Don't do side work for money - Barter Instead! (Score 1)

I have tried to do side work as a geek for money on many occasions and have found that in the end the amount of work that I end up doing far exceeds the amount gained over time. What I have found that actually works very well is just letting small businesses in your community at places you frequent know that you are in computers and willing to work a trade in services. I did this with my vet several years ago and I have not paid a single cent for my dog in over 4 years. This includes food and boarding of my pet and anything to do with the health of my dog which. I get roughly 2-3 calls a month from them and probably spend 4-8 hours every quarter there keeping printers working and just fixing things that someone has screwed up. I have crunched it out and this deal easily saves me 3-4k a year depending on teeth cleanings and annual travel. The health of my pet is amazing as the vet is very invested in keeping my dog alive. I have recently cut another deal with a large salon that provides office space to hairdressers and pedicures. In essence they are giving me office space (since I mostly work from home when I am not not he road) and hair cuts for my wife and two daughters. This deal will save me an additional fortune over time and gives me a place to hide from the previous mentioned family members. The benefit to the salon owners is that the office space means they will have a friendly tech in house when I am home. Not to bad a deal to keep up a small wireless network and one server. Now if I could only figure out a way to get free toilet paper. With three women in one house you can imagine the implications!!!