Repeat after me: "No." Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. (if someone gets offended because you don't want to work for them FOR FREE, then – very obviously – they you are the one who should be out of this 'relationship')

It's all about kindness and honesty! You might say something like, "I really appreciate your interest and support! While I can't take on free projects right now, I’d love to keep sharing tips and insights that can help you. Thanks for understanding!" This way, you're valuing their request while setting clear boundaries.

What i can suggest you do that i believe works for me is that when i meet such requests i communicate that i prefer letting you know of my unavaialability to do free work rather than leading you on only to later disappoint . Thus i can't promise to deliver what you want but occasionally i can chip in and share my views about the project

I’ve had a lot of people ask me for free work. I understand that budgets can be tight, but offering my services for free often means I can’t give the time and effort needed to do a great job. At the end of the day, I think it’s important to set boundaries. It’s okay to say no while still keeping relationships positive. I always let people know I’d be happy to discuss paid opportunities when the time is right, and that usually keeps things respectful and professional.