I don't charge much & ask them to assist. Not exactly something you can do though... I enjoy doing what I do too.

This and what Van Winkle said are what I think I'm hoping for. I'll do a bit of monitoring for him and he'll comp our services. He's taking me out to lunch today because he's very happy to be free of his former provider -- think like going to a mechanic when you don't know about cars, he felt like he didn't understand and things weren't explained very well, and as I said, I like the explaining part them most. (Well, that and data visualization, those were the parts of my job I liked a lot.)

 

[street]

Oh, I think that would be a fun project with no pressure and on your time with no deadlines. In return you get something and he gets something. I would make it clear what your expectations are for the long term maintenance ect.

 

[zinger1457]

As Street stated, doing it on your time with no deadlines is the key IMO, otherwise it feels too much like work. I enjoy building/repairing golf clubs and woodworking, I have a small workshop and have been doing it for +25 years. Will help my friends out with no charge (usually get taken out to lunch), except for materials if required, but it's on my no-rushed schedule.

 

[savory]

I started a little consulting business after retirement. I worked mostly with friends and friends of friends. I was not demanding on my price but it was more than lunch, for example. I think my friends/clients were mostly happy and I felt I benefited too. I only did it for about 18 months and most projects, like the one you describe, were short term and very specific.

BTW, I think getting paid will make you feel more responsible (not that you would not be all in) but I would not expect you will get paid for the level of your talents as part of your goal is to help people out. I think that is a good thing in the sense you are going to provide a service that your clients feel they could not afford in a traditional relationship. Kind of how you describe the opportunity to upgrade the website. For me, it was a nice transition

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I do handyman stuff for the single ladies across the street. My fee structure: A one-day job is a case of beer. Small jobs are free.

 

[street]

I do handyman stuff for the single ladies across the street. My fee structure: A one-day job is a case of beer. Small jobs are free.

Lol!

 

[Golden Mean]

I might flip it around write a program that I could ask for optional donations on, but I don't think I could back to some sort of deadline/schedule situation.

I'll also note that when GF "helped" on a website for a relative, it ended up being her baby for like, years.

 

[old medic]

I do some local tractor work for friends and neighbors. Got tiller, backhoe front bucket bushhog. Have 3 families I till their gardens every year... Charge nothing, they hand me some cash and fresh veggies occasionally show up throughout the summer and fall.

 

[kilgore]

For no pay, occasionally. To take pay, at least for me, translates as "work." Volunteering is wholly voluntary, not obligatory.

 

[GoodLife59]

I know we avoid talking about w*rk, but I just retired last year, and recently a friend has asked for advice on managing their website, which is what I used to do for money. He's actually our exterminator, and the business owner, but whenever he comes to visit we usually wind up talking about something completely unrelated, so he asked me for a bit of advice, and offered to pay me.

So my question is, have any of you done a little consulting on the side for someone you knew, like a friend or neighbor, and do you have any advice?

IMO It's not enough work to draw up a contract, he's already said he'll credit me 100% for our last inspection just for my advice so far. I'm not sure how much time I want to spend on this, but I could probably wind up charging him more than I would pay him for his services. The good news is, he was paying someone a lot more for a really crappy job, and I explained to him where he was overpaying, and what he should expect from reputable SEO and hosting services. I think he's just happy to have someone he feels is 100% transparent and trustworthy, as I'm going to try to set him up to pay the hosting directly, and give him some analytics and search dashboards so he can check them himself.

Of course, I suppose if he wanted me to, say, rebuild his website (I'm not crazy about the current layout), I'd probably get at least an email agreement on terms for that, but I'm not even sure I want to spend that much time doing what I consider work, but we'll see.

EDIT: I suppose the important part is, like any geek I really enjoyed explaining the basics of SEO ranking and the importance of letting your content drive it rather than trying to game it. That didn't seem like work. I'm not sure whether rebuilding his website would feel like a fun challenge/diversion, or a chore.

It’s nice to be asked isn’t it. One thing to consider if you do help him. Will he tell his buddies running a small business about you’re great work, and you end up with referrals. Might be prudent to set up a formal agreement so you have precedent for that possibility.

 

[ERhoosier]

I do some work with my HOA, and a bit of bicycle repair.

 

[Original Wally]

I do handyman stuff for the single ladies across the street. My fee structure: A one-day job is a case of beer. Small jobs are free.

My standard fee for friends tax work is a Lemon Meringue Pie.
Otherwise $$

 

[Fermion]

My wife has gotten back into coding (30+ years as a software dev). I have no idea what she is writing, but she is tapping away, complaining about various bugs in Microsoft databases or libraries. As long as she doesn't make any money I am ok with it.

 

[Slim11]

I made a lot of $$$ being a paid fire chief, I found the locals where I live needed help. I do it for free now. I dont need the money. And its not in the same capacity, they keep trying to get me to do more, and I do put on some hours. But its at my own pace.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I made a lot of $$$ being a paid fire chief, I found the locals where I live needed help. I do it for free now. I dont need the money. And its not in the same capacity, they keep trying to get me to do more, and I do put on some hours. But its at my own pace.

I was a volunteer firefighter for 24 years, made about $500 bucks a year being on call 24/7/365.

I enjoyed it more than my full time occupation.

Now I am 60. I don't miss firefighting, and I was good at it. What I do miss is being young enough to do it again.

 

[Koolau]

I hate moving and I hate painting. Those are the two services I always offered to friends (free) over the years. I'm really no longer capable of either (on any significant scale) though I always offer my vehicle and some light (very light) moving help when I hear of a need.

I would never do those j*bs for money!

 

[NeilDH]

I do a couple of tax returns for pay and a few for free or costs-only pay. I’m being careful not to take on too many returns and ruin my spring.

I also run a website and do a newsletter that’s about my hobby, drawing on my career skills. I take donations and discounts, that’s it so far. Otherwise I feel like I’m part of a community and helping that community. I feel a little pressure to keep up content, but I work at my own pace and go with waves of energy (that is, if I get tired, I stop).

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I do a couple of tax returns for pay and a few for free or costs-only pay. I’m being careful not to take on too many returns and ruin my spring.

I also run a website and do a newsletter that’s about my hobby, drawing on my career skills. I take donations and discounts, that’s it so far. Otherwise I feel like I’m part of a community and helping that community. I feel a little pressure to keep up content, but I work at my own pace and go with waves of energy (that is, if I get tired, I stop).

Thanks, that helps, that kind of sounds like where I want to wind up.

 

[jollystomper]

I help friends, some of whom have small businesses, with PC, networking, spreadsheet, and programming issues as questions come up. This stuff is like a hobby for me, and I like problem solving. I do it when available and do not need to get paid. It helps keep my mind healthy and sharp (despite what comes across in my posts here ). One reason I still keep a "home computing lab" is to occasionally recreate a problem someone has to get more details and/or as a learning experience.

One couple insisted on paying me for both streamlining some spreadsheet processes for efficiency in their business, and mentoring one of their employees who was interested in gaining more skills as I worked on the project. Another friend whom I helped on several occasions with PC and networking situations for his business passed away a couple of years ago, and I was caught completely off guard when he named me as of the beneficiaries in his will.

 

[1242Vintage]

Retired five years ago at age 56 and had two part-time jobs after that. Was doing funding & financial analysis for very large infrastructure projects. AND I was the fill in manager at a construction materials lab (AKA gravel quarry and asphalt concrete plant).

Both were fun and relatively well paid. Why wouldn’t they be fun? The quarry was the grownup version of 5 year old me in the sand box with Tonka Trucks. And the financial analysis gig kept me in contact with many of my professional colleagues.

The issue was this pay was on top of a significant pensions so I was paying very high federal tax on that income and an equally high state tax. And these jobs started to get in the way of care responsibilities for aging parents and our occasional fun travel adventures.

I stopped both jobs late last year. Earned enough to cover our annual IRA contribution. And looking forward educating myself on Roth conversions.

 

[shafer9]

I know we avoid talking about w*rk, but I just retired last year, and recently a friend has asked for advice on managing their website, which is what I used to do for money. He's actually our exterminator, and the business owner, but whenever he comes to visit we usually wind up talking about something completely unrelated, so he asked me for a bit of advice, and offered to pay me.

So my question is, have any of you done a little consulting on the side for someone you knew, like a friend or neighbor, and do you have any advice?

IMO It's not enough work to draw up a contract, he's already said he'll credit me 100% for our last inspection just for my advice so far. I'm not sure how much time I want to spend on this, but I could probably wind up charging him more than I would pay him for his services. The good news is, he was paying someone a lot more for a really crappy job, and I explained to him where he was overpaying, and what he should expect from reputable SEO and hosting services. I think he's just happy to have someone he feels is 100% transparent and trustworthy, as I'm going to try to set him up to pay the hosting directly, and give him some analytics and search dashboards so he can check them himself.

Of course, I suppose if he wanted me to, say, rebuild his website (I'm not crazy about the current layout), I'd probably get at least an email agreement on terms for that, but I'm not even sure I want to spend that much time doing what I consider work, but we'll see.

EDIT: I suppose the important part is, like any geek I really enjoyed explaining the basics of SEO ranking and the importance of letting your content drive it rather than trying to game it. That didn't seem like work. I'm not sure whether rebuilding his website would feel like a fun challenge/diversion, or a chore.

I’ve been retired for 15 years. In that time, I have worked at advertising freelance stuff, I have done websites for friends, I have played in a bar band five times a month for the last 18 years, I write a lot of songs and pitch them and don’t get them recorded.
In other words, I don’t know make big money at it, but I stay very busy and ONLY doing things that I like to do. That’s the key to it.