Begging for free service wtf

They call me the ranter, I've been ranting low and high-aye

Has anyone ever asked you to do free work? Maybe you have skills, or expertise, or a trade, or are just handy to have around..

Maybe it's a friend, or family, or a complete stranger.

Fine if it's family or close friend and you can do a simple favor, that makes sense.

But a total stranger rolled up to me in a parking lot and essentially asked me to work for free doing what I do.

I was on the phone, aka working, and this person parked right next to me waiting patiently to get my attention. After my call I rolled down the window and said "What's up?"

Right to the point, they wanted me to go work for them right then, right now.

Umm, well you have to call and make an appointment first.

This person was clearly annoyed and still tried to convince me that I can do it just once, real quick and easy.

Yah, no, you have to make an appointment. I can't do anything without an order. And I'm in the middle of my work day.

This person got agitated saying that'll cost too much! Can't I just do it for them?!

How completely insulting! Is this how people think the world works? Beg enough and you get free stuff from strangers? Right, like I go around working for free just because I like it so much. Screw the pay, I'll just tire my body for the hell of it, then go home to my self-flagellation later.

I really cannot believe someone approached me like this and wouldn't accept my polite refusal. Sadly, it must work for this person sometimes or they probably wouldn't have tried it on me.

I'm hoping your story is better! Please share those begging choosers you've come across.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

/r/choosingbeggars

It's much more common than you may think.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

I do electric systems, electric wiring, mechanical, and construction. I feel your pain. I can't fit everyone else's projects in for free, as much as I'd like to help. I try, but then people get angry that I'm not doing it fast enough... Ugh... Like I said, I feel your pain.

a reply to: JinMI

Is that redchan or whatever? Sorry I only frequent ATS so I'm pretty unaware of other forums.

I guess this is ATS edition?

there are people out there that will try to get you to do their work for free. I do not mind helping people who are in need if I have the time, but most people just want something for nothing. I have helped friends on projects and they returned the favor. I have also helped people I thought were somewhat friends and they never return the favor, in fact they kept calling me everytime something went wrong. That is why I quit working on computers, I was fixing them for everyone and nobody ever gave me a cent, not even for the parts some times. I was good, but forget it, I just quit all together. I was always making house calls to take viruses off their computers or they had the memory maxed out. I had some impressive software I had gotten from other people I know who were hackers, I could use it to get into the computer to get rid of the viruses.

😆 It takes all kinds NB, but that had to be an insult to your professionalism !

I had a friend once ( turns out she wasn’t much of a friend ) that had this habit of calling me and asking me to just go hang out with her. Sometimes she would pick me up.. sometimes I’d drive to her place. Inevitably she always had some work lined up, and sometimes it was hard work like moving furniture up three flights of stairs.

Don’t get me wrong, because I’m all about helping friends when they are upfront about what we’re going to be doing. I don’t even mind a few last minute decisions on helping out. But when you continuously make a habit of using my friendship as your personal work slave it’s time to cut the bond. Needless to say we are no longer friends and I don’t miss her one bit.😆

originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha
a reply to: JinMI

Is that redchan or whatever? Sorry I only frequent ATS so I'm pretty unaware of other forums.

I guess this is ATS edition?

It's Reddit, but I'll save you the time. Here ya go!


Many more too!

Brother. We all see it to a degree. Sure it's cool to help a friend. . . But when the friend never reciprocates. . .

I think I've offended more colleagues, because I could not produce their monies worth with the lack of resources they have offered (so refused the gig), than by insisting I get paid.

originally posted by: rickymouse



there are people out there that will try to get you to do their work for free. I do not mind helping people who are in need if I have the time, but most people just want something for nothing. I have helped friends on projects and they returned the favor. I have also helped people I thought were somewhat friends and they never return the favor, in fact they kept calling me everytime something went wrong. That is why I quit working on computers, I was fixing them for everyone and nobody ever gave me a cent, not even for the parts some times. I was good, but forget it, I just quit all together. I was always making house calls to take viruses off their computers or they had the memory maxed out. I had some impressive software I had gotten from other people I know who were hackers, I could use it to get into the computer to get rid of the viruses.

I have a friend who helps me build my computers (selects the parts, builds and sets up the base software for me), I give him all my old parts which he gives or sells to other friends he works with.
I believe it's a mutually beneficial system. Partially because when I get a new system it's one he has never built before (higher end), and the parts after 5 years (usual rebuild time) are still better than many of his clients.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Are you a high class prostitute or something? Why didnt you mention your trade?

originally posted by: drewlander
a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Are you a high class prostitute or something? Why didnt you mention your trade?

Does it matter? I don't work or twerk for free. Show me da money!

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme

originally posted by: rickymouse



there are people out there that will try to get you to do their work for free. I do not mind helping people who are in need if I have the time, but most people just want something for nothing. I have helped friends on projects and they returned the favor. I have also helped people I thought were somewhat friends and they never return the favor, in fact they kept calling me everytime something went wrong. That is why I quit working on computers, I was fixing them for everyone and nobody ever gave me a cent, not even for the parts some times. I was good, but forget it, I just quit all together. I was always making house calls to take viruses off their computers or they had the memory maxed out. I had some impressive software I had gotten from other people I know who were hackers, I could use it to get into the computer to get rid of the viruses.

I have a friend who helps me build my computers (selects the parts, builds and sets up the base software for me), I give him all my old parts which he gives or sells to other friends he works with.
I believe it's a mutually beneficial system. Partially because when I get a new system it's one he has never built before (higher end), and the parts after 5 years (usual rebuild time) are still better than many of his clients.

I was getting called by these people every couple of weeks, one girl would not get rid of any of her pictures or videos, I would get it running by getting rid of a few things and tell her she had to get rid of some of the stuff she had saved. After five trips there, I finally told her I wasn't coming anymore to get it started, she did not get rid of any pictures or games. I took enough stuff off so it would start and she would not let me open any pictures or get rid of any games she had on it.

She wound up getting another new computer and I guess she had the hard drive full within months, a friend of mine who owns the place she bought it from said she is a pain, he took some stuff off twice before telling her he was not going to do it anymore and that she either needed to buy a huge hard drive or clean up the one in the new computer. He transfered her other materials onto the drive and there was seventy five percent left, within a few weeks she had filled it up.

a reply to: rickymouse
Ah, I have around 20T with all my hard drives, as I do not delete old things, myself (until I do decide they are not worth keeping).
Plus my friend, made it clear storage was not for the running drives these days (SSD).
Sounds like this individual, is overloading their HDs. But not looking at external storage to keep what is "important"

Not knowing what the HD capacity is or how they are filling it up, it is impressive they can fill a modern hard drive in weeks.
I have not tapped into my 6 T, other than my photos of my children from me and my wife. And that has not taken up 1T.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

I feel your pain man. I have zero issues with those I know in need, but to stick my neck for someone like that doesn’t jive with me. Like today I just put a 9k bid out and that person asked me to show examples of something I cannot do without dumping almost 5g on product that may never be used again. But to her defense she doesn’t do what I do and most likely had no idea about that aspect.
If you don’t mind me asking what is it that you do? I feel as though I should know this but I feel as though I am thinking of another member.

Yes! I am an experienced web and graphic designer and even though I’m now in upper management, my friends all know that’s what I used to do. They call me quite often asking for “quick” design work or a “small website” and they don’t ever want to pay. Or they want a marketing plan, which is literally one of the more expensive things I do because it takes quite a lot of work and time to do it right, and believe I should do that for free for sure. It’s crazy... it’s like since my “work” doesn’t include “hard labor” they don’t see it as “work” so they think I shouldn’t charge them. It blows me away sometimes.

a reply to: nicevillegrl

This actually is funny but if I send you a PM with my site can you check it out and give me 5 min of your time and let me know if is decent? I was checking it out earlier and only have a few hits even though my LLC get's others outside of the web to garnish income. Web design is not my thing and would be nice to have an outside view point.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Since I live in Vegas and fix AC's I have had lots of people ask me to come look at their AC. When I get there, I ask for a beer and then go look at it. Then I say "Yep, you have an air conditioner".

Anything beyond that, I charge by the hour, unless it's my mom, she gets free work from me

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

I'm pretty much the handyman in my family. If anybody needs something done they always ask their good 'ole Uncle! I always have a hard time bringing up price when it comes to family. If it's a small fix, no big deal. However, I hate to say it, but I feel like I'm taken advantage of some times.

When it comes to family, the relative who needs the work should feel obligated to offer an amount of payment for the work being done. It would make it much more easier for me to counter-offer or accept what they can afford to pay. For example my nephew bought a house. He offered me $500 dollars if I could build him a walk in closet and he would pay for the cost of the materials separately. I ended up constructing it for $300 dollars.

Now on the other hand, my kids have a life "do any repair or construction" gift card from me. They're the only ones who should expect to get my work done for free, lol.

As for work outside the family, that's a different story. I'm reasonable, but I still find it hard setting a price for my work because I don't do it for a living. The stranger who asked you to do a job for free, was being pretty bold. I would have just said good-luck and driven away.

Well, I just cheerfully agree to help these kinds of people out, you know the ones.

I go to their house, cut all the sheetrock out, take whatever it is completely apart, and then just say..."Nah, I can't figure it out, Sorry."...and leave.

It's about 99% effective to keep people from asking a 2nd time.