HOW TO JOIN:
When creating your account, you’ll see three options. Here’s what they mean:
(Individual)
• Best for most people.
• You earn hours when you help someone and spend hours when someone helps you.
• Example: You mow a neighbor’s lawn for 1 hour → you earn 1 hour. You use that hour later for help with tutoring, rides, or errands.
(Business)
• For small businesses that want to participate.
• Businesses earn hours by offering services (like a haircut, car repair, or catering help).
✅ Rule: Only the active time spent teaching, helping, or guiding counts. Items, products, or the final output (haircut, repaired car, cooked food, drink, painting) DO NOT count as hours.
• This keeps local businesses connected to the community.
(Organization)
• For community groups, nonprofits, or faith-based organizations.
• Organizations can earn hours by offering things like food pantry support, workshops, or event space.
• Example: Nonprofit organization: Provides 1-hour career coaching for youth → 1 hour logged for the volunteer/staff helping.
• Animal shelter: Volunteer guides a 1-hour dog-walking session → 1 hour logged.
• They can spend hours when they need volunteers, deliveries, or setup help.
• Members can also donate hours to organizations to strengthen community projects.
✅ Most people should choose (Individual) when signing up.
Businesses and organizations are always welcomed too, but they MUST also give back in order to earn hours.
Services/Skills Counted: Any hands-on assistance, teaching, or direct help provided to others.
Goods Not Counted: Products, materials, or items (like saying a haircut is worth 10 hours when it only takes 30 mins, car parts, or beverages/food, etc) are not counted.
🕒 HOW TO EARN & SPEND HOURS❗️
Hours are earned ONLY by providing a service or helping someone else. Products, drinks, items, or goods do not count toward time hours.
• Every service = Time only, NEVER money.
• 1 hour of service = 1 time credit.
NEGATIVE BALANCES ARE NOT ALLOWED❗️ Why Not?
1. FAIRNESS: Everyone starts with the same time credits. If someone could go negative, they could take help without offering anything in return, which is unfair to other members.
2. ACCOUNTABILITY: Prevents members from over-promising or over-requesting help they can’t “pay back” in time.
3. TRUST: Keeps the community strong. Members know that if they help, they earn credits, and if they request, they must have credits to “pay” for it.
4. CLARITY: Avoids confusion about who owes what and keeps the system simple for everyone.
Examples:
❌ Bob only has 1 hour but requests 3 hours of tutoring. If negative balances were allowed, he could get help without earning hours first.
✅ With no negative balances, Bob must earn 2 more hours by helping others before he can request 3 hours of tutoring.
• Each member is limited to 2 extra hours exceptions per month. — Meaning, you can request extra hours for a service TWICE in a month.
• If a service takes more hours than you currently have, you must contact the time bank admin BEFORE the service to request extra hours.
• Extra hours are approved for that specific service only, not for general use.
• Future services require earning more hours.
• Everyone’s time has equal value, no matter the skill.
• Keep track of hours in the system immediately after the exchange.
• Gaining hours = providing help.
• Spending hours = receiving help.
📝 MAKING REQUESTS & OFFERS❗️
- ALL NEW MEMBERS RECEIVE 1 STARTER HOUR, HAPPY BANKING!
• When you need help: Post a Request (rides, tutoring, errands, yard work, etc.).
• When you can help: Post an Offer (skills, services, companionship, etc.).
✅ Key Point: Posting an Offer never costs hours. Hours are only spent when you RECEIVE help.
Only the person who GAVE the help should log the hours. If you received help, do not log anything — your job is just to confirm. If someone logs hours that didn’t happen, they’ll be removed from the Time Bank.
• Be specific about what you need or can provide.
• Always confirm details before starting (time, place, needs).
• Use the conversation thread to confirm details (time, place, needs). Communication is PRIVATE between requester and helper.