Use TaskRabbit and Fiverr for creative outsourcing!
Trying to buy a gift that doesn't result in clutter but is unique and customized?
Have gifts that you need to wrap, but your attempt looks like a preschooler did it? (Ok, I'm talking about me here).
Does DIY turn into OOPS?
TaskRabbit and Fiverr to the rescue!
TaskRabbit is like Craig's list but without the scaries. Instead of wondering if the person showing up is going to be reliable or is a descendant of Big Foot, you can hire and pay through TaskRabbit. You'll be able to see references and ratings of the people you are considering. Everything is done through its platform to make it easy.
What are some things you can use TaskRabbit for?
- Handyman services
- Packing and unpacking boxes
- Personal Assistant duties
- Ikea furniture assembly (yes! It's true!)
- Hanging pictures and TVs
- Painting
- Waiting in line for you
and more!
I had one client who used TaskRabbit to take down all of her holiday decorations and put them away. Another used TaskRabbit to be a runner at her child's birthday party so she could focus on her son instead of replenishing cupcakes and punch.
Fiverr is another website to outsource tasks from the professional to the personal. It's called Fiverr because each gig is $5, but the work might be 2 or more gigs.
Popular professional services include:
- Logo design
- website customization
- voice-overs
- translation of video
I've used Fiverr for press releases, making PDFs editable (I paid $11 rather than buying the Adobe Suite), and book editing and formatting. What I really like them for is for creating personalized gifts.
I had a ‘celebrity' record a special message for my husband for his 50th birthday.
I had someone photoshop my brother Todd into a scene from Baywatch for his birthday (yes, I could have done this myself, but it wouldn't have looked as good, and my time is worth more than $12).
I also had my niece's photo turned into a cartoon Rapunzel for $12 – two gigs + a tip.
Have a cousin who likes Elvis and Brazil? There's a Brazilian Elvis that can sing her a custom message.
One of my favorite uses is to have someone do vacation research. There are many people who will create customized travel itineraries or will be your personal assistant when you get there. There's one that will plan your entire Disney World vacation starting at $10!
Get creative. Save time. Stop putting off those tasks you keep moving forward to the next day.
What's the first task you can think of to outsource?
