What is Computer help worth$$ ?

[lovetoscrap]

My parents have a small business and they are being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century because it is just necessary for what they do. Everyone wants to deal with them online. We have discussed their need for a website and that may come in the near future.

But a few weeks ago they HAD to have some photos put online to send to a few people. They figured that would be easier than emailing since they still have dial up and it is slow as snails, and they get this request a lot so they wanted to just have somewhere to send people to. I told them that I would help-- no problems.

Well, first off the photos were on the camera disk and the cord is lost. It took about an hour to actually figure out that their laptop does have a card reader and how to use it. Then more time to walk her through the process of downloading the photos and finding the files etc...


Later that night they had all their photos ready in files to send to me. Starting around 10pm we started the process of them sending to me through their dial up to my email--there were some complications with the file types that we had to work out in order to get them to transfer correctly. I set up an online photo album and put them in with the descriptions they needed etc. and ultimately one nice link they can send out to people that want to see photos. This went on until after midnight, and I was exhausted since it had been a long day, but they really had to have them done then to send the link by the next morning. It was probably around 1am when it was all finished.

So, the results of this have been great and they have been using the link and have gotten business from it. They want to pay me for my time and effort. I didn't do it to get paid. I did it because it is what a daughter does. But they keep asking me how much they should pay me. And frankly I know my parents, they will feel bad until they can send me a check and will badger and badger until I give them a number. And may ultimately send me some absolutely silly amount that is way more than what I did was worth if I don't give them a number. I told them $20 but they said that was ridiculous (too low) for all the time I spent that late at night and to come up with what I really deserved.

I have no idea what this kind of work is worth??? I do things online for fun, not for money. I don't really even know how long it really took since it was throughout the day with several calls and lots of just chatting during that time too. Can anyone that does this for a living (like setting up websites maybe) tell me what this sort of thing is worth per hour? I was going to tell them to maybe just send me a $50 restaurant gift card, does that sound fair? I really don't want to get "paid" but I know this won't go away until I tell them something.

 

[themarquis]

I'm in IT, and none of my friends or acquaintences know anyting about computers ... so guess who they call when things go wrong?

I actually like fixing their computers and learning new skills (as well as the appreciation they have for me), but it is super time consuming and frustrating sometimes. It also bugs me that sometimes they don't realize how much time I spent or they want me to fix things in a way that's impossible or rediculous and aren't happy with things being fixed in a reasonable (read: free $$) way.

And ... I get frustrated because some of the things I fix they can't really even see or appreciate ... like I had a friend who killed her computer with viruses . It was so bad that I had to wipe her hard drive and reinstall everything. Once I did that, I of course put on the best virus/adware protection I could get my hands on. That thing is bulletproof now! But of course she has no idea since she pretty much does not know what virus protection is in the first place. But she sure as heck is annoyed that the computer now has a pop up once in a while telling her it needs to update virus files or whatever and sometimes sounds an alarm to let her know that she's an unsafe page or whatever. In my mind, those are good things and help a person make sure their computer is protected. In her mind, they're annoying.

Anyway, rant over ...They do the same thing you mentioned where they want to pay me and part of me thinks that I kind of should get something for all the time (and frustration) I spent. But yet, I don't want their money b/c I'm doing it as a friend. Usually what I try to do is (if they're determined to pay me) get them to do something for me instead. I've gotten several coffees, dinners, ice cream cones, lots of free petsitting, cleaning help, etc. And sometimes they forget that we vaguely said they'd "buy me a coffee" or whatever, but it doesn't matter to me at all, because then I dont' have to take their money and feel awkward.

Can you try to get them to do something like that? Maybe take you out to dinner...? A gift card sounds great, too -- I think you're right that a 50 dollar gift card would be about right. (I'm sure if they had a professional do it it would be way more, but 50 seems like good compensation to me.)

 

[hiwaygal]

If they had the Geek Squad at Best Buy do it, it would have cost easily $1500 or more

 

[phorsenuf]

4 annual passes sounds about right.

(I'm being selfish so I can see you again. )

 

[lovetoscrap]

I'm in IT, and none of my friends or acquaintences know anyting about computers ... so guess who they call when things go wrong?


And ... I get frustrated because some of the things I fix they can't really even see or appreciate ... like I had a friend who killed her computer with viruses . It was so bad that I had to wipe her hard drive and reinstall everything. Once I did that, I of course put on the best virus/adware protection I could get my hands on. That thing is bulletproof now!


Can you try to get them to do something like that? Maybe take you out to dinner...? A gift card sounds great, too -- I think you're right that a 50 dollar gift card would be about right. (I'm sure if they had a professional do it it would be way more, but 50 seems like good compensation to me.)

They live several states away (which is why we all still speak to each other! ) so that is why I figured a GC would be good-- same idea as you. If I lived there I would say "Just take me out to dinner" or something similar.

May I ask what virus/adware you put on? My laptop just had to wiped clean for the same reason and I do NOT want to have to go through that again.

If they had the Geek Squad at Best Buy do it, it would have cost easily $1500 or more

You have to be kidding!
I was going to ask Mr. Roadie if he knew what was a fair price

4 annual passes sounds about right.

(I'm being selfish so I can see you again. )

DH said that he thinks I should tell them a GC or a Disney Cruise and let them pick. I love the way he thinks!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Can you bring up a specific case of when you were a child and they did something for you and this is the repayment? (Hey, just consider this payment for that fender-bender when I first started to drive!)

I'd HATE to have my parents pay me for helping them, but then again, my family is like yours and would not let it end until they paid me.

Maybe $25 an hour? That sounds hefty enough to satisfy them, yet is way below what an IT person would cost on a per-project fee.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Can you bring up a specific case of when you were a child and they did something for you and this is the repayment? (Hey, just consider this payment for that fender-bender when I first started to drive!)

I'd HATE to have my parents pay me for helping them, but then again, my family is like yours and would not let it end until they paid me.

Maybe $25 an hour? That sounds hefty enough to satisfy them, yet is way below what an IT person would cost on a per-project fee.

Oh Man, if I go there then I will be their computer slave 24/7 for the rest of my life! My mother is already getting her repayment for all I did as a child-- in the form of my 2 daughters! Anytime I have problems or issues she just and mentions something about paybacks. . . .

DH also said that $25/hour is a good low estimate.

 

[dizluvah]

my hubby is an IT manager - and he is always fixing friends/family computers for free or if he's lucky he gets a favorite baked good outta the deal

 

[bettymae1121]

Well, my brother runs his own IT consulting firm and he doesn't get out of bed for less than $150 an hour. But something tells me you don't want to charge that much!

I agree, a $50 gift cert to your fav restaurant sounds perfect.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Well, my brother runs his own IT consulting firm and he doesn't get out of bed for less than $150 an hour. But something tells me you don't want to charge that much!

I agree, a $50 gift cert to your fav restaurant sounds perfect.

Holy moly! I need to learn to build websites or something! And I thought I was being picky for not going on a subbing job at $80 for the day because I didn't want to deal with that particular class for that amount of money.

 

[bettymae1121]

Holy moly! I need to learn to build websites or something! And I thought I was being picky for not going on a subbing job at $80 for the day because I didn't want to deal with that particular class for that amount of money.

Well, he does a lot more than build websites (actually I don't think he does web design at all). He builds the actual computer networks and then maintains them for companies that (for whatever reason) don't want to employ their own IT people. He's in China right now helping to set up a network for a factory one of his clients is building!

 

[jsmith]

i am an IT geek on a military installation (contract civlian not uniformed) Two of us here do work on computers for soldiers-there is a rather large demand as sand is very hard on laptops-as is stupidity-we charge between 35 and 50 dollars per hour plus parts. Soldier gets better quality work fast than the Geek Squad and we make a little extra.