Have you had a minor calamity and don’t have a repair
person to call? (Happens to me quite often.) I have asked my friends and colleagues to
refer people that they have hired and
were satisfied with the work and fees. You
can access these referrals above by clicking on the Trusted Partners box. Always do your own interview with the company
representative and obtain a written quote and ask for referrals before agreeing
to any work but this can give you a starting point. It is a good idea to get a start date and to
ask for the worst case scenario for how long the work wilI take to be
completed. I have tried to use local
small companies in my research so that we can help keep our money in our
community and help our neighbor companies stay alive and prosper.
Another excellent way to save money and time is to barter
for labor or services. What talents do
you have that you can trade for assistance?
Think about your area, do you have elderly residents, single Moms or
Dads, two parent working households, one person households? Of course you do, and they would probably
love to have the connection to their neighbors too. And if you have a great resource please let me know their company name and expertise so they can be added too.
What can you do:
House sit (nice way to get R&R)
Sew or do alterations
Sell things on the internet for others
Do yard work or maintenance
Garden (do you grow more than you can use?/Trade it)
Paint
Repair anything
Cook (prepare and freeze for busy households)
Clean outs or management control (garages, homes, storage
sheds)
Pickups or Deliveries ( groceries, packages,
prescriptions)
Yard sales or estate sales for others
Tutor or coach academics or athletics
Child care
House cleaning
Auto detailing
Pet sitting
Some of these items can be done right in your
neighborhood with the people you already know and trust. Start a neighborhood help list and learn what
your neighbors do and see what trades can be made. This would be a win-win for all and you will
have a wonderful time helping others and they you.