Do you get asked to give away your work for free?

**LuxLiving** · 11-09-2009, 10:38 AM

As an artist I do get this sometimes. I recently donated a painting because "I" wanted to do it for a good cause. My choice.

Family? They each got one painting from me for free as a Christmas gift one year. More than that? They'd have to pay. I'm willing to do work on commission ocassionally, but giving it away? Nah, I don't want to play. The hourly fee is a pretty stiff one, especially if painting something that is not the norm or of my choosing, and supplies and equipment are not cheap.

**disneysteve** · 11-09-2009, 11:47 AM

ALL THE TIME!

I'm a family practice physician. People constantly ask me medical questions. Friends, family, congregants at my temple, etc. Even patients expect free care.

I think the problem is people look at it as not costing me anything to answer a question or write a prescription. I don't think they put a value on my time or expertise and all that went into me becoming a doctor so that I could answer their question or write their prescription.

**irmanator** · 11-09-2009, 12:45 PM

I think I read on readers digest story where a doctor was asked to look at a skin rash at a party then later had the office send a bill. That would solve it.

But seriously I work in a factory and ask the maintence people ie electrician to do work at my house on the side but I PAY him.

**disneysteve** · 11-09-2009, 12:57 PM

Originally posted by irmanator View Post

I think I read on readers digest story where a doctor was asked to look at a skin rash at a party then later had the office send a bill. That would solve it.

Here's a better solution. If someone asks me to take a look at their rash at a party, I say, "Sure. Take off all of your clothes."

**momof1in150** · 11-09-2009, 01:01 PM

As a Realtor people are always asking me for advice or information. When you are in sales it is part of the job. You never know when answering one question for a person will turn them into a client

**irmanator** · 11-09-2009, 01:04 PM

LOL @ disneysteve

**MonkeyMama** · 11-09-2009, 01:14 PM

As a CPA I do get asked a lot of tax questions. My friends and family are respectful, and usually the questions are easy peasy. I actually don't mind at all because it keeps me fresh (if they ask me a question I don't know off the top of my head, usually a client will ask me the same question, and so it just keeps me on the ball, in that regard).

This is an area I just don't let people walk all over me.

Things do change with time.

These days I am being appointed as "trustee" to more and more family member's trusts. I know some day I will start getting these requests from friends, and that I have to manage how time consuming these things can really be. I am just trying to think ahead and not take on more than is possible.

By the same token, I am not terribly open about my profession. As my kids start school and sports teams, I know from colleague's experiences that if I am not careful, I will become the Treasurer of everything, for eternity. You're *it* until they find another sucker! Could also bring on unwanted legal responsibility.

I am sure with age, my friend's tax questions will get more complex, and more people will try to take advantage.

**disneysteve** · 11-09-2009, 02:31 PM

I need to be careful because of the legal risk of answering medical questions. If someone does something because of an answer I gave to a question and something goes wrong, I could be held liable. So I won't hesitate to tell someone that I'm not comfortable answering something for them and recommending that they see their personal doctor.

**m3racer** · 11-09-2009, 04:28 PM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Even patients expect free care.

I've never heard of such a thing.

**Inkstain82** · 11-09-2009, 04:30 PM

I usually have a lot of leftover pictures from when I cover high-school sports. Technically these belong to the newspaper, but we aren't going to do anything with them, so if the parents ask for them, I'll usually give them away.

**Seeker** · 11-09-2009, 04:32 PM

IT people -- what do you think? Always. They even come to me about personal computers when I'm in the workplace.

**Daylily** · 11-09-2009, 05:15 PM

I am in the IT profession as a programmer but I know very little about dealing with PCs. I am sure plenty of people here do a much better job with home networks, firewalls, regular backups, trouble shooting problems, etc. However, I get asked all the time about computer problems even though that's not really what I do and I have little expertise in that area.

**disneysteve** · 11-09-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Even patients expect free care.

Originally posted by m3racer View Post

I've never heard of such a thing.

No. How about when a patient calls the office and wants to be treated for something without an office visit? How about when a patient stops into the office and asks to speak with the doctor "just for a minute"? How about when a patient brings in a multi-page form that needs to be filled out for their job?

For that matter, how about when patients come for an appointment but don't bother to bring any money with them? "Can you bill me?" I bet they don't push a cart full of groceries up to the cashier and ask to be billed. I bet they don't fill their tank with gas and ask to be billed. Why do they expect to see the doctor without paying at the time of the service?

**jasonnoguchi** · 11-09-2009, 05:38 PM

Well, a wise man once said that you are only as rich as what you can give away, not what you have.

I frequently give away my services in many ways like providing my training for free to the less fortunate, building schools in remote areas etc.

Do you get asked to give away your work for free?