I want things I buy to last a long time. I am thrilled when I spend $100 on something and it doesn't need to be replaced in a year. There's a reason that earlier generations of American families had more money (well, net worth) than current generations, and while it is a GREAT oversimplification to boil it down to consumer tendencies, it is certainly one of the possible suspects.
I can't tell you how often I walk into a house and see a 20 year old TV or a 100 year old piece of furniture. I also can't tell you the last I thought to say "Man, that particular digital component was really well made...I shouldn't have to replace that for decades (not "years" or "months").
Older manufactured equipment was simply made better, and some of us prefer it to spending more of our liquidity on the latest and greatest (which, as stated above, tends to be more poorly made and hence, more quickly replaced).
If this post sounds a little "that's the way it was in my day, and WE LIKED IT", too bad....it's simply a reflection of my own anecdotal experience and preferences.
I would say first and foremost that there are geographic considerations, though those can be somewhat mitigated by available technology. You might be in NYC, but using some form of shared desktop...netmeeting, even...you could be "fixing" a computer in Kansas...that person will not want to pay NYC rates.
As a massive overgeneralization, I would charge around $50 an hour for absolute strangers, $35 an hour for acquaintances, $25 an hour for friends, and keep it going for free to closest friends, friends who have already or may someday repay the favor with services/goods of their own profession, and family.
There was a good article posted recently that provided excellent guidance on a more advanced form of this same work. Though it was written beyond the level of helping clean up some windows rot here and there, I think some of the main ideas still apply. Click here for the article.
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I want things I buy to last a long time. I am thrilled when I spend $100 on something and it doesn't need to be replaced in a year. There's a reason that earlier generations of American families had more money (well, net worth) than current generations, and while it is a GREAT oversimplification to boil it down to consumer tendencies, it is certainly one of the possible suspects.
I can't tell you how often I walk into a house and see a 20 year old TV or a 100 year old piece of furniture. I also can't tell you the last I thought to say "Man, that particular digital component was really well made...I shouldn't have to replace that for decades (not "years" or "months").
Older manufactured equipment was simply made better, and some of us prefer it to spending more of our liquidity on the latest and greatest (which, as stated above, tends to be more poorly made and hence, more quickly replaced).
If this post sounds a little "that's the way it was in my day, and WE LIKED IT", too bad....it's simply a reflection of my own anecdotal experience and preferences.
I would say first and foremost that there are geographic considerations, though those can be somewhat mitigated by available technology. You might be in NYC, but using some form of shared desktop...netmeeting, even...you could be "fixing" a computer in Kansas...that person will not want to pay NYC rates.
As a massive overgeneralization, I would charge around $50 an hour for absolute strangers, $35 an hour for acquaintances, $25 an hour for friends, and keep it going for free to closest friends, friends who have already or may someday repay the favor with services/goods of their own profession, and family.
There was a good article posted recently that provided excellent guidance on a more advanced form of this same work. Though it was written beyond the level of helping clean up some windows rot here and there, I think some of the main ideas still apply. Click here for the article.
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