HelpAroundTown Review | How it Works & What To Expect

HelpAroundTown is a job-listing site that aims to connect individuals and businesses needing help with willing workers.

Expected pay: varies by job

Husl$core: $$$$

Commissions & fees: none, although you can buy advertisements

Where: Nationwide, but primarily Boston area

Requirements: parental permission, if you’re under the age of 18

HelpAroundTown review:

HelpAroundTown is a simple job listing site that aims to connect neighbors willing to work with households and employers that need help. There are no fees to register or post a job. Workers negotiate their rates and requirements directly with the people or companies that employ them. The site stays out of the transaction and charges no fees for the connection.

However, if you want to highlight your listing as a helper, you can pay a $10 monthly fee to have your profile featured on the site. Companies can pay $35 for an advertisement.

The site was launched to create jobs for kids left unemployed by the Great Recession, says Reem Yared, the site’s CEO. “The goal was to monetize neighbors’ to-do lists to provide sources of income and reputation-building for high school and college kids.”

Naturally, however, you don’t have to be a kid to sign up. However, some of the site’s features are aimed at providing privacy to young workers, while still presenting opportunities.

The catch?

Even though the site has been around for a decade, it hasn’t grown much past its Massachusetts roots. So, while it is theoretically a national site, you’re unlikely to find a lot of job listings elsewhere. If you’re in Massachusetts, however, you can find a number of jobs and side hustles. They range from running errands to working in coffee shops and senior centers,

Recommendations:

That said, listing is free. So there’s little risk in giving this site a try, particularly for employers (household and professional) looking for help.

If you are looking for a job, however, you’re more likely to find takers by listing with TaskRabbit. You can also advertise your availability to perform in-person work through a neighborhood website such as Nextdoor.