Useful Info Andalucia Life Working for free? Why? Er… why not?
17 Jan 2010 |
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IN these difficult economic times, money is short, so why not work for free? writes Paul Whitelock. It could be an answer for people struggling to make ends meet. Paul has been working for free for five years and loves it. Is he nuts? Read on and see what you think. Ever thought of working for free? Lots of people do. They give their services voluntarily, for example as counsellors for the Samaritans, as advisers for the Citizen’s Advice Bureaux, helping out at hospitals, charity shops, and in a range of other organisations. Such volunteers provide a valuable service and are fortunate that they have sufficient private means, such as a pension, to enable them to do so. But, what about those of us who cannot afford to give of our services for nothing? Do we really need to be paid money for our work? After all, if we are paid, we have to give some of it to the government in the form of income tax and other stoppages. So, why not work for payment in kind? This can work out to be quite valuable and also great fun. Since I retired in 2005, I have pretty much only worked ‘for nothing’. First of all I renovated a house in Ronda for an English lady in return for free board and lodging and other treats. I repeated the exercise last summer for a friend from my student days who lives in Luxembourg. A month decorating a large house from top to bottom was rewarded by board and lodging, slap-up meals out, trips to the opera, concerts and a summer romance! I regularly did odd jobs for an American lady who lives in Ronda. In return she kept an eye on my apartment, when I was away, checked my post and welcomed visitors on my behalf. Other unpaid but well-rewarded work has included translating restaurant menus, one in exchange for a patio table and four chairs (I needed the furniture; he didn’t!). The other menus were done in exchange for slap-up meals for two. I have also written articles for a newspaper in exchange for free advertising space. Before I emigrated I spent a half day doing odd jobs for a lady paid for by a nice meal out, and did some remedial work in a kitchen in exchange for a rather fine coffee table. Once I taught two classes of Spanish to expatriates in Ronda in exchange for ….. whoops! I only got a free cup of coffee?! Oh, well, I enjoyed it (the teaching AND the coffee), so no pasa nada. Working for free? It makes a lot of sense, especially in a recession. However, if people want to pay me cash instead, that’s OK too! © Paul Whitelock Paul Whitelock, a graduate in Spanish and German, is a retired Ofsted school inspector and former UK languages teacher. He now lives with his German wife in a mountain village in the Serranía de Ronda and is a freelance journalist, translator and interpreter. Paul can be contacted by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by telephone on (+34) 952 167 402 or 636 52 75 16. www.a1-solutions-spain.com Quote this article on your siteTo create link towards this article on your website, copy and paste the text below in your page. Preview : 
Working for free? Why? Er… why not? Sunday, 17 January 2010 IN these difficult economic times, money is short, so why not work for free? writes Paul Whitelock. It could be an answer for people struggling... Powered by QuoteThis © 2008 Related Articles
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Comments
So, yes, your question is very apt! However, I'm not convinced that 'free' is the correct term for what you are suggesting? After all, nothing you have described was given for free - it was given in exchange for something - just not money. It's true that there is no such thing as a free lunch and it's also true that payment does not always have to be of the monetary kind. In fact, many times it is better otherwise. And then it is fun and often of much more value. Not that I have anything against money. Far from it... we would all be better off with loads of it but it cannot buy happiness, love or any of the intangibles in life and so people get muddled up in their value systems. Either thinking that it is the "root of all evil" , or that we never seem to have enough. Money is not the root of all evil... maybe attitude to money is... and indeed can be the root of a whole lot of good - in the correct hands.
However, I digress. My main point is that I like your comments but I think they are to do with bartering rather than 'for free'. So, maybe it's time for LETS to be developed here in the Guadiaro Valley. A few people have already mentioned this to me and now you seem to have rather hit the nail on the head.