Simon Catling
A wife has found one way to combat the cost of living crisis - by renting out her husband for a bit of extra cash.
Laura Young, who lives in Bletchley in Buckinghamshire with her husband James and three kids, got the idea after hearing a podcast which told the story of a man who was making a living putting together flat-pack furniture for others.
Spotting a similar angle, Laura has since decided to rent out her DIY-loving husband.
James has already apparently transformed the family home by building custom beds, as well as fitting a kitchen and making a dining table from scratch. He's also a dab hand at painting, decorating, tiling and carpet laying.
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So, why not let others enjoy his talent for a price?
Laura said: "He’s good at everything around the house and garden, so I thought why not put those skills to use and hire him out?”
Her 'Rent My Handy Husband' website and accompanying ads on Facebook and Nextdoor drew a large response, and she was amazed at the number of replies she got - although some people got the wrong end of the stick.
She said: "People are genuinely interested.
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"There have been a few that got the wrong idea and thought I was hiring James out for something else entirely! Even with the cost of living crisis, I’m not planning to do that!"
She went on to say: "Most people think it’s great. They say it’s sometimes hard to get builders to quote for little jobs as they’re not interested.
“James is perfect for things like putting flat packs together, putting up trampolines, building shelves and installing things.
"Sometimes it's quicker and easier to get someone in to do a job we've been waiting on our husbands to do for what feels like a lifetime. Life gets in the way and those jobs get put to the side, which is where my idea came in.”
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For James, the work fits in well with his schedule. A former warehouse night shift worker, he gave up his job two years ago to help Laura with their three children, two of whom are autistic.
Laura said: “He has been diagnosed as on the spectrum himself but this makes him very thorough and excellent at any DIY job he does.”
James apparently plans to return to college to study motor mechanics, but will carry on with his new casual work.
“He has always had a keen interest in building and creating" Laura said.
I’ve put him to good use over the years establishing our own family home and also helping friends and family."
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She added: "The hire charges average around £35 a house and no job is too small. It can be as little as fitting a TV to the wall, fitting a blind or painting a fence.
"We want to keep the charges to a minimum and be honest with people. We know what it’s like to be on a budget, so we offer discounts to disabled people, carers, people on Universal Credit and the over 65s.”