When I was growing up in a small town in Kansas, I hired out as an errand girl for those who were more or less homebound...mostly elderly women. I was doing this at the young age of ten or eleven. I was paid about a dime, but in the 1940s it was okay. There may have been one or two other kids that did this, too. Now that I am one of those "elderly", I could use a bit of help with simple errands exactly like those I did as a kid. I am not so naive as to not know we live in a whole different world then it was then. But, still, we have churches and schools who could implement programs to provide this service and what kid wouldn't love to get involved if it meant a little money in their piggy bank. As I remember, the errands were not big, just a run to the post office for a stamp or to the store for a loaf of bread. I would hope that little things still mean a lot, even in todays world. Kids are kids...nothing really changes there. Thanks for listening, anyway...……...I was just thinking of simpler times...…………….Marie
Actually, when I was a kid if you did this sort of thing for someone, especially an elderly person, you didn't ask for pay at all. I would have NEVER EVER thought of discussing payment from a grandparent --- unlike kids today. Simpler times??? I think it was just more respectful times.
I have been thinking about what you wrote about helping elderly people when you were a kid. I respect and appreciate that you did the work and wouldn't accept payment for the work.
I can remember cleaning up pine cones in my grandmother's yard. I was paid a penny for each two pine cones. She knew that my work was valuable to her but she she got the "family discount." I felt a lot of pride for helping my grandmother and think that candy tasted even sweeter since I bought it with money that I earned.
On the other hand, it does make me think more long term...was the expectation that we should give away our time for free or undervalued make it harder to know our worth as we get older? Does it discount the value of our caregiving if/when we willingly give our time away for free? Is it harder for others to respect our efforts if there isn't a paycheck attached?
I don't know that there is a correlation but would like to hear other's thoughts.
I have been homeless myself for a short while and got to know some homeless folks in the community.
Whether I hire homeless folks or high school kids, good help is always short lived. They either just disappear or start being flaky after about 6 months.
Once I found my yard kids teen age brother with four other teens laying around my pool table in the garage. I had to tell him to leave several times before they’d go.
It was a little frightening because they were all bigger than me. A LOT bigger! The lawn boy was a good kid. We had to plan around his many sporting events and he was up for a scholarship for his achievements in sports.
I hear that local high schools give credits for community services but I have never had a kid ask me to document their work. They say call the schools vice principle to request help.
We have an organization call “Advancing Vibrant Solutions” that provide workers for needy folks at no or low cost fees. They are always backlogged as you can imagine, but I got a referral from them for a paid plumber that I talked to and am keeping for future reference.
I have been hospitalized and needed housekeeping help afterward that always bugs me to have to hire out. I feel I could do it better if only I was able... Maybe my standards are too high just because I’m paying out.
I only recently got a car and have been paying for rides to the grocery store, too. I think $20 a trip is more than fair but I have trouble finding takers and I hate to take advantage of my friends too often. I have a lot of groceries so it takes me a while to shop. $20 a trip adds to my grocery bill quite a bit.
My Great Grandmother-In-Law lived by herself and had a very small shopping list. She found a service to do her shopping for $12 fee. The woman’s husband even started doing small repairs around the house for free.
For all the money I loan my kids, you’d think I should never pay a dime out to outside help again but that doesn’t seem to work out so good. Oh well....
Good luck! Make sure you appreciate the jewels you may find!
I also do business for heavy items from stores like Sam's. My parent uses a lot of disposable pads - much easier for the UPS guy to bring to the front porch than for me to tote them out of store and up to the house. With the Plus account, shipping is always free. Been using Chewy for pet supplies and order $ amount is enough for free shipping on that, too. AND prices better than local stores. (I buy for dogs, cats, parrots)
If you aren't getting much help from family, quit being available as the family bank. Tell them you're keeping the coins to pay people to do errands and odd jobs for you. They'll either feel like heels or move on to do business at another bank.
- Instacart - but kinda need to make sure grocer they use “fits”
- Waitr (or their sister co Bite Squad)
- Target red card - really this is the bomb as others have said
- Amazon Prime for streaming, shopping/delivery at home & for shopping @ WFoods and using secure delivery system at WF for some prime deliveries. WF app runs deals, like recent $10 back if you shopped & scanned code 3 times over 5 weeks. Nice!
- Chewy
- Costco.com
- Uber, although I do still use a old-school cab service which my city has
and
if you’re dealing with millennials..... Venmo.
Filling a need and keeping these kids out of the legal system, it is really pretty effective.
I will be doing that locally because I know that the system is already there and in dire need of opportunities for kids to pay back to the community for putting others at risk because they made dumb choices.
It shows kids that you don't have to follow the path of a law breaker.
Helping others in need opens eyes and shows them that they don't have it so bad and it could be very difficult if choices are not improved. It also helps them have empathy for others.
Do an internet search for community services. This will help you find resources.
If I lived near you I would help you.
I hope you find a solution that works great for you and even gets you some new friends.
Hugs!