Why does nobody talk about pricing repairs for your own family?

My aunt dropped off her old desktop, saying it was slow. I cleaned it up and swapped the hard drive, but she got upset when I mentioned a small fee. How do you guys handle charging relatives for tech work?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade982d ago

From what I've seen, this ties into a common pattern where people take skills from friends and family for granted. They often view help as a free favor, not recognizing the time or effort involved. Charging a bit for parts sets a clear boundary and reminds them it's a real service.

joseph6622d ago

I used to always fix stuff for free too, until my cousin's constant "quick questions" turned into weekly support calls. That line about your aunt getting upset at a small fee hits home. I started saying "parts cost X, I don't charge for my time" as a compromise. It sets a boundary so they see it as a real service, not just you messing around. Changed everything for me.