Consulting Charges

[GT98]

I have a person who I was introduced to by my GF that wants me to help them get Quickbooks set up and show them the ropes of using their computer with this database program that she uses also from what she was telling me on the phone....I need to take a look when I get there to get a better handle on the situtation.

I'm going to get paid for the gig...but I'm lost at how much I should charge someone for my "services". I dont want to screw them out of their cash and at the same time dont want to short change myself. Any suggestions at what rate I should charge at (in USD )?

Scott

[Dilitante1]

I would figure out a reasonable hourly rate, then figure out how long you think that it should take to go thru and show them everything they need......then consider a total lump sum that you think they'll be comfortable with so that you dont lose the gig

the trick is you need to write yourself an outline so you can know what you need to teach and in what order to figure out properly what the gig entails.......



-pickle

[Greebe]

entrails... Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[KvHagedorn]

Well, I have a good system for that.. I really hate doing it, so I tell them I usually get $100 an hour for this type of service. I usually never hear back from them, unless they are rich and don't mind.. then I can suffer the task with equanimity.

By the way, depending on the types and amount of inventory and how familiar you are with the business, it can take days to "get Quickbooks set up," but the data entry part is so simple that you might just let them do that. They'll have to learn how eventually anyway. Don't let them rook you into doing it. See the above strategy for that: "Oh, okay.. I'll charge you $75 an hour if you just want me to do data entry."

If you REALLY want to do this though, what I would do is call around to different places and ask what they would charge you for such a service, and charge the same.

[cjolley]

Are they going to treat it as a part time position or as contract work?
That makes a huge difference in what you should charge.
Don't forget the tax implications. If they are going to report the income on a 1099MISC to the IRS then you can't just ignore it on your taxes even if it's contract work.
Plus SSA.
A rule of thumb here might be $30/hr for temp employment, $60 for contract. But then, here you can buy a nice house for $75,000 so adjust acordingly.
On the other hand, if you are going to be "learning on the job" then adjust the the price downwards.
chuck

[GT98]

Boy Chuck...your looking into this more then there is....its more or less something done under table thing

[cjolley]

If it's for an individual then no problem.
Just make them pay in cash.
If it's for a company, they will for sure write if off & the taxes are your problem.
chuck