Need something sorted out quickly and cheaply by someone local?

There are now clever websites which let you purchase micro jobs and services from local people for a fair price. This is also a fantastic money making opportunity for anyone who can spare a few hours a week. It doesn’t matter what your skill set because there are tasks to suit anyone.

Picture the scene…

You’ve spent 7 hours wandering around Ikea arguing with your partner about wood stains, swearing at inanimate objects and generally feeling like you’ve had your brain soaked in misery… neat, minimalist, Swedish misery.

You get home and put away all the items you had no intention of buying before you set out (the potpourri holder, the earthenware bowl and the mini desk lamp) and unpack items you do actually need (the wardrobe and the chest of drawers).

As you stare at the 2D mess of incomprehensible instructions, alan keys and MDF you think “if only there was someone who could pop round and turn it into something I can put my clothes in…”

Thanks to websites like Task Panda and Sorted Local you can.

It’s not just about constructing flat pack furniture though. You can use the site to hire people or bid on all manner of jobs including but not limited to:

– Waiting in while someone’s at work for the gasman or a package to be delivered

– Computer lessons or PC/Mac repair

– Picking up a takeway for someone from a restaurant that doesn’t deliver

– Dog walking or pet sitting

– Cooking

– Ironing, laundry and cleaning

– DIY work and maintenance

– Gardening and watering

– Admin work

I’ve given a few examples but it’s not limited to the above.

In fact the only limits are your imagination here (although obviously you can’t work on or hire anyone to do anything illegal).

How much can you make (or would you expect to pay) for these mini jobs?

The answer is that it’s dependant on the skill and the time required to complete the job.

Workers can set their own fee but this is a competitive market so think ‘fair’. The best thing to do is browse through the following sites and see what the going rate is.

I did a search for dog walking in my local area and the prices that came up ranged from between £9 and £12 an hour so that should give you an idea.

Workers are vetted to try and ward off mass murderers and burglars and to create some sort of quality control and everyone has a profile so that you can suss out who the potential client/worker is before committing.

These are the best websites I found offering these kind of micro jobs:

Task Panda

This is a UK based website that works off a bidding system. Jobs are posted and potential candidates bid on them.

You can see their website here

Sorted Local

This is another UK site except this time workers set an hourly rate. Clients can browse through profiles to select their favoured candidate.

You can see their website here

Task Rabbit

For our American friends there’s Task Rabbit which works in much the same way as Task Panda (in fact Task Panda is the UK spin off)

You can see their website here

While all these sites are expanding quickly this is an idea that’s still in it’s infant stages. This makes it a great opportunity to get in early and establish a solid reputation before more people catch on.

Have you used any of these sites either as a hirer or a worker? Have you come across any similar sites? What would you do? I’d love to hear what you think. Please leave a comment below.