Get a free $5 gig from Fiverr
Need a graphic designer? A songwriter? Help with online marketing? Here's your chance to book a service for free.
We live in a crowd-sourced " sharing" economy. Once upon a time, if you needed a new logo or press release for your business, original music or sound effects for your movie, help with Web analytics or SEO, or any such service, you could expect to pay hundreds -- even thousands -- of dollars.
Fiverr pairs you with pros (and aspiring amateurs) willing to do this kind of work for just five bucks. And while "supplies" last, AppSumo is offering one free gig from Fiverr. Regular price: $5, natch.
This offer is for new Fiverr customers only, and you can use your redemption code for just one gig. But that can be just about anything: a virtual assistant, a custom happy-birthday video, a logo design, a business contract, and on and on.
Take note, though, that although all gigs are priced at $5, there are some that ultimately cost more. Many of the app-development services, for example, say things like, "$5 is just for the initial discussion." Which is understandable, because building an app from scratch can take days. Other gigs offer "extras" like faster turnaround.
Anyway, I've been wanting to try Fiverr, and this is the perfect opportunity. AppSumo will send you a confirmation email with the redemption link (to sign up for your Fiverr account) and coupon code (to apply to your first gig), though you can also find that info on your AppSumo account page. The code will expire July 19 if not redeemed by then.
I'll admit I have mixed feelings about Fiverr. On the one hand, I make my living as a creative professional -- a writer, though I used to do some graphic design as well -- and it pains me to see my creative brethren selling their services for just $5. But on the other, the free market is the free market, and if people want to sell their skills for $5 a pop, that's entirely up to them. Maybe it's income they wouldn't be able to bring in otherwise, and maybe it leads to bigger, better gigs. (Also, the "extras" can help turn slave-wage gigs into more profitable ones.)
By the way, according to AppSumo, this it the first time Fiverr has ever offered a freebie. So grab yours while you can!
Bonus deal: Last week I shared a deal on HP's K4000 multi-OS Bluetooth keyboard, which was a solid buy at $14.99. If you don't mind going the refurb route, Newegg has the same HP K4000 Bluetooth keyboard, refurbished, for $9.99 shipped. Based on a few user comments, batteries probably aren't included. But you do get a 90-day warranty. The keyboard would cost you at least $25 if purchased new.