5 Reasons You Should Hire "The Little Guy" for Odd Jobs

Have you ever had someone knock on your door and ask, "Would you like your lawn mowed?" or, "Do you need your leaves raked?" Have you ever found a flier or business card slipped in your mail slot or stuck in the crack of your door? What did you do with it? Did you take time to read it, or did you just toss it in the garbage because you do your own lawn, or maybe you only hire professionals.

Well, we all know that the economy has been shaky, and people are loosing their jobs everyday. However, we can make a difference when we say "yes" to the person at the door with a rake in his hand, or if we call the number on the flier.

The 5 Reasons You Should Hire the "Little Guy" for those odds jobs are:

1. You will be helping someone that is helping you. Perhaps, that person just lost their job, and is trying to make a few extra dollars to make ends meet. Or it may be a college student that is using their spare time trying to earn some extra money to pay for cloths, books, etc. Maybe it's a teenager that is too young to get a job, but understands the value of working to earn money. Whatever the case may be when you pay the "little guy" to do odd jobs you are getting more than what you are paying for; you are helping someone in need.

2. You can use your time to do other things while they are mowing the lawn or raking and bagging all those leaves.

3. If you have health problems, perhaps you have a bad back, bad knees, arthritis, etc., you eliminate the possibility of aggravating or re-injuring yourself.

4. When you give the "little guy" those odd jobs you are saying I admire your humbleness, and respect the fact that you are willing to go the extra mile to find work to supplement your income.

5. You are, in a sense, creating jobs for someone less fortunate in an economy that is unstable.

What types of odd jobs can you offer the "little guy" you may be wondering. Mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, trimming the hedges, washing the windows, power washing the sidewalk or house, cleaning out the gutters, trimming back tree limbs, shoveling snow, clearing snow off the car, garbage removal, replacing outdoor light bulbs, and other outside odd jobs. Always, start with outside jobs this allows you time to get to know the person, and is safest.

If you establish a relationship, and grow to trust the person you can have other things done for you; say you need the bathroom painted, or maybe you want to have wallpaper borders put up, that old washer and dryer in the basement needs to go, let's say you bought a bookshelf, desk or chair that needs assembling, the opportunities to help someone help you are countless.

You may find that the person you hire to do odd jobs may have other valuable skills too, such as computer skills, or you may find that they are married and their wife has office skills, what if that person is good with digital photos or video editing. Always, keep safety in mind, but don't let fear keep you from opening up your heart to helping someone in need. The person at the door or who left that flier may very well be a very honest, ethical, hard working person looking for ways to make some extra money; and it is possible to establish a great relationship with a decent character.

It takes courage and humbleness to knock on someones door, or even pass out fliers, and ask if they can do odd jobs for you. Although, I have referred to the person who offers to work for someone, doing things most people would look down at, as the "little guy", in my opinion they are actually the big guys.

Again, remember safety first, but do consider helping those in need if you can. Doing good deeds for one another can bring a community together in positive ways. We all need someone sometime.

And to those of you who are willing to work and do odd jobs to make ends meet or supplement your income hold you heads high. Many people respect your willingness to work. You may get 4 no's before you get 1 yes, but that is no reason to be discouraged or give up. The world is full of kind and caring people, and you will find those individuals. You can make a difference in somone's life, and earn an honest dollar. Hard work, good ethics, and respect are still valuable. Be on time, do your best, and you may even get some referrals.