Nobody Wants to Work for Free

Working in IT, I have a lot of people come up to me asking if I would take a look at their personal computer. Now, I don't mind taking a look at the computer to help them figure out what is wrong, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I am going to fix the problem. For some reason, people tend to get confused about that and assume that I want to fix their computer for free. WRONG! GeekSquad doesn't want to fix your computer for free and nor do I want to fix your computer for free.

Everyone has the same amount of time in a day, exactly 86400 seconds or 1440 minutes. If they're spending time to help you out with anything, regardless of how large or small, compensate them for their time. For the most part, people don't want to do things out of the goodness of their heart. Sorry, a simple "Thanks" doesn't put food on the table. If it did, I'd be super obese.

Somewhere in advancing personal relationships, people assume that you want to help them for free. Perhaps sometimes they do, but believe me, you might get one freebie, but free labor isn't going to last forever. Test out this little experiment, go to Home Depot, and ask the day laborers outside if they want to lay down some concrete for free. I'm willing to bet that none of them are going to jump to their feet and hop in your car just because they really want to lay down some concrete.

Oddly, members of your extended family want free labor also. I used to have extended family members always asking me for help with their computers, and while their offered compensation, I never saw anything headed in my direction. I'm not talking about immediate family, I'm talking about the distant family member that contacts you once in a blue moon only when they need something.

Now don't get me wrong, I love getting good deals. I absolutely like finding good deals and will take the deal if its offered to me. One of my favorite websites, Spoofee, lists deals related to mail-in rebates, coupons, or just simple price drops. The vendors are offering these good and services at a reduced price on their terms. I am not forcing the vendors to sell me some product for a ridiculously low price, or free. If they offered something to me for free, I'd take it, but if they don't, I'll pay them. This applies to labor as well. Unless someone explicitly offers a service to you for free, don't assume that they're going to do the work for free.

Compensate people for their time. Pay them for the time that they spent to help you out. At least buy them dinner or lunch.