People ask for help or advice all the time without expecting to pay for it. You ask your friends to help you move. You meet a doctor at a party and ask him about your tennis elbow. Things like this happen on a daily basis, there’s no getting away from it. If you are asked for help in your area of expertise, where do you draw the line between helping someone out and holding out for some cash?
I know a local web designer who is very clear about where his line is drawn. There are no “freebies” with him, no exceptions. Don’t even bother asking him what the hex code is for the color white unless you have your checkbook in hand. It can be frustrating for others, but that’s the way he works.
On the other end of the extreme, there are people who offer their help to just about anyone who asks. You can often see these helpful types on their blogs or Twitter helping out others with their problems. People like this are a great resource for others, but can often get abused through overuse.
There are pros and cons to both extremes. The “no freebies” approach ensures that you are paid for all the work you perform but it can also give you an appearance that is a little daunting. On the other hand, if you freely give of your time and services, you become a savior to many while at the same time you are cheapening the value of your paid services.
Where do YOU draw the line with freebies? Do you give a lot of yourself away, hold on to it all, or is it somewhere in between?