Your friends are moving this Saturday and they have asked for your help in exchange for pizza and drinks.
How do you feel?
Is your immediate reaction something like this? Ugh…I had planned on watching the game and relaxing at home, and now I have to spend the day moving heavy furniture for pizza I could have bought for $10?
Or are you happy to help a friend save money?
I just recently watched an episode of Parks and Rec where Tom Haverford is moving and asks for the help of his coworkers. When they get there he hasn’t even started packing. Once everything is packed, he stands around on his cell phone while everyone else does all the work. All they get is pizza in return.
While this is an exaggeration of the “help your friend move” scenario, most people can relate in one way or another. It brings up a valid point: people sacrifice a lot when they help friends move. They first and foremost sacrifice their time. Usually people ask for help on the weekend, which just so happens to be when people want to be relaxing and NOT moving heavy furniture and boxes in and out of trucks. Moving also never goes as fast as people predict and can easily consume a good chunk of your Saturday.
Asking friends to help you move can also create some issues later on. If someone takes four hours out of your day to help you move, they are more likely than not going to expect you to help them move as well. If you are busy or just don’t feel like helping when it comes time for them to move, they may hold it against you.
So should you ask friends to help you move? I think it’s fine if you do, as long as you are willing to reciprocate when they move. I personally try to do everything that I can by myself and then only ask people to help with bigger items (couches, shelves, etc.). Big furniture is difficult enough to move, so if I can knock out all the smaller boxes and other things I can move by myself I’m sure those who are helping appreciate not having to deal with those things as well.
I also don’t expect that whoever I help move will automatically help me. In a perfect world that’s how it would work, but in reality it’s just not going to happen.
What do you think about helping others move (and asking them to help you)? How do you feel when a friend or family member asks you to help them move?
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Photo by Christopher Weible
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We always help the others to move. Everyone is always helping each other with something, so it’s never a big deal.
@SenseofCents Sounds nice : )
I personally hate being beholden to people, so I usually only ask people I feel REALLY comfortable with, or just pay to hire a mover. It’s not worth the drama.
@Lbeemoneytree That’s what I’m talking about!
I never, ever ask friends to help me move. Mostly because I don’t even want to move myself, so why would I ask them to do something I don’t want to do?
Most people don’t move very often, so it’s not like re-occurring cost – it’s worth every single penny to me to hire movers to do it all. It’s not THAT much money and makes the day so, so much easier.
@TellMe_Yes I have a lot of friends in early/mid Twenties, so the moving happens quite often. Coming up this Fall I will have moved 4 times in the past 3 years :0
i would treat it the same way I treat it anytime I ask someone for help to save myself some money. I’ll either pay them or buy them a thank you gift. That way I get to show them how much I appreciate the help but they don’t walk away with just a sore back. As long as I’m saving a significant amount of money by getting help from a friend I don’t mind spending some for that help.
@Em23 I think gift cards would be really appreciated by people, even if they aren’t for significant amounts. In fact, I might use that idea!
@Em23 Oh! How did you get your profile to link directly to myjourney to millions website? Mine goes to my livefyre profile. Others have had the same problem. If yo usee this would appreciate any guidance.
@DC @ Young Adult Money hmm i just put that url under the ‘your other sites’ spot on my account info page.
@Em23 Hmm mine is set up correctly now as well. Kind of strange. Trying to decide whether to keep LiveFyre or not, I’m leaning towards yes.
I see no problem in helping each other out. Make sure to reward your friends for taking time out of their schedule to help you…food tends to work best. Or maybe you can help them out with their favor.
@OrnellaGrosz True, food is an absolute must, and I always plan on reciprocating by helping them move/set up furniture/etc.
I don’t mind helping friends out but expect the same in return. However, if I already have something planned that can’t be moved don’t be offended I can’t help. You should know pretty far in advance you are moving!
@Money Life and More I agree 100%.