A Question, opinions and advice wanted.

sygnus21 · 04 Jan 2014

Brink said:

Hello Scott,

This is tough situation since it's one of your oldest friends.

You might consider explaining to him that if you are going to have to repair his computer everytime you turn around due to his lack of caring about basic security and maintenance, that you're going to have to charge him for your time since it takes a lot of it.

To make it not feel like such a shock to him, you could say that since are good friends you would not charge him full professional rates, and ask him to check out how much it would cost for Best Buy or other computer shops to do the work you do for him. For example $250 for a simple reinstall of Windows. He may be quite shocked how much it would have cost him, and hopefully be more appreciative of what you do for him, and may even start taking better care of his PC.

The above is perfect.

You might also consider that you're friend just doesn't care because he knows he has you to bail him out. As was told to me by my mother, and I to my kids.... people don't appreciate things until they have to pay for them themselves.

My daughter was like that with her car, always having me take care of it until one day I had to put my foot down. Now see takes extra care because she knows it's very costly not to do so.

And yeah, having him go by best buy and inquiring about repairs is a great idea, even if you have to drag him there yourself.

Good luck.

Layback Bear · 04 Jan 2014

I have had to do something along these lines with the oldest friend I had. (No longer a friend).
Explained to the friend that I couldn't keep do this every few weeks because of all the time it takes. He had a very slow and old computer so I let him watch from start to finish so he would have some idea what one has to do to clean a mess up.
I went through all the do this and don't do that training many times.
Then it came to me my friend was using me and are friendship like a rug you wipe your feet on. I just plain said no to another repair.
My so called best friend has no use for me any longer and I'm better off.
---------------
A friend never ask a friend to do something they know the friend doesn't want to do.
A friend would never put a friend in such a position.
A 30 plus year friendship ended and I still to this day think I made the right decision.

That was my call but one has to make their own call.

M1GU31 · 13 Jan 2014

Yea that's why I charge like $50. Only one I do for free is my bros and parents. Only had one person bring it back to me again before, most are good about it and their pcs stay clean.

LADYPINKtomato1 · 13 Jan 2014

This may well sound harsh... BUT

There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did and who always will.

One can only be a doormat when they lie down !!!, make your choice in those bad situations.