31 Aug How to Outsource Your Life for Five Bucks
Written by: Scott Dinsmore
Editor’s note: I’m somewhere off exploring Croatia right now, but I wrote this prior to leaving and had to share it with you.
Average Read Time: 3 Minutes
Do you ever have little tasks that might take you hours, but you know others could do them in minutes?
If something isn’t your specialty, you shouldn’t expect to be much good at it. Graphic design and complex web coding are perfect examples of this for me.
Well I have found an awesome answer to this problem and I’ve got to share it with you.
Outsource your life $5 at a time.
Recently I read a blog post on Escape the 9 to 5 that interviewed the founder of Fiverr.com. Within minutes I was hooked and I’d become massively more productive!
The site is simply a marketplace for people selling their services for $5 each. One fixed rate for everything-both online and offline/in-person work. The service is brilliant and incredibly useful for entrepreneurs or anyone looking to spend their time only doing the things they’re good at (which is the only way I recommend anyone spends time).
You might say, ‘how could someone offer a useful service for only five bucks?’ Well I assure you they can. At at over 75,000 active listings, I’d say they’re onto something. They cover everything from increasing your Twitter following to singing happy birthday to your buddy in Turkish. It’s all there.
Only spend time on what you’re good at. Outsource the rest.
My first experience was unreal and the timing could not have been better. I was just about to start the design work for the cover of my new eBook which I was offering as part of my new site redesign and launch. I had it all written and all I needed was a sharp looking cover. I figured, how hard could this be?
I opened photoshop and proceeded to tumble face first into a 2-hour time warp, with nothing to show once I reached the other side. Even if I spent 8 hours on the task, there was no way it was going to look nearly presentable enough for my site. I am just not a Photoshop guy.
I needed help, but the problem was I needed it done in 3 days or less (I’ve noticed designers tend to hate tight time lines).
I hopped on Fiverr and found someone in minutes. I made a $5 payment via PayPal (you pay in advance but the money isn’t released to the provider until final project is delivered) and two minutes later he wrote me asking for the appropirate files. I sent them and went back to work.
No more than 5 minutes later I had an email saying my project was ready. I logged in and there it was. A sharply designed, 3D eBook cover. Are you kidding? That’s time leverage at its best.
After two renditions it was perfect and within 9 hours the project was complete (I assigned it at 10:30 pm and it was done by morning). They even designed it based on the design of my website. For proof, check out the final version of my eBook cover, The Best of Reading For Your Success.
Your time is worth more than you think. Spend it wisely.
Many bloggers and E-entrepreneurs often produce eBooks and other graphic materials so I hope this alone saves you a bundle of time (and money). I was about to outsource the task for $50 to a woman in the Ukraine, which I would have been more than happy to pay prior to Fiverr.
The site is brilliant: Finding people who are super efficient with a particular task and linking them up with people who are terribly inefficient at the same task and are willing to pay a few bucks to have it done. If we all spent our time this way, the world would be an unbelievable place.
Imagine if the next time you needed a quick website header, logo, widget, snippet of code or site troubleshooting, that you could have it done for five bucks and with little wasted time. It’s perfect for the guy who wears a ton of hats or someone just looking to have some fun.
Now I have three other people working little design tweaks and coding things for my site. I love it. And outsourcing always feels so good! It actually makes me sleep better at night.
Some of the other services being offered right now:
- Advertise your site to 5,000 facebook friends
- Write and record a song for you
- Turn a picture of you into a cartoon
- Post blog comments
- Create a custom Twitter background
- Code in any language for an hour
- Beautiful woman do an HD video promoting your brand
- Same beautiful woman be in a relationship with you on Facebook for a week
- Design a logo or website header
- This list seriously goes on as long as your imagination can handle…
Invest $5 to save your most precious resource: Time
I don’t care if you have a huge pile of tasks or nothing at all on your plate to outsource. Check out this site and spend $10-20. Consider it an investment in learning how to manage the world’s most scarce resource.
I know you’ll find plenty of value. Pick something work related or just do it for fun. But do something. It’s worth the experiment.
Our time can never be recovered so why not spend it the best way you know how?
Happy outsourcing and let me know what you get done. Share your best outsourcing experiences in the comments below.
Note: I am not getting paid a dime to promote this service. I just think it’s awesomely useful.
If you liked this article, please Tweet about it or tell your friends on Facebook using the links below. I’d appreciate it.
If you really want to get serious about outsourcing, check out the article I wrote for Elance a few weeks ago:
12 Tips for Outsourcing Your Business to the Next Level in Today’s Economy
Alexis
Posted at 12:32h, 31 AugustThis might have just saved my sanity while in the middle of wedding planning. I had no idea that I could use Elance to find an agent to plan my honeymoon at such a reasonable price. Thanks!
Scott
Posted at 11:02h, 13 SeptemberFirst off, sorry for the late response to everyone. I just got back from my honeymoon in Croatia. What an experience!
I can very much relate to you Alexis. That’s awesome that you’ve found a planner on Elance (no doubt for a good price). Enjoy the extra time on your hands and more importantly have a magical wedding.
Thanks for the thoughts,
Scott
Desmond Greer
Posted at 19:01h, 01 SeptemberThis is cheap enough to allow people to take some risk and have some short-term relationships. I already have someone in mind that could really use multiple experts for hire with obscure talents. I believe that most people think of outsourcing as something that “other” people do, but your post shows how common it really is. Thank you for sharing this, it really has been helpful.
Scott
Posted at 11:06h, 13 SeptemberI’m so glad it struck a note for you Desmond. I used to think the same thing about outsourcing until I finally gave it a try. Now I can’t stop. And I have gotten so much more done and freed up a ton of time as a result. This tool is especially awesome because for five bucks it is basically risk free. And to have access to so many skills for so cheap is pretty ground breaking.
Happy outsourcing,
Scott
Travis
Posted at 08:25h, 02 SeptemberThat is absolutely fascinating! Outsourcing just got a little bit better. Thanks for spreading the good word.
Scott
Posted at 11:07h, 13 SeptemberMy pleasure Travis. Give it a try and have fun with it!
Scott
Brenda Freeman
Posted at 02:14h, 03 SeptemberAs a person who thought she had to do it all, I wore myself out. A bit of ego I suppose……only I could do a good job on my things.
How wrong can a person be? I have learned to outsource, not only business related tasks, but home duties as well. Who cares if the clothes aren’t hung out the way I would do it? It’s done and that’s what matters.
I know use my time doing the things that I am good at and are most productive, and what a difference that has made. Great article
Scott
Posted at 11:09h, 13 SeptemberThat is a such a huge realization Brenda. It is not a question of whether or not you can do it best. For most things, best is not necessary. More importantly, the question is can someone else get the job done to satisfactory standards so you can spend more time using your unique strengths. The answer is almost always yes.
Enjoy and thanks for the comment,
Scott
Haley Price
Posted at 05:43h, 09 Septemberi LOVE this! used it to increase traffic to my blog, and saw tangible results.
i’m guilty of “working hard”, not necessarily smart. this website is a great tool to help you do BOTH.
Scott
Posted at 11:11h, 13 SeptemberThat’s awesome Haley. What was the specific task? I know we’d all be interested in knowing. Nicely done.
I always love hearing someone putting things to use!
I really appreciate the comment,
Scott
Madeleine Kolb
Posted at 07:46h, 14 SeptemberScott, This is super useful. Who knew (until now)? I just had a quick look at fiverr.com and got so excited I hardly know where to start.
I’m a little hung up on the I-can-do-it-all mentality, and, clearly, there’s a point at which that becomes counter-productive. So it’s great to know about this option.
Scott
Posted at 21:54h, 14 SeptemberI felt that same way when I found the site. It’s awesome! Have fun with it. I think my next project is going to be having someone make a cartoon character out of a picture of my wife. Who says it always has to be work?
Once you start outsourcing, it’s really hard to stop. You will quickly disprove that I-can-do-it-all mentality.
Enjoy the extra time on your hands,
Scott
Chelsea Dinsmore
Posted at 13:24h, 16 SeptemberAwesome find!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Patti Foy
Posted at 14:52h, 16 SeptemberHey Scott,
I found you in the A-List forum, and glad I did. What a great blog! SUPER info!
I love this post about outsourcing and hearing about your great success with it. Yes, they did a beautiful job on your eBook cover, and I am going to have to get a copy. 🙂 My problem is I very much enjoy playing around in Photoshop and doing design, even tho I’m not very good at it and it takes me forever.
I wonder if I can pay someone $5 to tie my hands behind my back and force me to outsource! Ya think?
Cheers. Patti
Scott
Posted at 23:13h, 17 SeptemberIt’s funny you joke about it Patti but it’s a really big issue for people and it certainly was for me–the idea that you can do it all yourself. That’s what I love about Fiverr. It is a really low cost and simple way to see how powerful outsourcing can be. I would have had unbelievable trouble on my eBook without it.
Thanks for the praises about the site and book cover too! It’s been a major work in process this year and it’s exciting to see it all coming to fruition. I have the A-List and the group to thank for that in a very big way. Glad you’re a part of the team.
Happy Outsourcing,
Scott
Patti Foy
Posted at 08:46h, 18 SeptemberHey again,
After your response, I want to clarify: I wasn’t joking about IT, I was joking about ME. I certainly see the value in this, had saved their link for me, and had even forwarded it to a few people. Great value and for me too. I joked cuz I am one of those to whom it IS a big deal, realizing I don’t have to (or more like I shouldn’t even if I want to) do it all myself. Totally super idea, and again, so glad you shared. It’s a great way to get my/our toes in the water. 😀
Scott
Posted at 11:36h, 19 SeptemberNo worries Patti. I caught your humor for sure!
Now have some fun with it 🙂
-Scott
Heather Witherspoon
Posted at 06:05h, 06 OctoberAbsolute Amazing! I’m going to brainstorm a list of ideas for Fiverr. Whoever created it is simply a genious!
Scott, you are now my best friend for sharing this!
Scott
Posted at 10:19h, 08 OctoberHa! Always nice to have another best friend ;).
I just outsourced a few more things. I had a business card made. Such a cool service!
Ash Srivastava
Posted at 23:04h, 22 OctoberScott…Thanks for bringing this to my attention …amazing !
Scott
Posted at 19:23h, 23 JanuaryIt’s a huge tool. Enjoy it Ash!
mtn jim fisher
Posted at 07:52h, 18 JanuaryI’ve been in that 2 hour photoshop time warp Scott LOL, for the exact same reason.
your example of paying 5 bucks to get it done on fiverr is perfect to illustrate the “outsourcing baby steps” that those new to outsourcing can get started with it…
Mtn Jim
Scott
Posted at 19:23h, 23 JanuaryIt’s seriously the perfect way to start! Enjoy… and let me know what you have someone do 😉
errol johnstone
Posted at 00:11h, 30 DecemberHi scott.
Interested in starting a investment company.
Would like to outsource the start up in india or a place recommended by yourself.
This company would operate in australia.
Thank you.
Errol Johnstone
Outsource your Life | Shaggygirl
Posted at 01:01h, 30 March[…] And to get you thinking of some other ideas, here’s a fun little article about Outsourcing your stuff for $5. […]
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