One thing I’ve tried is trading for services, but that has been hit and miss. One person usually ends up feeling cheated. I think it depends on the line of work you’re in and how much is involved.

My advice: If a family member or friend wants to hire you, explain the ground rules just as you would with a client. If they’re uncomfortable with that, suggest some small way you can help them with a quick favor. That’s usually all they want anyway.

But yeah, learning to say No is probably the best skill you can have as a freelancer. Finding ways to avoid working with manipulative and negative personalities is key to maintaining sanity and finding good jobs.

The worst is when the unofficial, unwritten “friends and family grandfather clause” is invoked and you’re stuck helping someone for nearly forever at a chump rate, and you don’t want to back out of it because of your relationship to them.

Good post mate, I liked the part about learning to say ‘NO’. One no in the beginning can save a lot of embarrassment later. If you don’t charge for the work you are doing, whether for a friend or a relative, they will never have respect for your effort. Its a ‘taken for granted situation’.

By the way, you have helped me a lot with my site, do I owe you something mate? he he.

Take care and cheers and keep up the good work.

I used to write consumer complaints for people. I was passionate about them, and when I did them for friends and family, I always worked harder and felt that I owed them more. In turn, I, too ended up working on the cheap. I learned what you’ve written from experience. Again, thanks for the blog.