How much would you charge?

[coe114c]

Although not specifically my business area I am being asked more and more to do IT related things for my friends, they are willing to pay me and I think I should let them after all it's taking up my time!

But my dilemma is how much to charge, it's quite simple stuff like uploading things onto websites, showing them how to blog and twitter but they are not really into computer-related stuff at all.

I was thinking about £20 an hour as that's what I charge for private tuition but wondered what other people charged on here.

[Lingua21]

Hi,

That's an interesting one. I suppose that £20 per hour sounds quite reasonable for Worthing.

I do similar things for a few friends like show them how to do a bit of SEO, give the occasional web site review and do the odd free translation to people I know over in Italy, but that's normally because they have done stuff for me in the past or I get the chance to pick their brains in return, which more often than not works out quite well.

Cheers - Mike Dove

[LOS Design UK]

Are you doing it as a favour to mates or as a business? It really all depends on that really along with level of expertise you are offering etc.

I know I would not pay (or charge) £20 to my mates to help me

As for what I charge...it varies depending on task but starts at £49.99 per hour.

Regards
Daren

[Lingua21]

Hi again,

Please let me know how you get on with proposing these new charges.

If I made such suggestions to my friends I think they that one or two of them might disown me. Actually come to think of it, the idea of charging sounds like a great idea for getting a few 'Mates' off my back and for finding out who my true friends really are.

Cheers for the idea!

Mike Dove

[vinv]

Hi,

Have you considered the possibility of 'joint ventures'? In the past I have set up and managed website and done seo for friends who have had no online presence, in return I have essentially acted as an affiiate for them and we have set a % or £ per lead.

Might be an avenue you could consider?

Cheers

V

[MoeNawaz]

Hiya,

£20 an hours is not out of the question now a days for skill your friends dont have or dont want to learn, some one has to do it and why not get paid. You can only do so many things for free before you realise its takinging up your time and time is money?

If your happy with £20 an hour run with it.

Good luck

Moe Nawaz

[Designer-J]

Yep, 20quid sounds fine, if your mates are happy with that too then go for it. And you would probably get a lot done in an hour

[walsharoo]

Although not specifically my business area I am being asked more and more to do IT related things for my friends, they are willing to pay me and I think I should let them after all it's taking up my time!

But my dilemma is how much to charge, it's quite simple stuff like uploading things onto websites, showing them how to blog and twitter but they are not really into computer-related stuff at all.

I was thinking about £20 an hour as that's what I charge for private tuition but wondered what other people charged on here.

I personally wouldn't charge my friends for advice or help with IT problems, and if it got to the stage it was taking up too much of my time I'd tell them. I tend to lean towards helping / educating them rather than actually fixing anything and I'd steer them towards another professional if they couldn't handle it. Remember, if something goes wrong with their web site or computer because of something you've done, your friend is going to want you to fix it, and that's where the line between friend and professional becomes a thin one...and they are more likely to ring you up at 10pm and ask for assistance.

I've worked with friends (never again) and I've picked up the pieces after a friend managed a web site for a client and both parties were not singing each others praises...

..my advice is help your mates, don't work for them.

That's just my experience though.

[Indizine]

Yes I would agree with Walashoo, whilstever it's working out just fine, it's fine, but if it stops working they assume it must be something you did and that twenty quid job becomes more hassle than it's worth. But I guess if you are considering charging your friends, you must be getting a regular or reasonable amount of requests to be thinking of charging. I think it's perhaps a good idea to make it clear what you will charge for and what it includes.

[coe114c]

Thanks for your replies - I'm not doing anything majorly technical, it's just basic stuff that my technophobe friends don't want to do. I wouldn't dream of doing a website - leave that to the professionals!

I wouldn't have thought of charging but they have offered to pay me. I do like the idea of joint ventures as well