My neighbour is a retired mechanic and he's just spent two hours helping me change a water pump on the car.He also drove me to the garage to get some parts.
I never paid him,my mate says he'd have at least offered him something,but i disagree.I never ask for money for helping anyone out and never offer it if its the other way round.

The thing is he's done a lot more for me than i have for him.

Hello

I don't think you should pay him, but a nice bottle of wine or flowers / chocolates for his wife is polite.

Steve.

It is always nice to offer IMHO, at least they have the choice of saying no, or agreeing to a compromise of say a couple of pints or a favour in return.

like for like
if someone does me a favour i return it next time they need one.
But if its a big job or awkward or something then ill slip them some £ or a pint or 2

Beer/wine is not a bad idea.

Actually he's more than a neighbour,he's a friend.Paying friends for favours defeats the object of having mates though,doesnt it?

Personally, I would have gone out and got a couple of bottles of wine/crate of beer and dropped it off as a thank you. They can always share them with you, or turn it down(meaning you get some too)

I'd say it would be better to offer him something like a case of beer (and let him turn it down if he wants to) than to have him thinking "miserable cnut, all that help and he never even offered a thanks".

A case of beer costs little, and will help goodwill no end.

John

Take him a crate of beer round, he'll appreciate the thought.

personally when i help someone out i don't expect anything in return though i would always give them some beer/wine...

Crate of beer, deffo :D

Joolz

yea.. a crate of beer whould be good..!!! if you take it round tonight he wont expect it would probably be made up..!!!

Dan:D

He may be a friend and neighbour but as he's doing a lot of jobs for you he will like to feel appreciated. :)

Take him out for a meal or the beer idea - a gesture to say thanks.:)

To be honest i would have gone down the beer road.
BUT he has had some expense in helping you out (driving his car to get the water pump)
I would take the beer round and have a £20 note in the other hand see which one if not both he takes ??


But i really think you need to take him something !

I'd always offer, whoever has done the good deed. Its only polite and most times they will say no thanks, but at least you don't look ungrateful. Then as said earlier, there's usually an occasion at some stage to repay in kind with a favour in return.

I always feed his cats for him when he's away.

Its nice to offer something even if he's a mate.
take a few cans round

10 bottles of Batemans beer duly delivered:)..

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/up.gif

and what did he say??????

He said "Thanks".

Will you feed his cats with the beer?

My best mates dad's a mechanic and often does smallish jobs for people at home on a weekend or evening for cash in hand. He got asked by a bloke from the parts department if he'd change the clutch on his sons car that he'd just bought. He agreed to do it this Saturday just gone.

When the son came to pick his car up he brought a bunch of flowers as payment and gave them to my mates mum! What makes this even funnier is that this blokes mother works in a petrol station and usually brings flowers home so we reckon he'd just picked a bunch of these up :D

Needless to say my mates dad is gonna tell the bloke in parts that he doesn't want to do any more work for them!

Even though you've already paid him i'd advise people to make sure there offer of payment won't offend.

Gareth

If somone helps me out then I usually offer to pay, or reimburse them in some way. For example, a few years back, when I got the scooby, my Uncle got me a head unit and autochanger at a very very silly price, now it was no skin off his nose to do this, but I was grateful, he'd not take cash, so I got him a couple of bottles of Chanti (and fava beans :D).

As said by others, if you offer, the person can always say no. Usually if I do someone a favor I don't expect payment, and if money is offered I usually turn it down, as well, most of the time I'm doing things for friends, so the odd pint is usually good enough a reward.

I bet he was pleased at that S Star. And he will offer to help you again next time.

Les :)

Did you get his missus something?

Gotta keep her happy as it was her weekend aswell. Keep her happy and she won't mind as much the next time, p155 her off and there might not be a next time ;)

Nowt for the missus.