Helping a friend out.

infernox · 6 May 2011 at 07:16

Basically a mate has asked for me to go up to basildon from southend ( which isnt far) to sort his pc out, he offered me some money for doing so.

Hes a good mate, i was just wondering what is reasonable amount to ask ?.

Just Train fare ?
£10 ?
or ?

Cool,

Michael

wo0kie · 6 May 2011 at 07:17

depends on the job, usual mates rates vary from travel costs + 4 pack of beers to travels costs + box of beers.

infernox · 6 May 2011 at 07:23

Seems fair enough. Cheers.

memyselfandi · 6 May 2011 at 08:11

When I've done similar for friends in the past its normally been travel costs (only if I wasn't going there anyway) + beer/pizza

They don't get charged for my time and are expected to buy any hardware/software which turns out to be required (and to be properly licensed for software if it's a software issue ...).

edscdk · 6 May 2011 at 08:27

tell him you will do it for beer and pizza, then drink / eat at least £70 of stuff...

Schizo · 6 May 2011 at 08:41

to be honest i wouldn't chance going to Basildon

(lived in Southend for 40 years so know the area's well)

Rob_J · 6 May 2011 at 09:05

schizo said:
to be honest i wouldn't chance going to Basildon

(lived in Southend for 40 years so know the area's well)

+1 lol.

OP, just do it for beer and pizza, he's a mate after all.

Schizo · 6 May 2011 at 09:15

im quite surprised to see quite a few people on here from southend.

J-FRO · 6 May 2011 at 09:20

Id say beer and pizza as well. He's a mate, not a client.

That's when you go out on the lash with him afterwards. Anyway, Southend isn't far from Bas Vegas so nbd.

Participant · 6 May 2011 at 09:20

When you say 'sort it out', do you mean format and reinstall Windows, fit new CPU, install Office and all his games and drivers? Or just run a virus scanner and update the BIOS or something?

If I was there all day I'd expect a large crate of beer.

Freefaller · 6 May 2011 at 09:30

If it's a relatively quick fix, just get him to cover travel costs or buy lunch/beer. If it's going to take a while then accept whatever he offers you - afterall he's a friend - I'd not even ask personally, but each to their own.

Efour · 6 May 2011 at 10:42

Spending a day with a mate catching up over a few beers and a PC installing in the background ?

ill do it for free

ScarySquirrel · 6 May 2011 at 10:43

edscdk said:
tell him you will do it for beer and pizza, then drink / eat at least £70 of stuff...

HAHA! Do this!

Nix · 6 May 2011 at 10:51

Pay your own train fare, it's what... ~£5.60 for a return?

He can pay for the drinks/night-out tonight.

It's a mate, money shouldn't come into it.

apatia77 · 6 May 2011 at 11:10

I used to fix everything for free for my friends and still can but recently I fixed 2 laptops which I took home to fix so I charged them but only £20 (backup all files and reinstall OS) and then £10 (that was a quick fix actually) so that was a massive discount on my part.

But if I went to a friend’s house for a coffee and chat and then do some quick fix there is no way I would charge anything ever.

D.Roberts · 6 May 2011 at 11:12

Make him bend over?.

Pestilence · 6 May 2011 at 12:05

Hand shandy, at least.

Shayper · 6 May 2011 at 12:09

I built BJN and another good mate a pc each, on the same day, was a good laugh and did it for nothing more than a BC2 LAN later that day and a cracking night out

No1newts · 6 May 2011 at 12:11

infernox said:
Basically a mate has asked for me to go up to basildon from southend ( which isnt far) to sort his pc out, he offered me some money for doing so.

Hes a good mate, i was just wondering what is reasonable amount to ask ?.

Just Train fare ?
£10 ?
or ?

Cool,

Michael

I would say take me to the pub for a few beers and my tea and its all sorted. Favour for a favour rather than turning it into a financial transaction.

BDEE · 6 May 2011 at 13:00

/devils advocate/

Nothing because to do so will breach your car insurance if you are not a licensed taxi

/devils advocate/

But if he "happened" to drop some money down the side of your seat and then forgot about it and you found it and thought it was yours, then that would be OK.

However, if it was my mate I would just do it for free? Thats what mates are for......